This One Time At Sports-Camp

Ganymede

No, it's not. Anthony is a dickbag that couldn't make it work with Karl. Fuck that guy.

I think the Clippers go over the hump this year. I think the Spurs collapse, and the Lakers are non-factor again. I think the Rockets are too shallow, and lack a tested power forward.

I think the Cavs get to the Finals this year, and lose to the Clippers. And then I think KD goes to the Cavs after LBJ and the others restructure their contracts.

Arkandel

@Ganymede said:

No, it's not. Anthony is a dickbag that couldn't make it work with Karl. Fuck that guy.

I think the Clippers go over the hump this year. I think the Spurs collapse, and the Lakers are non-factor again. I think the Rockets are too shallow, and lack a tested power forward.

I think the Cavs get to the Finals this year, and lose to the Clippers. And then I think KD goes to the Cavs after LBJ and the others restructure their contracts.

The Lakers are my sad story I wish Kobe had one last good run before retirement but I strongly doubt they're making it to the playoffs at all. I hope he at least finishes the season without injuries and goes out on a high note.

The Clippers... personally, I doubt it. BG is a top-3 PF (and really funny in interviews) and of course Paul might be a jerk but he's the best PG in a loaded league but they have no spine. Their collapse last year was unexpected and head-shake worthy. Doc can teach a lot, he can't teach having balls.

As for the Spurs, I have them in the Finals. As long as Pop is coaching and Duncan is still on his feet I can't possibly count them out - I have before and they proved me hilariously wrong, even before they got LMA. They're old as dirt though so injuries could be their undoing, but even so I'll take them over anyone else coming out the west. And Cavs vs Spurs ought to be a really fun matchup.

I've an eye for some of the younger teams too. The Timberwolves ought to be fun to watch, the Bucks are a blast and Boston impressed me in the last playoffs - plus they have a shitload of picks left. Their problem will be, as usual, keeping their stars after they develop them.

And KD will never go play with LeBron. He'll not want that part of his legacy, that he needed his help to get a ring. You can quote me on that Gany.

Monogram

I doubt the Spurs will completely collapse. Pop does draft stupidly well, and even when he doesn't, he seems to have this knack from turning a nobody into somebody relevant. People say it's boring to watch the Spurs because they're not flashy, because they're all about fundamentals, but shit, when you have so many rings in so many years, they're doing something right.

Duncan, Ginobli, and....the other guy who's name I forget are getting older. Ancient in NBA terms and think they'll have a couple seasons of irrelevency, but their turnaround will a lot faster than others. Most, probably.

I'm more doubtful of the Clippers. There's a lot of lockerroom drama going on, and Steve Palmer isn't much better of an owner than Sterling was, only instead of apathetic racism it's just ignorance.

The Rockets are never going to be enough unless they have more than Harden and Howard, but on a personal note, I want to see Howard lose everywhere he goes because he's such a queen and crybaby.

The Lakers will never be anything until the day comes thatt they can pry Kobe's cold dead hands off the franchise.

I think, in the foreseeable future will be made up of the Warriors, Grizzlies, and Pelicans. Possibly the Blazers and Nuggets as well.

@Arkandel But they're best friends! They play together all the time in the off-season! It totally makes sense! Sarcasm aside, I could see Durant getting so desperate to win, he would join up with Lebron. Well, okay, I see it more happening with Westbrook than Durant. Or 'Mello. Definately 'Mello.

Ganymede

@Monogram said:

Sarcasm aside, I could see Durant getting so desperate to win, he would join up with Lebron. Well, okay, I see it more happening with Westbrook than Durant. Or 'Mello. Definately 'Mello.

This.

Do you think LeBron wanted to leave Cleveland? Of course not, but he couldn't get anyone to go there because he was an untested star. Then he won his two rings, went back, and convinced Kevin Love to join him.

Do you think Jordan wanted help in Chicago? He might not have needed it for his 6 rings, but he welcomed it, and he was a winner. Shaq? Three rings with Kobe, and then another with Wade. Garnett? Went to Boston, won a ring. Durant is already sharing the spotlight with Russell Westbrook.

Durant's not Allen Iverson or Kobe Bryant He's a smart kid. He'll go where he can win. And he can win on a team with LBJ, Love, and Irving. Easily.

Arkandel

@Ganymede said:

Do you think LeBron wanted to leave Cleveland? Of course not, but he couldn't get anyone to go there because he was an untested star. Then he won his two rings, went back, and convinced Kevin Love to join him.

No, of course he didn't want to leave. In fact leaving caused significant damage to his legacy - it's his one black mark, since otherwise the guy is perfect with a reportedly solid long-term marriage, extensive community work, a great image, etc.

But make no mistake, he'd have had zero issues getting people to Cleveland - they were simply mismanaged for a while at the time, saddled with bad contracts and relatively little room in the salary cap to do much about it in the immediate future. So instead of waiting 2-3 years until things got better, he crafted a situation elsewhere; Pat Riley in the front office (the guy is a legend for a reason), a dynamic coach (which of course he clashed with at first because it's what he does), and two other superstars whom he would be the undisputed leader of.

But KD wouldn't be the leader at all in Cleveland, ever. It's a lose/lose for him; if he gets a ring it'd be because of LeBron and if he doesn't it'd be because he's unable to do it even with LeBron. It'd always be about LeBron.

My fantasy-league kinda scenario was that Cleveland would get KLove - who wants more touches since his stats went down - and trade him to NYC for Carmelo. KLove gets a big market team to lead, Carmelo competes right away, everyone's happy.

Durant's not Allen Iverson or Kobe Bryant He's a smart kid. He'll go where he can win. And he can win on a team with LBJ, Love, and Irving. Easily.

He'll go where he can win alright. My money's on the Lakers, post-Kobe, with the new salary cap rules. A legendary team to lead, several young stars drafted during these past mediocre seasons to back him up and anything he does will be a success because it's not like they can get much worse than where they've been the last few years.

ThatGuyThere

Jut a quick note, the salary cap rules are not changing. The number is just skyrocketing because the figure from the newest TV deal is huge compared to the last one, barring a new CBA the formula for figuring it will be the same.

Ganymede

@Arkandel said:

But KD wouldn't be the leader at all in Cleveland, ever. It's a lose/lose for him; if he gets a ring it'd be because of LeBron and if he doesn't it'd be because he's unable to do it even with LeBron. It'd always be about LeBron.

So what?

I think you're putting too much stock in Durant's ego. I don't see it in him. You want to talk about gentlemanly conduct in the league, Durant seems fine with letting Westbrook be the lightning rod in Oklahoma City. I don't see him caring as much about being second-seat to LBJ. I see him caring more about always coming in second (or less).

Durant is young. He'll want to win one or two quickly, then move to lead another team. Like, oh, what LBJ did.

Arkandel

@Ganymede said:

I think you're putting too much stock in Durant's ego. I don't see it in him.

Yeah, I don't know where that came from.

Ganymede

@Arkandel said:

@Ganymede said:

I think you're putting too much stock in Durant's ego. I don't see it in him.

Yeah, I don't know where that came from.

In context, I'll give him a pass. He was promoting his shoes; he is really freaking good; and, but for LBJ's performance in the playoffs, there would probably be a debate.

Arkandel

I'm not too worried about ego anyway. The truth is that it takes enormous competitiveness and self-confidence to get to that level - there are very few humble people I can name who became real superstars (as in, in the conversation for 'greatest <X> of all time') without it.

Tim Duncan is pretty much the sole exception, the guy's a legend and he doesn't seem to give half a damn. I mean he plays D&D but we can forgive him that.

So if KD has a chip on his shoulder that's probably good. He'll need it. Plus I really wanna see him as a Laker.

calm

I heard that if you go into the bathroom of the airport in Gary, Indiana, turn off the lights, and spin around three times, Derek Rose's ankle suffers multiple fractures.

Arkandel

@calm said:

I heard that if you go into the bathroom of the airport in Gary, Indiana, turn off the lights, and spin around three times, Derek Rose's ankle suffers multiple fractures.

It's not his knee this time, thankfully.

But yeah, that man defines injury prone.

ThatGuyThere

To paraphrase the commenters on deadspin, It will be a tough competition between Derek Rose and RG3 for the role of Mr. Glass in any future Unbreakable remake.

Ganymede

You guys mean "Derrick Rose," right?

ThatGuyThere

@Ganymede said:

You guys mean "Derrick Rose," right?

Yes that is the one. My defense weak as it is, is that I was just following the spelling used earlier in the thread instead of looking for myself.

calm

This post is deleted!

Ganymede

@calm

I don't think presuming everyone is male here is safe, actually.

I mean, we are talking about basketball here.