* Offiical NBA Off-Season Thread: I'll give one of my damn kidney's for these Melo rumors to stop *

[steve cash]

 

[thegreekgangsta]

Originally Posted by Steve Cash

Lakers will lose against the Celtics if they meet up in the finals again.

 

[Johnny_Cakes]

Originally Posted by Steve Cash

Lakers will lose against the Celtics if they meet up in the finals again.

I don't know about that one. Lakers have strongly addressed their bench weaknesses this offseason, gotten rid of some waste. Assuming both teams are healthy, the Lakers should win.

 

[licensed to ball]

Originally Posted by Steve Cash

no romo but he actually doesnt look too bad in a pistons uni 

too bad hes way past his prime 

 

[japanair21]

Pops Mensah Bonsu going to play in Spain.

In INT play, Deng had 23/11/9.

 

[nicedudewithnicedreams]

^ Your boy Roddy just broke his foot. Hope he gets better.

 

[noblekane]

Originally Posted by Steve Cash

Lakers will lose against the Celtics if they meet up in the finals again.

yea thanks for letting me know champ. must still be mad the lakers won this year huh?

 

[japanair21]

Originally Posted by nicedudewithnicedreams

^ Your boy Roddy just broke his foot. Hope he gets better.

Just?

like earlier in the week.

He broke a metatarsal, it should heal on its own.

He'll be fine for pre-season.

 

[nicedudewithnicedreams]

Originally Posted by JapanAir21

Originally Posted by nicedudewithnicedreams

^ Your boy Roddy just broke his foot. Hope he gets better.

Just?

like earlier in the week.

He broke a metatarsal, it should heal on its own.

He'll be fine for pre-season.

Oh my bad, I didn't read your essay on his injury probably.

 

[japanair21]

Originally Posted by nicedudewithnicedreams

Originally Posted by JapanAir21

Originally Posted by nicedudewithnicedreams

^ Your boy Roddy just broke his foot. Hope he gets better.

Just?

like earlier in the week.

He broke a metatarsal, it should heal on its own.

He'll be fine for pre-season.

Oh my bad, I didn't read your essay on his injury probably.

Smartass,

I didn't post an essay about it because there's nothing really to say.

He got hurt, but he'll be fine. What is there to say?

 

[airjordan jb23]

The possibility of Sheed coming back for another year

 

[CP1708]

If Sheed comes back Boston 1-12 >>>>>>>>Miami 1-12 and it won't even be close.

Them losing Tony Allen is the only move that hurts Bos imo, and to be honest, I'm thankful for it. 

 

[scuse7]

Stop.

It's close.

 

[do be doo]

Crazy.

 

[hood17]

[h2]Bulls, Joakim Noah talking extension[/h2]

 

[i nasmatic i]

NBA Summer Forecast: 2010-2011 Eastern Conference Standings by ESPN

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Spoiler

We kick off our third annual Summer Forecast series with the conference that has created so much commotion in the past few weeks.

Since the Los Angeles Lakers completed their second straight championship run, the NBA has been all about the East, with six of the top seven free agents signing with Eastern Conference teams, including a certain triumvirate in Miami.

To look ahead at the 2010-11 season and beyond, we asked 92 of ESPN's best basketball minds for their forecasts, including contributors from ESPN television and radio, ESPN The Magazine, ESPN Insider, ESPN Stats & Information, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Multimedia, ESPN Fantasy, ESPN Interactive Games, ESPN DB and ESPN.com.

Over the next three weeks, we'll roll out our predictions for how each team will do this season, as well as the 2010-11 Rookie of the Year, Best Newcomer, Worst Newcomer, MVP, conference champions and NBA champs. We'll also delve further into the future of the Heat, and provide our educated guesses on where Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony will wind up.

So enjoy, and come back often.
And now, the 2010-11 Eastern Conference standings, three months early:

[h3] 1​ [/h3]	Miami Heat	61	21	.744	47	35	.573
Meet the Miami Globetrotters -- with the rest of the East playing the part of the Washington Generals. Our panel says the Super Friends should run circles around the rest of the conference, except perhaps for Orlando. Then again, Boston eliminated both D-Wade and King James a year ago, so that's why they play the postseason …
[h3] 2​ [/h3]	Orlando Magic	56	26	.683	59	23	.720
The Magic stumbled vs. the Celtics in the East finals, but this is much the same team that won five series the past two postseasons. Orlando might have some magical maneuvers left, perhaps shipping out Vince Carter and/or finding a way to get Chris Paul. Until then, given Miami's summer, Orlando reverts to dangerous sleeper status.
[h3] 3​ [/h3]	Boston Celtics	51	31	.622	50	32	.610
The C's showed the regular season means nothing to them, beating the Cavs and Magic despite starting on the road, and almost doing the same to the Lakers. So it matters little that Boston is projected to win "only" 51 games, as long as it can get KG, Perk and the other Men in Green healthy for April, May and June.
[h3] 4​ [/h3]	Chicago Bulls	50	32	.610	41	41	.500
The East's second tier welcomes a new member: Chicago. The Bulls swung and missed on LeBron, D-Wade and CB4, but they did get Carlos Boozer, a deeper bench and a new coach, Tom Thibodeau. That and the sharp ascent of Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah mean that Chicago's sellout crowds finally have something to see.
[h3] 5​ [/h3]	Atlanta Hawks	48	34	.585	53	29	.646
Amazingly, Atlanta has improved for five straight seasons, but our panel says the streak ends here. The Hawks are a solid team that seems stuck in no man's land, having failed to make the conference finals for 40 years -- since the Lakers swept them in the 1970 Western Division finals -- and that probably won't change in 2011.
[h3] 6​ [/h3]	Milwaukee Bucks	46	36	.561	46	36	.561
The East seems to have six sure playoff teams, and for the first time in years, Milwaukee is a member of that echelon. Our panel remains in a prove-it-to-me posture regarding whether the Bucks can crack the East's upper crust, but if Brandon Jennings progresses and Andrew Bogut's arm is OK, the pieces are in place.
[h3] 7​ [/h3]	Charlotte Bobcats	39	43	.476	44	38	.537
Have they peaked? Fresh off of its best season in franchise history, Charlotte's roster looks weaker, its division looks stronger, and Larry Brown -- naturally -- looks like he's itching to leave. Still, with two spots up for grabs, they'll likely earn back-to-back playoff appearances and, in this scenario, a first-round rematch with the Magic.
[h3] 8​ [/h3]	New York Knicks	37	45	.451	29	53	.354
Knicks in the playoffs! But NY fans had more than an eight-game improvement in mind when the team entered the offseason with the ability to sign two superstars. The Amare addition should help, and Mike D'Antoni finally gets some horses to run his system, but the future remains murky. Still, Spike Lee has something to cheer about.
[h3] 9​ [/h3]	Washington Wizards	32	50	.390	26	56	.317
Excited about John Wall? So is our panel, which forecasts the Wizards finishing five spots higher. That says a lot about the uncertainty at the bottom of the East, but it also reflects the renewed hope expected in Washington's locker room after the gun incident that cost the team Gilbert Arenas -- now the other half of the Wiz backcourt.
[h3] 10​ [/h3]	*Indiana Pacers	31	51	.378	32	50	.390
The Pacers essentially stood pat and might miss the playoffs for the fifth straight season. But there appears to be a light at the end of the tunnel -- Indy is armed with expiring contracts and on track to have cap space next summer. Meanwhile, the Pacers hope to build on last season's 10-4 finish and avoid the East cellar.
[h3] 11​ [/h3]	*Philadelphia 76ers	31	51	.378	27	55	.329
Even a new coach (Doug Collins) and the No. 2 pick (Evan Turner) didn't give Philly much of a boost in our forecast. While the Sixers have the raw materials to emerge as a surprise team in the East, our panel fears their roster of bad contracts, mismatched pieces and redundant talent will render them mediocre at best.
[h3] 12​ [/h3]	*Detroit Pistons	31	51	.378	27	55	.329
The Pistons haven't missed the playoffs in consecutive seasons since 1994 and 1995, back when Joe Dumars was still playing. To avoid back-to-back lottery visits, they'll need better health and perhaps some bold moves from Joe D in the coming months. Only re-signing Ben Wallace and Will Bynum? That just won't cut it in Detroit.
[h3] 13​ [/h3]	*Cleveland Cavaliers	31	51	.378	61	21	.744
Get used to scrolling down this far to find the Cavs in the standings, sad to say. With a certain King taking his talents to South Beach, we're forecasting a 30-game drop in Cleveland. In other words, unless Christian Eyenga is the second coming of LeBron James, Dan Gilbert may want to back off his championship guarantee.
[h3] 14​ [/h3]	*New Jersey Nets	27	55	.329	12	70	.146
Speaking of owners with lofty goals … Mikhail Prokhorov expects the Nets to make the playoffs in 2010-11 despite finishing with the NBA's worst record last season. Our panel isn't as optimistic, not after New Jersey struck out in free agency. Still, a 15-game jump in the standings under new coach Avery Johnson would be a good start.
[h3] 15​ [/h3]	*Toronto Raptors	27	55	.329	40	42	.488
After the ugly departures of Chris Bosh and Hedo Turkoglu, the Raptors are basically starting over with a roster more random than designed. Given the significant dollars tied up in the likes of Jose Calderon, Andrea Bargnani, Leandro Barbosa and Amir Johnson, don't expect a lot of defense -- or a lot of wins anytime soon, either.

[th=""]CONF[/th][th=""]TEAM[/th][th=""]W[/th][th=""]L[/th][th=""]PCT[/th][th=""]10 W[/th][th=""]10 L[/th][th=""]10 PCT[/th]

 

[CP1708]

NBA playing 2 games in London this year. 

I hate this international @#$%.  It strains the hell out of the teams that have to travel and it's friggin pointless anyways.  We're never gonna have a damn team in London, so who cares if they watch or not?  And sending the Raptors and Nets?  Doesn't exactly make that country drool with jealousy either. 

 

[Master Zik]

Originally Posted by CP1708

NBA playing 2 games in London this year. 

I hate this international @#$%.  It strains the hell out of the teams that have to travel and it's friggin pointless anyways.  We're never gonna have a damn team in London, so who cares if they watch or not?  And sending the Raptors and Nets?  Doesn't exactly make that country drool with jealousy either. 

What business do you think the NBA is in?

This was bound to happen with more and more international players coming to the NBA.

 

[ex carrabba fan]

Originally Posted by CP1708

If Sheed comes back Boston 1-12 >>>>>>>>Miami 1-12 and it won't even be close.

Them losing Tony Allen is the only move that hurts Bos imo, and to be honest, I'm thankful for it. 

By that wide a margin? No.

Besides losing Allen, Perkins is going to have to prove he'll be ready to come in late in the season and contribute at a high level.

Rasheed really did nothing the entire season outside of having a few "exceptional" games in the playoffs. Other than that he was ghost or getting techs.

We'll see about KG's knee as well.

 

[edweeno]

I dont see how orlando can finish 2nd in the east being that in order to be in the top 3 you have to win the division. As much as i HATE to admit it, miami seems to have the division on lock and of course the celts will win the atlantic by default

and of course chicago will now reign in the central and only milwaukee has their only true opposition.

 

[i nasmatic i]

A team can finish second in the conference standing without winning their division.

Just as long as the three division winners are in the top four in the conference standings.

 

[gangsta207therevolution]

Noah to a 6 year 49 million deal would be great. too bad he knows he can command 9-10

 

[al3xis]

what does 1-12 matter when you're playing 7/8 man rotations when it matters most?

It can help keep them fresh throughout the year, but when the playoffs hit the 3rd best player on the Heat would still be the best player on the Celtics.

Rondo's the only thing keeping that old team afloat for a 4th run at a title. Only consistent big time player left in that lineup that's capable of bringing it in the playoffs for an extended period of time.

 

[MVP]

I agree Al3xis. Nobody goes 1-12 in the playoffs unless it's some kind of severe injury situation, most teams go to a 7 or 8 man rotation come playoff time. The Heat will be a nightmare to defend on the perimeter with Wade, Bron and Miller out there, but they don't have much if any frontcourt depth outside of Bosh. And when it comes to playoff time the game does slow down so maybe that's where Boston may be able to take advantage.

But really during the season Miami shouldn't have much resistance depending on how fast they mesh. Boston and LA really have the only personnel that can try and matchup really well with them on defense. Barnes/Kobe/Ron or Rondo/Allen/Pierce on Wade/Bron/Miller on the perimeter and then both the Lakers and Celtics have the advantage on the inside.

I just can't wait for the season to start already.

 

[CP1708]

Oh @#$%^&*(

Bosh ain't the damn best player on the Celts, no way no how.  Dude don't even know what it's like to play in the second round and all of a sudden he's better then guys that have already done it all? 

  And people wonder why Bosh was all of a sudden being proclaimed a superstar a few weeks ago. 

I honestly don't get why people doubt the Celts so much, when so many of em were all about the Celtics in 08. 


Watching the Heat fail miserably would be so awesome, but I know it won't matter, everyone will just move on to the next season like Lebron's people always seem to do.  *shrugs*