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

[i nasmatic i]

The Spurs had the cap space in 2004 too.

But we all know Kobe wasn't going to another man's team.

 

[jtc85]

Originally Posted by I NaSmatic I

The Spurs had the cap space in 2004 too.

But we all know Kobe wasn't going to another man's team.

both won multiple rings after 2004 - they both made the right decisions 

 

[al3xis]

Shaq uncan. Talent or career wise.

 

[japanair21]

IMO, for their careers, Magic is 1a, Bird is 1b. If Kobe is going to pass Bird, he'll need to pass Magic at the same time. It's too hard for me to say Kobe is better than Bird, but not better than Magic.

Personally, I think Bird AND Magic both have more raw talent than Kobe ever did, but Kobe is a winner, and winners are valuable in the League. Bird and Magic both had much better handles than Kobe. Bird may not have been the defender that everyone was back in the day, but in today's game Bird would be a very good defender. I'll be one of those who defend Bird until the end of time. He's the epitome of well-rounded, polished player. GREAT shooter, GREAT scorer, GREAT rebounder, GREAT handles, GREAT court-awareness. I'm not saying Kobe doesn't have all of this, but Bird did it first. What's working in favor of Kobe is he's now a better winner. When it's all said and done, I think Kobe will probably pass both Magic and Bird, but I really don't like judging people based on their entire careers until it's clearly over.

Shaq? I'm fine with rating him, his legacy is cemented. Maybe even Duncan, since he's starting to decline and the window is shaky for the Spurs.

But not Kobe. They're still capable of winning a few more, which is absurd thinking KOBE BRYANT might win 6, 7 rings.

I would love to see Kobe get more rings than Jordan. It'd just be good to see.

 

[japanair21]

As for that list; A few things I could nitpick at... Flip Bill Russell and Kareem. Flip Oscar and Hakeem. Dr. J is a littttle too high, maybe right below Karl and Charles. Scottie higher, above KG. After Cousy, I'd go Scottie, Isiah, John Stockton, THEN KG. Iverson is too high. I'd put him just below Jason Kidd. Nash being so high I can understand as he has MVPs under his belt, hardware stacks up, that's why Simmons has Bill Russell so high. DJ is a bit high too, I don't think he was better than PP, Wade, nor Nique. Chris Mullin I'd put a little higher, definitely above guys like T-Mac. I'd also put him above Chris Webber. Ray Allen ahead of Reggie IMO.

 

[japanair21]

Tyson Chandler looks SO fresh right now.

Just had a MONSTER block. Very active, promising to see for the Mavericks.

 

[h3at23]

Originally Posted by Al3xis

Shaq uncan. Talent or career wise.

THIS

 

[bigmike23]

Originally Posted by Al3xis

Shaq uncan. Talent or career wise.

there career numbers are damn near the same and both have won the same amount of rings

 

[japanair21]

Originally Posted by Bigmike23

Originally Posted by Al3xis

Shaq uncan. Talent or career wise.

there career numbers are damn near the same and both have won the same amount of rings

Shaq was more dominant and much flashier.

Duncan had more talent, although Shaq was very talented for his size.

Personally, as someone said earlier, Shaq in his prime, but the career of Duncan.

 

[japanair21]

Curry just solidified his spot on that USA team, he's 4/5 from deep.

 

[japanair21]

Ty Chandler,

 

[three6mafia2007]

Originally Posted by JapanAir21

Personally, I think Bird AND Magic both have more raw talent than Kobe ever did, but Kobe is a winner, and winners are valuable in the League. Bird and Magic both had much better handles than Kobe. 

What's your definition of raw talent? Because athletically, Kobe>Magic and Kobe>>>>Bird. If anything, I would say Bird is the guy that was a "winner" which made up for his athletic deficiencies.
And Bird having better handles than kobe is 

 

 

[ballinsam23]

Originally Posted by h3at23

Originally Posted by Al3xis

Shaq uncan. Talent or career wise.

THIS


Dont agree with this at all. Career wise maybe, but i think they are damn near equal. Talent wise Duncan > Shaq. Bank shots, perfected fundamentals, and he doesnt have half the athleticism or size as shaq so his talent is much greater imo.

 

[h3at23]

Ballinsam23 Why you writing in my quote? Get you own quote

 

[carlos tevez]

Can someone give me a scouting report on Julian Wright? My boy was really big on him back when he was in college but he hasnt done crap in the pros yet. I'm hoping the change of scenery will help him out although I'm highly skeptical of a guy that has only averaged 3 ppg in 3 years in the NBA.

 

[kiddin like jason]

Can someone give me a scouting report on Julian Wright? My boy wasreally big on him back when he was in college but he hasnt done crap inthe pros yet. I'm hoping the change of scenery will help him outalthough I'm highly skeptical of a guy that has only averaged 3 ppg in3 years in the NBA.
Good defender when he wants to be. Probably rebounds at a better rate than your average small forward. Super athletic.

Can't shoot. Can't handle the ball. Spazzy, in general. Regressed every year. Refused to play in summer league this year because he's clearly too good of a player for it...

I want to see him succeed, but I just can't see it happening, at this point.

 

[duba169]

Originally Posted by h3at23

Originally Posted by Al3xis

Shaq uncan. Talent or career wise.

THIS

 

[japanair21]

Originally Posted by Three6mafia2007

Originally Posted by JapanAir21

Personally, I think Bird AND Magic both have more raw talent than Kobe ever did, but Kobe is a winner, and winners are valuable in the League. Bird and Magic both had much better handles than Kobe. 

What's your definition of raw talent? Because athletically, Kobe>Magic and Kobe>>>>Bird. If anything, I would say Bird is the guy that was a "winner" which made up for his athletic deficiencies.
And Bird having better handles than kobe is 

 

You're completely right that Bird wasn't an athlete, Magic was definitely the better of the two athletes.

To me, Bird just had a better sense of the game. If you really don't think Bird had better handles, watch some old tapes, Bird was amazing with the ball in his hands. He just had complete awareness of where his entire team is, and set them up as good as any point guard. Whatever you want to call it, court-awareness, passing, handles, whatever you want to categorize it as, Larry Bird with the ball in his hands? He understood how to draw defenders consistently, and find the passing lane, no matter how small, and got it where they could finish.

He is the epitome of touch-pass.

Call it whatever you want, but I ain't ever seen a player that isn't a legit PG that set their teammates as well as he did. Other guys who ended up with more assists than him like Pippen or Clyde, they both played many more games than Bird.

Talent to me is what Tim Duncan has that separates him from Shaquille O'Neal. Both are pretty much well-rounded any way you look at it, but Timmy has a much better feel for the game. Passing, court-awareness, defense, the fundamentals.

Bird had probably the best range of his generation, excellent passer/dribbler, excellent rebounder, decent defender, great pickpocketer, tough & gritty, great court awareness. Magic had all of this and then some, and he ended up with the more illustrious resume.

 

[i nasmatic i]

I'm just curious, how many games have you watched of Bird?

 

[japanair21]

Originally Posted by I NaSmatic I

I'm just curious, how many games have you watched of Bird?

Over 9000.

Complete games? Just as many as I have of Magic and Isiah I'd say.

20-30?

Pretty much seen all of his highlights though.

You know it's sad when you watch new mixtapes of players, but you've already seen all of them already (the only other players I can think of that with for me are Isiah, MJ, and Dirk,

).

Rarely watch anything on YT where I go "Wow! I haven't seen that before!"

Are you trying to say something I said was wrong though?

I'm sure Grandpa CP would have a much better idea of Larry Bird though, unless his senile-ness is kicking in.

 

[h3at23]

Originally Posted by JapanAir21

Originally Posted by I NaSmatic I

I'm just curious, how many games have you watched of Bird?

Over 9000.

Complete games? Just as many as I have of Magic and Isiah I'd say.

20-30?

Pretty much seen all of his highlights though.

You know it's sad when you watch new mixtapes of players, but you've already seen all of them already (the only other players I can think of that with for me are Isiah, MJ, and Dirk,

).

Rarely watch anything on YT where I go "Wow! I haven't seen that before!"

Are you trying to say something I said was wrong though?

I'm sure Grandpa CP would have a much better idea of Larry Bird though, unless his senile-ness is kicking in.

JA always going @ CP but this one is hilarious CP, we know who you are...

 

[japanair21]

I'm kind of surprised to see that Joe Smith, Stephen Graph, Joe Alexander, Flip Murray, Kwame Brown, Earl Watson, Luther Head, Josh Boone, Ike Diogu, Rodney Carney, and Lou Amundson.

All of those guys aren't necessarily guys that will make a huge impact, but they ARE guys who can help fill out rosters, where most teams are at right now. All should be relatively cheap, but are still out tehre.

Proven vets like Joe Smith, Flip Murray, Earl Watson can't get jobs?

Plus guys with some upside to them like Joe Alexander, Ike Diogu, and Rodney Carney?

These guys need jobs. Atlanta, Chicago, Washington, Utah, New Orleans, and Memphis all currently have 12 or fewer players ready and signed to play for next year. It's time for guys like this to get snatched up, or this thread is about to die (or go off topic to TV shows again).

 

[noskey]

Originally Posted by h3at23

this one is hilarious CP, we know who you are...

WtheF

Not everyone in Oregon is white trash

 

[japanair21]

Originally Posted by Noskey

Originally Posted by h3at23

this one is hilarious CP, we know who you are...

WtheF

Not everyone in Oregon is white trash

NOT TRUE.

Steve Blake used to be white trash when he played for Portland.

Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge?

Yup, they white trash.

 

[frink85]

come on, not everyone in oregon is white trash




they have hipsters there too.