Ray Allen wants $90 to $95 mill for 5 years . . .

[Guest_Randy]

Anyone else think that Allen isn't worth this?  In the age of lottery, I don't think you can pay this kind of money to a player who isn't a superstar.  A superstar, at least to me, is a player that can strap his team on his back and can have major impact in SEVERAL categories each night.  Allen is a scorer -- a great shooter -- an all-star but not a superstar, IMO.  It's obvious that he wants superstar money -- the Sonics want to give him around $70 mill for 5 years.  

I can't see anyone else paying Allen $90 to $95 mill over 5 years ($18 to $19 a year?  ouch)!

[WayOutWest]

Anyone else think that Allen isn't worth this?  In the age of lottery, I don't think you can pay this kind of money to a player who isn't a superstar.  A superstar, at least to me, is a player that can strap his team on his back and can have major impact in SEVERAL categories each night.  Allen is a scorer -- a great shooter -- an all-star but not a superstar, IMO.  It's obvious that he wants superstar money -- the Sonics want to give him around $70 mill for 5 years.  

I can't see anyone else paying Allen $90 to $95 mill over 5 years ($18 to $19 a year?  ouch)!

I guess you caught the Laker halftime show on TNT.

Kenny Smith's superstars:
Kidd
Kobe
Shaq
Duncan
Garnet

Barkley cut it down to three
Shaq
Duncan
Garnet
But he then added Kidd.

I would go with Shaq, Duncan & KG.  They can effect both sides of the court.  Up and commers would be Amare, Dirk & JO.  Everyone else is way to one/two demensional.

[Derek Bodner]

I'd go with Kenny's list as well.

Barkley says AI has never made his teammates better.  Tell me someone else who got to the finals with Lynch and Hill.  When asked to he racks up the assists even though he has a starting lineup (Salmons, Iguodala, Thomas, Dalembert) who can't shoot worth a darn.

And Kobe....that should be a no-brainer.

Amare and LeBron are playing at a super-star level, but I agree that they have to do it for a longer time.

[Derek Bodner]

As for Allen, no, he doesn't deserver that money.  And there's NOBODY in the league other than the sonics who can even offer him 5 years, 75 million.

[jn]

How long before Wade is on that list.  I'm saying next year, if not by the end of this one.

Allen doesn't deserve it but something tells me he will get it.  

[Guest_Randy]

WOW, don't agree that Dirk is a superstar -- while he certainly is on offense, a player that doesn't play defense CAN'T be a superstar, IMO.  Even Bird, who wasn't a great defensive player, could be counted on to steal a ball, etc. when the chips were down -- you could count on him on the other end of the court but you can't say that with Dirk.

Kenny's list is pretty good, IMO, but I think AI should be added -- the ONLY reason I don't like the guy (other than what he does off the court) is his poor shooting decisions at times.  

Dabods, if AI is so good (and Hill, Lynch, etc. were so bad) then why isn't he doing it this season too?  The Sixers had a VERY strong defensive team during that year and Hill and Lynch were a BIG part of that -- also those guys were great rebounders -- their defense won that season not their offense.  But the Lakers were simply better all-around than the Sixers.

Superstars today (in order):  TD, KG, Shaq, Kobe, Kidd and AI.  Dirk is close but one he needs to work on his defense in order to make it onto this list.

Upcoming superstars:  Amare, LeBron and Wade.

[westkoast]

I'd go with Kenny's list as well.

Barkley says AI has never made his teammates better.  Tell me someone else who got to the finals with Lynch and Hill.  When asked to he racks up the assists even though he has a starting lineup (Salmons, Iguodala, Thomas, Dalembert) who can't shoot worth a darn.

And Kobe....that should be a no-brainer.

Amare and LeBron are playing at a super-star level, but I agree that they have to do it for a longer time.

Yea Barkely doesnt hide when hes being bias.  How is AI not a superstar?  Ditto for Kobe.  They are the two best scorers in the league right now. Sometimes hes nothing more than TNT's shock jock.  Which is exactly why he stays on the show.

AI isnt a superstar but I guarentee Barkely thought of himself as a superstar when he was playing.

[Derek Bodner]

Dabods, if AI is so good (and Hill, Lynch, etc. were so bad) then why isn't he doing it this season too? The Sixers had a VERY strong defensive team during that year and Hill and Lynch were a BIG part of that -- also those guys were great rebounders -- their defense won that season not their offense. But the Lakers were simply better all-around than the Sixers.

First of all, I didn't say they were bad.  They were fine role players.  But how many teams get to the finals without a legitimate second option?

As for why the Sixers aren't as good this year, it's simple.

Inconsistency in young players.
That team was carried by strong veteran leadership.  This year, we rely on youth.  A ton.

The only player to start every game is Andre Iguodala, a rookie.  The opposite wing position has been either John Salmons (3rd year player), Willie Green (2nd year player, never had a start before this year) or Kyle Korver (2nd year player, never had a start before this year).  They've all been wildly inconsistent, playing great one night horrible the next.  Then our starting center is Samuel Dalembert, who for all purposes is a 2nd year player (he was injured the entire year 2 years ago), who's only been playing basketball for about a half a dozen years.

The Sixers are a poorly constructed team.  They've got a bunch of young talented players who aren't ready to be prime time contributors yet, but that need to be, surrounding an aging superstar who might not be a superstar by the time they reach their primes.

[Derek Bodner]

Yea Barkely doesnt hide when hes being bias. How is AI not a superstar?

He's always disliked Allen.  Always.

It was funny when he was talking about defense and making his teammates better.  Chuck, I love ya.  You're probably my 2nd favorite sixer of all time (that I've personally watched, behind Doc).  But look in the mirror.

[westkoast]

Yea Barkely doesnt hide when hes being bias. How is AI not a superstar?

He's always disliked Allen.  Always.

It was funny when he was talking about defense and making his teammates better.  Chuck, I love ya.  You're probably my 2nd favorite sixer of all time (that I've personally watched, behind Doc).  But look in the mirror.

Think it has something to do with AI being the next most popular Sixer of all time next to Dr J?  I couldnt see what else it would be.  Barkley is known to be an a-hole off the court himself.

Speaking of Barkley......what happend to the Barkley rule in the NBA?  It seems like guys can have their backs to the basket for a lifetime again.

[Derek Bodner]

You mean the 5 second back to the basket rule?


I've only ever seen that called in video games.

In fact I had forgotten about that "rule" until I played nba2k4 a while ago.

I think Barkley felt disrespected by some of the comments AI made when he first came into the league about MJ and Barkley.  I don't think he's dropped the grudge since.

[ziggy]

You mean the 5 second back to the basket rule?


I've only ever seen that called in video games.

In fact I had forgotten about that "rule" until I played nba2k4 a while ago.

I think Barkley felt disrespected by some of the comments AI made when he first came into the league about MJ and Barkley.  I don't think he's dropped the grudge since.

Actually Darius Miles was called for it a couple of weeks ago.

As far as Ray Allen and money, I think Derek has it right.  With the league rules on max contracts, everybody besides Seattle is greatly limited in what they can offer.  Seattle recognizes that it makes no sense to negotiate with yourself, and as a result the final number will end up being much closer to what Seattle is talking about than what Ray Allen's agent is talking about.

[WayOutWest]

IMO Dirk is closer to superstar status than anyone else (Shaq/KG/TD being the only true superstars).  He may not be a good defender but he gets his share of blocks (top 25?) rebounds (top 15) and assists (top 10 big men).  He's the most unguardable player in the league outside of Shaq.

[JoMal]

24.5 points per game; 7.2 assists per game; 7.1 rebounds per game.

If he wasn't twenty years old and only in his second season, I think LJ would top the list, but it is early yet.

[WayOutWest]

24.5 points per game; 7.2 assists per game; 7.1 rebounds per game.

If he wasn't twenty years old and only in his second season, I think LJ would top the list, but it is early yet.

In the story they set a minimum criteria of 3 years.