2010 Prediction Thread

[jemagee]

It's never too early to predict the 2010 Free Agency is it?  Something to talk about if your team is as mediocre and frustrating as my sixers and you didn't bother to get league pass this year

Wade - Stays in Miami
James - Chicago
Bosh - Miami or Chicago - not sure which one
Amare - stays in Phoenix - cause the dollars matters most
Joe Johnson/Boozer - New York panics and grossly over pays for one or both of them...knicks fans everywhere rejoice that the knicks will contend again - rest of world laughs
Manu - flirts with other teams that are willing to over pay him but stays with the spurs cause he loves them - and he killed a bat for them

I think neither the Nets nor Knicks have any 'quality' on their roster after clearing all this cap space to make it worth while for one of the 'big 3' to sign for less money when more talented rosters are available...I think CHicago has more allure to Lebron James than New York in terms of being the 'best ever' (cause seriously, if you can become a 'basketball god' after Jordan - that's pretty much legen.......wait for it......wait for it....dary, right?) 

[westkoast]

Yesterday Lebron said that his decision on next year has to do with winning first and money second.  How true is that?  I don't know.  I am going to assume he is very serious.  A guy with all that talent and not winning a championship would be sad.

- I think Bosh runs to New York and Lebron follows.
- Wade will stay in Miami (they can offer him a lot of money, they have some young talent, and its a great state for athletes making millions lol)
- I agree with you on Amare though he was pretty salty at the organization about the 'Shaq-speriment'

[jemagee]

Yeah but then phoenix dumped shaq for peanuts and said look amare we love you.

If Lebron is serious about talent and winning - new york is a poorly run organization with no real nba starting talent even with bosh and lebron - how much can they possibly add to contend - is lebron and bosh ENOUGH to contend for a title?  I don't htink so - you need a strong supporting cast and the knicks current roster of castoffs and misfits just won't get it done (I don't think)

[jemagee]

Is nash a FA next off season or did he extend with Phoenix be interesting if he's going to want the caish or to take a bit less to win?  Would Nash fit in Los Angeles, they could use a PG

[westkoast]

Yeah but then phoenix dumped shaq for peanuts and said look amare we love you.

If Lebron is serious about talent and winning - new york is a poorly run organization with no real nba starting talent even with bosh and lebron - how much can they possibly add to contend - is lebron and bosh ENOUGH to contend for a title?  I don't htink so - you need a strong supporting cast and the knicks current roster of castoffs and misfits just won't get it done (I don't think)

Any team that already has a good team in place won't be able to afford Lebron James.  That's the messed up situation he is in.  Of all the squads who have talent, they are already locked in with contracts and roles.  I am sure he would love to join LA, SA, BOS, or ORL but that just is not going to happen.

Nash wouldn't fit in LA for a few reasons:

1) They are a slower, half court team.  As we saw with Shaq's dragging off the offense and forced change to a half court offense that is not where he thrives.

2) His skills would be wasted in the triangle.  Unless the Lakers gave up the triangle then his freedom to run pick and roll would be gone.  There is a reason the Lakers were able to get by with guys like Ron Harper and Derek Fisher running the point to multiple championships.

3) While Nash is an excellent passer, Amare is FAST for his size.  Sure Nash could run the pick and roll with Gasol or Bynum but it wouldn't be as effective.  They are not as quick are Amare nor can they get off the ground like he can.

[jemagee]

Any team that already has a good team in place won't be able to afford Lebron James.  That's the messed up situation he is in.  Of all the squads who have talent, they are already locked in with contracts and roles.  I am sure he would love to join LA, SA, BOS, or ORL but that just is not going to happen.

There are teams with a good core of younger talent than the knicks though - dallas is rumored to be after bosh - if they can afford bosh why not james?  Chicago will have cap room and their young talent core I think trumps New Yorks as well.

I don't think new york has anyone who would START on a real NBA championship team

[Joe Vancil]

LeBron is staying in Cleveland.  Not doing so puts another dent in his reputation.

Wade is staying in Miami.  Bosh will be joining him.

Boozer is headed for Phoenix to replace Stoudemire, assuming Nash stays.  Amare will be in New York.

Ginobilli will stay with the Spurs.

Joe Johnson is headed for Dallas, who needs an athletic 2-guard to round out their team.

[jemagee]

Perusing the hoops hype rumors page today they clared up my confusion, Nash did sign a 2 year extension with Phoenix this off season - so he's not in play this off season.

I'm not sure why leaving a poorly run franchise like Cleveland puts a dent in Lebrons reputation though...not winning a title his entire career - that would put a bigger dent in his reputation.

[westkoast]

My only guess is that no other team that he would go to is that much stronger than Cleveland.  If he jumped ship he would be abandoning his home town.  I think that would dent his reputation.  Though I do agree, not winning a championship would be worse.  The thing is you can't really say if he would win one if he left.  He got close in Cleveland.  They just lost to a MUCH BETTER Spurs team.  Going to another city wouldn't have got him a title then either.

I think one thing we all agree on is Bosh is not going to rot up in Toronto.  He is coming to the states specifically the eastcoast.

[jemagee]

I think there are teams out there with better young talent and future prospects than the Cavs (like the Bulls) - I think the cavs management felt 'this year' they had to win and didn't look towards the future, Fat Shaq won't win them a title and he won't be part of the future, big Z is almost done, so they're kind of screwed there.  West might play his way out of the league on the police blotter, and Mo Williams is pretty over rated (in my opinion)

I think there are some better rosters out there than the cavs in terms of future growth and possiblity of winning if they add a Lebron, but the Knicks ain't that team

[Reality]

LeBron to NY Nets.  Maybe Bosh too.

Wade depends on how Miami does in playoffs.  Nets?

Boozer i have no idea.  To the Lakers for Luke Walton.

Ginobilli will go down the tubes as Popavich drains the remaining life out of the Spurs.

Joe Johnson whoever pays the most.

[westkoast]

Damn that Popavich for not being able to freeze time so Gnob and Duncan don't age!

Jem, Chicago may have younger talent but their coach stinks.  I am not a fan of D'Antoni but I think he is a better coach than Vinny is.

[jemagee]

Jem, Chicago may have younger talent but their coach stinks.  I am not a fan of D'Antoni but I think he is a better coach than Vinny is.

Easier to find a new coach than a new roster...My dream just to see it happen is to have LBJ publicly say he doesn't think D'antonis system could win an NBA title - knicks figure out a way to fire him in a week probably

I'm sure the rat would jump ship in Charlotte for a chance to coach LBJ and the rest of the baby bulls - and many other coaches too - bad coach is much easier to fix than bad roster.