Merged: Grantland - Free Agency Winners and Losers

[NBASupes]

Horford nor Millsap has shown star power.  Atlanta needs a true to God star.  Somebody who fans can look at and say....  He is the Hawks.  Like Nique.  Like Deion.  Like Deke.    We haven't had that person who can just draw fans to the games since in his prime Nique.  Josh was the promise of that but his BBIQ was low. 

One of the reasons I like the Bazemore pick up was his energy and his likability.  He's not going to be the best player on the team, but he will make this team fun to watch even if he's on the bench.  This guy has the ikability of a star.

Who cares if Horf doesn't show star power. If you use him correctly and put him the right position, role, and personnel, we will be MUCH better at the end of the day. Fans want at least the belief that you have a great shot. Horf just put up 18PPG on elite efficency and no one knows or cares. In order for ppl to care, he going to have to put up impressive offensive numbers. It's just that simple.

 

We know Sap is just a good player. He gives you #'s on offense then gives up the same on the other end of the court. You can't feature that but if we can get Horf, 6-9 more open looks a game, WATCHOUT!

Edited July 15, 2014 by nbasupes40retired

[Diesel]

I'm sorry, the top half of this draft may produce 1 All star 3-4 years from now...By that time Your Franchise is sold!  Look at Cleveland,  3 number one picks in how many years and still have nothing on that team to go along with Lebron???

 

 

Anthony Davis.

K. Irving.

[IBelieveInFerry]

He did it because he loves Cleveland -- and it coincidently works out that he left Cleveland when they were tapped out of talent, joins Wade and Bosh when they were at the peak of their game, and then leaves Miami when Wade is falling apart and Bosh is a shell of his former self (10.8 rpg down to 6.6 rpg, for example) and returns to Cleveland when they have just re-upped for 5 years with a 2-time All-Star and a player considered one of the best prospects of the last decade.

 

Gosh - what a swell story.

Didn't he write a letter explaining exactly why?  Don't remember the part about wanting to play with Irving and Wiggins...In fact, he never even mention Wiggins in the letter although he did mention Andy Varerjao

[IBelieveInFerry]

Anthony Davis.

K. Irving.

Anthony Davis?

[AHF]

Didn't he write a letter explaining exactly why?  Don't remember the part about wanting to play with Irving and Wiggins...In fact, he never even mention Wiggins in the letter although he did mention Andy Varerjao

 

Yes.  Because that letter wasn't a PR tool.  He did it for Andy.

[IBelieveInFerry]

Yes.  Because that letter wasn't a PR tool.  He did it for Andy.

So give me all of this evidence that supports your claim then!

[AHF]

So give me all of this evidence that supports your claim then!

 

Lebron's career lays it out pretty clearly.  The guy makes calculated decisions and he wasn't considering a return to the Cavs without stud young talent to replace the aging superfriends he ditched.

 

I don't even know how you can type that he did it for Andy without screwing up your spelling from laughing so hard while you try to type that out.

[IBelieveInFerry]

Lebron's career lays it out pretty clearly.  The guy makes calculated decisions and he wasn't considering a return to the Cavs without stud young talent to replace the aging superfriends he ditched.

 

I don't even know how you can type that he did it for Andy without screwing up your spelling from laughing so hard while you try to type that out.

So you don't have any evidence and it is just pure speculation on your part...Got it.  And for the record, I said that he mentioned Andy in the letter and that's it.  He said that Andy was one of his favorite players to play with.  Maybe you can explain the PR value in mentioning Andy in your letter to the basketball world but at this present time, I cannot!

Edited July 15, 2014 by IBelieveInFerry

[Guest]

Lebron was always going home - he contacted Sports Illustrated  re: "the letter" before he met with Gilbert for the apology and before he met with Riley.  Seems as if he met with  Riley knowing he had already decided but made Riley fly to Vegas for his presentation.

All seems a little pre-planned marketing etc to be spur of the moment.

This was a well thought out executed plan by him and his management theme.

[AHF]

Lebron was always going home - he contacted Sports Illustrated  re: "the letter" before he met with Gilbert for the apology and before he met with Riley.  Seems as if he met with  Riley knowing he had already decided but made Riley fly to Vegas for his presentation.

All seems a little pre-planned marketing etc to be spur of the moment.

This was a well thought out executed plan by him and his management theme.

 

Agreed 100%.  It was an orchestrated PR campaign once he realized that he was dragging Wade and Bosh on his back and Cleveland had the better cache of talent.  It doesn't take a genius to see the benefit of a multiple All-Star #1, an upcoming #4, and a stud prospect #1 to go with some role players.  I will say this for Andy - he is an important role player on that team and can be an impact guy if he is healthy -- but the move was more about Wiggins and Irving having star potential to help Lebron with the heavy lifting.

[MaceCase]

That two year deal with an opt out after one seems to tell me that Lebron has less faith in all those #1s than you do @AHF. Yea yea, TV deal and potential new CBA (lockout too) but that one year opt out is essentially a "show me" contract.

If anything I'll say that he's more confident that those guys can easily be flipped for more ready made guys than he is confident that they'll be greater contributors for him over the next two years than Bosh and Wade would have.

[IBelieveInFerry]

Cleveland was not the destination if Lebron was looking for the most talented roster

[AHF]

That two year deal with an opt out after one seems to tell me that Lebron has less faith in all those #1s than you do @AHF. Yea yea, TV deal and potential new CBA (lockout too) but that one year opt out is essentially a "show me" contract.

If anything I'll say that he's more confident that those guys can easily be flipped for more ready made guys than he is confident that they'll be greater contributors for him over the next two years than Bosh and Wade would have.

 

That is exactly why you should believe me, @MaceCase.

 

Lebron is making a calculated move in his own self-interest.  If the young guys don't show for him, he will jump ship to team up with some other group of super friends.

 

If he was really being driven by something other than calculated self-interest like love of "going home to prove he can win for Ohio" he wouldn't need the opt out.  He would commit to the principle and tough out any rough times.  Instead, he is jumping from a sinking ship with Wade and Bosh and sees this as the best life preserver with all the lottery talent and a potential PR home run if he returns to CLE.  If it doesn't pan out to his liking, however, he isn't so committed that he will work without top notch supporting talent and will jump ship again.

 

If he signed up to a 4 year deal with no conditions then I would be more inclined to go the way reading his PR about his love for home at face value.

Edited July 16, 2014 by AHF

[ag82]

High all star potential is the best totally made up thing to try to prove a point.

[Guest]

High all star potential

That really is a mouthful. Lol

[ViperXX79]

What have the Falcons or Braves done to garner so much support from the local fans? Unless you're telling me that fans are showing up to support them because of what they did 20 years ago? 

 

Simple really.  Ted Turner made the Braves a destination for free agents and he brought in the right people who built a dynasty.  They have a top tier scouting department and have money to spend when they need it.  All of that has made the Braves a first class organization and are consistently a true contender.  Even without recent playoff success the fans know that we did everything possible to make our team better and that's all fans can ask for.  Honest to God effort and a good/great product will gain you loyalty.

 

With the Falcons Arthur Blank came in and completely changed the culture of the team.  My father was apart of the Falcons in the mid 90's and the team and facilities were a joke.  They operated out of an old Best Western or Holiday Inn, hard to remember exactly but it was pathetic.  Blank came in and threw tons of money into the team and built a first class training facility and fixed a falling apart stadium.  He also brought in guys from successful organizations that turned the product around.  He also had a hand in drafting Ryan.  So now the Falcons are a place that big time free agents want to come.  And the great thing about Blank is how pissed off he gets after the post season failures.  He had a press conference and has let the current regime know that first round failures aren't an option.  We as fans know for a fact that he wants a Super Bowl and will do anything to make that happen because he's a true fan of the team.  We fans can put our loyalty behind a team like that.  

 

So it's all about having actual hope.  I believe these two franchises are willing to do anything it takes to win championships so when they come up short it sucks but they put forth their best effort and the fans know it.  The Hawks and Thrashers have told me that the ASG doesn't give a crap.  They let the Thrashers absolutely die and had no real desire to even want the team in the first place.  The team wasn't allowed to spend money and they refused to fire Don Waddell who made terrible picks and terrible trades.  This man went through a ton of coaches but never lost HIS job despite only 1 playoff appearance(which ended poorly) the entire time the team was here.  This ownership group has done nothing to warrant any kind of loyalty.  How do they expect the fans to care when they themselves don't.  And I absolutely hate it because I love the Hawks, but I loved the Thrashers too.

 

Sorry for the novel.  I just really love sports.

Edited July 16, 2014 by ViperXX79

[AHF]

High all star potential is the best totally made up thing to try to prove a point.

 

It isn't eloquent, I'll grant you that.  Is this better?

 

 

Kevin Durant

 

 

 

"He's raw, but his ceiling is high. He can be like a Hall of Famer, All-Star, for sure. He's good," said Durant before the Thunder's loss to the Golden State Warriors.

 

Chad Ford on why he is one of the top 10 prospects of the last 15 years:

 

 

 

many scouts believe he is an elite prospect who could be a transcendent player once he refines his offensive game.

 

Sam Amico:

 

Andrew Wiggins brings athleticism, excitement, pizzazz and that good old "wow factor" to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

He also brings superstar potential, and that's what wins in this league: Superstars.

 

Gregg Doyle:

 

 

 

My point? That it wouldn't surprise me -- I mean, not even a little bit -- if Andrew Wiggins is one of the NBA's best five players in a few years.

 

Andrew Wiggins is probably a future superstar.

 

I could keep going but why bother?  

 

It is obvious and certainly something heavily factored into Lebron's latest "decision."

Edited July 16, 2014 by AHF

[Diesel]

Who cares if Horf doesn't show star power.

 

To answer your question...   FANS.  IF Fans don't care.. then Free agents don't care.  IF Free Agents don't care, then high level Free Agents don't care.  IF High Level Free Agents don't care.. then We can't get them.  IF we can get High Level Free agents, then we're not going to be able to get past the 2nd round.  IF we can't get past the second round, then we will be drafting past the 14th pick.  IF we're drafting past the 14th pick, then we won't be able to get Good players to go with Horf.  If we can't get Good players to Go with Horf, we won't be able to get past the 2nd round...

 

Thus starts the treadmill.

[Diesel]

That two year deal with an opt out after one seems to tell me that Lebron has less faith in all those #1s than you do @AHF. Yea yea, TV deal and potential new CBA (lockout too) but that one year opt out is essentially a "show me" contract.

If anything I'll say that he's more confident that those guys can easily be flipped for more ready made guys than he is confident that they'll be greater contributors for him over the next two years than Bosh and Wade would have.

 

 

That deal screams to me that a trade is imminent.   Somehow, i believe that Cleveland will get Kevin Love.   The way I see it, he exchanged Wade and Bosh for Love and Irving.

[Diesel]

What have the Falcons or Braves done to garner so much support from the local fans? Unless you're telling me that fans are showing up to support them because of what they did 20 years ago? 

 

 

Well, NFL = Most popular Sport.  Most teams in the NFL has good followings.

 

Braves... Did you watch the magic?  Schurlholtz... maybe I spelt that wrong... but the Braves developed a system that encompassed their Single A all the way to the Big Leagues.  They trained players to play for them... that's how you got a Justice, Chipper, and so on and so on.

Next, they overpaid for great pitching.

Finally, they marketed themselves very well.  Freakin "America's Team".   Fireworks after every victory.  Endeared themselves to the schools and the local businesses by having free games.

Erased all memories of the years when Dale Murphy and Gene Garber and Gary Matthews labored for nothing.

They built a legacy.