NBA 10-11

[lukethedrifter]

I don't pay much attention to the NBA; what is Deron Williams' problem?

[thrill]

I don't pay much attention to the NBA; what is Deron Williams' problem?

He's going to get a max deal when he's a free agent, Utah has cap problems, they aren't going to contend as currently constructed and whether it's true or not, the perception is that Deron pushed Sloan out which soured fans against him.

He's really not a problem player, I think Utah just knows they aren't contenders so they got some good, cheaper pieces for him while they still can and before it turned into a Carmelo situation.

[thrill]

By the way, this is a spit in the face to Nuggets fans and NBA owners. The Nuggets got 50 cents on the dollar for a better player all because that player wouldn't go to the Nets. The Jazz got 85 cents on the dollar for D Will.

Vague money analogies aside, the NBA has it's work cut out for it with this summer's CBA. Player power is clearly the dominating force in NBA economics and talent disparity between contenders in attractive markets is starting to mirror international pro soccer where only two or three teams can legitimately contend every year. It's not quite that bad because the talent isn't watered down like soccer with multiple elite leagues vying for players, but it's pretty bad. There are too many teams in NBA hell out there with no chance of contending or profitability and when a team gets lucky and can draft a transcendent talent, they just leave whenever they want to anyway. Basketball is nothing in Cleveland and Denver now. It's going to be nothing in Orlando when Howard leaves, nothing in New Orleans when Paul leaves and markets like OK City better start making plans or they're going to be irrelevant in short order too.



Edit - Also, does anyone else think that in the D'Antoni system that Deron Williams would clearly have been a better fit than Anthony? Unless they are firing D'Antoni pretty soon and for now are content with the bigger splash/sex appeal/financial windfall Carmelo could bring, Williams would have been the better basketball fit.

[Socnorb11]

By the way, this is a spit in the face to Nuggets fans and NBA owners. The Nuggets got 50 cents on the dollar for a better player all because that player wouldn't go to the Nets. The Jazz got 85 cents on the dollar for D Will.

It's not that Anthony wouldn't go to the Nets........ that wouldn't have been his decision. New Jersey simply wouldn't make the deal unless Melo was willing to sign a deal with them.

Why would New Jersey give up such a package for Deron Williams? Has he agreed to sign long-term with New Jersey? If not, then this really doesn't make sense, because New Jersey could've had Carmelo Anthony for virtually the same package.


Side note: I think Sloan is probably the only one with the perception that Deron Williams pushed Sloan out of Utah.

[thrill]

It's not that Anthony wouldn't go to the Nets........ that wouldn't have been his decision. New Jersey simply wouldn't make the deal unless Melo was willing to sign a deal with them.

Why would New Jersey give up such a package for Deron Williams? Has he agreed to sign long-term with New Jersey? If not, then this really doesn't make sense, because New Jersey could've had Carmelo Anthony for virtually the same package.

The Harris, Favors & picks package was offered to Denver. Clearly his unwillingness to sign anywhere but NY influenced the fact that Denver had to accept a lesser package to trade him to NY. New Jersey wanted assurances that Anthony would sign an extension after they mortgaged their future to get him, they did not receive those assurances so they pulled the plug leaving Denver in the bathroom with only their dick in their hand. Obviously the Nets have some indication that after June 9th, they are confident of signing Williams to an extension or they wouldn't have made the deal in much the same way Prokhorov ended talks with Denver for the aforementioned reason.

[thrill]

side note: I think Sloan is probably the only one with the perception that Deron Williams pushed Sloan out of Utah.

http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2011/2/10/1 ... s-argument
http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/load-o- ... bulls.html
http://www.nowpublic.com/sports/jerry-s ... 56340.html
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/6157 ... er-anymore
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/6047 ... -the-power
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=6109031
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=a ... ring021011
http://nba.fanhouse.com/2011/02/10/as-j ... know-what/
http://deadspin.com/#!5768281

[Socnorb11]

It's not that Anthony wouldn't go to the Nets........ that wouldn't have been his decision. New Jersey simply wouldn't make the deal unless Melo was willing to sign a deal with them.

Why would New Jersey give up such a package for Deron Williams? Has he agreed to sign long-term with New Jersey? If not, then this really doesn't make sense, because New Jersey could've had Carmelo Anthony for virtually the same package.

The Harris, Favors & picks package was offered to Denver. Clearly his unwillingness to sign anywhere but NY influenced the fact that Denver had to accept a lesser package to trade him to NY. New Jersey wanted assurances that Anthony would sign an extension after they mortgaged their future to get him, they did not receive those assurances so they pulled the plug leaving Denver in the bathroom with only their dick in their hand. Obviously the Nets have some indication that after June 9th, they are confident of signing Williams to an extension or they wouldn't have made the deal in much the same way Prokhorov ended talks with Denver for the aforementioned reason.

Yeah, that's pretty much what I was saying. Unless Deron Williams signs an extension with New Jersey, this deal makes no sense........... because that was precisely the reason why they wouldn't deal with the Nuggets.

Cleveland was left in the bathroom with only their dick in their hand. Toronto was left in the bathroom with only their dick in their hand. Denver actually did really well, considering they had no leverage at all to work with, and Melo wasn't going to be a Nugget beyond this year anyway.

[Socnorb11]

side note: I think Sloan is probably the only one with the perception that Deron Williams pushed Sloan out of Utah.

http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2011/2/10/1 ... s-argument
http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/load-o- ... bulls.html
http://www.nowpublic.com/sports/jerry-s ... 56340.html
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/6157 ... er-anymore
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/6047 ... -the-power
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=6109031
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=a ... ring021011
http://nba.fanhouse.com/2011/02/10/as-j ... know-what/
http://deadspin.com/#!5768281

I obviously didn't read all of those, but I assume your point is that some people are pointing a finger at Deron Williams. And that's likely true. But I think the majority of reasonable people are not blaming Williams.

[thrill]

But I think the majority of reasonable people are not blaming Williams.

I hope that's the case. I think Sloan's resignation may be an indictment of player power in the NBA, but that's certainly not Deron's fault.

Btw, reports are coming out that Deron had no idea that this was in the works, is stunned and for the moment not ready to comment on it to the media so maybe the did actually pull the trigger without any indication of his willingness to re-sign.

[Maclowery]

Congratulations, socnorb, you won. Your last word has proven it.

Anyway, Bulls had me super excited about acquiring a SG once they got that 1st rounder for James Johnson. Several good sounding guys who may/may not be available:

Thornton (gone)
Mayo (Grizzlies won't lose him unless it's a winning trade for them)
Lee (Houston is insisting on Asik, which the Bulls won't part with)
Hamilton (no one really thinks the Pistons will buy out his 25 million left)
Affalo (Nuggets won't trade one of their best assets)
Smith (Nuggets might buy this guy out, though he's the one I want the least of these 6)

Man. I hope they get someone!