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So resigning RJ for 40 million puts the Spurs over the top?
Nice battle in the West ......FISH: The Top Six “Moves’’ In The West
By Mike Fisher -- FOXSportsSouthwest.com and DallasBasketball.com
The world is moving so fast these days that the man who says it can't be done is generally interrupted by someone doing it. -- Elbert Hubbard
Not every “move’’ is a trade. Some moves are more subtle than that. Some moves are like paddling while in the water; you’re just trying to prevent drowning.
The challenge in competing in the NBA’s Western Conference is, of course, that for a decade now there have always been eight or 10 or 12 teams preparing to speed-boat ahead of any contender who dares to simple float along.
Such is the case again this offseason, when West teams have fallen short of matching “Miami Thrice’’ but nevertheless keep throwing elbows in search of playoff positioning. Here, the Top Six “Moves’’ In The West … keeping in mind that “moves’’ can sometimes just be represented by elbowing and paddling:
6. New Orleans: The Pacification of Paul
Yes, the Hornets dug themselves this hole. But that doesn’t mean they don’t deserve some credit for trying to shovel out of it. They are upgrading their ownership and they are making a commitment to Chris Paul in hopes of avoiding getting “LeBroned’’ in 2012 when CP3’s contract expires.
It’s a case of the inmate running the asylum, but the Hornets are justified in trying to pacify Paul.
So they’ve dumped GM Jeff Bower (and any writer who thinks that wasn’t done at the behest of Paul’s people is woefully under-informed). They’ve traded Paul’s caddie Darren Collison for wingman Trevor Ariza. And most impressive of all, they’ve convinced Paul – despite the influence on him from LeBron’s cronies – to quit making mutinous noises.
None of that has yet resulted in a game won. But if your greatest fear is that you are about to be LeBroned, and you take steps to avoid that, you have accomplished something.
5. Utah: Power In The Post
Dallas had the opportunity to acquire Al Jefferson, but passed because the Minnesota big man would’ve come at a cost of $42 million over three years and would’ve served only as Dirk Nowitzki’s backup. An arguably better landing spot for Big Al? Utah, which was looking for a replacement for Carlos Boozer and now has an ideal (if expensive) one.
Jefferson figures to thrive under Jerry Sloan – and because this is the first winning program he’s ever been involved with. He’s a big import to replace a big export … so Utah stays afloat in the talent department despite Boozer’s departure, which is a pretty neat trick.
4. Oklahoma City: Asset Management
Thunder GM Sam Presti has been given lots of props for what we’ll call “anticipated genius’’; that is, observers have long praised him for what they assume he’ll do with OKC.
But now, he’s actually doing it.
OKC entered the draft with four picks, none of them in the first 20 slots. The Thunder exited the draft with veteran shooting wings Morris Peterson and Daequan Cook, with Kansas center Cole Aldrich, with a future protected first-round pick from the Clippers, and with three second-round prospects including 7-foot shooter Tibor Pleiss.
Oh, and the Thunder also quietly re-signed scoring champ and MVP candidate Kevin Durant to a five-year contract. (And did so without the benefit of a nationally-televised announcement.)
The genius is being realized.
3. Dallas: The Magnificent Sevens
Some were worried that it might take $10 mil a year to keep 7-foot center Brendan Haywood in Dallas.
Some were worried that The DUST Chip (Erick Dampier’s insta-expiring contract) might net nothing for Dallas.
Some were worried that Dirk Nowitzki – the franchise – might bolt Dallas.
Instead, Mavs management found a way to: retain Haywood at the rate of $8.3 mil a year guaranteed for the next five seasons; swap Dampier for Tyson Chandler, healthy for the first time in three years and himself a monster expiring contract; and keep Dirk around, probably for the rest of his career, at a total cost of $16 million less than he could’ve demanded.
In the case of Nowitzki, “loyalty’’ worked both ways. He spurned flirtations from New York, New Jersey and Phoenix out of respect to Mavs bosses Mark Cuban and Donnie Nelson, and why?
Because he believes they’ve earned respect.
Add it up: The Mavs aren’t the Lakers (though last year, with 55 wins and a No. 2 seed, they spent 82 games being just behind the Lakers). But they are Laker-long, with 7-footer Haywood and 7-footer Chandler available to play alongside 7-footer Nowitzki.
And for anyone who thinks a team doesn’t deserve credit for re-upping its own? Consider what is going on right now in Cleveland and Toronto … consider what might go wrong in New Orleans and Denver … and consider what the Thunder and the Mavs would look like without their “face-of-the-franchise’’ guys.
2. Lakers: Incremental Moves
There are some network-level wags who are labeling the Lakers as “losers’’ in their Summer Shopping. This misinformed approach fails to take into consideration L.A.’s established talent base; if I have a five-car garage, just how many Ferraris do you expect me to park in there?
These two-time NBA champs upgraded from Jordan Farmar by adding Steve Blake as the backup point guard. And they gave up nothing to acquire tough-guy wing Matt Barnes. … which represents an upgrade over the likes of Luke Walton and Sasha Vujacic.
Think about it: They’ve added to the foundation of Kobe/Gasol/Artest/Bynum/Odom by replacing champion-level parts like Farmar … with better parts.
1. San Antonio: The Fountain of Youth
By reputation, the Spurs are old. Tim Duncan limps a little bit and Manu Ginobili is going bald and … wait a minute. … they just signed Brazilian star Tiago Splitter to a three-year, $10.9-million deal? And Splitter has all that international experience but is just 25?
Never mind.
The Spurs acquired his rights at the end of the 2007 Draft. They didn’t panic, they didn’t demand. They just nursed the situation. And now the time – because some of the Spurs actually are aging, as humans do – is right.
Splitter is a post-up weapon, he’s a worker, he’s a great pick-and-roll fit on both ends. … He’s not LeBron or Wade or Bosh … and again, none of the pickups in the West this summer are. But Tiago Splitter represents how it works in the deeply compe ive West, where elbowing and paddling matter so much.
So resigning RJ for 40 million puts the Spurs over the top?
^No, but, their foresight & patience in the Splitter matter is an admirable & exemplary model.
Love seeing Jefferson on that list
You realize this is the "top 6 moves in the West" in isolation? This is not the best off-season as a whole, but the top 6 individual moves. So RJ has nothing to do with it.So resigning RJ for 40 million puts the Spurs over the top?
Not surprising a Laker fan is confused and misses the very simple concept.
Top 6 moves:
1.) Losing Jordan Farmar
2.) Talk of Walton Possibly retiring
3.) Bynum and Kobe knee & finger surgeries
4.) Phil Jax getting clean bill of health report
5.) Lamar getting his sex tape and playing this summer
6.) Matt Barnes kicking his wife's ass...
Culburn's account must have been hacked.
1.) thank, Christ. that SOB.
2.) preemptive strike. it was adorable.
3.) did Kobe ever actually have the finger done?
4.) can ya imagine testing his prostate? always feels so good.
5.) can ya imagine testing her prostate? always feels so good.
6.) for tat.
lol thunder hypeThe Thunder exited the draft with veteran shooting wings Morris Peterson and Daequan Cook
Veteran shooting guards or useless crappy players Thunder had to take back. Peterson didnt hit the 40% mark the past 2 seasons, Cook is a career 36.8% shooter.
Just ridiculous to mention both in a positive way.
1.) Farmer is a 2-time champ...Wade and Lebron could learn a thing or two from this guy..
2.) Cap relief for Walton would be orgasmic
3.) Kobe is trying to make the finger into a legend...Imagine 3 peating with a broken finger....something MJ never did
4 & 5.) Prostate testing = Fire in the hole...Personally I'm into my girls licking my gouch and giving me a pull back BJ...but whatever floats your boat...
6.) I never hit a woman...I just take away Koolaid privileges...
i think that guy must have been fired already for saying jefferson was a good move
Boston's principal owner seems to think he's going to punish Kobe...;-)
“The minute I heard [COLOR=blue ! important][COLOR=blue ! important]Kobe[/COLOR] [Bryant] say he had one more ring than Shaq, I said to Danny (Ainge), ‘Let’s go get Shaq,’ and it happened,’’ said Grousbeck.
Read more NBA news and insight: http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineSt...#ixzz101hOTy59[/COLOR]
“The minute I heard Kobe [Bryant] say he had one more ring than Shaq, I said to Danny (Ainge), ‘Let’s go get Shaq,’ and it happened,’’ said Grousbeck.
Read more NBA news and insight: http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineSt...#ixzz101hOTy59
At least it's proof that Ainge is alive. I ain't seen hide nor hair of him since we whipped the dog out of 'em Game Six.
Boston is desperate to avoid being the one hit wonder.
On a collision course with a desperate Miami team that's already achieved that wonder.
tee, hee.
Far from that. Care to enlighten me how a team who signed the top 3 free agents (two of the top 3 players in the league) are desperate? It has only begun for the Heat while for the Lakers is at its end.
Well, you are the one hit wonder that you threaten Boston with, Ace.
I know, you got your Bosh and your James, but, woe be to you if you don't ring next June. All this? This will be shaved pussy compared to what's in store for you then, daddy-O.
Tell ya what Giuseppe. Next June I'll be here regardless as long as your ready for the I bring. I know most Lakers fans will disappear but I expect you stick around.
I doubt you'll stick sans the ring.
Tiago owning Odom was a sight to behold, tee, hee.
...eclipsed only by Odom running roughshod over the Celtics/4th quarter/Game 7.
Let us proceed...
I actually like Odom, but Odom didn't do . C's ran out of gas.
Lakers are stacked
Blake and Barnes are GREAT additions, considering the Lakers are the 2 time defending champs
They stacked !
Dat Bron and da Heat betta than all these scrub ass teams in teh West believe dat!
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