Jordan4life_2007

Excuse me. It seems I somehow misspelled controlled in the thread title. Can somebody please eradicate that? It just doesn't look right. We all can't be as perfect as Kalapse.

Sabermetrics are, like, the best thing that's ever happened to the game of baseball. It takes a little effort, but once you've got a general understanding of them, they're just awesome tools to use to evaluate players. There was just no way to gauge one's defense 10-15 years ago unless you were a fan of a particular player's team and watched every game or if you caught Sportscenter highlights. People use Soriano as an example of how flawed UZR is. UZR isn't just about range (or in Soriano's case, being a moron). Soriano has always had a +arm and that's weighted into overall UZR.

For those like myself that have chastised this organization without remorse the last 2-3 years for the complete inability to produce young, cost-controlled, impact talent the last decade or so - NOW WE'RE TALKING!!! It's about f***ing time. In Sale, Viciedo and Reed - we're looking at a potential #1 starter with Xbox on speed type stuff, a run-producing offensive beast god who deposits missiles all over the damn place and a Craig Kimbrel like android in which you know once he enters the game that it's time for hitters to bend over and take it like a porn star. These three are cheap and belong to us for the next X amount of years. That's how you build a juggernaut and go on a sustained run. This is the new-age way of running a successful baseball operation. I am for now very please.

zynski? wow.

QUOTE (Quinarvy @ May 27, 2012 -> 04:51 PM) Joe, you've been replaced. Spectacularly replaced.

The Heat totally took Roy Hibbert out of this series after game 3. That was the only advantage they (Pacers) had. Heat have 4 days off now.

I still don't think the sixers are that good. But their defense is stellar. They're undersized and don't have any shot-blockers. But they are extremely quick and athletic.

When is it going to be time to start worrying about Alexei? He's been, statistically, the worst every day SS in baseball.

QUOTE (Jake @ May 22, 2012 -> 11:23 PM) You guys are getting in arguments about s*** that has nothing to do with anything....just let it go....argue about basketball instead Thank you, Dr. Phil. You don't know what you're talking about. If somebody calls me out then I'm going to respond. Simple as that.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ May 22, 2012 -> 10:54 PM) No way SAS and OKC is a short series. Ill take the Thunder in 7. If Bosh is ready to go then Miami is going to roll Boston. If the Spurs take down OKC in 5 or less, then they are truly the greatest single-season team of the last decade.

Hawk is the pure definition of old-school. 15 years ago, you didn't have MLB extra innings or MLB.com or all the "new-school" stuff at our disposal. Hawk is a played-out dinosaur. I'd still be sad if he were gone due to the fact he's been with us so long. But his time is coming and I can't wait.

QUOTE (GoodAsGould @ May 22, 2012 -> 10:17 PM) Maybe resigning Harden isn't realistic but the statement you made is just as common sense as anything Badger ever said. But, I guess since it's you being called out it isn't the same thing..... Not really. You're trying to be smooth and a tough guy but you really aren't. If the Thunder's top 4 were locked up for the next 5 years then you'd have a point. There would be nothing to discuss. They're more than likely going to be penalized for drafting too well. That's what I meant. But go ahead and try to emphasize something that's not there.

Heat's support players have finally showed up. This series is over. I expect them to beat Boston and lose to whomever emerges from the west.

Just tuning in. WTF happened?

QUOTE (ZoomSlowik @ May 22, 2012 -> 03:30 PM) You can't really say bigs>guards without taking the players into account (see Bowie, Sam and Oden, Greg). Every situation is different. Harden is a damn good scoring wing. He scored 17 PPG while taking 10 shots. On a team that didn't have Durant and Westbrook, he easily scores 20. That trio also gives the Thunder the luxury of not having to worry about offense since those three combine for like 70 PPG, giving them the flexibility to go all defense with their other guys. If you don't need scoring from your bigs, you can find serviceable guys unless you're the Miami Heat. He also fits very well since he doesn't always have to dominate the ball to score, someone like Monta Ellis or Tyreke Evans doesn't work on OKC. Their "draft pedigree" is pretty much based on hitting with top-5 picks right now. Durant went #2 and would have gone #1 most years, Westbrook went #4 in one of the strongest drafts in recent memory, Harden went #3 (after Hasheem Thabeet, lol). Obviously Ibaka was a good find as a foreigner most had never heard of. Are they going to be able to get an unprotected top-5 pick in this draft or the next for him? That kind of think is generally hard to swing, and they'd still have to hit even if they did. It's not going to be any easier to find a scorer of that caliber with a mid to late round pick than it will be to find a decent big man. You're still taking a hit even if you end up with an Aaron Afflalo type just like you'd be taking a hit if you end up with a Taj Gibson or Kenneth Faried. Right now I'd say there's a bigger gap between those guys on the wing than between Ibaka and those bigs. Wait another year and the answer might change, which is the real issue there. Given their needs, Ibaka probably makes more sense. Harden is definitely a better player at this point though and he's not remotely easy to replace. I agree with most of this. I never said Harden would be easy to replace. It'd be difficult. When I mentioned the Thunder's draft pedigree, I wasn't really talking about Durant. That was a no-brainer, especially when Portland took Oden 1st. Westbrook, Harden and Ibaka were hardly sure things. That was a lot of scouting mixed in with a smudge of good luck. Let me ask you this:: which would be harder to find in the draft? A Wesley Mathews type or a JaVale McGee? Yes, the latter is slow in the head but ridiculously gifted in all other aspects.

I vote brother Quinarvy for any mod/admin position because he's 12 and smarter than just about everybody here (including myself).

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ May 22, 2012 -> 02:34 PM) His offensive game is definitely improving. He's got a pretty sweet stroke on an 18 foot jump shot. Scotty Brooks had better unleash him fully next year. With multiple first rounders, which would be the requirement if they dealt Harden, one would think with their draft pedigree they could find a player somewhat similar to Harden. Anthony Davis isn't going #1 because of his offense (and I know you and everyone else knows this. So gould can't say I'm stating the obvious). Bigs > guards/wings 8 times out of 10.

QUOTE (ZoomSlowik @ May 22, 2012 -> 01:42 PM) Meh. Harden is definitely a better player, his offensive efficiency was ridiculous. As the Bulls have proven, it's not easy to find a legit scorer on the cheap. The only reason it'd make any sense for OKC is they already have Durant and Westbrook. The problem with that is you need a big and Ibaka's development curve is a huge wildcard. At his current 10-8 level with good defense, you could probably find a reasonable replacement. If he turns into a 15 PPG type, that's another story. That'd be the gamble. Ibaka is 22 and couldn't speak a word of english three years ago. He's already a game-changer defensively and his offensive game is improving. I love Harden. But finding a third scorer to compliment Durant/Russell would seemingly be a lot easier than finding a game-changing big with upside. That's just my opinion. It's actually a shame they can't keep both. The Thunder didn't put some super team together. They scouted and drafted almost too well and they're going to pay the price for it.

QUOTE (ZoomSlowik @ May 22, 2012 -> 01:09 PM) Deng would still be on the books in the year you'd have to sign Harden to an offer sheet (before the 2013/2014 season). I don't have the exact numbers in front of me (for some reason hoopshype doesn't have Derrick's yearly salaries up yet), but Rose/Noah/Deng is going to be at least $42 mil in 2013/2014. So that's a fringe-y max offer even without counting a qualifying offer to Gibson or any draft picks/cheap guys. I think the Thunder should go ahead and trade Harden now. They're just not going to be able to keep both he and Ibaka. Harden would net them a bounty (i.e. multiple first-round draft picks). You can't let Ibaka get away.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 22, 2012 -> 12:39 PM) Pretty certain this is untrue. Amnesty gets you out of it counting against the cap as well. For example, the Knicks amnestied Billups last season to get far enough under the salary cap to be able to sign Tyson Chandler as an unrestricted free agent. You're right. Under the old CBA it counted against the cap.

lol. Zoom knows his hoops.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ May 22, 2012 -> 09:57 AM) Ew. Egads, no. That guy's going to be next to worthless in two seasons. That and he's too fragile. He's admitted that almost being traded to Houston and not knowing what was going to happen at the deadline messed with him this year. After seeing what happened to Lamar Odom, pass.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ May 22, 2012 -> 09:26 AM) Actually being realistic, if the Bulls want to go after another star, I would imagine Pau Gasol will be available. With his advancing age and poor play the last two postseasons, I'm not sure Gasol is a star anymore.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ May 22, 2012 -> 08:40 AM) I just don't see how that would even be possible. Harden and Ibaka are going to get ridiculous offer sheets. That was my point. It's going to be really hard.

QUOTE (GoodAsGould @ May 22, 2012 -> 01:33 AM) Was it you or Steve who accused Badger of stating the obvious too much in his posts... Because this would certainly fall under that category. Um, no. That's just not the same as saying that teams that shoot 60% or better from the field end up winning a majority of their games. Especially when Harden is going to command a hefty raise after next year. Nice try, though.