The Knicks will be horrible defensively next season IMO without Chandler even though he got hoe'd every game after he came back from the late season injury.. Calderon - doesnt even know what defense is Shumpert- Locks down but cant depend on him to be there every game always hurt. Melo- Pretends to play defense.. Amare- lol Bargniani - Who the hell is scared of that?
It's not as bad as you think, but I'll get into that later. He has to give Wade his money. If he doesn't can gtfo.
Id love to see how it isnt as bad. Rileys not stupid, if the 2014-2015 Miami Heat look like the 2010-2011 Cavaliers then no ones gunna show up, hes going to get criticized, etc. But in the long term, it would be better, because then they can rebuild by landing a top draft pick. Instead Riley has opted to keep the Heat in an area where they wont be at the bottom of the league but they will be good enough to win games. So when he exits next year, people wont be saying "he left the Heat in a mess". So short term it will look good, but in 3-4 years Heat fans will be killing Riley for ever giving Bosh that contract. The same way the Knicks fans are critical of the Amare contract. By year 3, 4 ,5 Bosh will not be worth max at all.
OMG Lebron signs 1 year deal with Cavaliers, with a 2nd year player option. Apparently he thinks the max contract might get removed when the TV contract is up so he wants to maximize money when the new deal comes. *edit* cOLD news
Just wondering, who are these magical FAs next year that are gonna suddenly make the Knicks contenders after next season, or the Heat.
Bosh last proved that in 07-08 and got bounced in his two trips to the playoffs as a #1 star. I hope he can get back to his 20 and 10 playing days because he wants to be a star and run the Heat which is admirable (and he got paid which is good since he turned that down in the past), but it's definitely been a while since he's dropped into the post and just beat people with his shot and speed. Will be interesting to see how he is used by Spo. He was great down low, but his game really isn't that at all anymore. Went from star to role player now back to star. Very unique career path.
Unrestricted per ESPN: M. Gasol L. Aldridge R. Rondo P. Millsap B. Lopez (option) A. Jefferson (option) R. Hibbert (option) D. Jordan K. Love (option) A. Bargnani (joking) G. Dragic (option) R. Gay T. Parker EDIT to be correct: L. James (option) Different levels of stars, but these are a ton of free agents who can push a solid team over the top. Kevin Love is the obvious one since he has been lined up in trade rumors. It's interesting, I didn't know it was mostly bigs hitting free agency or possibly hitting free agency. Obviously nothing like Lebron or Durant hitting FA, but definitely players who could shift teams up and down the rankings if they left.
Hasn't this happened to Melo ten times now? You aren't winning a title with Bosh as your best player, but I find it hillarous that people think Bosh can't lead Miami to the playoffs. He had less responsibilities offensively, but SPO really wore him out defensively. He was blitzing PNRs for 30 minutes a game, that's insane. I'm guessing he won't have to do much deffensively, and SPO will run the offense through him. I think his days of camping out at the three point line are over.
Yeah I don't know why Melo has anything to do with Bosh though. I think Bosh can lead Miami to the playoffs, but there's a difference between leading them to the playoffs and losing in 5 in the 1st round than making the playoffs and being competitive. I'm interested if Bosh can do the second thing. I mean it's still a test to see if he can do the first and make the playoffs but I think he can do that. I do realize why people think he won't, it's been 7 years and he kind of lost the game that made him so good in Toronto. I think he can some of it back and make the playoffs, but I'm not sure of the competitive part. I think you mean he won't have to do as much defensively? The Heat need a center for that to happen, otherwise Bosh will have to drop low and guard the 5s. Unless I mean Oden? It would be a great story if he could do that, but I think unfortunately he will never be a starter in the NBA. Offensively he will get more responsibility and yeah I agree he won't be at the 3 point line. My thinking is if Bosh can just be ready to jump to play in the post again, because that is where he would probably be most effective as a main option in my opinion. He said earlier this year that type of play was a thing of the past for him because the team just never did it. It'll be fun to see Bosh try to get all of that back and if he can.
So basically Knicks fans are hoping for Rondo and/or Gasol? The rest will either be unavailable(Love, Aldridge, Lebron) or JAGS.
No, people here really think they may not get the eigth seed. Barring any injury, I can't see how they fail to even get the eigth seed. Spoelstra most likely won't have Bosh blitzing PNRs, and flying around the court all game. That's what I meant when I said he would not have to do as much defensively. He still has it imo, I've witnessed him carry the Heat w0again and again while Wade and LBJ have been out. I just hope he can do it over the course of an 82 games season. Fortunately for Miami there aren't many centers who can dominate in the post today. After Al Jefferson and Tim Duncan I can't think of an elite back to the basket center. I brought up Melo, because some guys put Melo in the class of Kobe in his prime, LeBron, and other superstars today, and I just wanted to check if others agreed.. Regardless of what happens next season, I'm excited to see if Bosh can still be the "man".
I'm not sure overall who Knicks fans want, there was a divide over Melo coming back with Knicks fans. For me, I would M. Gasol to join. Even if the Knicks miss out on all those names, they can add better role players by having the cap room to do so instead of trying to squeak by with the veteran min and all those exceptions and what not to get good role players to consider a discount. It really depends on how the Knicks look next year and what kind of strategy Fisher/Phil are trying to instill. Rondo could be great, but if you need your PG to be a shooter than maybe you won't be so quick to give him a max contract (assuming he doesn't improve). M.Gasol just seems like a guy who is good at everything so might ultimate goal would be acquiring him. Overall though, it relies mostly on how the team looks on who you chase. For the Knicks perspective, they are weak at C and have no depth there after next year. At SG/PG/SF they have a ton of young guys right now who should all get time. No defensive PG though
Yeah I mean them and the 8 seed depends on the East really. I think it's more likely they will be competing for a bottom 4 seed than top 4. It's different to carry at team for 5 games a year, I mean JR does 2-3 games if we are being honest, than to carry a team for 70+. Teams can game plan for Bosh and Bosh only now. I still agree overall, I just don't think it's certainty that Bosh is dropping 25 and 10 the Heat stay relatively struggle free. Center doesn't have to dominate to give Bosh trouble. Bosh having to guard a center who can play offense is a bad start. On top of that, even if there is no center, if Bosh is at center then he is the shot blocker and first rotation into the paint for them defensively? That's why I would like to see Miami get a center who can play some to spare Bosh that. Kobe in his prime is Kobe in his prime. Kobe is arguably a top 10 player and pretty much locked into the top 25. Melo is a great player, has done better as a top star than Bosh, but not incredibly better. Bosh was closer to the "great stats, doesn't make the team a playoff team" category while Melo was closer and in the "great stats, can't make noise in the playoffs strategy". Granted Bosh was in the East and Melo the West. They were different levels of stars when they both were stars in Denver and Toronto, but neither were close to Lebron, Kobe, Duncan, Shaq or the top 10 of all time player discussion people. Yeah I'm exciting to watch Bosh become the main player again. Obviously I want the Heat to do bad, but as a fan I do want the EC to be a better conference and not have a ton of tanking teams and bad teams
You're so fucking right. Marc Gasol is an all around star, he was on my short list of players I have wanted to replace Timmy when he retires. Very physical, can make short and intermediate shots, very good defender and passer, and a great teammate.
