The whole story confuses me. I thought I remembered Stern saying that, yet there are reports of it possibly happening still coming out. Stern is basically a lame duck at this point, maybe he doesn't give an F. I mean he didn't even bother to correctly pronounce words when presenting the Finals trophy in MIA.

Greg Oden to the Heat for the 12peat?

bend the knee

Basketball apocalypse in Denver this summer

If they hire VDN ill lose it.

Although I did hear after the Hollins meeting that they don't have much interest in him unless everyone else sucks so I won't put much stock in an interview.

I dont think a team really has an excuse for interviewing vdn. Even if he has 2% equity for the job it doesnt encourage the notion that kroenke has a clue what hes doing

Hate Dwight, Hate Paul but if it meant Dirk gets another shot at the King and a 2nd ring, I'll swallow my pride with ease.

chances heat can sign Dalembert and/or Brand each individuals impact if one or both can sign?

I would think the chances are pretty high if they actually want those guys. The impact if either would be virtually nothing. Brand is an upgrade to Haslem but he's aging pretty poorly at this point. Dalembert would help them but it's not like his role would be any different from Joel Anthony's role. I suppose he would miss less open laypus. He'd still have a minuscule usage and be nothing more than a body to throw at opposing bigs. He has a use for them but he's not this savior that people seem to think he will be. Keep in mind he was like the 5th best big on a pretty bad Bucks team this year.

so yeah - I was in Asia and missed games 2 through 7

Put this series in context - best finals since xxxx ? Are we talking lets go back to the Pistons-Lakers of 25 years ago?

Followed along by play-by-play text boxscores on my mobile phone and it was pretty damn compelling the last 2 games anyway

Game 6 was like the sickest thing ever. I thought Game 7 kinda sucked because both teams played like **** other than LeBron and Wade. It was confusing how it was even in contention with a minute left. The series as a whole wasn't great due to the blowouts IMO. Game 6 alone will go down in history though.

random hypothetical....

You are starting a team from scratch, and will be allowed to start your team with one of the following options below. You will get all players as rookies(on rookie contracts) and all coaches at the age in which they started head coaching in the NBA. The players are not guaranteed to stay as healthy as they did in real life nor are they guaranteed to have the same tendency to stay with the team that drafted them as they did in real life, but those variables do indeed matter. Rank your preference:

1. Jordan + Pippen
2. Lebron + Wade
3. Shaq + Kobe
4. Bird + Magic
5. CP3 + Durant + Dwight
6. KG + Pierce + Allen
7. Hakeem + Barkley + Drexler
8. R Westbrook + K Leonard + P George + S Marion + J Noah + Coach Thibs

overall the series was meh w/ the blowouts but game 6 is one of the GOAT games ,

I take #5 ahead of all the other ones. Then Jordan+Pippen. Then LeBron+Wade.

Only reason I brought it up was I heard people in the reg season thread bring up a hypothetical Bosh for Okafor and draft pick trade.

I suppose that might give the heat a better match up against the bulls, pacers, spurs. But is it really optimal to trade Bosh to matchup better against 3 teams?

If they were to face the thunder, clips in the finals I think they decrease their matchup advantage in the above proposal.

There may be options to help against those match ups than trading one your best offensive players.

In general i think a lot of people are overreacting to this playoffs.

The blowouts are all overstated. All of the games were competitive thru 3 quarters and then one team buzzsawed. Thats way better than a team going up 20 in the first and never looking back. I thought the series was great.

Team 5 is pretty unreal. Lebron + Wade may be my last choice tbh. That thibs team will roll bitches

#8 prob most fun to watch.

I like #6 the most.

i would take #5 for winning but they'd be boring as ****. between CP3 dribbling for 22 seconds and Dwight either getting fouled, dunking or turning it over every 30 seconds i doubt i'd be entertained

I guess I'd lean towards 7 > 5 > 1 > 2 > 8 > 6 > 3 > 4

The Hakeem team is not built very optimally. I don't think Barkley plays 4 on D, so you need another big (stretch 4s pretty rare) and another great 3 point shooting 1.

The floor spacing for team #6 will make them incredibly tough to defend. All 3 players can create offense, space, and pass.

Team #8 is intriguing but they can't shoot.

What position does Barkley play on D?

Against teams with good 4s? Usually the less skilled wing.

Can the Spurs swing David West? Should they try to go after Jarrett Jack if Manu calls it quits? Re-sign Splitter if he'll do so cheaply?

Feel Bonner/Neal/Blair/Mills are all gone. De Colo and Joseph return I guess.

hypo: atlanta strikes out hgh/cp3/iggy

would they be better off a) maxing smoove (ugh) or b) taking on pau (for a 2nd at most) + having cap room the following off season(s)?