Actually the numbers are off, that site doesnt add the player options so they would have to cut Verajou to have that 30 million+. They still have a ton to work with though.
Hmmm..not sure about all of this BN. While I totally agree with you about Riley playing a bit of hardball, doing it the press can start the snowball affect that Lebron would need to get out. Doing it behind the scenes makes it tougher for Lebron to run. The HUGE problem I have with Riley saying stuff like "don't take the first door that opens" is that it would not be first door...it would be the SECOND door. Leborn already took the first door to go to Miami. Riley...I mean...this stuff cracks me up...but Riley used the entire floor of doors to run where the talent is. 80% of Rileys press conference was correct. All he had to say is WE as a team have done well. He pointed out how many years the Lakers were together...the Spurs etc..compared to how many rings they actually had. Riley was right. But again, the problem Riley has is that while masturbating at the PEP RALLY in which his star said 2...no...3....5.....6...no 7 championships, he did not have the balls to at least before tell Lebron...be cool..be a bit humble. So...AGAIN...the Heat under normal circumstances have done well. They are the ones that said what they have accomplished is not enough..so pile on we will do. I do agree with you BN...if you give Riley a year or 2, he will bring much more talent down there..but lets call a spade a spade..like Rileys entire past..they will not be coming down there to comb his hair..they will be coming down there to play with Lebron. No Lebron...no genius Riley.
Just thinking but it would be pretty dangerous for Wade to opt out, Riley can turn around and offer him close to nothing. Essentially lie to him, because Riley knows it all hinges on Wade opting out and he will do whatever it takes for him to opt out. Wades value has dropped substantially, I'm not even sure a team would pay him 10 mill on the open market, he is damaged goods and would want a long term deal.
Not sure, he was looking much better heading into the finals. I'd have to rewatch game 1 but I recall myself saying he got injured at some point in the game. The Heat would have been better off not having him in the court, he was that bad. Offensively he offered nothing and defensively was a complete liability. Bottom line is you can't be paying a player 10 million who is only going to play 50 games, yet Wade is scheduled for 20 million next year...
On the other hand, given Howard's stint with the Lakers (and Kobe), maybe Houston's big man ends up an unhappy camper (yet again) when he's no longer their "big man" ....who knows?
What a giant bust that Lakers team was. I recall they were the favorites to win it and over half the ESPN experts picked em to win it that season.
Frankly, I would never trust Dwight Howard on my team soxxx. The big man's got a lot of (spoiled) little child in him. Ask Stan Gundy.
I've never seen that picture, of the letter from the Cavs owner. WOW that was crazy. It was like a bitter parent, trying to get the kids to love them, more than the ex.
Hes overrated, I dont care for him that much. Its why all season (despite the Rockets sweeping the Spurs), that if the Spurs did face em, they would have found a way to win because Howard just crashes in the playoffs.
The NBA finals went 7 games last year with a buzzer beater type ending in game 1 and then two ridiculously close games in game 6 and game 7 which this series never reached. The longer the series, the more it's talked about, unless it's Detroit/SA
The bottomline is it didnt get as much coverage, no way around it. We had a triple crown, we had a world cup, we had a LA/NY hockey series, US open all while the NBA Finals was going on. There was a lot of coverage before and after each individual game but the following day there wasnt much because there was a million other things going on. Last year the entire Sports world focused in on the NBA Finals, this year they did not. Personally I dont really care, im just saying.
Which is exactly why I said Wade would never opt out. He's in for $42 million in the next two years. If he opts out, his career might be over, but he sure as hell ain't making $42 million over a two year span. Stay in your contract, make your $40+ million then retire.
Yah I agree with the bottom-line, I was explaining why I think the bottom-line was like that. It was because we didn't get a 7 game series with 3 of the games coming down the final minutes. Very rarely do you get a historical play in playoff series, let alone the finals. We got that from Ray Allen, you aren't matching that coverage.
If I'm Lebron, I opt in for Miami for my last year then survey the FA market in 2015 and sign long term in Miami. If he opts out this year, he has to sign long term somewhere, right? I would put that off one more year and let Wade/Bosh expire next offseason and have Riley and a ton of cap room at the teams disposal. Seems like the best bet to get a solid team around yourself and create a new identity for the team that Riley and Spo want.
It wasnt even the 7 game series aspect, because even last year between games 1-5 you could not go anywhere without hearing about the NBA Finals. Look at this year, the day after game 1, EVERYONE was talking about California Chrome. Perfectly fine though, the horse was going for a remarkable accomplishment that Saturday.
No he can opt out and come back on a one year deal. There is no reason for him ever to take a long term deal anymore, especially if its with Miami and older players.
There aint a chance in hell Wade opt outs. Riley can say that yeah ill give you $10 million, but what if he opts-out and Riley hands him $5 million? Then what? he's fucked. Oh and if Wade took less, it would basically mean he would have to admit that hes washed up and not good anymore which will never happen because in Wade's mind he is still a top 5 player. He blames his injury for his setbacks probably. (He will never be healthy again, but im sure he thinks he will be one day)
Why would he opt out and come back on a one year deal instead of just opting in for that one year? And yeah I said sign a long term deal next year, when Miami will have basically empty books
