NBA Thread
- Thread starter ryanbruner
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i think he was a grad assistant for a year or two under pitino.
Jordan stayed in Chicago as the Bulls built around him, via the draft: Pippen and Grant in the same draft. Scottie with the 5th pick...Grant with the 9th. Then drafted BJ Armstrong with the 18th pick in 1989. Paxson was signed as a FA in 1984. So the core of the first three titles was all through the draft: Jordan, Pippen, Grant and Armstrong. Not to mention the drafting of Kukoc in 1990; joined the Bulls in 1993.
In 1996 Bulls then traded Will Perdue for Rodman....Now lets not act as if the Bulls got a young, wide eyed Rodman.....He was 34, and the trade was considered meh, at the time....Phil Jackson was perfect for Rodman...Hell the Bulls were. Bulls needed a tough PF, inside presence after Grant left, and they got just that---Hell of a defender, and a very, very good defender.Picked up Ron Harper from the CLippers.
So, I mean the core of all 6 Bulls titles were done so through the draft: Jordan, Pippen, Grant, Armstrong, Kukoc, King.....Only FA's of value they signed were Kerr and Rodman.
So yeah, MJ did do it a tad different....He didn't leave Chicago, looking to create a "super team". He stayed loyal to the Bulls. Waited as they built through the draft...And when it all came together, dude crushed the NBA.
I like LBJ. He's a beast...Top 5'ish player of All-time. His numbers are crazy...BUT.....his legacy is tarnished with him leaving Cleveland....going to Miami.....Going back to Cleveland....then leaving(AGAIN), and going to LA. It gives the impression of "shopping". Rather he did so or not---I don't know. But when guys like Magic, Bird, Jordan, Thomas, spent their entire careers(yes I know,MJ played for the Wizards) with the teams they won titles with, it makes James(among others) look as if they are shopping for teams, AKA, shopping for titles: See Durant as well.
Not saying there is anything wrong with it. Just trying to show ya why people see it as "shopping".
Student manager at UK---played on the JV team. He was also video coordinator under Pitino for the Celtics.
Alot of ball players in new era that ky wanted. I will show cal and ky. I can do this anywhere. Where they at? A busted bubble. Thats where. I love it. Can't imagine how cal feels honestly. All the hell and bs we have went through. Someone is eating.
Will Frank Vogel be the first person ever to win an NCAA Championship as a student manager as well as an NBA Championship as a head coach? 
http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/Statistics/1995-96.html
http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/Statistics/1995-96.html
Let's get something straight, Jordan didn't build those teams. The front office did. Jordan wanted to keep his friends on the team even though they weren't as good, Oakley being the example.
The front office are the ones who made those decisions.
To me, saying that LeBron was shopping for a championship feels like people who don't want to accept the greatness of what he's done. Samething with KD and how he jumped ship to the Warriors to win his rings.
LeBron went to different teams and completely dragged some of those teams to the final round year after year through sheer force of will. As much as people say he shopped for teams, but then will drag his Finals record. If he's really shopping for titles, he's not doing a good job of it.
Tatum's *** going back to the cul-de-sac kid side of town. Only true dogs prevail.
Did you see that guy wearing his Duke hat? Please. The least he could do is admit he's copying Murray. Dukes always one step behind.
Duke bought off half the top 5 kids the last five years and Cal's guys still outshine K's.
Now look at who the Cavs drafted following Lebron.
I really think Bam might be the most impactful center in the NBA other than dokic. His versatility is insane. If his jumper continues to improve I think he's got the potential to compete for an mvp.
Pat Riley is a genius. Low key made the best moves in the NBA this year - picking up Jae Crowder and Andre Iguodala, drafting Tyler Herro, and signing Duncan Robinson. Just fantastic moves.
For all the accolades Danny Ainge gets for his big heists of the Nets and the Sixers, he failed to add a real veteran presence like an Iguodala, and blew it drafting Romeo Langford and Carsen Edwards. The Celtics didn’t have enough shooting, especially off the bench. Their oldest player is 30. They wilted down the stretch and blew fourth quarter leads in every game they lost in the ECF. That’s a personnel problem as much as coaching.
For all the accolades Danny Ainge gets for his big heists of the Nets and the Sixers, he failed to add a real veteran presence like an Iguodala, and blew it drafting Romeo Langford and Carsen Edwards. The Celtics didn’t have enough shooting, especially off the bench. Their oldest player is 30. They wilted down the stretch and blew fourth quarter leads in every game they lost in the ECF. That’s a personnel problem as much as coaching.
Danny Ainge is bad at drafting middle to late first round. Generally nails like top five picks though. They were going to draft Herro at 14th if the Heat hadn’t taken him, seems like they panicked with their second choice in Langford though. Langford wasn’t even good in the G League when he was actually healthy enough to play. Grant Williams has been a decent role player but they traded down and could have gotten Brandon Clarke if they hadn’t.
Robert Williams was a late first and has a high ceiling. Terry Rozier has been decent for a #16 pick. Other than that it’s been a lot of blah at best outside of the top 5.
Gordon Hayward’s injuries have derailed a lot of the plans though given how big his contract is. And who would have expected Kemba to largely wilt on the largest stage after what he did at UConn and what he’s done in the regular season?
They definitely need to find a way to bring in a vet or two that knows how to win deep in the playoffs. The only players on the roster that had made it to either the ECF or WCF all did it while in Boston, I believe. Kemba had only been to the playoffs twice before and never got past the first round. Hayward had only made it past the first round one time in Utah. They don’t necessarily need a vet who will come in and play a big role (couldn’t get that unless it was a trade or a really cheap contract anyways) but someone that has been thru the ropes and can be an OK role player and bring some leadership and experience would be huge.
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The Celtics seem like a team that in a few years they'll be dominant and win a few championships after they got their bumps and bruises out of the way the way the 80s Pistons and 90s Bill's did. Tatum and Brown are legit. And maybe if Hayward weren't made of glass, he would have contributed at some point. I really wonder how this team would be if they had a veteran pass first PG. Kemba has moments of greatness, but he's a shoot first guard. They need a Rondo/CP3 type of PG.
In hindsight, I wish they would have tried to get Brogdon instead of Kemba given how Kemba performed in the East semis and finals. That Kemba contract is really bad given his age if he can’t do better than this on the biggest stage. At least Hayward comes off the books after next season. Could be a valuable trade asset as an expiring contract if some non-playoff team or a team looking to blow it up decides to clean house and doesn’t want to take on much long term money.
NBA free agents’ stock after bubble.
Someone is going to pay Dragic and VanVleet a fortune and will regret it before next season is even over. If you give Dragic a one-year deal it might not be bad though, man is already 34 though, he can’t have many years left in him.
If you have one game elimination, give me jokic EVERY time.
If you have 7 game series, with upwards to 4 series...i take Bam.
Jokic looks exhausted last two games against lakers. He started fouling like idiot because of it.
Nothing quite as satisfying as watching Jokic pull off those water polo passes in the middle of a game.
If I'm remembering right (always risky), Vogel's story is a good one, good example of persistence and determination. I think he was playing D3 basketball somewhere in the Northeast, knew he wanted to be a coach, and contacted Pitino - or Bill Keightley - to ask if he could join the team as a manager. "Nope, we're all set, sorry" he was told. So the next day he gets in his old broken down car and drives all the way to Lexington. Basically wouldn't take no for an answer, hung around Memorial, made a nuisance of himself, until finally Pitino/Keightley relented and let him join the team as a manager. 3 years later, Pitino took him along to the Celtics, a few years later was made an assistant with Boston, then an assistant with the 76ers, and finally head coach of the Pacers. Sometimes what your grandparents told you is right on the money - there's no substitute for persistence and hard work.
You forgot the most important part of his story, though: the time he was on David Letterman's Stupid Human Tricks.
Ranking the most impactful players 1-20 in the NBA finals.
1. Lebron
2. Davis
3. Bam
4. Butler
5. Herro
6. Dragic
7. Rondo
8. Robinson
9. Crowder
10. Hopefully they do something...beyond this point.
BTW, KCP, Howard, and iguodala are potentially more impactful...
Kuzma for whatevr reason is a media darling. the dude isn't very good but someone is going to give the lakers something nice for him.