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With Harden it went beyond just the money, but certainly about him believing that he could be the #1 option on a team. I read that he had some issues with his role and didn't like being the 3rd wheel. I can't fault him for that, but I hope he knows what he is getting himself in to. He should fit in well with Lin, because the both of them will take pressure off of each other to have to create offense on every possession.
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Woj talked about him sulking a lot in the Finals about his performance even during Thunder victories.Comment
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I think people really underrated what's been created in Denver. They are the model of the non-star team in the NBA and have a legit chance at a 3 seed this year without a star at all. They were a few possessions away from beating the Lakers last year in the playoffs as well.
What the hell did Riley do? Wade did most of that work and it was likely planned out years in advance, he just had to tell them to shave some money off their deals. He followed up by putting together a shitty bench and supporting cast in the first year. Obviously now he's gotten a good core, but it's all guys taking less money to play with stars. I don't think that tells anything about Riley's ability as a GM.
Uriji perfected the trading a star deal and getting something back for it. Take a look at what Carmelo netted the Nuggets versus what Dwight Howard, Chris Paul or Deron Williams returned. He traded a star and his team got better and more competitive.Comment
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The draft picks
Here's where it gets interesting. Oklahoma City could have as many as four picks in the 2013 draft: its own first-round pick, the Dallas Mavericks' first-rounder (protected for picks 1-20), theToronto Raptors' first-rounder (protected for picks 1-3 and 15-30), and the unprotected Charlotte Bobcats' second-rounder (which is basically like owning another late first-rounder). This affords the Thunder enormous flexibility in shaping their roster for years to come.
I've always felt that many people misunderstand the value of draft picks; more often than not, it's not about the opportunity to snag a star player at way below market value. Draft picks allow you to replace role players at way below market value. In the example of the Thunder, the presence of Reggie Jackson on a scale contract makes it easier for Sam Presti to say he'll take a wait-and-see approach on extending Maynor.
By having role players locked into manageable deals, the Thunder can afford to pay the big bucks to their stars. Of course, in the case of the Toronto pick, there is a chance they could land a top-five draft choice, meaning a possible shot at a Cody Zeller or a Nerlens Noel.
On the other hand, it is unlikely a team contending for a championship will carry four rookies next season. That's where the secondary value of draft picks comes into play as currency on the trade market. Presti can package a combination of some of the picks to upgrade his roster or, down the line, to incentivize a team to take Perkins' contract. For example, as the Phoenix Sunscontinue their own reconstruction project, would they entertain a Perkins-for-Marcin Gortat deal if OKC threw in a couple of draft picks?Comment
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Damn, I liked watching K-Mart play.Comment
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Are you fucking serious?
He cleared the cap room to land THREE MAX PLAYERS...then, not only landed them, but landed them AT A DISCOUNT, so much so, he was able to stock pile the team's roster with role players...Udonis Haslem, Joel Anthony, Shane Battier, Mike Miller, Ray Allen, and Rashard Lewis...also drafted Norris Cole. Riles has a crown no one else can have.
Sam Presti has built a championship contender for the next decade and retained them all at a discount.Comment
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Riley the Rat you mean...
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Harden for MVP!Comment
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