NBA 2008-2009 Season

[Kyo]

Aging or not, Carter has still got it, It'd be a good pickup for them, but trading Courtney Lee, is plain retarded.

[GRT]

ya, trading Lee is pretty dumb, especially with his price tag and value

I wonder if Orlando is going to change their outside-in playstyle with this trade

[Dimmauk]

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20090624/ca...ll_txeg103.jpg


Jefferson glad to be with ‘relevant’ Spurs

By PAUL J. WEBER, Associated Press Writer Jun 24, 10:02 pm EDT


SAN ANTONIO (AP)—When Tim Duncan(notes) found out Richard Jefferson(notes) didn’t return a phone call from Gregg Popovich after the Spurs coach traded for the Bucks star, he fired a text message to his new teammate.

“Don’t get traded twice in one day.”

Popovich, gruff? Not after this sweet of a deal for San Antonio.

The Spurs introduced Jefferson on Wednesday after getting the scoring swingman from Milwaukee the previous day in exchange for parting with three aging bench players—an easy swap for the NBA’s oldest team, which needed younger legs and offense and got both in one deal.

“I’m thrilled to get that caliber of a player now,” Popovich said.

Jefferson, 29, is just as happy to be back on a winning team. He arrived in Milwaukee last year upset that New Jersey traded him after seven seasons and two trips to the NBA finals. He then had to carry the rebuilding Bucks after injuries to Michael Redd(notes) and Andrew Bogut(notes).

Jefferson averaged 19.6 points and learned to like Milwaukee. But in San Antonio, Jefferson is reunited with his 2004 Olympic teammate in Duncan and is back with a contending team.

“People don’t understand, you just want to be relevant again,” Jefferson said. “I didn’t understand how fortunate I was when I came into the league and went to two straight finals.”

The Spurs gave up Bruce Bowen(notes), Kurt Thomas(notes) and Fabricio Oberto(notes) to get the 6-foot-7 forward from the Bucks, who were eager to unload the $29.2 million owed to Jefferson over the next two seasons. Milwaukee wanted financial freedom and to avoid the NBA’s luxury tax.

The Spurs, on the other hand, will be hit with the luxury tax for getting Jefferson. But it’s a price San Antonio was willing to pay with its window for a fifth championship in the Duncan era shrinking.

Duncan will be 34 and Manu Ginobili(notes) 32 by the time the playoffs roll around next spring. Neither could stay healthy last season, and Ginobili missed the playoffs entirely while the Dallas Mavericks needed just five games to roll past the Spurs in the first round.

It was the earliest playoff exit since 2000 for San Antonio. Tony Parker(notes) is 27 and grew into one of the NBA’s marquee guards last season, but he and a hobbled Duncan was all San Antonio had to throw at the Mavericks.

Jefferson is the complementary scorer the Spurs needed. Popovich said Jefferson won’t carry the offensive burden like he did in Milwaukee, and will be tasked with defending the best players on the court and getting to the foul line when needed.

“When I played with Vince (Carter), there as wasn’t much of a scoring need … When I played in Milwaukee, there was a little bit more of a leadership scoring role,” Jefferson said. “The one thing I’ve been very fortunate to have is versatility. If they need me to play defense or score or shoot a 3 or post up, I’m able to accomplish that.”

Jefferson represents the player the Spurs would have pursued during the NBA’s anticipated free agent sweepstakes next summer. Popovich said Jefferson was as good a player as the Spurs might have picked up in 2010, and that waiting could have been a gamble.

“You can’t just bank on” that, Popovich said.

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20090624/ca...ll_txeg102.jpg


Jefferson is good friends with Tony, played with Duncan and was coached by Pop on Team USA.

[Deejay]

Not only that, but trading Courtney Lee would be a HUGE mistake. The sort of mistake that Dallas made with trading Devon Harris to the Nets.

I was a huge Courtney Lee fan during the regular season, but he was totally exposed during the playoffs. He couldn't stop anyone on defense, made poor decisions, missed big buckets, committed bad fouls during crucial situations, and wasn't aggressive enough on the perimeter (to be fair, no one was).

Add to the fact that he shoots a dismal 25% from 3 which isn't bad if you're, let's say, Zach Randolph... >_>

He's a good young guard, but the magic were in dire need of someone who could get a hot hand. Dwight can't carry them for stretches and Turkoglu is great, but he needs someone to help him carry some of the scoring load. Also can't forget that Carter has become a BEAST from behind the 3 point line.

I think it's a great deal for the Magic, personally. This puts them back on par with the Lakers and a foot above the Cavs.

[Akiyama]

I was a huge Courtney Lee fan during the regular season, but he was totally exposed during the playoffs. He couldn't stop anyone on defense, made poor decisions, missed big buckets, committed bad fouls during crucial situations, and wasn't aggressive enough on the perimeter (to be fair, no one was).

Add to the fact that he shoots a dismal 25% from 3 which isn't bad if you're, let's say, Zach Randolph... >_>

He's a good young guard, but the magic were in dire need of someone who could get a hot hand. Dwight can't carry them for stretches and Turkoglu is great, but he needs someone to help him carry some of the scoring load. Not to mention, Carter has become a BEAST from behind the 3 point line.

I think it's a great deal for the Magic, personally. This puts them back on par with the Lakers and a foot above the Cavs.

So... you'd trade Courtney Lee, a rookie that's still learning who had tons of bright spots last year, for an aging Superstar? When the biggest free agency period probably ever is coming up after next year and Vince Carter has a much bigger contract than Courtney Lee, I don't understand why you would do this. :/

I'm sorry, but I disagree. That deal wouldn't put them back on par with the Lakers. We'd have another 4-1/4-2 type Finals if they met again, even with Vince Carter.

I do agree with them staying above the Cavs. The Shaq trade for the Cavs isn't a big deal because as far as I know, I thought they were going to go the more athletic, young route. Shaq is just the opposite.

@Dimmauk

Where's Jefferson's walking stick? I thought all of the Spurs players needed them because you know.. they're old? o.o

[Stee]

The Magic getting better doesn't start with better 3 point shooters it starts with Dwight getting better on the offensive end.

These past few trades by the Spurs, Cavs and Magic is their front office patching up a few cracks instead of repairing the huge gaping hole staring right at them.

[Kyo]

Deal is done between nets and Magic and Amare going to golden state.

So happy to see Vince go to a good team finally, been a huge fan since he was a tarheel.

[Kyo]

No curry for the knicks and wtf at the timberwolves picking two PG's.

[Deejay]

So... you'd trade Courtney Lee, a rookie that's still learning who had tons of bright spots last year, for an aging Superstar?

I never understood this line of thinking. What's the point of roling the dice on raw talent when you have the opportunity to turn it into something you can win with right now? People were saying the same thing when the Heat traded Caron Butler for Shaq, and look how that went.

On the flipside, the Yankees decided not to trade their young up and comer Phil Hughes for Johan Santana. Why? Because Phil Huges might be the next Johan? Why not just trade him and be 100% positive that you'll be going into the season with a true ace and not a bust waiting to happen.

When the biggest free agency period probably ever is coming up after next year and Vince Carter has a much bigger contract than Courtney Lee, I don't understand why you would do this. :/

Um, this is the Magic we're talking about. They just gave Rashard like a 90 million contract, Turkoglu wants a new deal, and Jameer Nelson is still on his rookie contract.

just because theres going to be a couple superstar free agents in 2010 doesn't mean that every team will be able to afford one.

I'm sorry, but I disagree. That deal wouldn't put them back on par with the Lakers. We'd have another 4-1/4-2 type Finals if they met again, even with Vince Carter.

You're going to have to explain this one to me, because that doesn't make any sense. The Magic's weakest position by faris SG. Lee was toasted by Bryant in the finals, averaged like 8 points a game, and shot something nasty like 30% from the floor.

If you insert Vince Carter, their biggest weakness all of a sudden becomes their biggest strength on offense. How the hell does that mean the series would be the same? You're also ignoring the fact that Jameer Nelson torched the Lakers during the regular season and obviously wasn't himself in that series.

If they played each other again with a healthy Jameer and VC, theres no doubt in my mind that the series would go 6-7 games.

[Deejay]

FFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU Golden State. You took my golden boy ;;

and (wt)ffffuuuu at minnesota for taking my 2nd fave jonny flynn

[Tyche]

I was hoping Williams would drop to a better tea lol. Oh well, maybe Earl Clark will go to a decent team =/

Here's to hoping Meeks falls to the late 2nd!

[Akiyama]

Edited my post and PM'd ya Deejay. I don't want to fill the thread with us going back and forth while the draft is going on. Feel free to IM me or something if you want to talk about it. We just won't see eye to eye on this.

[Tyche]

Damn....Clark goes to a franchise in disarray

[Tyche]

God damn minnesota, you collect guards like the bucs collect QBs. That's a sick set of guards though.

[Stee]

lol Minnesota what are you people doing

[Kyo]

So minnesota just picked their 3rd PG. What gives? All PG starting 5?

[Kyo]

Ah ok, lawson is going to the nuggets, I dig it.

[GRT]

Bill Simmons writes an open letter to Blake Griffin on the eve of the NBA draft - ESPN

You know, I can't believe that I like reading Bill Simmons when he's such a Laker hater.

[Dimmauk]

So minnesota just picked their 3rd PG. What gives? All PG starting 5?

Make that 4 Gaurds.

[Stee]

Lakers got about 3.5 million for their picks to pay for their luxury tax, which means unless some other team offers a ludicrous contract to Ariza, Odom or Brown everyones coming back next season.


In other news Ricky Rubio is being a little bitch and is considering playing in Spain for two more years because he doesn't want to play for the timberwolves.

Go rot in the Euroleague with your mediocre stats please.