Word is Isiah Thomas was cautiously optimistic the 2006-07 salary cap was going to rise to $150M – unfortunately, it’s coming in at $53.1M.
Maybe by 2010 Zeke can clear some space, because that’s the year Dwyane Wade becomes a free agent – he’s now reported to be doing the 3-year extension with the Heat ala LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony.
Wade, who reportedly agreed to a five-year, $80 million max extension with the Miami Heat last week, is instead expected to sign a three-year deal with a player option for a fourth season, ESPN The Magazine’s Ric Bucher reported Tuesday.
Well, we could bitch some more about nobody interpreting this as Wade wanting to leave Miami, but honestly, we’re much more curious how Chris Bosh feels right now.
He’s kinda like the guy who’s not quite as cool as the other guys – you never hear his name in as one of the next greats. Whether that’s because he plays in Canada or because he looks like a dinosaur (while playing for the Raptors), we have no idea. In all likelyhood, he’ll sign the full five-year, when if anyone should legitimately looking for an exit strategy, it’s him.
Bron and Wade especially aren’t going anywhere – their legacies will be established by taking their own franchises to championships, not by being Tracy McGrady and/or Vince Carter. (Both former Raptors, btw.)
Melo has definite McGrady potential, although he’ll probably do it by accident – like he’ll accidentally request a trade while trying to order a pizza, then just kinda go with it.
Finally, we need to note that we did this picture yesterday, when it really fits better in this post. Our prognosticative abilities are surely peaking, what with the film and the reduced NBA news this month. It’s not easy being like this – you think it is, but it’s not.
UPDATE: LeBron’s deal is official – read the lengthy interview on the Cavaliers website. Choose to ignore all the nice things he says about the Cavs and Cleveland – it’s all much more conspiracy-filled and media friendly that way!
(Congrats to LeBron and the Cavaliers – back when we were more sensible in our career choices, we had a windfall day once, so we know how good it feels. However, as opposed to talking to the media, we had what to this day is officially known as “That Day There Were So Many Strippers in the House We Couldn’t Move, and Those Sluts Ate All Our Food, Too.”)
After speaking with LeBron James on the whole contract extension thing, Melo is pondering a similar deal – one which gives him an out clause after three years.
Of course, ESPN isn’t leading off Sportscenter with teases like “Why Melo can, by the grace of God, leave Denver early!”, but what can ya do…
Then again, that’s because that’s not at all what these guys are thinking.
“Of course, I would want an option year,” Anthony told the newspaper during a break at his annual basketball camp in the Denver area. “That’s what we’re negotiating right now.” Anthony also told the paper that he, James and Miami’s Dwyane Wade have remained in contact with each other as all three prepare to sign lucrative extensions.
“We’re a group,” Anthony said of the trio, all taken in the top five of the 2003 draft. “No matter if we’re on different teams or whatever, we’re still together.”
Here’s the math, old friends – they’ve got their four year rookie deals, then four years on the extension, with an opt-out after three. Assuming they haven’t shattered their leg or something, they exrecise it, and now have the opportunity to sign another max deal. Are you with the math so far?
Okay, good. Now, at seven years of service, players are allowed to take up 30% of the salary cap, rather than 25%. This whole thing is a money grab – that’s it.
Yeah, we know – It’s much more fun to say LBJ is just angling to get out, but if that were the case, one must ignore everything he’s ever said, plus the fact the Cavaliers won 50 games and were one rebound away from the Eastern Conference Finals last year. Here’s where the new problem lies, though. Now you need to say that Melo and Wade are trying to get out of their cities, too. (Nobody will hypothesize such madness – don’t worry.)
To dive back to the math, let’s see how this type conclusion could be reached, if one were adamant. All you have to do is divide any number by two, then that number becomes half of what it was previously. You don’t even need long division to do that, either.
(Anyone else get the feeling David Stern isn’t gonna be too pleased with all this for some reason?)
The Nuggets weren’t finished after giving Melo his inevitable max contract extension, as they spent the weekend giving a six-year, $60M deal to bench player Nene.
Yeah, if Angry Kenyon Martin gets traded as assumed, then Nene is the starting power forward, albeit one that’s coming off ACL surgery. Apparently that’s not a big deal anymore now that we have microfracture surgeries.
Nene last season played only 3 minutes after tearing his right anterior cruciate ligament in the Nov. 1 opener against the San Antonio Spurs and missing the rest of the season. [Nuggets coach George] Karl said the Nuggets would “have a party” if Nene can play 2,000 minutes next season.
“He’s particularly grateful to Stan Kroenke. He stood by him after his injury,” [Nene agent Dan] Fegan said of Nene, who has averaged 10.7 points and 6.2 rebounds in four seasons.
We’re betting George’s Nene party doesn’t happen, although it’s going to have nothing to do with injuries. No, it’ll have everything to do with Nene not being very good.
Nene is one of those guys who was supposed to develop into a powerhouse big man – he’s the type that people are always hyping up his potential, even after four years and four average seasons. (Yes, we count last year’s 3-minute showcase, simply to make our point sound better.)
He is what he is – an average big man off the bench, and now he’s being paid like an upper echelon starter. Says a lot about the state of the big man in today’s NBA, eh? (See: Dampier, Erick and Foyle, Adonal and Chandler, Tyson and Dalembert, Samuel and soon to be Gooden, Drew unfortunately.)
What do we really care though, right? So Denver brings back the exact same team as last year – the one that struggled through the regular season and got embarrassed in the NBA PLAYOFFS. NBA PLAYOFFS in big letters for DRAMATIC TENSION.
(Seriously – are ACL’s not a big deal anymore? We’re not a doctor after that incident in late 03, so we haven’t kept up on such things.)
There are now only two questions left from the headliners of the class of 03 – Bosh and Darko.
That’s because Carmelo Anthony laid his cards down and admitted his intentions to sign the ol’ max extention when it inevitably is offered to him by the Nuggets this summer. In classic Melo-ness, a primary reason offered is that he simply doesn’t like moving.
Money obviously isn’t a great concern for the man (and why should it be), as he’s also told his handlers to leave him alone so that he can concentrate on postseason hoopies.
“I’ve shut everything down as far as business,” Anthony said. “I don’t want to do no business. No meetings. I may do a couple of generic meetings. But no sit-down pow-wows.”
That’s a good idea, as pow-wows can be distracting when the entire Clipper organization is focused on stopping you in Game 2, tonight on TeeEnnTee.
As for the generic meetings, those are no problem, and usually go somethingl ike this:
Executive 1: Hello, basketball person.
Melo: Hello.
Executive 1: I want you to endorse a product.
Melo: I like products.
Executive 1: For endorsing, there will be money paid to you.
Melo: That will cause my bank balance to rise.
Executive 1: Yes.
Melo: Okay.
Executive 1: That is the end of the meeting.
Melo: Good-bye.
Then there’s a kung-fu grip style handshake (of medium grip strength), and everyone leaves in black cars with white interior. Or white with black interior, depending on height and other requirements.
With his counterpart LeBron James taking the Eastern award, Melo felt it was only fair that he snag the Western Conference Player of the Month plaque (trophy? certificate?). Nugs went 11-5, he averaged 29+, blah beh blah beh blah.
Way back in September, right around when Melo was making videos with Ciara and horses, we went out of our way to post about how we really find ourselves intrigued by Carmelo Anthony.
Well, a great fury has been apparently building these past +/-seven months, as yesterday afternoon, this innocent comment was left on the post.
Girl my freakin baby daddy dont want you as a matter of fact shid he dont want now one of all****Cause im his and true baby mama forreal it aint happening now but watch n see who tha one he gon hang wit these young gurlz gon be hating on us but we aint going to be doing nothing but shaking enm off and if anybody got a problem come n address it n if the shoe fits and walks it then im talking to anyone who want my man Carmelo Kyan Anthony?
Posted by: Stemica Williams | April 3, 2006 04:40 PM
There’s really only one way we can respond to that without – no, there’s just one way to respond to that – “Huh?”
Fact is, Melo has come into his own, and it drags up an old argument and a definite black eye on the resume of Pistons GM Joe Dumars. What if Detroit had drafted Melo instead of Darko?
Not only would the world champs have a legit star/alpha male, but we, the fans, would have the Wade/LeBron/Melo trio in one conference, all on contending teams, for the next decade. Doesn’t it feel like some sort of NBA destiny was robbed from us?
Stemica? Please share your thoughts.
The last matchup of Round 2 pits one Mr. Kevin Garnett vs. one Mr. Carmelo Anthony.
In this showdown, we’ll see who scores more points than the other.
KG and Melo actually have quite a bit in common. They’re division rivals on teams struggling under the weight of expectations, and both have legit All-Star gripes – Melo being left off altogether, and Kevin being snubbed by the fan voting.
They’re also both quite tall. Vote!
It looks like LeBron is going to win this morning’s game with Dwyane Wade, which means Paul Pierce/LeBron James tomorrow and lots of Celticsblog patrons. Rally your Cavs fans and logical thinkers, folks.
Once again for your viewing pleasure is the updated bracket.
We’re not going to outright accuse Celtics fans of stuffing the ballot box, but considering this was mentioned on Celticsblog and 79% of the vote went to Paul Pierce…
Do that many people really think PP could beat Dirk NowitZki? Did we put in some stipulation that Dirk was playing with a broken leg and forget or something?
Anyway, let’s move on to today’s matchup, which we think would be a great one. Melo and Redd – put them together and it’s Rolmeedd. Put your votes in the vote thing and let’s forget about the NFL – it’s officially our time. (For three week or so until college basketball takes over…and then baseball starts. Basically, the NBA is the #1 sport in America for like this week and maybe the next two. Let’s enjoy it.)
Click here to see the updated bracket.
ESPN’s national game of the night is the Denver-Cleveland showdown in Colorado, and everyone on both teams is doing their best to make it seem like it’s not all about LeBron and Melo.
“The marquee guy is going to get the majority of the accolades and the majority of the press coverage,” Cavaliers guard Damon Jones said after practice Tuesday at the University of Denver. “Because of it, some guys get overlooked for some special things that they do, but that’s the nature of athletics. If you’re in it for the publicity, you’re in it for the wrong reason.”
This is Damon Jones, who is so acutely aware of the exact number of people looking at him at any moment, he…y’know what? Forget it. If the Cavs don’t win tonight, we’re jumping off a bridge.
Not a high bridge, don’t worry. It’ll be a low to mid-sized bridge. The type that might leave us with a sprained ankle, or like a really mean looking cut on our forearm. We don’t want to seriously hurt ourselves, we just want to look tough to impress this girl. To be honest, this whole thing has nothing to do with the game at all. We just want to be tougher. We want people to look at us and be like “hey, look at that tough guy. He sure is tough looking.”
Alas, we’ve said to much. You see our inner pain. Terry Pluto says STOP SHOOTING SO MANY STUPID THREES.
