Mark80

I was trying to say the Heat could have easily made it back to the finals if they got the Big 3 back. If they added one more impact player they could beat the Spurs as well. Also, I was trying to say that the Spurs have a tough road to even make it back to the finals in the West. I also feel that the Heat would have beat any other Western Conference team this season, they just matched up horribly with the Spurs. Make more sense?

The Cavs reported that they did not know of the decision before it was posted on SI like everyone else. This leads me to believe that there is no reason for LeBron to believe that Wiggins is out, I just don't think he really knows him at all so he didn't mention him. If the Cavs didn't know he was coming then I would think they wouldn't have said we have a trade in place to move Wiggins if we get you. This is further shown by ESPN reporting the first offer for Love is first rounder and Bennett. If the deal was already made there wouldn't be an initial offer, right? Now, they may have to include Wiggins to get Love (which seems to be who they are heavily after), but I think they will try to keep him as best they can and run a lineup of Wiggins, Love, LeBron, Irving and (hell who cares, they could run me out there with that group and win). Love also saying that he's willing to sign long term with the Cavs if traded. I know LeBron loves Varejao and always has, but he's got the big cap number that needs to go to bring in Love. Can't see him staying if Love comes in.

But the Spurs went from David Robinson straight to Tim Duncan in this run, so I would include them in your second sentence as well. No way they win any titles without those two HoFers in this time frame. And by all accounts Kawhi Leonard is rapidly developing the physical and leadership skills to potentially carry the torch when Timmy is done. Pops is a flat out basketball genius. Maybe he's the true "superstar" of the Spurs?

Seriously? One of the top 5 sports figures in the world chooses to go to a small market team (very similar to our market and city) and you call this an unimportant sport topic? Crazy. If he wins a Championship there, this will be part of one of the best, most intriguing sports stories of all time. If you don't like basketball that's fine, but let's not be so oblivious to the impact of this.

No love for calling that in the third post of the thread huh?

No, they only played the Spurs twice in the finals. They played the Mavs, then OKC, then the Spurs twice. Edit: On second thought though, he could have been referring to the Cavs loss to the Spurs. In that case I apologize for calling him out.

Wow, you guys must really not follow basketball at all huh? The Heat beat the Spurs just one season prior and all of the sudden the Spurs were completely unbeatable by an intact Heat team? Come on. If they were able to add one more piece this year they would have been right back at it in the finals, while the Spurs have a pretty good chance of not making the finals in that conference. Spurs were really the only team that matched up well against the Heat to be able to do that to them. But those "old" guys would just be another year older next year. Also, they didn't face the Spurs 3 times, the lost to the Dallas Mavericks the first year. Guess those Texan teams with hall of fame 7 footers can get confusing though. Edit: Re-reading this I think you're referring to the Cavs v Spurs as the third. Sorry for the misread.

He's too ingrained in that town for me to ever believe he will leave. He already gets huge endorsements, he will be able to get the biggest deal from OKC as a resignee (assuming the CBA doesn't change too much)...I just don't see it. Westbrook leaving could be the best thing for that team.

KD ain't going anywhere. Book it.

I used to love Jack Ass when I was in college. It spun off that show Wildboyz with Steve-O and Pontius that I thought was pretty damn funny at the time. Those two were completely and utterly insane.

NBA teams are built in FA, not the draft for the most part. He's smart enough to know that! This is not the NFL.

I don't see a plan B, but I certainly don't have the basketball acumen and influence of Riley. He is not the type to be caught with his pants down and I just can't believe he only planned on having LeBron / Bosh / and Wade back. Again, I'm not saying they'll be a contender, just a playoff caliber team in the widely accepted weak East. Napier could be a steal, Monroe could bail on Detroit, Pau hasn't really been linked to that many teams with any certainty as of yet and neither has Stephenson. Eric Bledsoe is still out there as well (although also a PG like Napier), Deng still has some gas in the tank, Ariza has already met with Riley. Get any two of those guys with Wade and you can field a decent team.

If you don't think Riley has a plan B then I think you are sorely mistaken. The guy is one of, if not the best executive in the league right now. He isn't going to just tuck tail and throw the season away. I suspect he'll do something meaningful and they will be a playoff caliber team next year in the East. A title contender, no. IMO.

It's basically the exact same character in appearance, voice, influence (who Judge based them off of), and personality. Basically the only difference is the name. Technically not a spin-off, but in reality it's exactly what it is.

They have so much cash available that they have a ton of options in MIami now. They can go after Carmelo, Stephenson, Pau, Monroe, Bosh. Plus, Love could be available for trade or FA after next season as well as Rondo and Brook Lopez to name a few. Riley is still running things, and he gets RESPECT in basketball circles because players know he wins championships and that's what matters. Wade is a leadership, recruiting piece more than an effective star on the floor anymore.

Too bad we'll never get something like this from Kane. I'm not shocked at all. Bosh will go to Houston for max money, and Wade realizes they need room to bring in more guys to compete (either with or without LeBron). There are plenty of FAs still out there that can make this a playoff team still. Maybe even Bosh at max.

Agreed, but if a lineman got to his level he was blown up (and rightfully so for a DB). I agree a very solid open field tackler though and should be much more effective against the run (and the team as a whole) with our personnel and scheme changes.

I guess, if you want to be a perfectionist. But we all know that they are both basically logos. Let's not be nit-picky on something so small. Curious though, what would you call it?

Beavis and Butthead.

Good point there. It's on BBC America I believe.

Could it possibly be because it is a Canadian show? I've never seen it, but it has very solid reviews and you guys seem to rave about it, maybe that has something to do with it.

Worst DB I've ever seen on the field for any team in any NFL game.

Nobody on our entire team did well against the run last season. While I think Robey was a very good "Nickell" last season, the OP is correct, an outside CB is always going to be more valuable than a nickel back, especially one who played as well as Leodis did last season. Robey wasn't that far off though.

The Colbert Report and Boston Legal have to be up there. Boston Legal was great and should never have been cancelled so quickly.

Agreed. Also, he kept it up on the website until just last week! Seriously man, hold a grudge much? He had to know that this day would come when they would have a legit shot to get him back. He had to know that LeBron hated the letter. Get pissed, post the letter to your fans for a few months, maybe a year, take it down and move on! If that ends up really being the reason LeBron doesn't come back (I still think he does), then it has to go down as one of the stupidest moves an owner has ever made in sports. I mean, that's up there with Babe to the Yankees in my opinion.