[Shaolin]

Originally posted by Chi159: <STRONG>The Raptors are ranked only at No. 26, four spots behind the Bulls. No respect, no respect at all! [img]smilies/lol.gif[/img]</STRONG>

That list is pure *****! [img]smilies/lol.gif[/img] The person who made that list must be on crack! I agree with the top half of the list, but halfway down the list is where I disagree.

How the hell is Utah ranked 19th?? Who does Utah have to contend with all the big boys out West? Harpring and Kirilenko? [img]smilies/lol.gif[/img] HAHAHAHAHAHA! PLEASE! I'd take any of the teams ranked below Utah any day! I have a feeling that Utah might be the worst team out West.

And I doubt Golden State (18th) and Milwaukee (20th) are headed anywhere. The Warriors lost Arenas (their starting PG and 2nd leading scorer) and replaced him with Speedy Claxton. That move has them moving backwards now. And the Bucks have cleaned house and have shipped everyone out. If they couldn't win with the "Big Three" there's no way I see them winning with whoever they have left.

I can't wait for next season to start. I think it's better if no one expects the Raptors to do much. There's less pressure and expectations place on the team then.

[Chi159]

Bitter, eh? [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

I didn’t notice that Utah was ranked No. 19. Yeah, that is a joke! I doubt the Clippers decide not to match the offer sheet for Corey Maggette. So, who’s left there? Greg Ostertag, Andrei Kirilenko, Matt Harpring, and DeShawn Stevenson? Ooh, scary lineup! [img]smilies/lol.gif[/img]

Raptors to Sign Anthony Peeler?

Not a big move, but one that will probably help Toronto. Lindsey Hunter hasn’t done jack for the Raptors, so his departure is long overdue. Peeler isn’t an exciting player, but he knows his role and performed well for Minnesota last year. He has an above average jump shot, which is definitely something the Raps could use.

[ 07-28-2003: Message edited Chi159 ]

[Jordan23]

Some news...

I thought Horace retired or something... [img]smilies/look.gif[/img] anyway they traded Madsen to the Wolves. Should be interesting for him interacting w/ the team his former team put out of the Finals last season. [img]smilies/lol.gif[/img]
Horace Grant Returns To Lakers

Wolves Bring Madsen, Hoiberg To Minnesota


Nets Keep Nucleus Intact, Will Re-Sign Harris


Free agency's winners and losers

[twoods]

[img]smilies/bawl.gif[/img] Mad Dog is gone?? Noooooo! He was a fan favorite!

[Chi159]

Well, that settles it then. Now that they have Madsen, the T-Wolves are a LOCK to win the NBA title. [img]smilies/lol.gif[/img] I can’t wait to see his victory dance in the streets of Minneapolis. It should be quite the sight. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

And “The Mayor” (Fred Hoiberg) joins the T-Wolves, too? Aww, that sucks! These players will probably be of little significance on Minnesota’s bench, but I’ll miss Hoiberg in Chicago. He had a disappointing season last year, but the guy always hustled and gave it his all. I wish him nothing but the best. After all, he did suffer through five atrocious seasons around these parts, but that never deterred him. He’s the consummate hustle player, with great rebounding skills to boot. Good luck, Freddy!

[Jordan23]

I'm already getting excited... [img]smilies/glow.gif[/img]

Circle these dates on your NBA calendar - 2003-2004 Season Tuesday, Oct. 28: Dallas at L.A. Lakers Starting 14-0 won't be so easy this time for the Mavericks, who open the season on the road at Springfield West, also known as the Staples Center and the new home of future Hall of Famers Karl Malone and Gary Payton. Wednesday, Oct. 29: Cleveland at Sacramento The matchup makes for a catchy promo ("The reign of King James begins against the Kings!"), but couldn't the league have given LeBron James an easier initiation than playing arguably the best team in 2002-03 at the NBA's rowdiest arena? Welcome to the league, Rookie. Saturday, Nov. 1: New Jersey at Washington There's only one Jordan angle to follow with the Wizards now ... when former Nets assistant Eddie Jordan goes head-to-head with Byron Scott, who considered himself a CEO more than a head coach. Jordan, considered the brains of Jersey's coaching staff, will try to get the best of Gordon Gekko. Wednesday, Nov. 5: Denver at Cleveland The first official LeBron vs. Carmelo Anthony meeting makes James' first home game at Gund Arena extra special. Let the race for Rookie of the Year begin. Thursday, Nov. 6: L.A. Lakers at San Antonio What will be more weird for the Lakers? Hearing the SBC Center's PA announcer screech "YOUR world champion Spursssssss," or seeing Robert Horry playing for the home team? [img]smilies/lol.gif[/img] Wednesday, Nov. 12: San Antonio at New Jersey The Nets lost the NBA Finals in six games to the Spurs, but at least they beat out San Antonio in the Jason Kidd sweepstakes. The defending conference champs face each other in Texas on Jan. 21, too. Wednesday, Nov. 26: Detroit at Philadelphia Cleveland at New Orleans Larry Brown won't have to worry about Allen Iverson's 30 shots a game at the newly named Wachovia Center, while Paul Silas faces his Hornets replacement, Tim Floyd, George Shinn's choice for a "championship" coach. [img]smilies/lol.gif[/img] Friday, Nov. 28: Cleveland at Detroit It's the first LeBron vs. Darko Milicic encounter in a matchup of the draft's top two picks. [img]smilies/cool.gif[/img] Tuesday, Dec. 23: Minnesota at New York Even if Keith Van Horn hits the game-winning shot, the night's loudest cheers will happen during the pregame introduction of Garden favorite son Latrell Sprewell, who'll play his first game in New York since being shipped to Minnesota in a four-team deal. Friday, Jan. 2: L.A. Lakers at Seattle Almost 11 months after being traded from Seattle, Payton will finally suit up as a visitor at Key Arena, where he called home for 12 seasons. Much to the dismay of Sonics fans, The Glove will do so wearing purple and gold. Wednesday, Jan. 7: L.A. Lakers at Denver The Pepsi Center court will hardly serve as a sanctuary for Kobe Bryant, who's facing a sexual assault charge in Colorado. Bryant's Lakers return to Denver on Feb. 25. [img]smilies/look.gif[/img] Thursday, Jan. 8: Houston at New York Jeff Van Gundy ( [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img] ) will coach his first game at the Garden since bolting the Knicks after 19 games in the 2000-01 season. Friday, Jan. 16: L.A. Lakers at Sacramento The NBA's most intense rivalry is renewed with fresh faces, including the Kings' new Shaq agitator, center Brad Miller, who once prompted (and luckily dodged) a vicious right cross by an agitated Diesel. [img]smilies/eyebrows.gif[/img] Friday, Jan. 23: New Jersey at Miami Alonzo Mourning will face his old team for the first time in the teams' first meeting of the season. Saturday, Jan. 24: L.A. Lakers at Utah After 18 years with the Jazz, The Mailman returns to Salt Lake City -- much to the dismay of Utah fans -- wearing purple and gold. Friday, March 26: Washington at Golden State Gilbert Arenas will see exactly what he missed by not staying in the Bay Area. Chances are, he'll see a half-empty arena with the Warriors facing their 10th straight trip to the lottery. [img]smilies/lol.gif[/img]

[Milt Palacio]

Originally posted by Chi159: <STRONG>And “The Mayor” (Fred Hoiberg) joins the T-Wolves, too? Aww, that sucks!</STRONG>

The Mayor used to kill the Celtics!! YOu would've thought he was an all-star in some of the games.

Sad days in Chicago!

-Will

[IndyFan]

Originally posted by Milt Palacio: <STRONG>The Mayor used to kill the Celtics!! YOu would've thought he was an all-star in some of the games. </STRONG>

Really? I don't even remember seeing him play, during his four years with the Pacers. [img]smilies/look.gif[/img]

[ROCKSTAR]

Damn... The Lakers will need a bigger logo on their jerseys because no one will recognize the team!

[Jordan23]

A New Job For MJ POSITION WANTED: To Own or Run an NBA Franchise. Starting salary $10 million per year and equity in the team, probably 10 percent to start. Ambitious 40-year-old with 19 years experience on all levels of NBA. Also some experience in Major League Baseball. Good dresser, especially the shoes. Substantial experience in sales, but looking for a management position. Will be available to make personnel decisions, though sometimes on the cell phone from the golf course. Influential friends in high places. No need for 401K, pension or health benefits, but would like to be able to smoke cigars in the workplace. Eventually expect to own and run the company, but personal investment uncertain. Available to start immediately. Contact Michael Jordan, Highland Park, Ill. [img]smilies/lol.gif[/img] So just what is Michael Jordan going to do? There doesn't appear to be any franchise other than Charlotte, which begins operations in the 2004-05 season, with the welcome mat out for the formerly greatest player in the game. Jordan was supposed to own the Milwaukee Bucks by now, but owner Herb Kohl decided to retain his franchise. There was some talk about Jordan getting an interest in the Miami Heat or Atlanta Hawks, but nothing appears imminent. And Jordan has told friends he's not excited about returning to Charlotte to live. So here we have it. For the third time since Jordan came to the NBA in 1984 and was primarily responsible for the greatest boon in the history of the league, Jordan is not involved with the NBA. There was 1993 when he went into baseball after retirement No. 1. There was retirement No. 2 in 1998, something about a cut finger on a cigar cutter and too much Jerry Krause. So there was plenty of golf and gambling. Jordan came back to run the Washington Wizards in January 2000 and then decided to play again in the 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons. There are those who still think in the end Jordan will play again, this time for Charlotte when the locals get a look at the team they'll be putting on the floor in 2004. It will be Jordan to the rescue and a chance to make all the decisions as a reward for saving them in their first year. That's one reason Jordan hasn't committed to the new Charlotte Bobcats. They have an owner and Jordan is looking for a position where he can make all the decisions and not be held accountable by some guy with all the money, like Abe Pollin in Washington. But the opportunities look slim for now. Which is why Jordan should spend this season working for ABC-TV on NBA games. It's the perfect job for Jordan. You don't even have to work every week, and barely before May. And you can always say you're going out to scout for a future assignment to get out of the house. What a coup it would be for ABC or ESPN to get Michael Jordan in the studio. Hey, Jordan talks a lot. Just ask his friends and the opponents who dare taunt him, though there wasn't much payback the last few years. There always was this notion that TV broadcasting was beneath Jordan's stature as the keeper of the NBA flame. Nonsense. Dr. J was a broadcaster. So was Bill Russell. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar tried it on the NCAA last spring. Isiah Thomas has done it. So has Oscar Roberston and Jerry West. Magic Johnson had his own talk show. So there's no problem in looking bad. But that's just a temporary job. Jordan wants to get back in there and run something, like Larry Bird is now, like West and Kevin McHale. And look how much better that job would be now that he wouldn't have to talk with Jerry Krause. And Jordan has some very powerful friends helping. Actually one, but the main one. David Stern doesn't forget. Not when he gives you a $20 bill for a corned beef sandwich and wants change, and not about what Jordan did for the NBA. Not that the league was dying. Well, actually it was. Teams were about to go out of business. So much so that Stern got the union to go along with sport's first salary cap. Sure, Magic and Bird were there, but they were still working on getting the Finals off taped delay. Perhaps anyone would have sparked the league's turnaround with the momentum from Bird and Magic, but Jordan did. His game, his style, his dress, his look -- everything about the NBA changed with Jordan. Stars could be marketed like never before. With that came a celebrity status that reflected on the game. Kids lined up to buy products because of Jordan. The length of shorts changed. Shoes became a fashion statement. So did baldness. Great rivalries began and a great dynasty was born. TV ratings for the first time ever -- and only time ever -- rivaled baseball when matching the Finals against the sainted World Series.The NBA was hot. It's not so hot anymore. It's not completely because of the decline of Jordan as a player, but Stern remembers well what Jordan did for the NBA. And Stern also figures it isn't bad advertising to have your most notable property involved in your sport. So Stern is doing all he can to get Jordan a franchise. It hasn't happened yet, although it probably will at some time. Everyone's trying to hang on to see what Stern has up his sleeve on this international expansion that could mean huge dividends for the current owners. But attendance and TV ratings are sagging in many markets, and some franchise will open. Many believe Jordan is waiting for Jerry Reinsdorf to retire in Chicago and to lead a group to buy the Bulls for a perfect symmetry to his career. So, in the mean time, Jordan waits. There are things he could do. Tiger Woods hasn't been quite the same this year, and perhaps he could have his buddy Mike on his bag a few times to change his luck and give Jordan a few weekends work. Maybe Ahmad Rashad can help Jordan get something at NBC. Larry Brown wanted to give him his job a few months back, and little did we know then that Brown wanted to give the 76ers' job to anyone. He'd certainly take Jordan on as an assistant for awhile. The Las Vegas casinos could probably come up with something considering all the business they've done with Jordan over the years. Maybe he could join Doug Collins again, doing the Bill Walton and Steve Jones schtick on NBA games. He's not back! But he is out there looking. - ESPN.com

[ 08-01-2003: Message edited Pat ]

[NikNak]

I love the ad. [img]smilies/lol.gif[/img]

[Shaolin]

MJ to the Bulls seems like the logical choice. It seems alot of ex-players are on teams they "shouldn't" be on. Larry Bird and Kevin McHale should be with the Celtics, Jerry West with the Lakers, and Isaiah Thomas with the Pistons. Doesn't that make more sense?

And the NBA will probably use LeBron as the NBA's next poster boy. I just don't know if he'll be able to live up to all the hype.

[IndyFan]

Originally posted by Shaolin: <STRONG> Larry Bird should be with the Celtics.</STRONG>

Nah....he's an Indiana boy through and through [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]
I remember Larry said once that his mother liked Isiah and cheered for the Pistons when they weren't playing the Celtics. She would have loved having Larry & Isiah working together in Indiana.

[ 08-01-2003: Message edited IndyFan ]

[E Gro]

God, I love basketball i dont know why i had never seen this sports posts before. I just read the rankings this is bull *****. I'm from Houston, and.. wheres the love? No one talks much about the rockets, but heres my rakings

1. Lakers
2. Minnesota - look what theyve added! Its better than the lakers
3. Sacramento
4. SA - added a bunch of crap and bench players who'l do nothing
5. Dallas
6. Detroit
7. Philadelphia
8. New Jersey
9. Indiana - ONLY cuz they lost Brad Miller. Or theyd be 6
10. Houston - cmon yao, cuttino, steve, eric piatkowski
11. Phoenix
12. Orlando
13. Boston - What? Boston!
14. Portland - I just dont like them and dont see it happening
15. New Orleans - Only gonna get worse.
16. Memphis - had a Franchise best 28 wins and might get Houstons Posey.
17. Chicago - this is hard but yeah, they have a good team
18. Seattle
19. Milwuakee - there really not that bad, I think?
20. Cleveland - Theyre gonna be good, lebron will be better than jordan
21. Washington, yeah 15 is way too high, theyre gonna suck
22. Toronto - actually, they could be #15 if Carter plays like he used to
23. Golden State - had maybe there best season in awhile, but have terrible management, gonna get ugly
24. New York - getting rid of Spree for Van Horn? Deserve to be last
25. Clippers - They lost good players but still have Q and Elton
26. Denver - Carmelo will serve them well, have a good starting lineup
27. Miami - they have Caron, EJ (maybe), Dwayne wade, Brian Grant
28. Atlanta - All they have is Terry, thats it Brandon sucks, they will suck and im pissed cuz i used to like them
29. Utah - No talent, yeah Matt Harpring and a bunch of old jack@sses are gunna take u far, dropping 10 space, Utah will have less that 5 wins

I bet none of yall agree w/me, but hey thats how i c it

[Chi159]

Hey, E Gro! Welcome to the Sports board! If you’re a basketball junkie like us, you’ll fit in just fine. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

The rankings handed out by NBA.com are a total joke! That point has been conceded. They had the top echelon of teams listed just about right, but were way off once they got to the middle half and bottom feeders of the league. I understand why you feel as though Houston is being overlooked. The reason for this is probably because they play in an ultra-competitive conference and it’s hard for many “experts” to figure out just where they fit.

With their talented roster and Van Gundy now onboard as coach, I think the Rockets have a legit chance of competing for the 6-8 playoff seeds in the West. The same goes for the Suns and Clippers if they ever got their act together. In order for that to happen, Stevie Franchise has to find a way to get Yao involved in the offense more. As last season wore on, I thought the big man was overlooked far too often, which shouldn’t be the case. His height and skills should only make that team better.

Chicago at 17? Finally, some respect! I like it. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[ 08-01-2003: Message edited Chi159 ]