Official NBA 2013 - 2014 Season Thread

[Gabe]

So, since the draft is over and most of the big offseason moves have already been made, I figured it was time.

Let's start with some crazy pre-preseason predictions:

-The Miami Heat will NOT make a fourth straight trip to the finals this year. No team has done that in 47 years. Their conference improved a lot this offseason too. The Pacers, Nets, and Bulls all got better.

-Safe to say that either the Pacers, Nets, or Bulls will make the finals this year. Indiana is probably the safer bet because we don't know how good Rose will be or if the Nets can gel + remain healthy.

-The Minnesota Timberwolves will be a surprise threat.

-Kevin Durant will win his first MVP.

-The Lakers will still make the playoffs.

-The Philadelphia 76ers will finish with the worst record in the league.

-Houston is good but not as good as people thought.

-The Thunder are either just as good or better than they were last year.

 

[Arctic Eclipse]

I do believe that Miami's dominance in the East will decline now with the toughness in those 3 teams you mentioned. Not gonna lie but I think the Bulls have the best chance to make the Finals in the East. This is how I think the playoffs will play out this year

not in order of seeds.
West
Thunder
Rockets
Spurs
Golden State
Memphis
Lakers
Clippers
Pelicans/Trail Blazers

East:
Cavaliers
Bulls
Nets
Heat
Pacers
Knicks
Detroit
and the Bobcats lol. wynaut?

 

[Del Rio]

Agree with most of your predictions, OP.

Way early seed projections.

Western Conference
1. Clippers
2. Spurs
3. Thunder
4. Rockets
5. Warriors
6. Grizzlies
7. T-Wolves
8. Nuggets

Eastern Conference
1. LeBrons
2. Bulls
3. Pacers
4. Nets
5. Knicks
6. Cavaliers
7. Pistons
8. Bobcats

 

[YTP]

The Hawks will finish 21-61 this season :(

Jeremy Lamb (OKC) will win 6th man of the year

The Cavs will make the playoffs

Victor Oladipo will win ROY

 

[Gabe]

Why is everybody so low on the Wizards? They finished the season alright after Wall came back and I'm sure they'll be much better next year. At least better than the Hornets.

 

[Del Rio]

I'm not low on them, I'm just not high on them. Really, the 8th seed in the East is a realistic possibility for several teams: Cats, Wiz, Hawks, even the C's.

 

[Randombobman]

I hope to god the Lakers don't make the playoffs. I want someone to get injured/etc and ruin our chances early. No point in struggling into the playoffs just to get whooped when there are so many good draft picks to tank for. Kobe + top 5 pick this year = 6th ring

 

[Shining_Latios]

Do you honestly think the Bulls, Pacers, or Nets can beat Miami? I'm not quite sold on it. Sure Indiana took them to 7 games but Wade and Bosh were terrible in that series. Either way it'll be fun to see them go at it again especially with Granger back.

 

[CaptKirby]

Do you honestly think anything in sports is certain? The Heat were 20 seconds from being treated like a joke by everybody for the rest of the offseason (not that they would be a joke). The Spurs were up 2-0 against the Thunder on like a 20-1 win-loss streak overall before getting swept in 4 more consecutive games. Anyyyything can happen.

 

[tehy]

If you're going to say that Wade and Bosh were terrible, you might want to also mention that Granger wasn't even present, which is pretty big. Couple that with Wade and Bosh getting a year older, and their rookie players hopefully getting better, and they have a decent chance of dethroning the Heat.

With the Bulls, I'm not so certain, but if Rose can play and they can hit shots, it's possible. As for the Nets, who the hell knows, but they seem like they have the raw talent to have a chance. We'll have to see how that works out.

 

[Mr.Pooh31]

As a huge Pacers fan I am very excited for this season, I think we have a real chance to win it all. We have made a lot of moves in the offseason and we still have some problems we are a very well rounded team.
Our roster is pretty deep now especially after the Scola trade(which I love) and getting Granger back either at 6th man or at SF will be HUGE.
Im worried though that putting Granger in the lineup means Paul George at the 2 when last year was definitely his best year largely because he was at the Small Forward spot. Also that could stunt Stephenson's growth although I see him as a perfect 6th man maybe.
This is how I see the depth chart going.
Hill, Stephenson, George, West, Hibbert
Granger, Scola, Watson, Copeland, O Johnson, S Hill
Much deeper than last year.

 

[Limitless]

Supposedly Brandon Jennings to Detroit, which will include Brandon Knight. Detroit better get something else out of it, or so help me God. That kid just chucks the whole game.

Edit:

The Detroit Pistons have agreed to acquire Brandon Jennings from the Milwaukee Bucks in a sign-and-trade agreement.

Jennings will sign for three years and $24 million.

The Bucks will acquire Brandon Knight, Slava Kravtsov and Khris Middleton.

 

[Shining_Latios]

Detroit's got a legit roster this year

 

[PttP]

BRANDON KNIGHT IS FINALLY GONE PRAISE THE LORD

Jennings isn't that much better, but Knight is literally the worst starting PG in the entire league.

 

[gsninja]

Good for Detroit. I know Jennings isn't exactly a monster, but he IS an upgrade over Knight.

I don't know what I want for the Lakers. The thought of that franchise tanking even one season disgusts me, but it's not like they'll do a whole lot better than last year unless Nash and Gasol have some kind of resurgence (And that's assuming Kobe comes back like nothing happened). As long as they have Jim Buss as owner and D'Antoni as head coach, I can't really see a bright, forseeable future for the Lakers.

 

[Shining_Latios]

 

[Arctic Eclipse]

I hope to god the Lakers don't make the playoffs. I want someone to get injured/etc and ruin our chances early. No point in struggling into the playoffs just to get whooped when there are so many good draft picks to tank for. Kobe + top 5 pick this year = 6th ring

Kobe's mentality isn't gonna let them tank a season. Kobe just never quits and he'll treat every game as if it were a game 7 nba finals

 

[Level100Afroman]

How is everyone feeling with the Brandon Knight and Brandon Jennings trade? I feel kinda itchy about it. But I don't know who will benefit from that, I'm thinking the Pistons in the short run at least. But I disagree with the Bulls topping the Pacers. I believe the Eastern Finals will include either the Miami Heat, Indiana Pacers or the Chicago Bulls with the Pacers coming out with the victory. The Pacers have continued to make good moves, getting Luia Scola, a viable PF in this league coming off the bench for Gerald Green, who didn't play a lot last season, and a few picks. I feel that the Pacers are making all the right moves. I feel this year or maybe next will be there year.

 

[Gabe]

. think Detroit jumped the gun on that Brandon Jennings trade. They should have held out for Rondo... Boston would have caved in sooner or later. Although Jennings + Monroe is probably doable for Rondo. Josh Smith and Brandon Jennings have all your missed jumpers.

 

[Shining_Latios]

. think Detroit jumped the gun on that Brandon Jennings trade. They should have held out for Rondo... Boston would have caved in sooner or later. Although Jennings + Monroe is probably doable for Rondo. Josh Smith and Brandon Jennings have all your missed jumpers.

Celtics ain't gonna trade Rondo SMH

 

[Gabe]

Celtics ain't gonna trade Rondo SMH

Why not? Rondo is 28. They're wasting his prime. The Celtics aren't going to contend for a while. It's stupid to have a player as good as Rondo on that team if he's just going to waste away.

 

[Shining_Latios]

Why not? Rondo is 28. They're wasting his prime. The Celtics aren't going to contend for a while. It's stupid to have a player as good as Rondo on that team if he's just going to waste away.

This doesn't really make sense. Why would they give up their best player when they are rebuilding?

 

[Limitless]

This doesn't really make sense. Why would they give up their best player when they are rebuilding?

The same reason they traded KG and Pierce. If they traded Rondo for, let's say, Stuckey and CV (both expiring), then they'd get cap flexibility, while also tanking to get that beloved 2014 draft pick. I think I read somewhere that even trading Monroe wouldn't net a lottery pick for the next draft. Supposedly it's that deep.

Long story short, keeping a talent like Rondo would just keep your team in mediocrity, which is not something that most teams would enjoy.

 

[Shining_Latios]

The same reason they traded KG and Pierce. If they traded Rondo for, let's say, Stuckey and CV (both expiring), then they'd get cap flexibility, while also tanking to get that beloved 2014 draft pick. I think I read somewhere that even trading Monroe wouldn't net a lottery pick for the next draft. Supposedly it's that deep.

Long story short, keeping a talent like Rondo would just keep your team in mediocrity, which is not something that most teams would enjoy.

But KG and Pierce weren't in their primes. Rondo is the core of the Celtics and trading him away would hurt rather than help. Sure they get cap flexibility but they already acquired three first round picks anyways.

 

[Puma Italia]

I don't think the Nets will end up being this powerhouse everyone is projecting them to be. They need to stay healthy, and I don't see that happening. KG and Pierce are another year older, not to mention Joe Johnson has had trouble staying healthy.