2014 NBA Offseason Thread

[skipwondah33]

Duke has 4 active players that have played in the all-star game. (Brand, Boozer, Irving and Deng).7

NO OTHER COLLEGE HAS MORE

But hey if you wanna be a fool and go with the stupid argument that Duke doesn't turn out good pros more power to you.

Christian Laettner, Trajan Langdon anyone, Avery Bradley, Chris Duhon, Jay Williams (though he had career ending injury), Corey Magette (guess he did ok, should have stayed in school longer). Shane Battier had a decent career but never was a superstar. Shavelik Randolph (he overseas?), Kyle Singular (does he even play anymore?), Nolan Smith?, Austin Rivers (haven't kept up with him honestly)

Those are just from recent memory that I can think of.

Active is a reach as well for two of those guys. Brand has been holding to the last legs of his NBA career for sometime now... 5-6 seasons atleast? Boozer has been trade material/release worthy whose team doesn't like to play him in the 4th quarter for 2 seasons I believe. Gibson takes his minutes, Deng and Irving are still into their careers, they transitioned well.

[JBHuskers]

Christian Laettner, Trajan Langdon anyone, Avery Bradley, Chris Duhon, Jay Williams (though he had career ending injury), Corey Magette (guess he did ok, should have stayed in school longer). Shane Battier had a decent career but never was a superstar. Shavelik Randolph (he overseas?), Kyle Singular (does he even play anymore?), Nolan Smith?, Austin Rivers (haven't kept up with him honestly)

Those are just from recent memory that I can think of.

Active is a reach as well for two of those guys. Brand has been holding to the last legs of his NBA career for sometime now... 5-6 seasons atleast? Boozer has been trade material/release worthy whose team doesn't like to play him in the 4th quarter for 2 seasons I believe. Gibson takes his minutes, Deng and Irving are still into their careers, they transitioned well.

Yeah, gotta agree with Skip here....

[skipwondah33]

Oh and meant Jon Scheyer (sp) instead of Kyle Singular about the former even playing basketball at the moment. Although Singular should be added to the list as well. Know he was overseas for a year or so.

Also add Sheldon Williams, Demarcus Nelson, Chris Carawell, Dahntay Jones.

Not a Duke hater like the world is either. I enjoy watching them play every year..fan of good basketball no particular team

[CLW]

The thing is you can do the above analysis with ANY other big name school:

Bulluck; Zeller; Davis; Hansbrough; Ellington; Wright; Noel; May; Williams; Forte; etc...

Man UNC has turned into bust central USA.

People just don't realize how rare pro stars truly are.

Your attacking Boozer who has had a decade + career averaging nearly 17 points and 10 rebounds per game over his career. Is he on the downslide? Obviously after 12 years in the league and his age he's at the end. Brand has had a similar career as well with an avg of nearly 17 points and 9 rebs over a 15 year career. Obviously he's very close to the end.

Singler just starting his career but is averaging roughly 10 PPG and will likely be a solid role player for another 10 years. Battier was the ultimate metrics/role player with defense and had a solid 13 year career. Scheyer had an eye injury during an invite to Heat summer camp and was never able to recover.

Maggette averaged 16 PPG over 14 years

Everyone loves to hate on Christian but the guy played 12 years in the NBA and averaged nearly 13 PPG and 7 REBs.

Man "bust" has a pretty high bar these days. I'm sure that there are hundreds of "busts" from all kinds of schools that would have loved to have had a decade + long career and been a double figure scorer in the league and made millions of dollars while doing so.

[skipwondah33]

The thing is you can do the above analysis with ANY other big name school:

Bulluck; Zeller; Davis; Hansbrough; Ellington; Wright; Noel; May; Williams; Forte; etc...

Man UNC has turned into bust central USA.

People just don't realize how rare pro stars truly are.

Your attacking Boozer who has had a decade + career averaging nearly 17 points and 10 rebounds per game over his career. Is he on the downslide? Obviously after 12 years in the league and his age he's at the end. Brand has had a similar career as well with an avg of nearly 17 points and 9 rebs over a 15 year career. Obviously he's very close to the end.

Singler just starting his career but is averaging roughly 10 PPG and will likely be a solid role player for another 10 years. Battier was the ultimate metrics/role player with defense and had a solid 13 year career. Scheyer had an eye injury during an invite to Heat summer camp and was never able to recover.

Maggette averaged 16 PPG over 14 years

Everyone loves to hate on Christian but the guy played 12 years in the NBA and averaged nearly 13 PPG and 7 REBs.

Man "bust" has a pretty high bar these days. I'm sure that there are hundreds of "busts" from all kinds of schools that would have loved to have had a decade + long career and been a double figure scorer in the league and made millions of dollars while doing so.

Christian Laettner and Shane Battier were National Players of the Year no? Expected more than what 1 All Star games combined between them. Add JJ Reddick then you have 3 Naismith winners with 1 All Star games combined...and I like JJ Reddick, but who like Langdon could shoot has trouble creating his own shot. Even if you add the 6 winners since the time I can remember...still only a combined 3 All Star games.

The consensus best player in college should typically translate well into the pros

Bias aside do you feel as a whole Duke players transition well given how they performed in college? I enjoyed watching Trajan Langdon play...but what happened in the pros? Demarcus Nelson as well.

Boozer maximized his talent as a 2nd round pick, but as a whole typically Duke players in general have struggled with the transition.

I was merely stating guys who were drafted high in the 1st round or so that didn't do so hot. There are a list of names depending on how long you want to go back.

Cherokee Parks 1st round
Will Avery 1st round
Danny Ferry 1st round

[psuexv]

The consensus best player in college should typically translate well into the pros

Only part I disagree with. Same as football, Heisman winner rarely does well in the pros.

[skipwondah33]

Only part I disagree with. Same as football, Heisman winner rarely does well in the pros.

Oh I agree as well.

One of the greatest college football players ever didn't transition so well into the NFL.

[CLW]

Christian Laettner and Shane Battier were National Players of the Year no? Expected more than what 1 All Star games combined between them. Add JJ Reddick then you have 3 Naismith winners with 1 All Star games combined...and I like JJ Reddick, but who like Langdon could shoot has trouble creating his own shot. Even if you add the 6 winners since the time I can remember...still only a combined 3 All Star games.

The consensus best player in college should typically translate well into the pros

Bias aside do you feel as a whole Duke players transition well given how they performed in college? I enjoyed watching Trajan Langdon play...but what happened in the pros? Demarcus Nelson as well.

Boozer maximized his talent as a 2nd round pick, but as a whole typically Duke players in general have struggled with the transition.

I was merely stating guys who were drafted high in the 1st round or so that didn't do so hot. There are a list of names depending on how long you want to go back.

Cherokee Parks 1st round
Will Avery 1st round
Danny Ferry 1st round

No I don't expect more. Just like college football - just b/c you dominate in college doesn't mean squat for the pros. I mean just look at the Heisman Winners (equivalent to Naismith). There aren't a ton of dominate pros on that list. By my count since 1992 only 5 of the college players of the years have gone on to be "stars" at the NBA level. 5/24 roughly 20%

Year	Player	College	Position	Class
2014	Doug McDermott	Creighton	Forward	Senior
2013	Trey Burke	Michigan	Guard	Sophomore
2012	Anthony Davis	Kentucky	Center	Freshman
2011	Jimmer Fredette	Brigham Young	Guard	Senior
2010	Evan Turner	Ohio State	Guard	Junior[7]
2009	Blake Griffin	Oklahoma	Forward	Sophomore[6]
2008	Tyler Hansbrough	North Carolina	Forward	Junior[5]
2007	Kevin Durant	Texas	Forward	Freshman[4]
2006	J. J. Redick	Duke	Guard	Senior[3]
2005	Andrew Bogut	Utah	Center	Sophomore
2004	Jameer Nelson	Saint Joseph's	Guard	Senior
2003	T. J. Ford	Texas	Guard	Sophomore
2002	Jason Williams	Duke	Guard	Junior
2001	Shane Battier	Duke	Forward	Senior
2000	Kenyon Martin	Cincinnati	Forward	Senior
1999	Elton Brand	Duke	Forward	Sophomore
1998	Antawn Jamison	North Carolina	Forward	Junior
1997	Tim Duncan	Wake Forest	Center	Senior
1996	Marcus Camby	Massachusetts	Center	Junior
1995	Joe Smith	Maryland	Forward	Sophomore
1994	Glenn Robinson	Purdue	Forward	Junior
1993	Calbert Cheaney	Indiana	Guard	Senior
1992	Christian Laettner	Duke	Forward	Senior

You want my honest take on a Duke player's chances in the pros I'm 100% honest. Moreover, since I see them play 30-40 games a year (depending on how far they go in March) I can pretty much tell you what kind of pros that they will be. From this year's class Jabari's floor is a Deng type (solid pro / borderline allstar) and his ceiling is Melo. He needs to get into shape and focus on playing D b/c he has all the tools to be a 20+ ppg scorer. Hood's ceiling is much lower and I see him more as a solid rotation player but possibly having a ceiling to be a solid starter.

As you can see from above, Langdon was NOT a national player of the year. I know this b/c every national player of the year from Duke's # is in the rafters (except Brand - b/c K's policy on graduation). In fact, if I recall correctly Langdon was "only" 2nd team all-america his senior season. I always viewed Langdon as a role player at best in the NBA. It didn't pan out

I feel Duke players transition just as well as any other schools players (no better no worse). You just see more "busts" from Duke b/c Duke sends in more players than any other school in the last 34 years. K also (for the longest time) didn't really recruit the 1 and done types especially after Brand left early (or they weren't interested) so Duke teams tended to consist of a bunch of future NBA solid players and role player types. When your program was built off of 3-4 year players in the one and done era you just aren't going to produce a ton of STARS. However, you will produce allot of solid role players and the occasional solid pro/borderline all-star.

K has changed in the past few years and is now going after (and getting) more one and dones. I'm not a fan of it but now you will start seeing more Duke stars in the NBA (Kyrie, Parker, Okafor).

As for Duke's National Players of the year under K:

• Johnny Dawkins - 10th overall pick - 11 year career - 9 seasons - 11 PPG 6 ASTs
• Danny Ferry - 2nd overall pick (refused to play for Clippers so went overseas) - 12 NBA seasons - 7 PPG - Current GM Atlanta Hawks
• Christian Laettner - 3rd overall pick - 13 seasons - 13 PPG 7 RBG - 1 All Star - 1st Team All Rookie
• Elton Brand - 1st overall pick - 15+ years - 17 PPG 9 RBG - Rookie of the Year - 2x All Star
• Shane Battier - 6th overall pick - 12 seasons - 8 ppg - 2 NBA Championships
• Jay Williams - 2nd overall pick - 2 seasons - injury shortened career probably lost multiple allstars
• JJ Redick - 11th overall pick - 7+ years - 9.89 PPG (best seasons recently nearly 15 PPG scorer since he got out of Orlando)

The only "bust" was Williams due to the injury. The rest had decent pro careers (all making it to their 2nd contract+). None of them were "stars" although Brand was pretty damn good for a 3-4 year stretch while in LA.

Honestly, its a big joke/fraud that Cal et al. plays saying he turns these one and dones into pros. The truth - they were already pros and ANY decent college coach could have gotten them just as prepared for the NBA.

[cdj]

Jason Kidd has been granted permission to speak with the Milwaukee Bucks after his request for additional roles within the Brooklyn Nets was denied, league sources confirmed to ESPN.com on Saturday night.

Jason Kidd's request to head the Nets' basketball operations in addition to his coaching responsibilities was denied by the team.

The news was first reported by the New York Post.

According to the Post, Kidd, who just completed his first year as coach of the Nets, recently approached team ownership with several requests, including overseeing the team's basketball operations department.

Nets officials, believing Kidd doesn't have enough experience for such a responsibility, a league source told the Post, granted him permission to speak with other teams.

The Bucks, who just completed their first season under coach Larry Drew, then contacted Brooklyn requesting permission to speak with Kidd and were granted it, according to the Post.

Courtesy: ESPN.com


And this:

Bucks coach Larry Drew & front office was unaware Jason Kidd was about to interview for their jobs, sources told ESPN

— Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) June 29, 2014

UPDATE -

Source: Kidd isn't pursuing Bucks coaching job. He wants to be president of basketball ops.

— Howard Beck (@HowardBeck) June 29, 2014

The Milwaukee Bucks have offered Jason Kidd the President of Basketball Operations job. Wow, this is getting insane.

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) June 29, 2014

In pursuing exit to Milwaukee, source tells Yahoo of Jason Kidd's ambitions: "He wants the Doc and Pop role (there). Running everything."

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2014

More that inspired Kidd power play -- Steve Kerr, Derek Fisher hired at higher pay grade. "That got him -- especially Fisher," source said.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2014

[SmoothPancakes]

Don't do it! You'll be dooming the franchise for years! Just look at how much needledick McDaniels fucked up in just a short time in Denver as coach and GM in the NFL. Not everyone is Pops or Doc or any of these other legends who can both coach and run a great franchise from the front office.

Sent from my Droid Maxx using Tapatalk because I'm a lazy ass

[cdj]

As for U-Turn back to Nets? Likely too late. "Russians are done with Kidd," one source tells Yahoo. Belief is that King is more forgiving.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2014

[JBHuskers]

This is ridiculous...

He turned down a single tweet deal for $85K RT @SiliconPrairie: A LeBron tweet is worth $100k, @opendorse says.

— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) July 1, 2014

[JBHuskers]

NBA Rumors: Mavs Plan to 'Move Quickly' on Chandler Parsons & Luol Deng If Snubbed by Carmelo Anthony, According to ESPN

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

[JBHuskers]

The Cavs just NOW removed Dan Gilbert's hateful letter about LeBron's departure from the website.

[skipwondah33]

The Cavs just NOW removed Dan Gilbert's hateful letter about LeBron's departure from the website.

Hahahahahahahahaha

He should have did that after they went to the lottery the first time after his prediction.

[JBHuskers]

Yep

Cavs fans be like... http://t.co/Y3fz2t25Of

— Nice Kicks (@nicekicks) July 7, 2014

[skipwondah33]

On another note I'm almost certain Pau Gasol won't choose to resign with the Lakers if they get Melo.

He thought he didn't get the ball before...

[JBHuskers]

On another note I'm almost certain Pau Gasol won't choose to resign with the Lakers if they get Melo.

He thought he didn't get the ball before...

Sounds like only LeBron would lure him to re-sign with the Lakers.

[skipwondah33]

Sounds like only LeBron would lure him to re-sign with the Lakers.

yep, and why he is even considering Miami. Shit reason Chris Bosh hasn't taken the max money offer from Rockets.

[JBHuskers]

Bosh should realize this Heat pipe dream is over, or only going to be one or two more years of the same thing (no bench help) and bolt for Houston with a max deal.