Crank up the Heat...By Therawns

Newest power rankings. Have utah slipping a bit. (Done before last nights win.)

http://crankuptheheat.net/the-rawns-nba-power-rankings-week-4/

http://crankuptheheat.net/disservice-to-the-league/

Article on the Spurs fine last week. SOrry it is really really late.

therawns wrote:

http://crankuptheheat.net/disservice-to-the-league/

Article on the Spurs fine last week. SOrry it is really really late.

I agree, the Pops did nothing at all wrong! If Stern was so worried about a disservice to fans, why didn't he do anything about GS tanking half there games to rob the Jazz of a draft pick.

You meant to tell me it is more of a disservice to not play a few guys ONE night, than to shut down your team just after the all star break to earn a better draft position? This has always been the problem with Stern. He enforces the rules as he sees fit, or even makes them up as he goes along.

Pops took a calculated risk. What if the #1 seed comes down to one game that the Spurs lost because of sitting guys? It won't happen, but what if they missed the playoffs by one game? The Spurs are taking their fate in their own hands and I see nothing wrong with it. I heard dip shit Harpring saying how "it's just wrong" He was wrong, as he usually is. The fans aren't promised to see a certain player play when they buy a ticket, anymore than they are promised to see their team win.

Romoholic wrote:

therawns wrote:

http://crankuptheheat.net/disservice-to-the-league/

Article on the Spurs fine last week. SOrry it is really really late.

I agree, the Pops did nothing at all wrong! If Stern was so worried about a disservice to fans, why didn't he do anything about GS tanking half there games to rob the Jazz of a draft pick.

You meant to tell me it is more of a disservice to not play a few guys ONE night, than to shut down your team just after the all star break to earn a better draft position? This has always been the problem with Stern. He enforces the rules as he sees fit, or even makes them up as he goes along.

Pops took a calculated risk. What if the #1 seed comes down to one game that the Spurs lost because of sitting guys? It won't happen, but what if they missed the playoffs by one game? The Spurs are taking their fate in their own hands and I see nothing wrong with it. I heard dip shit Harpring saying how "it's just wrong" He was wrong, as he usually is. The fans aren't promised to see a certain player play when they buy a ticket, anymore than they are promised to see their team win.

The part about GS was a good venting session. I did go on a rant on twitter when i heard about the fine, and mentioned GS a few times.

http://crankuptheheat.net/the-rawns-nba-power-rankings-week-7/

Latest power rankings.

http://crankuptheheat.net/the-rawns-nba-power-rankings-week-8/


Latest power rankings.

I don't buy the Celtics at 11 and I think you should flip the Grizz and Clippers, but everything else makes sense. I hate to admit it, but the Jazz at 15 is pretty much right on. They are horrible on the road and pretty good at home, but will still lose more often than not at home against the top teams in the league.

Sorry, i havent been posting. I have slacked off also this year. (Having 2 jobs sucks)

http://crankuptheheat.net/kobe-bryant-injury-isnt-the-end-of-a-historic-career/

Here is the article on Kobe's injury.

therawns wrote:

Sorry, i havent been posting. I have slacked off also this year. (Having 2 jobs sucks)

http://crankuptheheat.net/kobe-bryant-injury-isnt-the-end-of-a-historic-career/

Here is the article on Kobe's injury.

I have no doubt he will come back, but at what level? Even the great MJ eventually slowed down in his 30s and didn't have a devastating injury to deal with.

My money would be on Kobe being about half the player he has been, but still costing the Lakers around 80 million next season with his salary and the tax penalty. Might be time for the Lakers to move on to the future.

Romoholic wrote:

therawns wrote:

Sorry, i havent been posting. I have slacked off also this year. (Having 2 jobs sucks)

http://crankuptheheat.net/kobe-bryant-injury-isnt-the-end-of-a-historic-career/

Here is the article on Kobe's injury.

I have no doubt he will come back, but at what level? Even the great MJ eventually slowed down in his 30s and didn't have a devastating injury to deal with.

My money would be on Kobe being about half the player he has been, but still costing the Lakers around 80 million next season with his salary and the tax penalty. Might be time for the Lakers to move on to the future.

If Kobe was smart, and the Lakers were smart, they would mutually agree to amnesty Kobe and give him a full year to recover from his injury.

They would do everything they could to keep Dwight, and what they do after that would depend on whether or not he signs. If they can get D12 to sign and if they insist on riding D'antoni then they should trade Pau Gasol for players that work in his system, because he isn't changing his system (Don't you think Pau would be a nice consolation prize for Dallas if they couldn't get Dwight? I think so, and Dallas could send Marion back to play with D'Antoni). If they don't get Dwight then they should keep Gasol, make a run at Josh Smith, and save the rest of their money for the summer of 2014 when Pau comes off the books, Kobe comes back healthy (and crazy motivated) and a whole host of elite players could become available, including some or all of Miami's big 3, Amare Staudomire, Melo, Zach Randolph, along with some quality players who may or may not become free agents this summer like Iggy, AK, and Shawn Marion and a whole pile of solid restricted free agents.

Just seems to me like this could be the perfect opportunity to completely remake the roster so that is was viable beyond Kobe while at the same time giving them a chance to be a contender for the last couple years of his career, but I think Kobe would have to buy in and take a massive pay cut to make it happen.

TheMagnus wrote:

If Kobe was smart, and the Lakers were smart, they would mutually agree to amnesty Kobe and give him a full year to recover from his injury.

They would do everything they could to keep Dwight, and what they do after that would depend on whether or not he signs. If they can get D12 to sign and if they insist on riding D'antoni then they should trade Pau Gasol for players that work in his system, because he isn't changing his system (Don't you think Pau would be a nice consolation prize for Dallas if they couldn't get Dwight? I think so, and Dallas could send Marion back to play with D'Antoni). If they don't get Dwight then they should keep Gasol, make a run at Josh Smith, and save the rest of their money for the summer of 2014 when Pau comes off the books, Kobe comes back healthy (and crazy motivated) and a whole host of elite players could become available, including some or all of Miami's big 3, Amare Staudomire, Melo, Zach Randolph, along with some quality players who may or may not become free agents this summer like Iggy, AK, and Shawn Marion and a whole pile of solid restricted free agents.

But what do I know...

I was thinking about the "amnesty Kobe" angle as well. Thing is, the Lakers can't resign Kobe after they amnesty him, can they? I thought there was some kind of provision staying that a player can't resign witht the team that amnestied him.

zero24gravity wrote:

TheMagnus wrote:

If Kobe was smart, and the Lakers were smart, they would mutually agree to amnesty Kobe and give him a full year to recover from his injury.

They would do everything they could to keep Dwight, and what they do after that would depend on whether or not he signs. If they can get D12 to sign and if they insist on riding D'antoni then they should trade Pau Gasol for players that work in his system, because he isn't changing his system (Don't you think Pau would be a nice consolation prize for Dallas if they couldn't get Dwight? I think so, and Dallas could send Marion back to play with D'Antoni). If they don't get Dwight then they should keep Gasol, make a run at Josh Smith, and save the rest of their money for the summer of 2014 when Pau comes off the books, Kobe comes back healthy (and crazy motivated) and a whole host of elite players could become available, including some or all of Miami's big 3, Amare Staudomire, Melo, Zach Randolph, along with some quality players who may or may not become free agents this summer like Iggy, AK, and Shawn Marion and a whole pile of solid restricted free agents.

But what do I know...

I was thinking about the "amnesty Kobe" angle as well. Thing is, the Lakers can't resign Kobe after they amnesty him, can they? I thought there was some kind of provision staying that a player can't resign witht the team that amnestied him.

They can resign him after his contract expires, which is at the end of next year. Some other team could claim him off waivers for next season, or sign him to a longer term contract if he was agreeable, but he wouldn't have to report or sign a contract if he didn't want to.

TheMagnus wrote:

zero24gravity wrote:

TheMagnus wrote:

If Kobe was smart, and the Lakers were smart, they would mutually agree to amnesty Kobe and give him a full year to recover from his injury.

They would do everything they could to keep Dwight, and what they do after that would depend on whether or not he signs. If they can get D12 to sign and if they insist on riding D'antoni then they should trade Pau Gasol for players that work in his system, because he isn't changing his system (Don't you think Pau would be a nice consolation prize for Dallas if they couldn't get Dwight? I think so, and Dallas could send Marion back to play with D'Antoni). If they don't get Dwight then they should keep Gasol, make a run at Josh Smith, and save the rest of their money for the summer of 2014 when Pau comes off the books, Kobe comes back healthy (and crazy motivated) and a whole host of elite players could become available, including some or all of Miami's big 3, Amare Staudomire, Melo, Zach Randolph, along with some quality players who may or may not become free agents this summer like Iggy, AK, and Shawn Marion and a whole pile of solid restricted free agents.

But what do I know...

I was thinking about the "amnesty Kobe" angle as well. Thing is, the Lakers can't resign Kobe after they amnesty him, can they? I thought there was some kind of provision staying that a player can't resign witht the team that amnestied him.

They can resign him after his contract expires, which is at the end of next year. Some other team could claim him off waivers for next season, or sign him to a longer term contract if he was agreeable, but he wouldn't have to report or sign a contract if he didn't want to.

That makes sense. Thanks for the clarification.

I almost went with the amnesty angle. Instead I just went with what i did. Felt like amnesty would be a totally different article. If its a lakers blog fine, i do it.

http://crankuptheheat.net/the-fat-lady-is-singing-the-celtics-swan-song/

Latest article. This is about the Celtics.

http://crankuptheheat.net/eastern-conference-finals-series-preview/

Latest article about the ECF. Talks about how dictating the matchups will be the key.

zero24gravity wrote:

TheMagnus wrote:

If Kobe was smart, and the Lakers were smart, they would mutually agree to amnesty Kobe and give him a full year to recover from his injury.

They would do everything they could to keep Dwight, and what they do after that would depend on whether or not he signs. If they can get D12 to sign and if they insist on riding D'antoni then they should trade Pau Gasol for players that work in his system, because he isn't changing his system (Don't you think Pau would be a nice consolation prize for Dallas if they couldn't get Dwight? I think so, and Dallas could send Marion back to play with D'Antoni). If they don't get Dwight then they should keep Gasol, make a run at Josh Smith, and save the rest of their money for the summer of 2014 when Pau comes off the books, Kobe comes back healthy (and crazy motivated) and a whole host of elite players could become available, including some or all of Miami's big 3, Amare Staudomire, Melo, Zach Randolph, along with some quality players who may or may not become free agents this summer like Iggy, AK, and Shawn Marion and a whole pile of solid restricted free agents.

But what do I know...

I was thinking about the "amnesty Kobe" angle as well. Thing is, the Lakers can't resign Kobe after they amnesty him, can they? I thought there was some kind of provision staying that a player can't resign witht the team that amnestied him.

If lakers amnesty Koby they still have to pay him and if he misses enough time insurants will kick in pay out big time. I thought once you amnesty a player you can go back and resign that player? Rule masters?

http://crankuptheheat.net/heat-fans-embrace-game-seven/

Heat fans, embrace game 7. Yes, its for heat fans, but i feel like it's one of my better ones.