Serge Ibaka has reached agreement on a four-year, 48 million contract extension

[OG LeeTSkeeT]

The Oklahoma City Thunder have signed forward Serge Ibaka to a multi-year extension, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti. According to Yahoo Sports, the deal is for four years, $48 million.

Read more: http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=10776

[Noof]

:eek:

[bluechox2]

okc locking down serge

[b1imtf]

I'm sure they were going to offer it to Harden, but they still haven't found him since the finals

[longtime lurker]

I'm sure they were going to offer it to Harden, but they still haven't found him since the finals

Zing! :roll:

[KG215]

I'm sure everyone will jump tot he conclusion that this means they won't try to re-sign/extend Harden, but that's not what this means.

[OG LeeTSkeeT]

hopefully brook realizes to play ibaka more after they pay him

[raprap]

I'm sure they were going to offer it to Harden, but they still haven't found him since the finals

:oldlol:

[KG215]

Apparently the deal is in the $40M range, so about $10M per year. Not sure what his value on the market would've been, but that may actually be a little cheaper than I figured they'd have to pay to keep him. I was thinking somewhere in the 10-12 million range.

http://www.thunderfans.com/vforum/forumdisplay.php?3-Team-Thunder

[b0bab0i]

Apparently the deal is in the $40M range, so about $10M per year. Not sure what his value on the market would've been, but that may actually be a little cheaper than I figured they'd have to pay to keep him. I was thinking somewhere in the 10-12 million range.
Javale Mcgee gettin paid more than Ibaka.
Javale McGee's contract is $44 Million for 4 years, so $11 Million a year.

Edit: damn u edited ur quote lol

[DuMa]

good for the Serge Protector.

I hope he gets Andy V money at least

[coin24]

Personally I don't think he's worth $10m per.. He didn't exactly have a huge impact in the playoffs/finals.. But I'm sure other teams would have lined up if they didn't lock him up.

I think him and harden are really only worth around $5m per year each..NBA, where role players get severely overpaid..

[KG215]

Javale Mcgee gettin paid more than Ibaka.
Javale McGee's contract is $44 Million for 4 years, so $11 Million a year.

Edit: damn u edited ur quote lol

I thought he might end up demanding $11-$13 million if he hit the market in the summer so, if it is for $10M or so a year, then it sounds like Presti worked his magic and got a pretty decent deal. Now the plus could mean it's something like a 4yr/$45M deal which would put it at about $11M a year, but still, that's about what I figured that might be the least Presti could get away with offering if he waited until the summer to match another team's offer.

[stolper]

He would've gotten more on the open market so in that sense OKC saved money and made a smart move.

However, I don't think he is worth $10M a year seeing as how he is neither a huge offensive threat nor a center. Shot blocking PFs shouldn't get paid that much.

[raprap]

Great news for the Thunder. Now go sign Harden. I like how they're sticking with there core, NBA take notes.

[KG215]

Personally I don't think he's worth $10m per.. He didn't exactly have a huge impact in the playoffs/finals.. But I'm sure other teams would have lined up if they didn't lock him up.

I think him and harden are really only worth around $5m per year each..NBA, where role players get severely overpaid..

I agree, to an extent, because I think both are worth more than $5M a year in today's NBA. That takes me to my next point, though, and that in today's league, you're going to have to overpay for your good role players. Someone like Serge, who will only be 23 next season, has already led the league in blocks, and has shown an improved offensive game with a mid-range jumper that's pretty damn good for a PF.

If it comes out in the next few months that Presti also re-signed Harden, then it would lead me to believe they plan on amnestying Perkins after the season.

[Haymaker]

So that means Perkins will get the ax. if I were OKC I would work on a sign and trade with Harden. He's worthless when he's not getting help from the whistle.

[Flagrant 2]

Steve Blake and 1st round pick for Harden

[Haymaker]

Steve Blake and 1st round pick for Harden

That's just too much. Lakers deserve better so it's Blake for Harden, straight. Fair.

[KG215]

If this guy from the Thunder message board is correct, then the yearly structure of his contract will be something like this:

Year 1: $7M
Year 2: $9.5M
Year 3: $12M
Year 4: $14.5M

Which totals out to 4yr/$43M or $10.75M per year.

[DTreats]

Terrible overpay

[SyRyanYang]

10m/yr sounds fair to me

[Batz]

That's a pretty incredible deal for OKC. Especially considering the fact that Ibaka is worth way more if he tested free agency.

[PyrrhusX]

This is awesome news!
I really wanted OKC to keep ibaka moreso than harden but this is a step in the direction of retaining our core for the long run.
I feel that serve will break out this year and develop his defensive game to a higher level than we have seen.

Now amnesty perk and get harden locked down.

[All Net]

Good deal

Feel he could of got more on the open market.

[OmniStrife]

Harden to the Suns...

[alenleomessi]

I think they might wait for Harden to see how he plays after those terrible finals

[KeyNote]

About right..

[All Net]

I think harden would want to see his value on the open market...

[dunksby]

LMAO @ retards here who were proven wrong now the same people who kept saying Ibaka will leave and get a max contract saying he is overpaid :roll:

[PyrrhusX]

LMAO @ retards here who were proven wrong now the same people who kept saying Ibaka will leave and get a max contract saying he is overpaid :roll:

:bowdown:

But on a serious note, has the likelihood increased that perkins will get the amnesty?

[All Net]

Deal is 48 million not 40

[2LeTTeRS]

$48 mil is nothing to sneeze at, but I still feel that given the money Lopez and Hibbert got that Ibaka left some money in the table. Good deal by the Thunder front office. I hope this entire core stays together.

[Suckafree]

They ended up paying market

[BlackWhiteGreen]

At this point in time, with Howard in LA (and almost certainly in the West after this season if he doesnt stay), Ibaka needs to improve his man-to-man defence before they can let Perkins go. Collison defending Dwight? Please.

[El Kabong]

Guess this is the type of deal the Jazz can expect to have to give Millsap if they want to keep him.

Could have been worse for OKC. Did the right move locking him up early, if he went on the FA market some team probably would have given him $60 million or something.

[wally_world]

Seeing how big men have been getting paid, i say OKC had a hellava deal. Hopefully Harden signs for a similar deal, though i doubt it.

[BlackVVaves]

How much are max contracts worth under the new CBA?

[RoundMoundOfReb]

If they were paying this for the Ibaka we saw last year I might say overpayment but he's only 22 and still has more offensive potential IMO.

[2LeTTeRS]

If they were paying this for the Ibaka we saw last year I might say overpayment but he's only 22 and still has more offensive potential IMO.

Completely agree. He's developed a nice elbow jumper, a summer with Hakeem would do him some good.

[bagelred]

:roll: :roll:

[kurple]

is it crazy to think mcgee could be as good as ibaka with the right coaching?

[niko]

is it crazy to think mcgee could be as good as ibaka with the right coaching?
It's not crazy but McGhee is a bit of a dumbass, no hate but he is. I'm not sure that ever completely goes away.

[kurple]

It's not crazy but McGhee is a bit of a dumbass, no hate but he is. I'm not sure that ever completely goes away.
nah, i defenitely see what you are saying. but i think his stupidity is a bit overrated, and that he could ba a very good bball player with the ballIQ he's got + good coaching

[Raz]

Ibaka just got overpaid. He's a good shot blocker, and that's it. Stupid player who just robbed Sam Presti. He should have tried turning Ibaka and Harden into some sick assets.

[raprap]

is it crazy to think mcgee could be as good as ibaka with the right coaching?

Not at all, you can see some glimpse of greatness from mcgee sometimes. Low bbiq though, but it will improve as he gets older.

[UtahJazzFan88]

Seriously? 12 million a year for him? Wow.

[mark]

Adrian Wojnarowski ‏@WojYahooNBA
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Serge Ibaka has reached agreement on a four-year contract extension, league sources tell Y! Sports.

Adrian Wojnarowski ‏@WojYahooNBA
Story will be posted soon on Y! Sports.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--serge-ibaka-reaches-agreement-on-


four-year-extension-with-oklahoma-city.html


What'll they do with Perkins? Ainge was a genius to get rid of him. I'll admit I was extremely disappointed but now I see why.

[BlackVVaves]

How much are max contracts worth under the new CBA?

:confusedshrug:

[chips93]

Seriously? 12 million a year for him? Wow.

thats the same as bogut, LMA, horford, noah and marc gasol.

so that sounds about right to me, assuming ibaka continues to improve


:confusedshrug:

it varies based on a lot of things

how long a player has been with his team, whether he has made all-star teams, been mvp, voted to all-nba teams

there are a lot of different factors

[midatlantic09]

Seriously? 12 million a year for him? Wow.

Yea, seriously. Dude isn't all that good. He's a good defender, but he can't do much else. However, in the NBA these days, as long as you're over 6'9 and can block a few shots, grab a few rebounds, and have some sort of inside presence, you'll get paid.

[knickballer]

This is a great deal. He's a nice fit for the scorers they have on that squad and Ibaka should only improve.

If Andy V, Javele McGee, Nene, Ben Wallace, etc, can all get huge contracts that this contract for Ibaka is a steal.

I don't think Perkins gets amnied this season. I think they'll want him as a weapon against Dwight in the playoffs.

[franchiez]

Now what about Harden?

[BlackVVaves]

This is a great deal. He's a nice fit for the scorers they have on that squad and Ibaka should only improve.

If Andy V, Javele McGee, Nene, Ben Wallace, etc, can all get huge contracts that this contract for Ibaka is a steal.

I don't think Perkins gets amnied this season. I think they'll want him as a weapon against Dwight in the playoffs.

I think the hype surrounding Perkins and his defense against Dwight is nearing barf material. Perkins is and always has been a far better defender on Bynum than Dwight (which makes the trade all the more interesting). Perkins does not do well at all against mobile players at the center position, hence he spent alot of time on the bench this past post season, as teams realize this weakness of OKC. He's the furthest thing from an offensive threat, and when guarding the pick and roll he goes from a defensive presence to a defensive liability - bad news for OKC with the emergence of Nash/Kobe pick and roll combo with Dwight.

Though Perkins is probably better to have than resorting to Collison or what ever big man they could receive back in a salary dump trade, Perkins is expendable in terms of what he offers (or doesn't offer) on the court. I think looking back, Sam Presti may regret trading Jeff Green for Perkins instead some cheap, bench depth. He'll also probably regret giving him the money he did, considering Perkins had little to do with OKC's success in the playoffs last year (it was their young guns that led the way to the Finals).

Amnestying Perk doesn't get you anything in return, and once Ibaka and Harden's (if he also resigns) contracts kick in, OKC will be hard-pressed to find a starting quality center for the cheap through free agency. Trading Perk will probably be the best option for OKC, and the sooner the better, as his value will continue to decrease as time goes on.

[lilbeastnani]

I would say based on Market value, that's a fair deal. Right around what was expected for them to do. However, it's gonna be a beyatch Keeping Durant/Harden/Westbrook/Ibaka/Perkins together.

Just think about it: (averages

Durant - around 18/yr
Westrbook - around 15/yr
Harden - Lets say they offer him 10/yr
Ibaka - 12/yr

They're headed for Laker territory. That's 55M/year committed to FOUR players. I don't see them retaining Harden at all. I feel like they are gonna offer him something like 4 years 30M and he's gonna go elsewhere and get a bigger offer.

[Qwyjibo]

Now what about Harden?
Harden knows he will get max offers if he hits free agency. OKC better offer him that or they'll just have to wait to match an offer sheet.

[BlackVVaves]

I would say based on Market value, that's a fair deal. Right around what was expected for them to do. However, it's gonna be a beyatch Keeping Durant/Harden/Westbrook/Ibaka/Perkins together.

Just think about it: (averages

Durant - around 18/yr
Westrbook - around 15/yr
Harden - Lets say they offer him 10/yr
Ibaka - 12/yr

They're headed for Laker territory. That's 55M/year committed to FOUR players. I don't see them retaining Harden at all. I feel like they are gonna offer him something like 4 years 30M and he's gonna go elsewhere and get a bigger offer.

Westbrook will only be making $15 million a year? Seems low.

No way in hell OKC offers Harden, the reigning (though still overrated) Sixth Man of the Year, less money than Ibaka. That's why I asked how much is the max contract worth under the new CBA (thanks to Chips93 for the answer, vague but still, thanks), because Harden's market value is probably around $15 Million a year, and I'm sure if he hits the market some dumb team will offer him the max.

OKC will be as ****ed as the Lakers are with the new tax, minus the fact that the Lakers have revenue out the ass that shrinks the impact of those taxes. Meanwhile, OKC could be financially crippled during it's player's best years.

[franchiez]

Harden knows he will get max offers if he hits free agency. OKC better offer him that or they'll just have to wait to match an offer sheet.
I think Dallas will make a run at him.

[insidehoops]

Deal is official, team announced:

The Oklahoma City Thunder have signed forward Serge Ibaka to a multi-year extension, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti. According to Yahoo Sports, the deal is for four years, $48 million.

Read more: http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=10776

[Smoke117]

thats the same as bogut, LMA, horford, noah and marc gasol.

so that sounds about right to me, assuming ibaka continues to improve



it varies based on a lot of things

how long a player has been with his team, whether he has made all-star teams, been mvp, voted to all-nba teams

there are a lot of different factors

WTF? Lamarcus Alridge is much better than Serge Ibaka and there is no comparison. Marc Gasol is just plain better too and should start to come into his prime soon and reach is peak. As far as Bogut...if he can ever actually avoid injury he's better than Ibaka defensively and offensively. It's as simple as that. Andrew Bogut would have the reputation down as the 2nd best defensive player down after Dwight howard if not for those injuries. He regressed in 2011 offensively because he wouldn't use the arm he had broke, but he has to be over that by now. I'm interested to see how he'll do this upcoming season for the Warriors as his ankle should be fine by then, but either way, a healthy Bogut is easily better than Ibaka.

[KelticForce1349]

Ibaka just got overpaid. He's a good shot blocker, and that's it. Stupid player who just robbed Sam Presti. He should have tried turning Ibaka and Harden into some sick assets.



Sick assets such as?

[longtime lurker]

How is Iblocka overpaid when guys like Deandre Jordan and Javale Mcgee are getting money in the same neighbourhood. This is a fair deal for Ibaka, not a steal by any means. He can still improve his offensive game and man defense. Okc once again shows why they have some of the best management in the league by locking him up before some idiot GM could offer him a max deal(I'm looking at you David Kahn). What OKC needs to do is trade Harden because he's definitely going to get overpaid big time.

[KB24]

Bad contract on paper but makes sense compared to other overpaid bigs in the league

[Rubio2Gasol]

Javale Mcgee got 11 million a year :confusedshrug: So I think he could possibly get more.

[WeGetRing2012]

Javale Mcgee got 11 million a year :confusedshrug: So I think he could possibly get more.

And Roy Hibbert got offered the max too. Harden isn't taking less money to stay with them though.

[KG215]

While I was a little upset to see that $40M+ ended up being closer to $50M, I don't know what else Presti could've done. Odds are Ibaka was going to end up getting $12M per year offers if he hit the market in the summer anyway.

[Snoop_Cat]

OVERPAID. Ibaka is so overrated as a defender, all he does is block shots that's IT. ~15 million in his final year ... what a joke.

[Smoke117]

And Roy Hibbert got offered the max too. Harden isn't taking less money to stay with them though.

:biggums:

[Snoop_Cat]

Honestly, if I were the Thunder I'd try to have Ibaka bulk up a bit and run him at center.

Perkins's defense on Dwight Howard is so overrated, it's annoying - Howard is a mobile big guy who'll get his numbers regardless of who's defending him. Ibaka on the other hand can't defend perimeter big guys and considering his biggest (and perhaps only asset major) asset is his shot blocking, he could potentially be molded into a pretty good defensive anchor.

[OG LeeTSkeeT]

For OKC sake does Harden play better starting or off the bench or what lineup does OKC play with to win in a season? Does Harden buy into playing as the 6th man or does he believe he should be starting with max money?

[KG215]

OVERPAID. Ibaka is so overrated as a defender, all he does is block shots that's IT. ~15 million in his final year ... what a joke.

:confusedshrug:

Again, how is it overpaying when a number of teams would've offered him this much or more per year in the summer? It is what it is and, to be honest, $12M may be on the low side of what teams would've been offering him in the summer.

I just get a kick out of people on ISH rushing to a thread to claim how a team overpaid or got horrible deal when they re-sign a player who would've hit the market at the end of the season, and got just as big of offers (if not bigger) than he re-signed for.

[WeGetRing2012]

Either way you put it the Thunder will be limited in future years....

They will be paying a lot of money to keep their core together or lose one of them.

Durant is on a 5yr/ 87 mil contract
Westbrook is on a 5yr/80 mil contact
Ibaka now at 4yr/48 mil

Harden isn't taking less than Ibaka so if they want to keep him his contract will be 4yrs/ 48-58(max) mil

And then you add in Perkins who's contract won't make much of a difference because they will be well over the cap. So either you keep him and have a avg C on the team for 24mil over 3yrs or amnesty him and hope Thabeet can fill his role.

The Thunder have done a great job by drafting these young players but now they have to pay big money to keep them together & work with little cash to build around them. And is a core of Durant/Westbrook/Ibaka/ & maybe Harden enough?

[CJ Mustard]

thats the same as bogut, LMA, horford, noah and marc gasol.

so that sounds about right to me, assuming ibaka continues to improve

Give me all of those guys over Ibaka easily. Terrible contract, the guy is exclusively a shot blocker.

[KG215]

And then you add in Perkins who's contract won't make much of a difference because they will be well over the cap. So either you keep him and have a avg C on the team for 24mil over 3yrs or amnesty him and hope Thabeet can fill his role.

The Thunder have done a great job by drafting these young players but now they have to pay big money to keep them together & work with little cash to build around them. And is a core of Durant/Westbrook/Ibaka/ & maybe Harden enough?

Or they amnesty Perkins, see how Perry Jones plays this year, and go with an Ibaka/PJ3 frontcourt for the future. That, or start an Ibaka/Collison frontcourt.

Or they amnesty Perkins, don't re-sign Maynor, and sign a vet center for the minimum.

Yes, the Thunder are in "trouble" but how is that any different than what the Lakers and Heat have been doing by spending the majority of their payroll on 3-4 players t the expense of a good bench? The Lakers have a start studded starting lineup and good sixth man in Jamison, but the rest of their bench is shit. The Heat have their "Big 3" and Ray Allen, but the rest of their bench is pretty meh. I mean, that's now any different than the situation the Thunder would be in if they also re-sign Harden. I know they won't have the money the Lakers have, but they'd have a 24-25 year old core of Durant, Westbrook, Harden, Ibaka, and Perry Jones (if he pans out) to build around.

[KG215]

Give me all of those guys over Ibaka easily. Terrible contract, the guy is exclusively a shot blocker.

:facepalm

He's 22 years old. You nor anyone else have any idea if this it for Ibaka. It's not like he's reached his ceiling and is done improving.

I'll ask again, what was Presti and the OKC front office supposed to do? Wait until the summer and be put in a position to have to match a 13-14M per year offer sheet or let him walk?

[clayton]

Doesn't he lead the olympics in goaltends? :roll:

[Freedom Kid7]

:facepalm . They coulda haggled for 10mil/year

[CJ Mustard]

:facepalm

He's 22 years old. You nor anyone else have any idea if this it for Ibaka. It's not like he's reached his ceiling and is done improving.

I'll ask again, what was Presti and the OKC front office supposed to do? Wait until the summer and be put in a position to have to match a 13-14M per year offer sheet or let him walk?
If a team is stupid enough to pay him 14 mil a year, then absolutely let him walk. Or trade him before then. If OKC thinks their current core is enough to win a championship, they have another thing coming. They're just gonna lose to LA and Miami every year until they're forced to blow it up.

[Rubio2Gasol]

I'm not sure how much you can trust his age. He may be older.

[KG215]

If a team is stupid enough to pay him 14 mil a year, then absolutely let him walk. Or trade him before then. If OKC thinks their current core is enough to win a championship, they have another thing coming. They're just gonna lose to LA and Miami every year until they're forced to blow it up.

Ahh...more ignorance.

So OKC's core isn't good enough to win it all? Did you forget how young their core is? I mean there's no way in hell a bunch of 22 and 23 year olds can learn from this playoff run and get better, right?

And the Lakers? Really? You mean the team where 3/4 of their "superstar" core are in their 30s and on their last legs at the end of the prime? This current Lakers team has about a 2-year window, tops.

[Rubio2Gasol]

Problem with the Lakers is those idiots will magically find a way to build a team.

All their contracts expire in 2 years other than Nash and Howard if he signs, and Nash might very well retire if he gets his chip.

[liquidrage]

If a team is stupid enough to pay him 14 mil a year, then absolutely let him walk. Or trade him before then. If OKC thinks their current core is enough to win a championship, they have another thing coming. They're just gonna lose to LA and Miami every year until they're forced to blow it up.

Ignorance. They basically played Miami even in 4 out of 5 games and got some tough breaks in them.

LA's core will be retired in 2 years minus Dwight.

At worst OKC is 3rd in "favorites" this year, and at worst will be 2nd in "favorites" after this year. Year after that the core finally enters their primes.

[ihatetimthomas]

How is Iblocka overpaid when guys like Deandre Jordan and Javale Mcgee are getting money in the same neighbourhood. This is a fair deal for Ibaka, not a steal by any means. He can still improve his offensive game and man defense. Okc once again shows why they have some of the best management in the league by locking him up before some idiot GM could offer him a max deal(I'm looking at you David Kahn). What OKC needs to do is trade Harden because he's definitely going to get overpaid big time.

I dont like when people say "this player isnt overpaid bc this player is paid the same". You cant compare one overpaid player to another overpaid player and say that they are not overpaid bc both of them got paid the same. Jordan and Ibaka are both overpaid, there is no doubt about that. I'd say Mcgee is a bit above Ibaka bc he is a true center.

[ihatetimthomas]

:facepalm . They coulda haggled for 10mil/year

Doubtful. If they wanted to keep him, they needed to pay him this amount. No way he agrees to terms on 10 mil a year. He would have just went to the open market. OKC knows the teams around the league are overpaying young bigmen right now. They decided they wanted to keep him and offered up the coin.

[Rubio2Gasol]

Is Harden taking less money though?....I mean he is guaranteed max deals.

And if you give him max then that puts you at

20 mil Durant
20 mil Westbrook
12 mil Ibaka
14.5 mil Harden

If he makes the All Star team this year, then that goes up I beleive

Cap is

58 mil I believe?

Those 4 guys are at 66.5.

So even if you offer him less than the Max , the 4 of them alone will likely take you slightly over the limit.

And the money doesn't flow like the Lakers.

[liquidrage]

Westbrook never gets above 17 million on his deal. He's below max a few of the years too.

[Cowboy Thunder]

THIS IS GREAT NEWS FOR THE THUNDER!!!

Serge is a fcking beast and anyone talking shit in the thread is either scared as fck or doesn't watch the Thunder.



THE DYNASTY IS SET. THUNDER WILL RULE THE WEST FOR YEARS TO COME!!!!

:bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown:

[Cowboy Thunder]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xM8DWlz24A


Iblocka going to average a triple double next year :applause:

[PyrrhusX]

THIS IS GREAT NEWS FOR THE THUNDER!!!

Serge is a fcking beast and anyone talking shit in the thread is either scared as fck or doesn't watch the Thunder.



THE DYNASTY IS SET. THUNDER WILL RULE THE WEST FOR YEARS TO COME!!!!

:bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown:

At worst we have to wait 2-3 years when ideally, our top players reach their primes (26-27). THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT, we just might have to be patient.

[TheMarkMadsen]

I'm not sure how much you can trust his age. He may be older.
:roll:

[Cowboy Thunder]

At worst we have to wait 2-3 years when ideally, our top players reach their primes (26-27). THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT, we just might have to be patient.

Naw, there is no waiting.


We rule the West for years to come starting last year.






Dear ISH idiots,

Stick you head between your legs and kiss your ass good-bye. Westbook, Durant, Ibaka...only 1 Olympian left to re-sign. :bowdown:

[NugzFan]

If okc can afford the lux tax bill, more power to them

[NumberSix]

I'm not sure how much you can trust his age. He may be older.
This. The dude is probably like 26.

[WeGetRing2012]

Or they amnesty Perkins, see how Perry Jones plays this year, and go with an Ibaka/PJ3 frontcourt for the future. That, or start an Ibaka/Collison frontcourt.

Or they amnesty Perkins, don't re-sign Maynor, and sign a vet center for the minimum.

Yes, the Thunder are in "trouble" but how is that any different than what the Lakers and Heat have been doing by spending the majority of their payroll on 3-4 players t the expense of a good bench? The Lakers have a start studded starting lineup and good sixth man in Jamison, but the rest of their bench is shit. The Heat have their "Big 3" and Ray Allen, but the rest of their bench is pretty meh. I mean, that's now any different than the situation the Thunder would be in if they also re-sign Harden. I know they won't have the money the Lakers have, but they'd have a 24-25 year old core of Durant, Westbrook, Harden, Ibaka, and Perry Jones (if he pans out) to build around.

And you can't really count on a rookie with clinically proven bad knees. And the Lakers will be fine we have proven that we can figure things out all the time. The thing about the Thunder is that they are forced to pay so much money for unproven young players.

[ILLsmak]

LMAO @ retards here who were proven wrong now the same people who kept saying Ibaka will leave and get a max contract saying he is overpaid :roll:


ppl r dum

I can't believe either of them get a Max. Best part for the Thunder is Harden shit the bed. Maybe they can lock him up for a little less, too.

Crazy money, though, for their core.

-Smak

[KG215]

And you can't really count on a rookie with clinically proven bad knees. And the Lakers will be fine we have proven that we can figure things out all the time. The thing about the Thunder is that they are forced to pay so much money for unproven young players.

I didn't say Perry Jones was the only or main option. He's probably like plan D or plan E right now. And we're "forced" to pay for unproven young guys? You mean these unproven young guys..


Durant (23 years old) - 3x scoring champ, 3x All-NBA 1st team, 2x 2nd in MVP voting, consensus top 3 player in the league.

Westbrook (23 years old) - All-NBA 1st team, top 5 scorer last year, 25/5/5 guy who's only getting better and has the potential to be a very good defender to top off his explosive offensive game.

Harden (22 years old) - 6th Man, 18/4/4 guy who is already a borderline All-Star. Yes, he pulled a disappearing act in the Finals, but he's still gotten better each season and has shown he has the potential to be a 20/5/5 player as the #1 option on a team.

Ibaka (22 years old) - All-Defense 1st Team (might have been unwarranted and should've been 2nd team) and led league in blocks at 22. Although he's still raw, he showed a much improved offensive game this year, and can pull other PF's away from the basket with his jumper.

I mean, yeah, they're not proven in the sense they haven't won a championship but, going down the line and looking at each of their roles, they are about as "proven" as they can be at this age, especially Durant and Westbrook.

I'm sure after Kobe, Nash, and Gasol retire or go elsewhere, the Lakers will do what they always do, and pull something else out of their ass and put another contender on the floor. If we're "stuck" building around Durant, Westbrook, Ibaka and possibly Harden for the next 5-7 years, I think I can live with that as a Thunder fan.

[Cowboy Thunder]

don't try convince these dumbasses, just let them sit there next year and watch the Thunder curb stomp their weak teams

[knickballer]

Who ever says Thunder are still "rebuilding" are out of their mind... Going to a WCF and the Finals totally eliminates that theory.. The talent they have on that team is scary and lets not forget they have stockpiled on mid-late 1st round picks these past 1-3 years and some of these players may prove their worth this season giving them more depth(Jackson, Aldrich, Perry Jones, Maynor(injuries))..

[WeGetRing2012]

I didn't say Perry Jones was the only or main option. He's probably like plan D or plan E right now. And we're "forced" to pay for unproven young guys? You mean these unproven young guys..


Durant (23 years old) - 3x scoring champ, 3x All-NBA 1st team, 2x 2nd in MVP voting, consensus top 3 player in the league.

Westbrook (23 years old) - All-NBA 1st team, top 5 scorer last year, 25/5/5 guy who's only getting better and has the potential to be a very good defender to top off his explosive offensive game.

Harden (22 years old) - 6th Man, 18/4/4 guy who is already a borderline All-Star. Yes, he pulled a disappearing act in the Finals, but he's still gotten better each season and has shown he has the potential to be a 20/5/5 player as the #1 option on a team.

Ibaka (22 years old) - All-Defense 1st Team (might have been unwarranted and should've been 2nd team) and led league in blocks at 22. Although he's still raw, he showed a much improved offensive game this year, and can pull other PF's away from the basket with his jumper.

I mean, yeah, they're not proven in the sense they haven't won a championship but, going down the line and looking at each of their roles, they are about as "proven" as they can be at this age, especially Durant and Westbrook.

I'm sure after Kobe, Nash, and Gasol retire or go elsewhere, the Lakers will do what they always do, and pull something else out of their ass and put another contender on the floor. If we're "stuck" building around Durant, Westbrook, Ibaka and possibly Harden for the next 5-7 years, I think I can live with that as a Thunder fan.

Obviously I know they are all great YOUNG players. But a team full of young stars has never went on to win the ring. I don't know what you guys value in Loud City but if they can't win rings then whats the point? And you guys can try to down play the Lakers all you want but they are the best team in basketball right now and you guys will have to deal with us for the next 3+ years.

They had a legit chance to win this year and they completely blew it by playing like tiny-tots. Losing 4-1 to the Heat says a lot about this team if the old Celtics & emerging Pacers won more games.

And their achilles heel will continue to be that they have no one to get them points in the post. They are strictly a jump shooting team.

[KG215]

Obviously I know they are all great YOUNG players. But a team full of young stars has never went on to win the ring.
Huh? Never in the history of the league has a team drafted, developed, and watched young players blossom and gel together and win a championship? Really? That's never happened?


I don't know what you guys value in Loud City but if they can't win rings then whats the point?
How do we know they can't win a championship or two?


And you guys can try to down play the Lakers all you want but they are the best team in basketball right now and you guys will have to deal with us for the next 3+ years.
More typical Laker fan arrogance here. You can try and hype them up all you want, but no one knows if they're the best team in basketball right now. Championships aren't won in the off-season. Until this current Laker team at least plays a few months together, then claiming they're the best team in the league is just ignorant.

And for the next 3+ years? You mean if the Lakers go out and get someone to replace Kobe, Nash, and Gasol, right? If not, then you can't be serious. I won't even go four years down the line, I'll go three. At the start of the 2014-2015 season Kobe will be 36 years old and in his 19th season. Steve Nash, if he doesn't retire, will be 40 going on 41 and in his 19th season. Pau Gasol will be 34 and entering his 14th season. So, if this current Laker team is still together in 3 years, it'll be Dwight and three guys in their mid to late 30s, two of which playing their 19th season in the league. Maybe by some miracle they all hold up, stay healthy, and don't decline by then, but I highly doubt it.


They had a legit chance to win this year and they completely blew it by playing like tiny-tots. Losing 4-1 to the Heat says a lot about this team if the old Celtics & emerging Pacers won more games.
I'm not even going to dignify this stupidity with a response.


And their achilles heel will continue to be that they have no one to get them points in the post. They are strictly a jump shooting team.
I know, right? I mean there's no way in hell Ibaka will ever become a reliable post scorer. I'd be shocked if he's ever better and more developed than he was this year at 22 years old. And you don't need as many points in the post when you've got three perimeter players getting you 70-80 points a night.

[Notitlesince73]

Wow

[PyrrhusX]

And you can't really count on a rookie with clinically proven bad knees. And the Lakers will be fine we have proven that we can figure things out all the time. The thing about the Thunder is that they are forced to pay so much money for unproven young players.

When you say players you must mean more than one individual. If we assume Ibaka is an unproven individual the are you also saying one of (if not both) Westbrook and Durant are unproven?

I also agree with KG215 on more than one point, but the one in particular?
'You can try and hype them up all you want, but no one knows if they're the best team in basketball right now. Championships aren't won in the off-season.'

Heat fans arnt even that bad after winning a well earned championship, I cant say the same for some laker fans :facepalm

[maybeshewill13]

you guys can try to down play the Lakers all you want but they are the best team in basketball right now and you guys will have to deal with us for the next 3+ years.

LMFAO yeah a team that have never played together is the best in the league :roll: what a joker!

[WeGetRing2012]

I don't even know why Im going at it like this with Thunder fans but if their FO was smart they wouldn't make Ibaka/Harden/Durant/Westbrook their core. And yes a core of four young players has never won a ring which is why people were making such a big deal about them this year. A core of Westbrook/Durant/ & another high priced slightly older player (like Aldridge, Josh Smith, etc) +other pieces would take them further. They can get what Ibaka & Harden brings to the table for much cheaper. I don't even feel like Im arguing Im just stating facts.

And yes this Lakers team is built to contend for the next 3 or 4yrs. Like I said, you guys can try to downplay us all you want but we are the best team in the league. Its funny how you guys are saying that PROVEN battle tested players like Nash/Kobe/Artest/Gasol/Dwight need to play a game before you believe the hype :lol..... barring injury I have no doubt we will win the ring...

But the Lakers are beside the point it's just that you Thunder fans seem to think that it will be a cake walk to the Finals every year. Do you guys seriously think Ibaka/Durant/Westbrook/ & MAYBE HARDEN will be enough to win rings? And if at the end of all these contracts you think the Thunder will have enough to sign them all back to bigger deals and convince them to stay for even more despite coming up short!

[NugzFan]

I don't even know why Im going at it like this with Thunder fans but if their FO was smart they wouldn't make Ibaka/Harden/Durant/Westbrook their core. And yes a core of four young players has never won a ring which is why people were making such a big deal about them this year. A core of Westbrook/Durant/ & another high priced slightly older player (like Aldridge, Josh Smith, etc) +other pieces would take them further. They can get what Ibaka & Harden brings to the table for much cheaper. I don't even feel like Im arguing Im just stating facts.

And yes this Lakers team is built to contend for the next 3-5yrs. Like I said, you guys can try to downplay us all you want but we are the best team in the league. Its funny how you guys are saying that PROVEN battle tested players like Nash/Kobe/Artest/Gasol/Dwight need to play a game before you believe the hype :lol..... barring injury I have no doubt we will win the ring...

But the Lakers are beside the point it's just that you Thunder fans seem to think that it will be a cake walk to the Finals every year. Do you guys seriously think Ibaka/Durant/Westbrook/ & MAYBE HARDEN will be enough to win rings? And if at the end of all these contracts you think the Thunder will have enough to sign them all back to bigger deals and convince them to stay for even more despite coming up short!

3-5 years? this lakers core is not contending in 5 years. they will be way too old.

[WeGetRing2012]

3-5 years? this lakers core is not contending in 5 years. they will be way too old.

Your right 3 or 4.

[NugzFan]

btw: whenever a center is signed, i swear ISH has the same debate of overpaid or not.

when hibbert is signed, pacer fans think its great, everyone else says overpaid.

when mcgee was signed, nugget fans think its great, everyone else says overpaid.

when lopez was signed, brooklyn fans think its great, everyone else says overpaid.

same with chandler (knick fans), jordan (clipper fans) and now ibaka (thunder fans).

no matter what, whenever a big is signed, he is overpaid in the minds of everyone but the fans of that team.

[NugzFan]

Your right 3 or 4.

3 maybe. 4 is stretching it. how old will kobe, nash and gasol be by then.

im not saying they wont be good but contend? doubtful.

[WeGetRing2012]

3-5 years? this lakers core is not contending in 5 years. they will be way too old.

You're right 4 years max

[NugzFan]

You're right 4 years max

did you just reply twice?

[LA_Showtime]

sounds about right. with the way the nba is going i wouldn't be surprised if ibaka is eventually moved to center, and given what most nba centers make 12 million a year is damn good for a player of ibaka's stature.

[WeGetRing2012]

did you just reply twice?

Yeah my computer was lagging...

[KG215]

I don't even know why Im going at it like this with Thunder fans but if their FO was smart they wouldn't make Ibaka/Harden/Durant/Westbrook their core. And yes a core of four young players has never won a ring which is why people were making such a big deal about them this year.
Man, you just keep topping yourself with the ignorant responses. And you're missing the point. Believe it or not, but Durant, Westbrook, Ibaka, and Harden are going to get older. They aren't going to stay 22 and 23 forever. So, you lock them all up for another 5 years or so, and they won't be "young" anymore. Never mind the fact that this young core just made the NBA Finals.


A core of Westbrook/Durant/ & another high priced slightly older player (like Aldridge, Josh Smith, etc) +other pieces would take them further. They can get what Ibaka & Harden brings to the table for much cheaper. I don't even feel like Im arguing Im just stating facts.
And then what? They try and package a young and still improving Harden and Ibaka for someone like Aldridge and, for the next year or two they may be better, but what about 3-5 years down the line? They do that, then they also lose their only scoring threat off the bench and a 22 year old that just made his first All-Defense team.

Yes, you're stating "facts" but you're not looking at the big picture when it comes to the Thunder. Yet, somehow, you have yourself convinced an already old Lakers team is going to contend for another 4 years.


And yes this Lakers team is built to contend for the next 3 or 4yrs. Like I said, you guys can try to downplay us all you want but we are the best team in the league. Its funny how you guys are saying that PROVEN battle tested players like Nash/Kobe/Artest/Gasol/Dwight need to play a game before you believe the hype :lol..... barring injury I have no doubt we will win the ring...
And I'll ask again; how do you know these Lakers are the best team in the league? What evidence and facts do you have to back that statement up? Do you have a time machine? Have gone to June of 2013 and know they're going to win the championship? Because saying they're the best team in the league without even seeing them play one game together is just stupid.

Just because four veteran and battle tested players have proven themselves apart from each other doesn't mean it'll work when they all come together. Do you even understand how basketball works?


But the Lakers are beside the point it's just that you Thunder fans seem to think that it will be a cake walk to the Finals every year. Do you guys seriously think Ibaka/Durant/Westbrook/ & MAYBE HARDEN will be enough to win rings? And if at the end of all these contracts you think the Thunder will have enough to sign them all back to bigger deals and convince them to stay for even more despite coming up short!

No, Thunder fans don't think it'll be a cakewalk to the Finals every year. We're just making outlandish statements to counter the outlandish Laker fan claims saying they're the best team in the league without seeing them play even one game together.

And why shouldn't we think that core of four players can't win a ring? They just made the Finals at 22 and 23 years old. If they continue their current progression, then it's just silly to think they can't win a championship together. What teams, 2-4 years from now, will have a better "Big 4"? You're acting like a core of Durant, Westbrook, Harden, and Ibaka isn't anything special. One is the second best player in the league, one is a top 5-10 player, another is the best 6th man and 16/4/4 third option, and the other is a rim protecting big with an ever improving offensive game.



As for this Lakers team contending for another FOUR years....how in the world do you think that's reasonable? I've already pointed out how old they'll be in three years, but here's where they'll be in four years if they still have Kobe/Dwight/Gasol/Nash.

Kobe - At the start of the 2015-2016 season he will be 37 years old and entering his 20th season.

Nash - He would turn 42 during the 2015-2016 season and be in his 20th season.

Gasol - He will be 36 and entering his 15th season in 2015-2016.


So you really think a core that old will still be contending in 2015-2016? You honestly believe that?

[maybeshewill13]

Most Laker fans will believe anything their dimwitted minds want then to believe, regardless of facts.

[KG215]

Most Laker fans will believe anything their dimwitted minds want then to believe, regardless of facts.

This WeGetRing guy has to be trolling. No way he's really that stupid.

[maybeshewill13]

This WeGetRing guy has to be trolling. No way he's really that stupid.
I used to think that, but through life I've learnt that, yes, people really can be that stupid.

[Rubio2Gasol]

I dunno, I could see a team with those players + Dwight contending.

But they'd need to improve around them :confusedshrug:

Not that far fetched.

[PyrrhusX]

I dunno, I could see a team with those players + Dwight contending.

But they'd need to improve around them :confusedshrug:

Not that far fetched.

Key word is contending, no one denies that.
Some Laker fanboys are acting like its all locked up. :facepalm

[Rubio2Gasol]

Meh, 3rd best in the west and 5th in the league overall IMO.

They have alot of structural shit to figure out, i'd say 2014 is their best chance for a chip.

[BlackVVaves]

This WeGetRing guy has to be trolling. No way he's really that stupid.

Who knows.

This Laker team will only be serious contenders for 2 years. After that, no one knows, as Kobe and Pau will be old and free agents. Who do the Lakers get to build around Dwight? That is a great unknown, and for any Laker fan to even muster up the ignorance to make a statement like "they'll be contending 3-5 years," knowing that...well. That just tells me he is just talking out his ass.

Lakers have a similar window that the 08 Celtics had.

[BlackVVaves]

Meh, 3rd best in the west and 5th in the league overall IMO.

They have alot of structural shit to figure out, i'd say 2014 is their best chance for a chip.

Now you're just trying to troll the Kobe stans. 5th best in the League, so you have two teams in the West and two in the East that are clear cut better teams than the Lakers.

Come now. Lakers are surely not the best team in the league before even playing a game, but 5th best? :rolleyes:

[KG215]

Who knows.

This Laker team will only be serious contenders for 2 years. After that, no one knows, as Kobe and Pau will be old and free agents. Who do the Lakers get to build around Dwight? That is a great unknown, and for any Laker fan to even muster up the ignorance to make a statement like "they'll be contending 3-5 years," knowing that...well. That just tells me he is just talking out his ass.

Lakers have a similar window that the 08 Celtics had.

I'd say it's even shorter window than the Celtics who, technically, are still kind of contending. But Pierce, Allen, and Garnett were still in their earlier 30s and didn't have as many miles on their legs as Kobe. But I guess they were only true contenders for three seasons. No one expected anything from them in 2010-2011 and this past season was a pretty big surprise, so I guess their window was only about three years. Given that Nash is almost 40, and both he and Kobe will be knocking on the door of 20 seasons in 2-3 years, then I don't see how anyone can think they'll contend for 3-4 years.

Now, if they go out and prove me wrong, then more power to them.

[Rubio2Gasol]

Now you're just trying to troll the Kobe stans. 5th best in the League, so you have two teams in the West and two in the East that are clear cut better teams than the Lakers.

Come now. Lakers are surely not the best team in the league before even playing a game, but 5th best? :rolleyes:

Not trying to troll but here's why I say this.

On individual talent I'd be forced to say they're 2nd best.But that's not how I like to Judge teams, I like to see how their offense works, how their defense works etc.

I see structural problems that can arise on this Lakers team and I think It'll take time for them to figure out, which they eventually will , but I have my reservations about immediately devastating them to that level.

So I got it as

1.Miami
2.OKC/Spurs/Celtics
3. Lakers.

[WeGetRing2012]

Yes the Lakers will still be contending for championships 5 yrs from now, 10 yrs from now, 20 yrs from, etc.... WE ARE THE LAKERS! Im not arguing that....They are the Lakers and finding great players to play for this great organization will be easy. And finding someone to contend alongside the best C in the league will be easy. And we will have only two players under contract in 2014/2015 so we will have the money & cap room to sign a big name free agent. If you guys feel that you have to see a couple of months of the Laker basketball to understand how great this current team is then thats on you :lol :lol :lol

BUT THE LAKERS ARE COMPLETELY BESIDES THE POINT.

Im just saying that I don't think a core of Durant/Westbrook/Ibaka/Harden will be enough to win a title anytime soon. And that core alone will put them over the cap. The Thunder do not have the same appeal that the Celtics/Lakers/Heat have & vet's will not take the min to come play with those young guys. And you are completely right they will be much better in 5 yrs than they are today. But by then all four of them will be due MUCH more money. Durant & Westbrook alone will demand the max 5yrs/100 million dollar contract. And with the way things are going it's not that far fetched to say that Ibaka & Harden will get the same. Durant's payday will be in 4yrs & Ibaka/Harden/Westbrook will be in 5yrs. And there is no way that the Thunder can afford 3-4 max contracts. So thats their window...no arguing that.

So for the most part what the Thunder have is what they will be working with in the next 4-5yrs unless they can pull off some trades to bring slightly better players in. And all this time they will be taking a huge hit for the new luxury tax & again a team in the small town like OKC doesn't take the hit like the bigger name teams in more popular cities like the Lakers.

And then in around 3-4yrs after they have came up short you have to start thinking about guys like Lebron/Anthony/Bosh/Williams/CP3/Howard... you know the guys who bailed on their small market teams for bigger markets when they couldn't get it done.

[WeGetRing2012]

And I've said this many times on here I don't know where the notion that young teams win rings & the old guys can't. :lol :lol :lol :lol

Over the years that has NEVER been the case. It's always the older teams standing in the end.

[Nets fan 93]

Good move okc. The core is proven to work together.

[KG215]

Yes the Lakers will still be contending for championships 5 yrs from now, 10 yrs from now, 20 yrs from, etc.... WE ARE THE LAKERS! Im not arguing that....They are the Lakers and finding great players to play for this great organization will be easy. And finding someone to contend alongside the best C in the league will be easy. And we will have only two players under contract in 2014/2015 so we will have the money & cap room to sign a big name free agent. If you guys feel that you have to see a couple of months of the Laker basketball to understand how great this current team is then thats on you :lol :lol :lol
Ok, then make that more clear next time. You were making it sound like this current Laker roster could compete for another 4-5 years. And it's going to take some time to fill out the roster around Howard after Nash and Kobe get older and retire.



Im just saying that I don't think a core of Durant/Westbrook/Ibaka/Harden will be enough to win a title anytime soon. And that core alone will put them over the cap. The Thunder do not have the same appeal that the
And I'll ask you AGAIN, why do you think that? Was them getting to the Finals at such a young age not enough? I mean if all four players continue progressing, and they lock all four up for another 3-5 years, then how is that not enough to win a championship or two when these guys are 25-28 years old?


So for the most part what the Thunder have is what they will be working with in the next 4-5yrs unless they can pull off some trades to bring slightly better players in. And all this time they will be taking a huge hit for the new luxury tax & again a team in the small town like OKC doesn't take the hit like the bigger name teams in more popular cities like the Lakers.
Then we'll just have toa gree to disagree. I'm not saying OKC will have the same appeal to vets as some of the larger markets, but if they continue to win and build on their winning environment, then they'll be able to pull some vets for the minimum.

[KG215]

And I've said this many times on here I don't know where the notion that young teams win rings & the old guys can't. :lol :lol :lol :lol

Over the years that has NEVER been the case. It's always the older teams standing in the end.

No one's saying older teams don't and can't win championships; it's the notion that a team as old as the Lakers in 2-3 years will be better suited to win a championship than a team like the Thunder whose their four best players in the prime of their careers. And it hasn't ALWAYS been the older teams over the years. There's been teams like the Thunder (2-5 years down the line) whose main core was young and in their mid to late 20s, with a few 30 something vets thrown into the mix.

You're acting like all these guys need to be in their 30s in order for the Thunder to win a championship. The 60s Celtics dynasty began when their core was 27ish on average. Same with the 80s Celtics and Showtime Lakers. Average age from their first to last championships was about 26-29 years old. The first year Jordan won his ring, the average age of the team was 27.

Here, read this; you might learn something. It's an article on the weighted/average age of all championship teams. The weighted part comes in with some formula he came up with to factor in the number of minutes and how much each player contributed so, if there's a 35 year old on the team playing 2 minutes per game, his age isn't going to factor into the team's weighted age.

http://idrisr.wordpress.com/2011/01/31/nba-champs-team-age/

You're seeing that most teams core was in that 26-29 year old range. Guess what? That's where the Thunder will be in a 2-3 years. The second 3-peat Bulls are the oldest team (by that formula with weighted age and not average age) to win a championship with a weighted age between 31 and 32 years old. In fact, that shows a team's chances of winning a championship decreases once their main core players get into their 30s.

[Sleu27]

Not trying to troll but here's why I say this.

On individual talent I'd be forced to say they're 2nd best.But that's not how I like to Judge teams, I like to see how their offense works, how their defense works etc.

I see structural problems that can arise on this Lakers team and I think It'll take time for them to figure out, which they eventually will , but I have my reservations about immediately devastating them to that level.

So I got it as

1.Miami
2.OKC/Spurs/Celtics
3. Lakers.



:facepalm

[fpliii]

haven't read all 9 pages, but doesn't this paint Harden as the odd man out?

[OKCThunderUP]

haven't read all 9 pages, but doesn't this paint Harden as the odd man out?

No. OKC will pay the tax, plus they have revenue sharing $$ coming in starting this year. Harden isn't going anywhere.

[rmt]

Very reasonable contract for Ibaka at only 23. OKC is gonna be great for a looooooong time.

[KDthunderup]

Once Kobe, Nash and Pau have died of old age in 2 years, OKC will be the Western powerhouse again.

[All Net]

Once Kobe, Nash and Pau have died of old age in 2 years, OKC will be the Western powerhouse again.

Maybe but least we will likely have loads of cap space to re-tool

[LBJDW305]

Ignorance. They basically played Miami even in 4 out of 5 games and got some tough breaks in them.

LA's core will be retired in 2 years minus Dwight.

At worst OKC is 3rd in "favorites" this year, and at worst will be 2nd in "favorites" after this year. Year after that the core finally enters their primes.


Lol at someone saying a year after that a core of players will enter their prime....:yaohappy:

[magictricked]

No. OKC will pay the tax, plus they have revenue sharing $$ coming in starting this year. Harden isn't going anywhere.Will Thunder be eligible for revenue sharing?

[Sleu27]

I guess Harden has been missing since the finals hmmm As soon as OKC finds Harden, they need to sign him to an extention.

[anyonebutmiami]

WAY OVER PAID !!! :facepalm

[Optimus Prime]

I'm sure they were going to offer it to Harden, but they still haven't found him since the finals

Epic :applause:

:kobe:

[WeGetRing2012]

:lol :lol :lol :lol

Dumbass OKC fans

[BlackVVaves]

"But we're going to keep everyone, we a family over here!"

[WeGetRing2012]

I don't even know why Im going at it like this with Thunder fans but if their FO was smart they wouldn't make Ibaka/Harden/Durant/Westbrook their core. And yes a core of four young players has never won a ring which is why people were making such a big deal about them this year. A core of Westbrook/Durant/ & another high priced slightly older player (like Aldridge, Josh Smith, etc) +other pieces would take them further. They can get what Ibaka & Harden brings to the table for much cheaper. I don't even feel like Im arguing Im just stating facts.

And yes this Lakers team is built to contend for the next 3 or 4yrs. Like I said, you guys can try to downplay us all you want but we are the best team in the league. Its funny how you guys are saying that PROVEN battle tested players like Nash/Kobe/Artest/Gasol/Dwight need to play a game before you believe the hype :lol..... barring injury I have no doubt we will win the ring...

But the Lakers are beside the point it's just that you Thunder fans seem to think that it will be a cake walk to the Finals every year. Do you guys seriously think Ibaka/Durant/Westbrook/ & MAYBE HARDEN will be enough to win rings? And if at the end of all these contracts you think the Thunder will have enough to sign them all back to bigger deals and convince them to stay for even more despite coming up short!

Damn I'm good :lol :lol

[daily]

Naw, there is no waiting.


We rule the West for years to come starting last year.






Dear ISH idiots,

Stick you head between your legs and kiss your ass good-bye. Westbook, Durant, Ibaka...only 1 Olympian left to re-sign. :bowdown:OK, how's this working out for you tonight?


No. OKC will pay the tax, plus they have revenue sharing $$ coming in starting this year. Harden isn't going anywhere.:lol

[ILLsmak]

Damn I'm good :lol :lol

You're crazy if you don't think OKC got a great deal for Harden. Especially when you think of it this way: people give away deals like that for superstars... OKC already has two superstars. They gave away their 6th man for a superstar level package.

-smak

[WeGetRing2012]

You're crazy if you don't think OKC got a great deal for Harden. Especially when you think of it this way: people give away deals like that for superstars... OKC already has two superstars. They gave away their 6th man for a superstar level package.

-smak

I don't know what you speak of... I'm a Laker fan so Im only used to getting superstar players in return. OKC didn't get a superstar from HOU so the package is good (Lamb is legit) but not great bc it doesn't make the team better.

[bluechox2]

okc took a step back today...theres a reason why martin gets bumped to different teams each year...

i dont see how those draft picks will help if their in win now mode...the should package the picks for a good low post defender

[mattvNJ]

okc took a step back today...theres a reason why martin gets bumped to different teams each year...

i dont see how those draft picks will help if their in win now mode...the should package the picks for a good low post defender

Martin has played for three teams... the kings from 2004-2010... and then the rockets. he doesnt get bumped around every year lol. Also martin isnt a much of a downgrade aside from on a defensive point, on offense martin puts up more ppg and slightly lower in each stat(although his FG% could be higher). Also he had to start on poorer teams. I think theyre both good players but with OKC getting picks and an exciting prospect in Lamb i dont see this as a terrible trade for either parties. Rockets want revenue generated through their organization thats apparent through their recent aquisitions. And OKC didnt want all that payroll for a 6th man who fell asleep during the finals. They have their stars, Ibaka, durant, westbrook. Theyll be fine and still competing for that top spot.

[shady6121]

I don't even know why Im going at it like this with Thunder fans but if their FO was smart they wouldn't make Ibaka/Harden/Durant/Westbrook their core. And yes a core of four young players has never won a ring which is why people were making such a big deal about them this year. A core of Westbrook/Durant/ & another high priced slightly older player (like Aldridge, Josh Smith, etc) +other pieces would take them further. They can get what Ibaka & Harden brings to the table for much cheaper. I don't even feel like Im arguing Im just stating facts.

And yes this Lakers team is built to contend for the next 3 or 4yrs. Like I said, you guys can try to downplay us all you want but we are the best team in the league. Its funny how you guys are saying that PROVEN battle tested players like Nash/Kobe/Artest/Gasol/Dwight need to play a game before you believe the hype :lol..... barring injury I have no doubt we will win the ring...

But the Lakers are beside the point it's just that you Thunder fans seem to think that it will be a cake walk to the Finals every year. Do you guys seriously think Ibaka/Durant/Westbrook/ & MAYBE HARDEN will be enough to win rings? And if at the end of all these contracts you think the Thunder will have enough to sign them all back to bigger deals and convince them to stay for even more despite coming up short!

http://i1253.photobucket.com/albums/hh600/Rodman2124/kobeclutch.gif

:lol