Tuesday, December 6, 2011

My take on Bill Simmons "Grantland" article- The 2nd day of NBA Christmas


Notice a trend below? Anything jump out at you when you glance over the numbers real quick? If you didn't guess the word "overpaid" then your either drunk, stoned, stupid or any combination of them. Didn't I keep hearing throughout the NBA lockout that the whole point was that the owners weren't going to accept a deal where they were forced into those long, overpriced, guaranteed player contracts that were successful about half the time in one way or another but still considered overpaid in relation to statistics. 

I mean, if you throw out some of these numbers, say 5 years and $100 million, give me a name that you think should match with that contract? It doesn't really matter who you say, the point is, for $100 million a team should be getting a franchise player they can think about building around. What would you do with Nene? On a championship team he's going to be your 3rd best player at most, and I really mean AT MOST! So what are you going to be paying players 1+2 then? They're going to want $140 and $190 million each after you bring in that stiff and insult their hometown discount they signed for to help you sign a star so they can get closer to said championship. They didn't envision Nene when they said "star", I really really really can't see him on your wishlist for centerpiece on an NBA powerhouse caliber team to compete with the Lakers, Heat, Mavericks ect. 

A piece sure, an average center overall with above average quickness and mobility/energy when he's actually on the court, with below average rebounding and defense in reality. You can hope that teams see him and think he's that stopper down low but if you check out the stats there is NOTHING TO BACK THAT UP. He wasn't even in the TOP 25! THAT'S RIGHT, THERE WERE 25 OTHER PLAYERS WHO OUTREBOUNDED HIM LAST YEAR, HOW INSANE IS THAT FROM A GUY THAT BIG PLAYING 32 MINUTES PER GAME? 

And as far as keeping him on the court, you pay 100 mil and your going to be spending the days counting down until he's off the books with one more bad landing after a dunk in warmups. That's a long time in NBA years, especially if you put him on a playoff team. I wish him all the best, I just can't see it working out that way....good luck mystery team.




Full article from Grantland on espn.com is the link and the rest below is a piece of that same article,  Bill Simmons, the Grantland article.


Let's make some predictions for those 12 centers. Important note to Kendrick Perkins: Stop reading right now. Just trust me.
1. Nene
Prediction: Signs with New Jersey (five years, $100 million, thanks to a sign-and-trade with Denver3)
Verdict: COMICALLY OVERPAID
2. Marc Gasol
Prediction: Re-signs with Memphis (five years, $78 million)
Verdict: PROPERLY PAID
3. Tyson Chandler
Prediction: Re-signs with Dallas (four years, $69 million)4
Verdict: OVERPAID
4. DeAndre Jordan
Prediction: Re-signs with Clippers (five years, $46 million)5
Verdict: OVERPAID
5. Chris Kaman
Prediction: Traded to Sacramento (for Jason Thompson)
Verdict: One year away from being OVERPAID AGAIN
6. Sam Dalembert
Prediction: Signs with Denver (four years, $40 million)
Verdict: OVERPAID
7. Brendan Haywood
Prediction: Traded to Houston (for Patrick Patterson and a future no. 1 pick)
Verdict: ONCE OVERPAID, NOW SLIGHTLY OVERPAID
8. Greg Oden
Prediction: Re-signs with Portland (one year, $8.9 million)
Verdict: PROPERLY PAID
9. Andris Biedrins
Prediction: Stays put, much to the chagrin of every Warriors fan
Verdict: STILL OVERPAID
10. Josh McRoberts
Prediction: Signs with New Orleans (four years, $26 million)
Verdict: OVERPAID
11. Spencer Hawes
Prediction: Signs with Detroit (three years, $18 million)
Verdict: OVERPAID
12. Aaron Gray
Prediction: Signs with Indiana (three years, $15 million)
Verdict: OVERPAID
A quick recap: eight "overpaids," one "slightly overpaids," one "comically overpaid," two "properly paids" … and that's just the center position, (the team that, other than New Jersey, seems most desperate to irrationally overpay somebody). Come on out, NBA Groundhog … I have a feeling you're going to see your shadow.
Bill Simmons is the Editor in Chief of Grantland and the author of the recent New York Times no. 1 best-seller The Book of Basketball, now out in paperback with new material and a revised Hall of Fame Pyramid. For every Simmons column and podcast, log on to Grantland. Follow him onTwitter and check out his new home on Facebook.

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