Manu Ginobili

Once again, my National Team shows Pride & Mysthique, beats Brazil and goes on to play for a medal against the Dream Team. Once again, Manu leads a team of old overachievers, who have won gold in 04 and bronze in 08 for another improbable run. Once again, Delfino helps with his accuracy. Scola with his offensive prowess. Juan Gutierrez with his bench spark. And Nocioni, well Chapu helps with everything, from outhustling everybody to killing it from long range. What a miraclous team this GOLDEN GENERATION. Once again, in the Top 4 of the World, as it has been non stop for a whole decade. And their retirement party will be against the team they wanted to face, the best team (since Spain in 06) they will face in a very long time. What a freaking TEAM

Basically....but as my friend Lenny said: "It ain't over till it's over"

We crushed Lituania...all the favorites won so far

How can you have cap space to sign Jameer for 6.1M and not Lin for 5M

A little off topic, but now that we all in the "Hate DH bandwagon"... Did you see how bad an actor he is? He can't even say a complete sentence in a straight face without hiding his laughter...And he always insists on doing this kind of things (movies, ads, etc), while he sucks badly at it. Stupid idiot

Bolded were in the same deal, and it was not a BAD DEAL at all. Bringing Ryan and Carter (when everyone thought his playmaking ability could take us to the next level) for Lee, Alston and Battie was one of the best Otis' moves, along with brining Ariza (while unloading Francis), drafting Dwight, drafting Lee, bringing Alston in 2009 and matching Gortat. For me the worst moves were: - Ariza for Cook and Evans - Trading for Turk and JRich, giving them Gortat, Carter, Pietrus and a 1st - Drafting Vazquez But the worse move were those 2 guys he brought before 2010/11, DUHON and Qrich Lewis was a good signing, but overpaid as hell. Also, no one saw his decline coming so fast, after the 10 game suspension. Arenas trade was a wash, I mean Arenas was better than what Lew could have possibly been, and any of those contracts was going to be amnestied anyway.

At this point not only do I want Dwight traded, but also I THINK it can be better. Look at it this way. The EC is crowded now with good teams, one of them being insanely above the rest (Miami) and most likely to win a few rings in the upcoming seasons. I prefer to rebuild the right way, send the bad contracts out and have a young core ready to develop. Of course in 5 years there will also be good teams in the EC, but I am sure none of them like the current Heat. Our chance to be relevant again, surrounded by not-so-elite teams.

Shaq & Dwight, persona non grata in Orlando

You're seeing things the wrong way. Whenever a Superstar "might want to come here", he would have to know that this is a team 1st (not star 1st) organization, that we don't giftwrap our players to the big markets and that we believe we can have a contending team w him. If you trade him wherever he wants to go "just to avoid other superstars botching us", then you are not showing any loyalty to the fans that support the franchise, just to some ahole who thinks he can have everything he wants. I prefer superstars to come here convinced on the organization and the city, not thinking about his eventual departure.

There.

Jameer can't defend

More like 17 seconds. After this Delonte missed a wide open 3, and after the ensuing jump ball, Mo had the chance to be the hero but barely missed a circus shot.

I liked Jameer's attitude in general, and he could be a good thing while rebuilding, provide some veteran leadership. That said... His game was never spectacular, and he is declining now. His defense was always very poor. His offense is streaky, sometimes he is unstoppable, others filled with mind numbing turnovers. All in all, he is a good (not great) offensive player, and a very bad defensive player. I still think we should have gone for Dragic while we had a chance. This is what Simmons said: http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/8182261/game-nba-thrones-part-i One of the show's best sneaky-funny exchanges goes to the sneakiest-funniest subplot of this month — Orlando insisting on shedding many of its "bad" contracts (Glen Davis, Jason Richardson, Hedo Turkoglu, etc.) in any Dwight Howard deal, and then, even as they're doing this, they extend Jameer Nelson with a three-year, $19.7 million contract that's just as "bad" as any of those other contracts. But hey, anytime you can overpay a 30-year-old point guard who can't defend anyone, gives you 12 and 6 every night, makes 42 percent of his shots and hasn't played at a high level in three years even as you're desperately trying to create cap room with a megadeal at the same time, I guess you have to do it.

Indiana West

How do you "fully prepare" to sit out an entire season? Buy new suits?

We were just joking...

I believe this is shared by 90% + OM fans. Houston simply has the best package for Dwight, and he does not want to be here. Full rebuilding mode.

The Pacers are setting up to be a very good team who will unfortunately fall in the second round due to the extreme competition in the EC (Miami, Bos, NYK, BN). Good time to be rebuilding, since the East looks deadly right now.

Jeryl Sasser, Reece Gaines and Fran Vazquez say :happypuppy:

Rockets proposal for Howard, as repored by ESPN, even if it does not include Turkoglu, would be a MAJOR UPGRADE over NJ. IF it includes Turk, HOME RUN. Do this, Rob.

This does happens in futbol (soccer), especially in Argentina. If a player does not want to renegotiate his contract with the team he is signed with, with the hopes of being a free agent and signing a more lucrative deal elsewhere (also not letting the team he is signed make anything out of the transfer), some teams will make him sit out the entire tournament. That means, he is not called for game days. Not even in the bench. Therefore, since player and agent know he is going to lose a lot of value (by not playing, not having competition rythim and being away from the spotlight), some times THEY ARE THE ONES FORCED to renegotiate with the same team. Inversce pshycology, some times it works.

I would rather have Brooke Lopez in a nets uniform than have Brooke Lopez in a magic uniform

Remember the times where players were team's employees?

I have been carefully reading the previous comments, and would like to add something that it is not related with organization management, GM or small market. I believe we really had bad luck at our most important time. If you look at it, one of the main reasons stars stayed in small markets was because they already won, or had the best chance to win, rings. We had 2 enormous chances, and missed them. I mean, something has to be illogical when you are favored to win the title, at home, leading by 3, and a 70% ft shooter misses 4 in a row. Those kind of things don't happen. Or at least it seems to be everything that could go wrong happened. Then Kenny Smith (still hate you) makes a contested 3 to tie the game. Then Olajuwon tips the ball in with less than a second left. I mean, are you kidding me? Really? Then, Courtney Lee misses a layup that he would have made 8 out of 10 times. Gasol touches the net, but nothing is called. 4 days later, with a 1-2 disadvantage and all the momentum on our side, again leading by 3, a 50% FT shooter and the best player on your team misses 2 in a row. Then, of course, the old PG across the streets nails the dagger. I mean, I don't remember a team being so many times so close to the glory and be still a virgin. It feels like the script of a Hollyword "Hero" film, but we are the enemy. It kind of created a tradition. The "Tragic". "Nick Anderson". "Master of Panic". I believe the sum of all parts (Some bad GMing, some bad players, some bad luck, worse endorsement contracts, not the best city/social life) are the reason nobody stayed with us. But bad luck cannot be discounted. It is perhaps the only reason that can enter my mind on why we did not win in those key moments.

His decline after the 10 game suspension was one of the worst I remember. Oh wait...then we traded him for another guy who was well on his way down His first 2 years with were great, though.