The Knicks can't match the Lin offer because of the way it's structured . He'd earn $5M this year and next, and $15M on the last year. That would put the Knicks way over the cap with just Lin, Anthony, Stoudemire and Chandler.

Lakers get Dwight Howard
76ers get Andrew Bynum and Jason Richardson
Nuggets get Andre Iguodala
Magic get Aaron Afflalo, Al Harrington, Nikola Vukevic, Moe Harkless, Three first round picks - one from each team.

Get ready for Heat/Lakers in the finals until Kobe retires. This should be great (sarcasm) for the NBA.

OMFGGGGGGG.

I know Lakers are going to dominate this year, but I'm SO hype that the Sixers - literally out of nowhere - got Andrew Bynum! We easily got the best of this deal (since it's not really a huge bump for Lakers, Howard is better than Bynum but barely). And we got rid of Iggy! I liked him, but we paid him too much and it was time to move on.

Now we need to convince Bynum to stay.

Dwight Howard, Iggy and Bynum were all traded and Orlando wound up with nothing. Three protected picks from playoff teams won't get you far. AND they took on Al Harrington's awful contract. As usual, things work out so L.A. is a constant favorite.

Howard is barely better than Bynum? Do you even watch basketball?

Seriously.

Er, do you? Yeah, Howard is better, but Bynum is easily the second best center in the league, and the difference between the two isn't substantial. Lakers didn't get a HUGE lift by trading Bynum for Howard, in terms of talent.

I don't know. I'm not denying Howard is better, but THAT much? I think Bynum can really shine when he's not on a team with Kobe. We've seen what he can do, but he doesn't do it often because of his attitude and immaturity. And because of those things, Howard is the obvious choice over Bynum, despite the fact that's he's a huge fool for his back-and-forth this past year.

But in terms of talent? I don't put Howard THAT much higher. Their numbers were close last season. And Bynum is only getting better.

Howard is SIGNIFICANTLY better than Bynum.

I'll reserve judgement until opening day's games.

And that's all that really matters.

Holy shit, James Harden is traded to the Rockets! For Kevin Martin and Jeremy Lamb.

Obviously purely financial. The Thunder have proven themselves to be cheap, and will now fail to win a title (deservingly so). Their fans should be pissed.

Unless Dwight & Kobe don't mesh it should be Heat vs Lakers Finals.
I want to see Lebron beat up on Kobe

1. Miami
2. Boston
3. Indiana
4. Knicks
5. Nets
6. Bulls
7. Magic
8. Sixers

9. Hawks
10. Pistons
11. Raptors
12. Cavaliers
13. Bucks
14. Wizards
15. Bobcats

1. Spurs
2. Clippers
3. Lakers
4. Thunder
5. Jazz
6. Grizzlies
7. Nuggets
8. Trailblazers

9. Warriors
10. Timberwolves
11. Rockets
12. Mavericks
13. Hornets
14. Kings
15. Suns

1 MIA over 8 PHI (5 games), 2 BOS over 7 ORL (5 games), 6 CHI over 3 IND (6 games), 5 BKN over 4 NYK (6 Games)

1 MIA over 5 BKN (4 games), 2 BOS over 6 CHI (7 games)

1 MIA over 2 BOS (7 games)

1 SAS over 8 POR (4 games), 2 LAC over 7 DEN (7 games), 3 LAL over 6 MEM (7 games), 4 OKC over 5 UTA (7 games

1 SAS over 4 OKC (5 games), 3 LAL over 2 LAC (6 games)

1 SAS over 3 LAL (6 games)

Finals:

1 MIA over 1 SAS (6 games)

MVP: Chris Paul
Rookie: Anthony Davis
Improved player: Big Baby Davis
Defensive: Dwight Howard
6th man: Ginobili
Coach: Jacques Vaughn (Magic)

East
1. Heat
2. Celtics
3. Sixers
4. Pacers
5. Bulls
6. Nets
7. Knicks
8. Hawks

West
1. Thunder
2. Lakers
3. Spurs
4. Clippers
5. Nuggets
6. Grizzlies
7. Mavericks
8. Jazz

Lakers winning overall.

CAVS BRING THE RAIN.

My Cavs could totally beat the Mavs without Dirk.

I liked how the Celtics fought back time and time again, but their defense just sucked (Miami's did too). Both teams I think will eventually come around and dominate the East (at least until Derrick Rose comes back).

As for the West, I still like the Thunder to win it. I don't think the Lakers will hold up well enough to get past the Thunder.

Cavs vs MavswithoutDirk finals. Book it.

So much for 82-0. Still though, that Mavs team barely resembles a good basketball team so it's an embarrassing way to start.

Look like James Harden handled the No. 1 role pretty well in the first game.

Jeremy Lin is the happiest person in the nba right now

Way to go Mavs ending losing streak to the Mavs hope they make it 2-0 tonight

This Lakers team + Phil Jackson would have been crazy.

Both LA teams should be calling Phil and Sloan to see if they're interested. Gap between Brown/VDN to Phil/Sloan is huge for winning a title. My guess is Phil Jackson is next Clippers coach. Last 2 times he joined a team with two young superstars who hadn't put it together to win a title yet, it worked out pretty well. Plus he gets to troll the Lakers and Kobe

I SERIOUSLY hate the Spurs. Forever and always.

WTH James Harden.