What if Reggie Miller had joined the new Big Three?

[Eddie20]

NBATV show with Barkley, Smith, Webber, Kerr and Miller, and on it Miller was describing the summer of 07. He said that things came together too quickly and he didn't want to come to camp out of shape. He was working out with KG during the summer and after a couple of weeks contacted Ainge and told him he simply wouldn't be ready in time. He went on to say that if he had more time, he would have signed with the C's.

What it would have done?

It probably would've given us arguably the most lethal perimeter shooting team ever with Allen, Pierce, Miller, House, and Posey.

Would the Cs have had both Posey and Miller, though?
One sort of imagines that if the Cs had signed Miller, it would have made it less likely that the Cs would have been able to sign Posey (and/or House).

I would think so because I don't think Miller was after the money. He probably would've signed for the vet min in order to have a shot of winning a title.

[soap07]

I think that if a player gives their heart and soul to a particular team, doesn't play around with free agent overtures or mislead his team, etc., I can respect them going to management quietly -- not in the papers, but face to face -- and saying "Look, I love playing here, but I really want to win a championship before I retire. Can we see if there's some way to make a trade that helps both me and the team?" I don't think it's disloyal if it's handled correctly.

An excellent point was brought up yesterday or Monday on the local sports radio where the argument of great career versus winning a championship was briefly discussed.  Basically, it was: Would you rather be Charles Barkley or Robert Horry? Tough.  You want to believe that your career meant something and you'd an important impact on the league for the duration of your career.  But to retire and never win at least one championship to your credit has to eat away at your competitive spirit.  If it were me, I concur with what one of the host sided on.  I'd rather have been Horry.  I mean what do you play for in sports? Championships.  Also, he likely won't get inducted into the Hall Of Fame.  But, he can say that he was a teammate of Hall Of Fame players during his long career.

  Barkley's been out of the league 12 years and he's known as one of the best power forwards of all time. Horry's been out of the league 4 years and he's basically the answer to a trivia question.

That's underselling Horry a bit I think but I see your point.

Obviously, Barkley was a much better player and has a better 'legacy'. But I think - to some players, they'd rather have the taste of being a champion. I don't know this for sure. It's just a thought. But I imagine winning - even if you are a small part - and being part of a team that is at the top - such a rare taste - might be more desirable. This might be especially true for players at the top level of play - where athletes are the most competitive.

[SHAQATTACK]

I guess Allen would have whined and quit.

[Cman]

I guess Allen would have whined and quit.

TP

[gotjoker?]

  Barkley's been out of the league 12 years and he's known as one of the best power forwards of all time. Horry's been out of the league 4 years and he's basically the answer to a trivia question.

You're missing the point.  I'm choosing Horry because he represents the ultimate goal: Winning a championship.  Whether or not you want to give Horry credit as a player that contributed in some way in winning those seven championships that he'd won is your own prerogative.  The bottom line is, Horry has pulled off a feat that only John Sally has done.  Win a championship for three different NBA teams.

Now, if we're talking about cementing one's legacy well after they've retired from the NBA.  Being inducted into the Hall Of Fame helps with that.

[fairweatherfan]

I'll take Barkley and being a much better player who's pulled in about $100 million more than Horry to boot.

I'm sure Barkley regrets never getting a ring but I don't think he loses sleep wishing he was Robert Horry.  He probably envies Horry's rings but I seriously doubt he envies Horry's game or Horry's legacy.

[fairweatherfan]

EDIT: sorry double post

[fairweatherfan]

EDIT: ok this is getting silly. 

[fairweatherfan06]

They won the championship Year 1 of the Big 3 how much could Reggie have added?

[BballTim]

  Barkley's been out of the league 12 years and he's known as one of the best power forwards of all time. Horry's been out of the league 4 years and he's basically the answer to a trivia question.

You're missing the point.  I'm choosing Horry because he represents the ultimate goal: Winning a championship.  Whether or not you want to give Horry credit as a player that contributed in some way in winning those seven championships that he'd won is your own prerogative.  The bottom line is, Horry has pulled off a feat that only John Sally has done.  Win a championship for three different NBA teams.

Now, if we're talking about cementing one's legacy well after they've retired from the NBA.  Being inducted into the Hall Of Fame helps with that.

  I would expect Barkley to compare himself to other superstars. He might be jealous of Bird or Magic or Jordan or Hakeem for their titles but probably not John Paxon or Scott Wedman or the like.

  Think about Karl Malone going to the Lakers. Sure, he'd love to have won a title for the Lakers, but how much more would it have meant to win the title for the Jazz when he was an MVP level player?

  Horry won "Malone on the Lakers" titles because that's all he ever was as a player. While every player wants to win a title, I don't think that they'd all trade being among the best players for winning because you're on the same team with some of the best players.

[gotjoker?]

  Think about Karl Malone going to the Lakers. Sure, he'd love to have won a title for the Lakers, but how much more would it have meant to win the title for the Jazz when he was an MVP level player?

Evidently, Malone wasn't choosy...  Notice how both John Stockton and Reggie Miller didn't do as Malone did and retired ring-less with the franchise that drafted them.  If it would've meant more to Malone to win his first championship with Utah, he could've stuck it out for the one more season he'd played for the Lakers without Stockton who'd retired instead.  If Utah was incapable of being a contender that season, then I don't know what to tell him.  To each their own.  He made a decision and unlikely regrets it because the Lakers did reach the NBA Finals.

I don't think any less of Barkley, nor Horry for what each has been able to accomplish.  For me, I see winning multiple championships as important too.  But then, I never said that those championships can compete with somebody being inducted into the Hall Of Fame.  I mean that's a way for every generation of basketball fans to learn about you for as long as the Hall Of Fame exist.

In my opinion, I don't think former star players that never won a championship are jealous or resentful of good role players such as Horry.  I think they just think that they were more fortunate than themselves.  I think Horry is satisfied with his career when he looks back on it.  And probably wouldn't trade all of those experiences with any other player.  Likewise, Barkley might concur to an extent.  I mean he's still relevant and works on television.  What would he have to complain about.  He did something right.