NBA Discussion 2016/2017

[BUConn10]

I'm starting to worry 'Dre has quit on SVG.

Yea I've been watching Detroit closely and Andre simply has been "off" this whole year. Wonder what is really going on in Motor City.

 

[champs99and04]

Kemba had another big night, unfortunately in another loss.

@UConn990411 I mostly agree with that, but at the same time Russillo made a good point earlier on twitter - if you're optimizing your moves based on beating Golden State, you're not trading for anybody not named LeBron or Durant. I thought the Celts were a piece away from potentially winning the East this year, and I'm kind of disappointed they didn't go for it. Long-term things still look great, though.

 

[Walker11]

Kemba had another big night, unfortunately in another loss.

Brutal loss. I believe they were up 16 or so at the half. And 4 or 5 with a minute or two.

Basketball is funny. I've been watching the Kings game out of bizarre curiosity and they are torching the Nuggets. I am sure they have a major chip on their shoulder and will revert to the mean but it will be hilarious if they end up making the playoffs and continue looking improved without Boogie. Hield looks good and Cauley Stein looks like an absolute monster with 19 in the first half. I always thought he would be a good NBA center with his incredible agility for a guy his size but he hadn't shown much promise up to this point. The guy is a rim protector who can pick up guards when he switches on pNr's. He also had the nicest crossover I have ever seen from a 7 footer tonight. Even Skal looks good. David Locke is a pretty good basketball mind and was the only guy I saw who called the Kings being improved without Boogie and while its far too early to make that claim, kudos to him if that occurs.

 

[Walker11]

He also had the nicest crossover I have ever seen from a 7 footer tonight.

I am absolutely not making the comparison as offensive players. WCS has no back to the basket game. But that is the type of face up you would see from Hakeem back in the day. Quite nice handles for a 7 footer.

 

[Tuna]

Shabazz looking like an actual NBA player tonight with 10 7 and 6 in Turner's absence. I only caught the last 5 minute but he played crunch time minutes in a nice come from behind win.

Not just a decent stat line, also getting credit for turning the game around:

Shabazz Napier speaks up, shows out in Trail Blazers win over Magic

 

[James]

@JSM1970 thoughts?

 

[InKembaITrust]

Best case scenario in my opinion.....if Ainge can pull this off it would be incredible.

If during the off season we can sign Gordan Hayward, trade for Drummond, keep the 2017 Nets' pick and somehow land the #1 spot drafting Markelle Fultz, and to some extent keep the core of our current team intact with IT, Crowder, Bradley, Smart, and Jaylen.

This I feel would give the Celtics the most promise and potential to make it to the finals ASAP and be a legit contender for a very long time. High character guys, fill the rebounding void with Drummond, respark the Butler chemistry with Stevens and Hayward, and have an All-Star caliber PG to replace IT as he ages.

There's probably a less than 10% chance of all of this happening and falling into place, but a die hard Celtics fan can dream.....

 

[UConn990411]

Forget 10% - there's a 0% chance of that happening.

Getting the #1 pick is the most likely scenario (although I'm not holding my breath), but Hayward is most likely not leaving Utah. I don't really see Drummond as a target for the Celtics at this point in time.

 

[BUConn10]

NBA won't let the Celtics pick after the Lakers. #3 pick incoming, Book it.

 

[JSM1970]

I was just talking about this to someone. You know this is coming. Maybe C's get #2, Lakers #1 and Lakeshow takes Ball and leaves us Fultz.

They'd be crazy, but let's hope.

NBA won't let the Celtics pick after the Lakers. #3 pick incoming, Book it.

 

[JSM1970]

IT is gone after next year or earlier. No way you pay him max $$.

They also have Zizic and French Draymond Green coming in.

Johnson, Green will be gone. Not sure on Jerebko. I think they'd like to sign him but unclear on market.

I think the only untouchables are the Nets 2017 #1 and Bradley.

Best case scenario in my opinion.....if Ainge can pull this off it would be incredible.

If during the off season we can sign Gordan Hayward, trade for Drummond, keep the 2017 Nets' pick and somehow land the #1 spot drafting Markelle Fultz, and to some extent keep the core of our current team intact with IT, Crowder, Bradley, Smart, and Jaylen.

This I feel would give the Celtics the most promise and potential to make it to the finals ASAP and be a legit contender for a very long time. High character guys, fill the rebounding void with Drummond, respark the Butler chemistry with Stevens and Hayward, and have an All-Star caliber PG to replace IT as he ages.

There's probably a less than 10% chance of all of this happening and falling into place, but a die hard Celtics fan can dream.....

 

[InKembaITrust]

IT is gone after next year or earlier. No way you pay him max $$.

They also have Zizic and French Draymond Green coming in.

Johnson, Green will be gone. Not sure on Jerebko. I think they'd like to sign him but unclear on market.

I think the only untouchables are the Nets 2017 #1 and Bradley.

IT is definitely not gone in the next year or two...

 

[CardiacAndre7]

IT is gone after next year or earlier. No way you pay him max $$.

They also have Zizic and French Draymond Green coming in.

Johnson, Green will be gone. Not sure on Jerebko. I think they'd like to sign him but unclear on market.

I think the only untouchables are the Nets 2017 #1 and Bradley.

Yeah and Bradley is totally not untouchable...

 

[JSM1970]

Yes, easily. They could have Fultz, Smart, Rozier, Bradley and even Brown in backcourt.

IT is definitely not gone in the next year or two...

P

 

[JSM1970]

I like this. I know I am jinxing them.

 

[JSM1970]

I love the whole if you could draft the league right now.....

My top 10:

1) Freak
2) AD
3) KAT
4) Kawhai
5) Klay
6) Russ
7) KD
8) Jokic
9) Butler
10) Lillard

No 'Bron, getting older

Others close: Kyrie, Harden, Demar, KP, Aldridge, Beal, Wall, Steph, Hayward, Joel

 

[CardiacAndre7]

I love the whole if you could draft the league right now.....

My top 10:

1) Freak
2) AD
3) KAT
4) Kawhai
5) Klay
6) Russ
7) KD
8) Jokic
9) Butler
10) Lillard

No 'Bron, getting older

Others close: Kyrie, Harden, Demar, KP, Aldridge, Beal, Wall, Steph, Hayward, Joel

Lol wow I guess LeBron hooked up with your sister or something...

 

[Walker11]

I love the whole if you could draft the league right now.....

My top 10:

1) Freak
2) AD
3) KAT
4) Kawhai
5) Klay
6) Russ
7) KD
8) Jokic
9) Butler
10) Lillard

No 'Bron, getting older

Others close: Kyrie, Harden, Demar, KP, Aldridge, Beal, Wall, Steph, Hayward, Joel

Interesting discussion. This is really hard. The rankings depend on what you believe the goals should be for each team. Do you value longevity and consistency over immediate impact and likelihood of a championship?

Would you rather pick a guy who will keep you at the top of the league for the next 10 years with a decent to good shot at winning a title? Or a guy who will 100% lead you to a title, but may retire in 5 years? You can probably see where I am going.

My list:
Lebron
Kawhi
KD
Giannis
AD
KT
Steph
Harden
Russ
Jokic

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Let's give it up for Dirk, huh? 30k and 6th in all time scoring.

 

[UConn990411]

 

[nomar]

IT is gone after next year or earlier. No way you pay him max $$.

They also have Zizic and French Draymond Green coming in.

Johnson, Green will be gone. Not sure on Jerebko. I think they'd like to sign him but unclear on market.

I think the only untouchables are the Nets 2017 #1 and Bradley.

Bradley's not untouchable at all. He's great but somebody's gonna pay him and the Celtics can't give him what he's worth if they want to make a run at a top-10 player.

 

[Walker11]

A nice recent stretch for our Huskies. Kemba and Jeremy are in OT right now. Kemba been absolutely killing it recently, averaging 28 or so in his last 5 or 6 games on very good percentages. Jeremy has 14 tonight and is quietly putting up 18 and 8 per 36. Shabazz is actually getting rotation minutes (not saying much but he is passing the eye test) and Andre and the Pistons are finally gelling and just cracked 500 again.

 

[JSM1970]

Just looking at 2014 draft again. I remeber wanting Saric with C's 2nd pick, hoping he'd fall.

C's got Smart @ 6 and James Young @ 17. Should have taken Saric #1 knowing he was 2 years away. He's a freakin' stud.

Geez, Saric went 12. Jokic went 41 that's kind of a good pick.

 

[BUConn10]

Drummond playing like an enigma out there all year long. This year's play he has shown me the "lack of motor, disinterested" pre-draft scouting reports he was getting that many, myself included, scoffed at. I hope he gets his act together because early last season he was primed to be the next best center in the NBA, top 3-5 in most people's lists at that position. A year later, guys like Jokic, Whiteside, Embiid enter the picture, improve meanwhile Drummond is just coasting.

 

[Kemba'sYogurt]