NBA Off-Season Thread

[the Q]

Exactly. 3 years into their career the 3 best players in the 2015 draft still have significant issues, and it is still possible that one of the other players drafted that year will ultimately be the top player in that class.

Of the 3 classes I listed, only Antetokoumnpo would have justified a full blown tanking even if every GM had a crystal ball into the future prior to the draft. He was picked #15 in 2013, the Bucks had never seen him play, and he grew 3 inches after he was drafted. In other words, the Bucks got lucky.

I’m just happy there’s fb evidence that I ripped Danny for taking a grown man named Kelly over Greek freak or stifle tower (best nickname not in pro sports).

 

[Walker11]

Yeah to some weirdos it’s somehow the NBA’s fault that curry’s Balky knees meant his first extension wasn’t for the max, that the twolves took 2 pgs ahead of curry in one freaking draft, that klay Thompson was picked in the late lottery, draymond green picked in round 2, green took less money to stay in gs, and that the Cap spiked because revenue spiked. And curry had to get injured for the 2016 playoffs, bogut out for like half the finals and green got suspended. Costing them the 3-1 lead.

That’s basically the list of events that required Durant to get to gs. Maybe add in Dwight not taking the max from them and signing iggy instead to a sub max deal.

How much of that is the nbas fault or should have been prevented by the NBA? Mayne do a hatchet job like game 7 in 2010? That’s basiclsly the one way that would’ve stopped Durant from coming.

No honest person would blame the NBA. Wasn it the PA who disputed cap smoothing? It doesn't mean there isn't a competitive balance issue. Whether or not you think this is a problem doesn't really matter because according to Zach Lowe, the NBA is not happy at all about the situation. I only brought this up because I think the hopeless situation for 95 percent of the league has led to increased tanking.

 

[the Q]

No honest person would blame the NBA. Wasn it the PA who disputed cap smoothing? It doesn't mean there isn't a competitive balance issue. Whether or not you think this is a problem doesn't really matter because according to Zach Lowe, the NBA is not happy at all about the situation. I only brought this up because I think the hopeless situation for 95 percent of the league has led to increased tanking.

You're seeing that in more sports than just the NBA.

In baseball at least half the league isn't even trying to win. Sometimes you get some teams that surprise when not trying like the Braves or Phillies this year, but Atlanta made no serious moves to try and get better.

It's just how things are when you have something like the draft. Especially when you artificially limit the amounts of money teams can spend on amateur players.

In baseball it's funny how everyone said the old draft format was totally unfair to big market teams, yet the teams who spend the most in the draft and international amateur free agents were teams like KC, Toronto, and Pittsburgh.

Abolishing the draft would help more than most.

The challenge with the draft is balancing out the need to stop tanking while also helping the actual bad teams. I really don't know what the perfect answer is. But I also know that there's no way a team like the Bulls who got rose, or the Cavs who got Bennett, or to go really old school, the Magic who got Webber/Penny (trade) should NEVER be happening. That benefits no one.

 

[Purple Stein]

That’s why we need a lottery tournament!

 

[the Q]

That’s why we need a lottery tournament!

I'm open to a lot of things that don't like give a team a franchise changing talent.

At least make them work for it.

The Colts just getting lucky that they sucked one year that a franchise changing talent is there, or the spurs etc is just wrong. There should be some actual work done, not just handing a card in.

 

[Husky25]

That’s why we need a lottery tournament!

I might be more interested in this than the Championship tournament.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I'm open to a lot of things that don't like give a team a franchise changing talent.

At least make them work for it.

The Colts just getting lucky that they sucked one year that a franchise changing talent is there, or the spurs etc is just wrong. There should be some actual work done, not just handing a card in.

Those franchise changing talents come along a lot less often than would need to for tanking to be a viable strategy. The last first pick of the draft that I consider a high likelihood of being a first ballot hall of famer is Anthony Davis in 2012. Tanking has been a failing strategy every season since.

 

[the Q]

Those franchise changing talents come along a lot less often than would need to for tanking to be a viable strategy. The last first pick of the draft that I consider a high likelihood of being a first ballot hall of famer is Anthony Davis in 2012. Tanking has been a failing strategy every season since.

Still doesn’t mean just cause you are bad one right year that you should be gifted that talent.

I’d rather a 2 or 3 year average to prevent that stuff. At least not a colts/luck or spurs Duncan scenario

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Brooke Lopez to Bucks for $3.3 million. What are the Lakers' doing? He was a 20 ppg scorer 2 seasons ago, and they let him walk because they didn't want to write a $3 million check.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Brooke Lopez to Bucks for $3.3 million. What are the Lakers' doing? He was a 20 ppg scorer 2 seasons ago, and they let him walk because they didn't want to write a $3 million check.

And he can stand in the corner for Lebron.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Still doesn’t mean just cause you are bad one right year that you should be gifted that talent.

I’d rather a 2 or 3 year average to prevent that stuff. At least not a colts/luck or spurs Duncan scenario

My argument is that the bad teams aren't "gifted" anything. They still have to make good draft picks and develop players. I would argue that there is one transcendent talent from the 2013 through 2015 drafts, Antetokuomnpo. Here is SI's take right after the 2013 draft:

https://www.foxsports.com/nba/story...ysis-cleveland-cavaliers-orlando-magic-062713

15. Milwaukee: Giannis Adetokoubo, 6-9, SF/PF, Greece

He’s been rising up draft boards despite being one of the hardest players to gauge. While highlight reels make the 18-year-old look the part, he’s only played against extremely weak talent. He’s got an intriguing body (Kevin Durant comps have been wildly thrown about) and handle for his size. The Bucks should probably stash him in the D-League for a year or two, but it’s unclear if they’ll be patient enough to do so.

They didn't spell his name remotely correctly, which is a sign of how much respect the "experts" had of that pick. It is possible that Giannis would have dropped to the second round if the Bucks didn't pick him at #15. I have heard two different stories from interviews of Bucks front office personnel about the drafting of Giannis, and it is possible that neither the Bucks GM or the Director of Scouting had actually seen him play live prior to drafting him. They may have been drafting him off of a few watched practices and videos, plus a few conversations with a European scout.

He probably wasn't 6'9 when they drafted him, and he is 6'11 now.

The Bucks also probably wouldn't have taken Giannis if they had the first pick in the draft. How would that have worked out?

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Nuggets do a salary dump to the Nets, then sign Isaiah Thomas for a coupon book to Applebees. Both are good moves. 15 months ago IT was on the cusp of signing a 9 digit contract. Now he has a 1 year deal for $2 million. Ouch.

Butler won't sign an extension with the Timberwolves. Not exactly an endorsement of Minnesota's two young stars.

Jabari Parker about to sign with Bulls, no match expected from Bucks. This is a situation that works out for everyone. Parker will make some money and get to start, Bulls get a scorer and hometown kid to sell some tickets, and the Bucks avoid a tough decision on a player that is not a fit for their team.

Edit: Parker signs 2 year, $40 million contract with Bulls. I figured 2 years, $15 million would have been reasonable. Were there any other bidders for Parker?

 

[the Q]

Nuggets do a salary dump to the Nets, then sign Isaiah Thomas for a coupon book to Applebees. Both are good moves. 15 months ago IT was on the cusp of signing a 9 digit contract. Now he has a 1 year deal for $2 million. Ouch.

Butler won't sign an extension with the Timberwolves. Not exactly an endorsement of Minnesota's two young stars.

Jabari Parker about to sign with Bulls, no match expected from Bucks. This is a situation that works out for everyone. Parker will make some money and get to start, Bulls get a scorer and hometown kid to sell some tickets, and the Bucks avoid a tough decision on a player that is not a fit for their team.

Edit: Parker signs 2 year, $40 million contract with Bulls. I figured 2 years, $15 million would have been reasonable. Were there any other bidders for Parker?

The kings because the bulls stupidly matched the lavine offer.

 

[nomar]

Nuggets do a salary dump to the Nets, then sign Isaiah Thomas for a coupon book to Applebees. Both are good moves. 15 months ago IT was on the cusp of signing a 9 digit contract. Now he has a 1 year deal for $2 million. Ouch.

Butler won't sign an extension with the Timberwolves. Not exactly an endorsement of Minnesota's two young stars.

Jabari Parker about to sign with Bulls, no match expected from Bucks. This is a situation that works out for everyone. Parker will make some money and get to start, Bulls get a scorer and hometown kid to sell some tickets, and the Bucks avoid a tough decision on a player that is not a fit for their team.

Edit: Parker signs 2 year, $40 million contract with Bulls. I figured 2 years, $15 million would have been reasonable. Were there any other bidders for Parker?

For Jabari, the Bulls have a team option for Year 2. Good signing. No downside.

 

[the Q]

For Jabari, the Bulls have a team option for Year 2. Good signing. No downside.

And to think 5 months ago the bucks were very hesitant to trade Parker.

Now they chose Ilya over him.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

For Jabari, the Bulls have a team option for Year 2. Good signing. No downside.

Bulls are paying $20 million next season for a player that started 3 games last season for a team that was barely above .500. Then, if he does manage to make it through the season and puts up big numbers, they only have him for one more year. I bet they could have signed a reasonably priced, multi year deal with Embiid-style injury outs.

And to think 5 months ago the bucks were very hesitant to trade Parker.

Now they chose Ilya over him.

I don't remember a single clean trade offer for Parker that the Bucks walked away from. There were rumors the Bucks were not going to re-sign Parker in March.

I agree on the Bucks choosing Ilyasova over Parker. The Bucks risk looking pretty stupid.

 

[nomar]

Bulls are paying $20 million next season for a player that started 3 games last season for a team that was barely above .500. Then, if he does manage to make it through the season and puts up big numbers, they only have him for one more year. I bet they could have signed a reasonably priced, multi year deal with Embiid-style injury outs.



I don't remember a single clean trade offer for Parker that the Bucks walked away from. There were rumors the Bucks were not going to re-sign Parker in March.

I agree on the Bucks choosing Ilyasova over Parker. The Bucks risk looking pretty stupid.

I bet not. He was an RFA, remember.

The amount is basically irrelevant. They had the money to spend, and there was nobody else to spend it on. It's for one year. If they like him and he wants to stay in his hometown, they can renegotiate a year from now.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I bet not. He was an RFA, remember.

The amount is basically irrelevant. They had the money to spend, and there was nobody else to spend it on. It's for one year. If they like him and he wants to stay in his hometown, they can renegotiate a year from now.

The Bulls blew a lot of cap space on Jabari Parker and Zach Levine that could have been used to get draft picks by taking bad contracts Blowing it on Parker and Levine seems a little misspent, especially since the Parker contract is one of those "heads I win, tails you lose" situations. If the Bulls are right about Parker and he can still pay, they only get him for one year. If the Bulls are wrong about Parker and he is a backup at best, then they blew $20 million in cap space that could have been used to acquire draft picks.

 

[the Q]

The Bulls blew a lot of cap space on Jabari Parker and Zach Levine that could have been used to get draft picks by taking bad contracts Blowing it on Parker and Levine seems a little misspent, especially since the Parker contract is one of those "heads I win, tails you lose" situations. If the Bulls are right about Parker and he can still pay, they only get him for one year. If the Bulls are wrong about Parker and he is a backup at best, then they blew $20 million in cap space that could have been used to acquire draft picks.

Exactly.

The kings tried ot do the bulls a favor, and they still screwed it up.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Bjelica heads to Europe. 76ers' offseason not looking great.

 

[the Q]

Bjelica heads to Europe. 76ers' offseason not looking great.

They’re saving their cap space. But it does put a ton of pressure on next summer.

They were after a max player. They had a chance to talk to bron and George.

Now they have next summer before all their cap space starts disappearing.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

If all the contracts for every team are expiring at once, how will any team improve next season?

 

[champs99and04]

That’s reportedly one of the reasons they think Kawhi’s brand hasn’t taken off.

Apparently they’re the last ones to realize their client has the personality of drying paint.

You're wrong.

Kawhi's brand is just fine. Let's start with his name. You look at the players who have been marketable in the NBA and they have great names. LeBron. Kobe. Kyrie. Shaq. Klay. Draymond. Carmelo. Kemba. If you have a name like Chris, you better be able to come up with a cute nickname like CP3. Otherwise you're Chris Bosh. And if you have a name like Dwayne, you should misspell it to get people talking.

It also doesn't hurt that he has enormous hands and vintage hair. Best perimeter defender since Scottie Pippen? San Diego State? Perhaps recruited by the ghost of Ed Martin? I would have a field day marketing him.

His personality works in his favor. You don't seem to appreciate the difference between a boring and mystical. There is an aura about Kawhi that you can't simulate. You've never seen him talk. You don't know if he's ever talked. You aren't sure he knows how to talk. And if he did talk, you sure as hell would listen. Just because he doesn't yell hysterically into the camera and recycle cliches doesn't mean he lacks personality. He has the greatest personality in the NBA besides for Joel Embiid and Kyrie if he's theorizing about the earth's geometry.

I could continue, but next time try to keep your insulting, degrading, and reprehensible remarks to yourself unless they have some basis in truth. This board is a better place when we think before we post and clearly you have not demonstrated a sensitivity to the power your words have on impressionable minds. You're better than this and I want to be the first to extend my heartfelt support as you attempt to repair your image.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Sources: Raptors, Spurs finalizing Kawhi trade

If you are the Raptors, and have one of the Top 30 players in the NBA that is happy in Toronto, why would you mess with that?

 

[the Q]

Sources: Raptors, Spurs finalizing Kawhi trade

If you are the Raptors, and have one of the Top 30 players in the NBA that is happy in Toronto, why would you mess with that?

1) their window with that core is closed.

2) 2 years of DD are less than 1 year of Kawhi in pure value.

3) Kawhi and Lowry is a really good 1-2. And with the youth and potential of Poetl, Siakam and OG and even Van Vleet, you have some a really interesting group of guys (rumors i saw had JV also going in the deal to SA).