OT: NBA Offseason

[ClifSpliffy]

starting to think folks might be snoozing on the drose to pistons move. former mvp who just might be past the constant injury phase of his career. many times, as ballers exit their 20s, injuries either accelerate (common), or decelerate (not so uncommon) into their 30s. drummond, griffin, and rose firing on all cylinders could be a 'big three.' andre rules-#1 offensive rebounder every year since 2013, and he is only 26. steadily tearing up some record books. dang

 

[superjohn]

He always nails it...

 

[bazz&boujee]

The Lakers ended the 2018 with a good young team that had won 35 games in a tough West despite Lonzo Ball and Ingram missing over a quarter of the season each, and they barely played Brook Lopez. Then they add LeBron. If they had stopped right there, they would have won 55+ games this past season and challenged the Warriors in the West.

Instead they made stupid move after stupid move, until now they have gutted their roster and their future for what is effectively one year of Anthony Davis. Ball, Ingram, Hart, Randle, and Lopez are gone, in addition to 3 first round draft picks.

challenge the warriors in the west?? did you watch that lakers at all during the stretch last year?? they lost to the suns and knicks in the same week i believe. i’m baffled people think lakers are worse off after AD trade. you have lebron for four years, you do everything to win now in that window. and it ain’t getting done with brandon ingram taking 18 shots a game.

 

[eebmg]

He always nails it...
View attachment 44572

I think Kawhi's camp surreptitiously put out a lot of misinformation. They needed to convince the clippers that the other teams were real threats so that they would be highly motivated to deal with OKC and quickly. The same with Jalen Rose swearing at 99% confidence that he is taking a 2 year deal with Toronto.

The brillance of Kawhi really is breathtaking. I think he realized how
difficult it is to keep a super team of 3 top 10 players happy so the Lakers were off the table. And the Clippers needed another star (but no more than 2).

King of the North -> King of the NBA

 

[Walker11]

I think Kawhi's camp surreptitiously put out a lot of misinformation. They needed to convince the clippers that the other teams were real threats so that they would be highly motivated to deal with OKC and quickly. The same with Jalen Rose swearing at 99% confidence that he is taking a 2 year deal with Toronto.

The brillance of Kawhi really is breathtaking. I think he realized how
difficult it is to keep a super team of 3 top 10 players happy so the Lakers were off the table. And the Clippers needed another star (but no more than 2).

King of the North -> King of the NBA

I think it's more likely that Kawhi and his camp were just quiet. It looks more and more like Magic was behind the initial whirlwind of Laker rumours. I'd bet people who thought they were close to the situation projected what they wanted to happen onto the situation.

It seems clear that his first choice was always finding another star to join him with the Clippers. His first call was to KD but that partnership obviously fell through.

 

[Walker11]

He always nails it...
View attachment 44572

 

[superjohn]

I think Kawhi's camp surreptitiously put out a lot of misinformation. They needed to convince the clippers that the other teams were real threats so that they would be highly motivated to deal with OKC and quickly. The same with Jalen Rose swearing at 99% confidence that he is taking a 2 year deal with Toronto.

The brillance of Kawhi really is breathtaking. I think he realized how
difficult it is to keep a super team of 3 top 10 players happy so the Lakers were off the table. And the Clippers needed another star (but no more than 2).

King of the North -> King of the NBA

Seems like Kawhi wanted the Clippers the whole time, wanted another star and to screw over the Lakers. That's pretty great in my book.

 

[djct1999]

But Broussard has sources. Honestly, he just says what fox producers feed him just to appease their la demographic. He has no credibility.

 

[Adios]

Now Westbrook wants a trade. Yup, excellent front office. Let us commend them. Lose all of their future Hall of Famers via free agency or forced trades.

Oh yeah, hard to see a Riley-run Heat organization getting high end lottery picks, too. Sheesh. Fans of the Thunder and Sonics have been robbed by Clay Bennett.

 

[Walker11]

Now Westbrook wants a trade. Yup, excellent front office. Let us commend them. Lose all of their future Hall of Famers via free agency or forced trades.

Oh yeah, hard to see a Riley-run Heat organization getting high end lottery picks, too. Sheesh. Fans of the Thunder and Sonics have been robbed by Clay Bennett.

The story will make a good 30 for 30 one day. Presti has made some good individual moves but just an utter failure overall. I have always been baffled that he is held in such high regard, even though I think this was a good return.

Btw I think Riley has lost it. Look at the contracts they have given to Waiters, Whiteside, Tyler Johnson, Kelly Olynyck and James Johnson. I don't get the Butler deal. It's a capped out team with 6 seed upside led by a player who got years of the Thibs treatment.

 

[3rdbass]

Cousins to the lakers so reuniting with and Davis from NO. Another injury prone player to the lineup. Also, they bring back rondo which is a smart move.

 

[tzznandrew]

Boogie to LAL.

 

[Walker11]

It seems weird that I even need to say this but the Lakers are going to be very good.

 

[Walker11]

Zach Lowe : All year the Clippers have been stalking Kawhi Leonard more than I stalked ex-girlfriends. Talk about telling on yourself.

 

[bazz&boujee]

lakers clipper warriors rockets bucks sixers ~utah. so great having so many legitimate title contenders next year. throw in nets, boston, portland, denver as teams a move/breakout player away (the nets are a kd recovery away)

 

[superjohn]

It seems weird that I even need to say this but the Lakers are going to be very good.

I think it's really only Nelson who thinks they're going to suck. He also thinks Westbrook and Paul George are better than Lebron and AD, superstars are overrated, and a bunch of other crazy s***.

 

[tzznandrew]

Boogie and Rondo on the same team strikes me as something the Lakers may come to regret.

The Lakers' roster right now:

PG: Rondo, Quinn Cook
SG: Danny Green, KCP, Troy Daniels
SF: LeBron, Jared Dudley
PF: Kuzma, Jonathan Williams
PF/C: Davis, Cousins, McGee

 

[Dean Wormer]

Boogie and Rondo on the same team strikes me as something the Lakers may come to regret.

The Lakers' roster right now:

PG: Rondo, Quinn Cook
SG: Danny Green, KCP, Troy Daniels
SF: LeBron, Jared Dudley
PF: Kuzma, Jonathan Williams
PF/C: Davis, Cousins, McGee

This is a VERY good team.

 

[Walker11]

Boogie and Rondo on the same team strikes me as something the Lakers may come to regret.

The Lakers' roster right now:

PG: Rondo, Quinn Cook
SG: Danny Green, KCP, Troy Daniels
SF: LeBron, Jared Dudley
PF: Kuzma, Jonathan Williams
PF/C: Davis, Cousins, McGee

I don't disagree but that played well together and got along great with the Pelicans (with AD obviously).

 

[traitor71]

The story will make a good 30 for 30 one day. Presti has made some good individual moves but just an utter failure overall. I have always been baffled that he is held in such high regard, even though I think this was a good return.

Btw I think Riley has lost it. Look at the contracts they have given to Waiters, Whiteside, Tyler Johnson, Kelly Olynyck and James Johnson. I don't get the Butler deal. It's a capped out team with 6 seed upside led by a player who got years of the Thibs treatment.

They are going to be free of a lot of that money in another season. You've got to have a star or two on your team in this league, and now they have one. I wouldn't doubt his ability to build that team up one more time.

 

[uconnbaseball]

Who wants to trade for Blake Griffin when Detroit inevitably collapses? Portland? Denver? Maybe Boston?

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I think it's really only Nelson who thinks they're going to suck. He also thinks Westbrook and Paul George are better than Lebron and AD, superstars are overrated, and a bunch of other crazy s***.

Do I need to relink last Summer's off-season thread? How did I do in that thread? How did you do?

 

[djct1999]

It seems weird that I even need to say this but the Lakers are going to be very good.

Whats good? Better than last year, but probably a 5-8th seed in the West, assuming full health. This roster can fall apart at the seams very quickly. They have an aging Lebron, overpaid for AD, have limited depth, and are weak at PG. How is that very good? They put all their eggs in the Kawhi basket and missed a great opportunity to really improve this roster. Now its full of band aids with Frank Vogel, good luck with that. My guess is that the Lakers will be a circus all year and whimper out of the playoffs in the first or second round.

 

[Walker11]

Whats good? Better than last year, but probably a 5-8th seed in the West, assuming full health. This roster can fall apart at the seams very quickly. They have an aging Lebron, overpaid for AD, have limited depth, and are weak at PG. How is that very good? They put all their eggs in the Kawhi basket and missed a great opportunity to really improve this roster. Now its full of band aids with Frank Vogel, good luck with that. My guess is that the Lakers will be a circus all year and whimper out of the playoffs in the first or second round.

There are two of them!

 

[djct1999]

There are two of them!

There sure is. Last I checked, the NBA is not 2 on 2. I just don't see this roster having enough to make a deep run in the west. What if one of the two gets hurt? Damn, what if one or both get in foul trouble?