OT: NBA Offseason

[uconnbaseball]

Bold Nelson...one strong disagreement is Minnesota. They were competitive when Covington was healthy last year - I feel they will compete for the 8 seed.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

The more I think about it, the more I think Detroit has to make a move for Westbrook. Detroit is not a free agent destination, so cleaning house and hitting the free agent market is not going to work. They need to make a trade to get better. They have two immovable contracts already, so they don't have a lot of moves to make on the trade market. They basically need a team that is doing a salary dump to get into rebuilding mode. Meet the Thunder.

Westbrook has issues as a player, but he did make it to an NBA Finals and he is still averaging a triple double. He is still one of the top 10-20 players in the league, and unguardable 1-on-1. Put him on a team with 3 other scoring options like Griffin, Drummond and Rose, and Detroit has a shot in the east. It also enables Detroit to load manage Griffin better because they won't need him on the court to score. Detroit would be in salary cap purgatory for a while, but Detroit is going to be there anyway with Griffin's contract so why not take a shot at a title?

By waiting they have lowered the price for Westbrook to the point that OKC may include a draft pick or two just to get someone to take that contract. If Detroit could hold back Kennard and do a salary dump to get Westbrook plus a draft pick or two, I think they should make the deal.

 

[Woodson]

Hold on Nelson you don’t think the Lakers are a playoff team??

 

[bazz&boujee]

1) LAC/MIL - doc & depth gives them best record. giannis builds on MVP year.
2) HOU/PHI - harden is harden, maybe some cohesion after a few years together gets them over the top. PHI massive/versatile front court will overpower teams.
3) LAL/BRK - LAL will have a season of streaks and “time to panic?” segments on sportscenter, but the talent and veterans will have this team in position to win a title come playoff time. Caris/Dimwiddie/Harris/Allen is a nucleus of young guys who are just getting better. Kyrie/jordan are just icing.
4) UTA/IND - Picking up bojan is most underrated move of offseason. Pacers won a lot of games WITHOUT olidipo last year.
5) GSW/BOS - We saw what curry did without KD, and without klay as well.. he might be on a MVP campaign this year. A healthy Klay come playoff time and they are a threat to beat anyone. WCS/Looney will be hold down the 5 and draymond isn’t going anywhere. Boston will need big improvements from tatum/hayward to compete with top of east.
6) DEN/DET - A loaded west and someone has to drop, but porter being an impact player could move them up a few spots. Blake/drummond is good enough to win games in top heavy east.
7) POR/MIA - Don’t think portland got better, another victim of elite conference. MIA almost snuck in last year, swapping wade for jimmy will get them a few more wins.
8) NO/ATL - Could be Dallas, but if zion is runaway rookie of year and ingram continues to improve.. they’ll sneak in. ATL is talented enough to sneak in as well.

 

[aceboon]

Ainge once again

 

[the Q]

Ainge once again

I loved Murray and Levert.

Can’t blame him for siakam. No one else mocked him in round 1, at all.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Hold on Nelson you don’t think the Lakers are a playoff team??

Correct.

 

[navery12]

And we're back to big news

 

[3rdbass]

And we're back to big news

Yeah wonder what the thunder will do with Chris Paul as I’m sure he doesn’t want to be on a rebuilding team at this stage of his career.

 

[navery12]

Yeah wonder what the thunder will do with Chris Paul as I’m sure he doesn’t want to be on a rebuilding team at this stage of his career.

There's really no option for a buyout with $120M left. Maybe they flip him to DET or MIA for all the same reasons we talked about them trading for Westbrook

 

[NJHusky]

Contracts are prob similar for avg value. Except Westbrook has an extra year at 47m. They save money in year 4 and get 2 pick andn2 swaps. I’m surprised they got that much for him

 

[Rocktheworld]

Yeah wonder what the thunder will do with Chris Paul as I’m sure he doesn’t want to be on a rebuilding team at this stage of his career.

I mean he and Adams in the pick and roll could be something; Adams is obviously tailing off but he’s never had a PG like Paul. You have picks you can trade for some pieces right now, a la the Celtics. It doesn’t have to be a rebuild; frankly it shouldn’t, given Paul’s and Adams’s contracts

 

[superjohn]

Feel badly for the fans in OKC. To have that many of the games best players and to now have nothing. What a mess.

 

[Walker11]

I mean he and Adams in the pick and roll could be something; Adams is obviously tailing off but he’s never had a PG like Paul. You have picks you can trade for some pieces right now, a la the Celtics. It doesn’t have to be a rebuild; frankly it shouldn’t, given Paul’s and Adams’s contracts

They won't suck if CP remains healthy but their options are basically to tear it down or to compete for the 8 seed. Considering they have just traded for 8 first round picks plus their own I think the choice is obvious.

Per Ramona it sounds like they may try do CP a solid and get him somewhere good.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

There's really no option for a buyout with $120M left. Maybe they flip him to DET or MIA for all the same reasons we talked about them trading for Westbrook

I thought this too. Paul would be a really good fit for Detroit stylistically. Paul's contract matches up with Griffin's, but if memory serves, Paul and Griffin were not best buds by the time their days on the Clippers ended. I suspect both are desperate enough by this point in their careers that even a longshot chance on Detroit is better than finishing their careers on the playoff bubble or rebuilding.

 

[navery12]

I mean he and Adams in the pick and roll could be something; Adams is obviously tailing off but he’s never had a PG like Paul. You have picks you can trade for some pieces right now, a la the Celtics. It doesn’t have to be a rebuild; frankly it shouldn’t, given Paul’s and Adams’s contracts

They can compete for the 8 seed if Adams stays, though I think I'd take others ahead of them. But I suspect he's gone before the year starts

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Correct.

You’re insane

 

[navery12]

I thought this too. Paul would be a really good fit for Detroit stylistically. Paul's contract matches up with Griffin's, but if memory serves, Paul and Griffin were not best buds by the time their days on the Clippers ended. I suspect both are desperate enough by this point in their careers that even a longshot chance on Detroit is better than finishing their careers on the playoff bubble or rebuilding.

Yeah that's pretty much where I'm at, DET seems like the only good fit. We pretty much know how that team will do with CP3 and Blake and Drummond basically being Deandre Jordan. But what other choice does DET have at this point? Can't dump contracts and Blake/Drummond will never be bad enough to bottom out the next few years

 

[Walker11]

I thought this too. Paul would be a really good fit for Detroit stylistically. Paul's contract matches up with Griffin's, but if memory serves, Paul and Griffin were not best buds by the time their days on the Clippers ended. I suspect both are desperate enough by this point in their careers that even a longshot chance on Detroit is better than finishing their careers on the playoff bubble or rebuilding.

Yeah I think the Heat and Pistons are the best bet. Both have big expirings to use in trades and both teams would be psyched to land CP and challenge for home court advantage, even with no real path to a title.

 

[superjohn]

Haven't looked at any #'s but my first thought is Paul ends up on the Lakers. Don't know how they could swing it but could also see Beal in the mix for them.

 

[Rocktheworld]

I just have to say the best thing about my sports entertainment day today was skip and uncle Shay coming up with the name “Kawhi-ser Soze”

 

[gtcam]

Somehow I cant see Westbrook and Hardin playing together. There just isn't enough basketball to go around and the two are perhaps in the top 10 biggest egos in professional sports. But in the outside chance that it does work - watch out

 

[navery12]

Haven't looked at any #'s but my first thought is Paul ends up on the Lakers. Don't know how they could swing it but could also see Beal in the mix for them.

It's really really tough, borderline impossible. Outside of the newly signed guys who can't be traded until January 15th they have LeBron/AD who aren't moving and then Mo Wagner at $2M as their next highest salary

 

[Walker11]

Haven't looked at any #'s but my first thought is Paul ends up on the Lakers. Don't know how they could swing it but could also see Beal in the mix for them.

Same thought here. I just don't know how it's possible. Lakers can't trade any new players until mid season and he costs too much to buy out

 

[superjohn]

Same thought here. I just don't know how it's possible. Lakers can't trade any new players until mid season and he costs too much to buy out

I hear you guys but historically they always seem to make it happen.