OT: NBA Offseason

[bazz&boujee]

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.

i just don’t see the lakers having the assets to make a trade like that

 

[nelsonmuntz]

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.

If you ignore the fact CP III and Griffin hate each other and tried to have a fight in halls of the Staples Center, you have a point.

Thanks for the bulletin.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Russell Westbrook-Chris Paul trade: Unpacking all angles from a stunning Rockets-Thunder blockbuster

Did the Rockets just mortgage the future to get worse?

www.cbssports.com

I agree with this writer, to a point. All things being equal, it looks like the Thunder out-traded the Rockets. That Westbrook contract is ugly enough that I thought the Thunder would have to throw in picks to move it, not get picks back. But Chris Paul is a 34 year old guard, and the extra 3.5 years he is older than Westbrook are big at his point in a player's career.

 

[traitor71]

Houston just got better. They went from two guys who didn't get along to two guys that do. They didn't have to give up any players, and Westbrook's contract doesn't matter because they were stuck with Paul's deal. This is a win now league and they continue to try do that. I'm not saying they will win a title, but they are in the upper tier of teams that have a shot this year.

 

[djct1999]

Like I said, I don't know how they can swing it and like you just said anything can happen.

Beal would be a great fit but it just goes to show you how the Pelicans absolutely fleeced the Lakers and their future.

 

[tzznandrew]

i just don’t see the lakers having the assets to make a trade like that

They can't trade anyone on their roster for a while except Kuzma/LeBron/AD

They aren't trading LeBron or Davis.

Only Kuzma is someone anyone else would want, and he's making less than $2M. No way they get to mid-$30M to match. It would have to be:

- Kuzma
- KPC
- Green
- Bradley
- McGee

That's a 5 for 1 trade that the Thunder/Wizards would only potentially want Kuzma from. What would the Lakers do to incentivize it? They don't have any picks to trade by rule: the Pelicans have them all.

They would need Paul/Beal to be bought out, and that seems incredibly unlikely.

 

[djct1999]

They can't trade anyone on their roster for a while except Kuzma/LeBron/AD

They aren't trading LeBron or Davis.

Only Kuzma is someone anyone else would want, and he's making less than $2M. No way they get to mid-$30M to match. It would have to be:

- Kuzma
- KPC
- Green
- Bradley
- McGee

That's a 5 for 1 trade that the Thunder/Wizards would only potentially want Kuzma from. What would the Lakers do to incentivize it? They don't have any picks to trade by rule: the Pelicans have them all.

They would need Paul/Beal to be bought out, and that seems incredibly unlikely.

Most people would argue that the John Wall contract is the worst in the league, but Chris Paul's is right up there. He is 34(an old 34 at that) and still has 3 years and over 120 million left.

 

[djct1999]

You tell me. I certainly didn't suggest they should.

The only way it happens is if Paul accepts significantly less than the 123 million he is owed in a buyout. As President of the players association, its unlikely he does that.

 

[Walker11]

The only way it happens is if Paul accepts significantly less than the 123 million he is owed in a buyout. As President of the players association, its unlikely he does that.

It's a pointless hypothetical. No chance

 

[HuskyHawk]

This is such a strange league. I am waiting for the NBA to go through a phase where somebody tries something different, like Billy Beane did in baseball. The value attached to names over performance is incredibly high, leading to some awful contracts. The league also drafts kids who mostly aren't ready to contribute. That's true of Hockey and Baseball, but almost none of those drafted players are in the big leagues or paid huge salaries until they are ready. NFL players come in ready. The NBA is the only league where you pay big money and put 19 year olds on your roster and hope that they pan out.

Unfortunately, the fix is bad for college basketball. They will end the college/age requirement next year I think, but they could beef up the G League and expand the draft to 4 rounds.

As an example, I think many of us looked at the Grant Williams pick by Boston and thought it was a bad move. Why? He has no star potential. Yet he's playing great in the Summer League like a man against boys. And he absolutely can contribute to an NBA team right now, unlike most of these kids.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I don't know where these Lakers trade rumors are coming from, but if the team is the one leaking this, they are idiots.

 

[djct1999]

Houston just got better. They went from two guys who didn't get along to two guys that do. They didn't have to give up any players, and Westbrook's contract doesn't matter because they were stuck with Paul's deal. This is a win now league and they continue to try do that. I'm not saying they will win a title, but they are in the upper tier of teams that have a shot this year.

And they have the coach and system in place that may actually be able to accommodate two ball dominant players. Both guys can still be fed! With a strong supporting cast, Houston is a team that can definitely win it all. They also can implode. Next year is going to be fun.

 

[djct1999]

I don't know where these Lakers trade rumors are coming from, but if the team is the one leaking this, they are idiots.

Magic.

 

[Rocktheworld]

This is such a strange league. I am waiting for the NBA to go through a phase where somebody tries something different, like Billy Beane did in baseball. The value attached to names over performance is incredibly high, leading to some awful contracts. The league also drafts kids who mostly aren't ready to contribute. That's true of Hockey and Baseball, but almost none of those drafted players are in the big leagues or paid huge salaries until they are ready. NFL players come in ready. The NBA is the only league where you pay big money and put 19 year olds on your roster and hope that they pan out.

Unfortunately, the fix is bad for college basketball. They will end the college/age requirement next year I think, but they could beef up the G League and expand the draft to 4 rounds.

As an example, I think many of us looked at the Grant Williams pick by Boston and thought it was a bad move. Why? He has no star potential. Yet he's playing great in the Summer League like a man against boys. And he absolutely can contribute to an NBA team right now, unlike most of these kids.

I think the crazy amounts of guaranteed money contribute too.

 

[bazz&boujee]

They can't trade anyone on their roster for a while except Kuzma/LeBron/AD

They aren't trading LeBron or Davis.

Only Kuzma is someone anyone else would want, and he's making less than $2M. No way they get to mid-$30M to match. It would have to be:

- Kuzma
- KPC
- Green
- Bradley
- McGee

That's a 5 for 1 trade that the Thunder/Wizards would only potentially want Kuzma from. What would the Lakers do to incentivize it? They don't have any picks to trade by rule: the Pelicans have them all.

They would need Paul/Beal to be bought out, and that seems incredibly unlikely.

and honestly i wouldn’t even trade kuzma for paul at this point..

 

[superjohn]

and honestly i wouldn’t even trade kuzma for paul at this point..

What? Their window is the next 2 years. Paul gives them a way better shot at winning it than Kuzma.

 

[bazz&boujee]

What? Their window is the next 2 years. Paul gives them a way better shot at winning it than Kuzma.

i mean if you want to argue positional fit sure maybe, plenty of bigs and they could use a true PG.. but paul was a shell of himself in recent playoffs. no show in GS series. if kuzma progresses on the same projectory he’s been on, he might be the better player next year and definitely in two years.

 

[bazz&boujee]

I don't know where these Lakers trade rumors are coming from, but if the team is the one leaking this, they are idiots.

i don’t think there are “actual rumors” about any of these trades happening. just bannana boat speculation..

 

[the Q]

Rockets really need to get korver with their mle right now.

 

[johnhuskies95]

This is such a strange league. I am waiting for the NBA to go through a phase where somebody tries something different, like Billy Beane did in baseball. The value attached to names over performance is incredibly high, leading to some awful contracts. The league also drafts kids who mostly aren't ready to contribute. That's true of Hockey and Baseball, but almost none of those drafted players are in the big leagues or paid huge salaries until they are ready. NFL players come in ready. The NBA is the only league where you pay big money and put 19 year olds on your roster and hope that they pan out.

Unfortunately, the fix is bad for college basketball. They will end the college/age requirement next year I think, but they could beef up the G League and expand the draft to 4 rounds.

As an example, I think many of us looked at the Grant Williams pick by Boston and thought it was a bad move. Why? He has no star potential. Yet he's playing great in the Summer League like a man against boys. And he absolutely can contribute to an NBA team right now, unlike most of these kids.

The rookie contracts really aren't that crazy. Ben Simmons *only* made 6.5 million this past year, and he's an All-Star. It's when guys get to 6+ years of service that the contracts start to get really big.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

The contracts are big because the return on investment is big.

 

[the Q]

The overrating of Kuzma is getting absurd.

Hart was the one they should’ve kept anyway.

He also is a better fit with brow and bron

 

[Danzz]

Not true as a Celtic fan I know they would have kept Kyrie but the issues were to many to overcome and Kemba is a great teammate.

They still need a big man, and need Brown and Tatum to step up.

Kyrie looks like a player who doesn't enjoy playing the game. And that is odd because he is really good at it. He moped in Cleveland, he moped in Boston and now he will mope in NJ.
Boston fans and Tommy H. are going to love Kemba. The C's will be better this year and they will contend in the east if they can sign a decent big man.

 

[superjohn]

i mean if you want to argue positional fit sure maybe, plenty of bigs and they could use a true PG.. but paul was a shell of himself in recent playoffs. no show in GS series. if kuzma progresses on the same projectory he’s been on, he might be the better player next year and definitely in two years.

Paul is one of my least favorite players but he was pretty great in the playoffs in 2018 and put the Rockets in position to beat the Warriors and have a great chance at the title before he went down to injury. Kuzma has put up nice stats on two terrible teams, we don't know how good he is.

Lakers have sacrificed their future to win right now, with all of Paul's big game experience he fits that bill much more than Kuzma.

 

[the Q]

Kyrie looks like a player who doesn't enjoy playing the game. And that is odd because he is really good at it. He moped in Cleveland, he moped in Boston and now he will mope in NJ.
Boston fans and Tommy H. are going to love Kemba. The C's will be better this year and they will contend in the east if they can sign a decent big man.

Lots of athletes don’t really like the sport they play.

It’s a job. A good one. A really high paying one.
One That gets them much further ahead in life.