OT: NBA Offseason

[navery12]

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

I didn't want to bring it up and derail the thread, but yeah. He's being so overrated and the funny thing is it's not even by Lakers fans. Most of the ones I know are all mad he's the guy they chose to keep over Ball/Hart

 

[Rocktheworld]

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

For all we know, Kuz is on the second unit or a 6th/7th man. A lineup of

Avery Bradley (for defense on opposing PG)
Green
Bron
Brow
Cousins/McGee

With cook, kuz, Dudley, the other of cousins/McGee leading the second unit

 

[the Q]

I didn't want to bring it up and derail the thread, but yeah. He's being so overrated and the funny thing is it's not even by Lakers fans. Most of the ones I know are all mad he's the guy they chose to keep over Ball/Hart

I don’t think there was any way the lakers could get brow without giving up ball.

If they could’ve, pelinka made a mistake. But this is one mistake I doubt he made.

 

[navery12]

I don’t think there was any way the lakers could get brow without giving up ball.

If they could’ve, pelinka made a mistake. But this is one mistake I doubt he made.

Who knows what actually happened, but there were a lot of rumors the Pelicans wanted Kuzma and he was the one player the Lakers made completely untouchable

 

[the Q]

Who knows what actually happened, but there were a lot of rumors the Pelicans wanted Kuzma and he was the one player the Lakers made completely untouchable

Yeah, true. Your first sentence says it all.

I just thought Hart was an incredibly good fit and not as nearly high profile an asset as ball or Ingram. Hart’s potential is Danny greenish

 

[tzznandrew]

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

Right.

My point is that, with AD and LeBron untouchable, Kuzma's the only asset that's of any interest to anyone. They don't have any draft assets they can trade until 2026, I think. And given his salary, they'd need to unload all their highest paid non-LeBron/AD players. To get that third player, they'd lose Kuzma and every other player who isn't terrible but Boogie (since no one wants him). And they'd be hard-capped, so it'd be all minimum players.

Doing that for Paul would make the future look really grim.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Right.

My point is that, with AD and LeBron untouchable, Kuzma's the only asset that's of any interest to anyone. They don't have any draft assets they can trade until 2026, I think. And given his salary, they'd need to unload all their highest paid non-LeBron/AD players. To get that third player, they'd lose Kuzma and every other player who isn't terrible but Boogie (since no one wants him). And they'd be hard-capped, so it'd be all minimum players.

Doing that for Paul would make the future look really grim.

This is Isiah Thomas-level roster arson.

 

[Seattle Guy]

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

Don't feel bad. Clay Bennett flat out stole that team from Seattle with the help of his buddy Stern.

 

[superjohn]

Don't feel bad. Clay Bennett flat out stole that team from Seattle with the help of his buddy Stern.

True but not the fans fault.

 

[Woodson]

I want to wait until opening night before locking in predictions since there are bound to be more trades. I actually think the Lakers will be really good. Not sure yet if they’ll have a better regular season than say the Nuggets, Jazz, Clippers or Rockets, but I expect Lakers and Clippers to be better in the playoffs.

76ers and Bucks are clear favorites in the east.

What do you think the Raptors will do?
Celtics could sure use one of their bigs

 

[Rocktheworld]

I want to wait until opening night before locking in predictions since there are bound to be more trades. I actually think the Lakers will be really good. Not sure yet if they’ll have a better regular season than say the Nuggets, Jazz, Clippers or Rockets, but I expect Lakers and Clippers to be better in the playoffs.

76ers and Bucks are clear favorites in the east.

What do you think the Raptors will do?
Celtics could sure use one of their bigs

IMO for the Lakers a lot comes down to how Bron comes back. First major injury, but it happened pretty late in his career, so the bounce-back may be diminished, although he is clearly an all-time physical freak in sports history, when it comes to durability and recovery; and, he’s had an extra 2-3 months off, as opposed to the nine straight years his body endured 100+ games.

He and AD can be deadly in the high PNR and the role players will find their way. Defense is worrying, however

 

[ihatepants]

 

[eebmg]

Some people have too much free time.

 

[tzznandrew]

Some people have too much free time.

Yeah. Pretty much everyone on the internet.

And it's glorious!

 

[ihatepants]

Lmao imagine having to relay this quote with a straight face. Actually, we wanted to replace Kyrie with an older slightly worse version and replace the linchpin of our defense with someone literally nicknamed for being unplayable defensively in important games.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Lmao imagine having to relay this quote with a straight face. Actually, we wanted to replace Kyrie with an older slightly worse version and replace the linchpin of our defense with someone literally nicknamed for being unplayable defensively in important games.

We will find out which of Kyrie or Kemba is better this season. Better W/L record wins.

Horford will be averaging 8 and 5 if he is lucky by the end of that contract. Only a moron thinks that matching the 76ers contract was a good idea.

 

[johnhuskies95]

We will find out which of Kyrie or Kemba is better this season. Better W/L record wins.

Horford will be averaging 8 and 5 if he is lucky by the end of that contract. Only a moron thinks that matching the 76ers contract was a good idea.

You can think that and still not think that landing Kemba and Kanter was the Celtic's plan A. I love Kemba but the Celtics seem resigned to purgatory for awhile unless Hayward improves massively.

 

[the Q]

Lmao imagine having to relay this quote with a straight face. Actually, we wanted to replace Kyrie with an older slightly worse version and replace the linchpin of our defense with someone literally nicknamed for being unplayable defensively in important games.

I do believe that once he knew that both al and kyrie were goners that this became true. Danny’s had a hard on for kanter for a while now. A very strange guy for Danny to like considering his track record.

 

[eebmg]

I think Kemba is a significant upgrade over the Boston version of Kyrie and Kanter impressed playing with one arm in the playoffs. If he is healthy, he will be a good piece (at least offensively and on the boards). And I see no reason why Hayward should not be significantly improved. And your young studs won't feel so oppressed.

Want gloom, be a Knicks fan.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

You can think that and still not think that landing Kemba and Kanter was the Celtic's plan A. I love Kemba but the Celtics seem resigned to purgatory for awhile unless Hayward improves massively.

If Ainge was not going to crush Boston's salary cap for the next 4 years on Horford, and he knew Kyrie was not coming back, then why isn't this Plan A? Ainge doesn't strike me as the kind of guy that would give Durant a max contract, so who did he chase and not get?

I also don't think Ainge is done. I think Hayward will be available if he starts the season strong. The Celtics need frontcourt help, and Hayward only has a 1 and 1 contract, which isn't untouchable. I think teams want to see a few games 2 full seasons post break to fully evaluate his value.

 

[johnhuskies95]

If Ainge was not going to crush Boston's salary cap for the next 4 years on Horford, and he knew Kyrie was not coming back, then why isn't this Plan A? Ainge doesn't strike me as the kind of guy that would give Durant a max contract, so who did he chase and not get?

Their Plan A was obviously to get Anthony Davis. I know that he's automatically a scrub now that he's on the Lakers, but that's who they wanted. The fact that he was never going to sign long term for the C's doesn't make it any less of a Plan A.

 

[johnhuskies95]

Not sure that’s true about Davis. Of course they wanted him so did every team in the league but it was obvious 6 months ago that wasn’t happening. They were clearly not willing to include Tatum in the deal for a year of AD and knew that’s what it would take.

I guess the question is what does Plan A really mean, is what's the best possible outcome or what what is the most realistic? Like for UConn in 2020 I would consider a guy like Cam Thomas the Plan A, but he's probably not a realistic get.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Their Plan A was obviously to get Anthony Davis. I know that he's automatically a scrub now that he's on the Lakers, but that's who they wanted. The fact that he was never going to sign long term for the C's doesn't make it any less of a Plan A.

Just to be clear, I think Anthony Davis is a first ballot hall of famer. I do not think he and an aging LeBron are good enough to win 50 games in the west with that supporting cast, and I don't even have them in my Top 8 if I have to force rank the West because I don't think LeBron will make it through the season.

 

[Rocktheworld]

I was 90% committed to giving this video its own thread

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Just to be clear, I think Anthony Davis is a first ballot hall of famer. I do not think he and an aging LeBron are good enough to win 50 games in the west with that supporting cast, and I don't even have them in my Top 8 if I have to force rank the West because I don't think LeBron will make it through the season.

I would be willing to make a hefty bet that the Lakers end up a Top-4 seed in the West. AD to me is the 3rd most talented player in the league and LeBron is still the best player when completely healthy. It’s either them or the Clips for the Chip, unless some unforeseen injuries happen.