***Official NBA Thread***

[Agent TBY]

I was kinda operating under the assumption you couldn't put LeBron on KD after the way he torched him in the Finals, but I suppose he did do that to everyone and Curry might be an even more impossible proposition, so fair enough.

 

[andruid]

I think you'd go: Curry on Russ, Klay on Harden, Iggy on LeBron, Durant on Kawhi and Draymond on Davis. Maybe you switch up and put Durant on Davis just because of his similar height and ability to move with him around the court better. From the other side I'd probably go Westbrook on Curry, Harden on Iggy, LeBron on Durant, Kawhi on Klay and Davis on Draymond. I don't like "wasting" Kawhi on Klay but who else is gonna run with him off the ball? I suppose you could go with Kawhi on Curry and try Westbrook on Klay. Davis is gonna have a hell of a time guarding Draymond.

Avery Bradley for Harden IMO. Elite perimeter defense, low usage decent 3pt shot. As it does there aren't enough basketballs for your line up to mesh on offense.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Yeah but that wasn't the question asked, it was asked whether they would beat the All-NBA First Team. Designing a team to beat them is a whole different equation.

 

[OverratedSanity]

The new Celtics Lakers 30 for 30 is kinda plodding but still great. Wish it focussed more on the 60s instead of the usual Magic-Bird wankfest though.

 

[Anil]

love for melo trade rumors floating around...probably nothing to it but does anyone here think melo will improve the cavs?

 

[andruid]

love for melo trade rumors floating around...probably nothing to it but does anyone here think melo will improve the cavs?

He is a more dynamic scorer, and when he wants to, a plus defender. Pity he can be a ball stopper.

 

[Agent TBY]

So a core of Embiid, Simmons, Saric, and Fultz looking likely, then. :eyes:

Which one gets ruled out for the season first?

 

[NUFAN]

So a core of Embiid, Simmons, Saric, and Fultz looking likely, then. :eyes:

Which one gets ruled out for the season first?

Embiid, I guess. Nah, hopefully we've seen the worst of his injuries. .

I don't get why Boston are doing this trade? From all reports Fultz is a game changer while the chasing pack are merely good to very good. Plus the Lakers 18' pick might not be THAT high (I'm guessing it will be around 9th).

Do you think Boston are going to even keep #3?

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Reports around suggest that Ainge is in love with Josh Jackson so I guess he's going at #3. It's a weird trade, yeah. Why not just pick Fultz and then trade him after FA has gone so you don't use your space on a traded player? Doesn't feel like enough.

But the Lakers are certainly going to suck next year. Who are they adding that will make them any better? Ball is a good prospect but he's not lifting you up 7 places in the draft on his own.

 

[NUFAN]

Reports around suggest that Ainge is in love with Josh Jackson so I guess he's going at #3. It's a weird trade, yeah. Why not just pick Fultz and then trade him after FA has gone so you don't use your space on a traded player? Doesn't feel like enough.

But the Lakers are certainly going to suck next year. Who are they adding that will make them any better? Ball is a good prospect but he's not lifting you up 7 places in the draft on his own.

I have read that Jackson is an Ainge type player. They are putting a lot of faith in IT - is he really good enough to get through 4 rounds of playoffs and be THE guy? No IMO (not sure if Fultz is either, I can't wait to see him in the NBA).

Re Lakers: Let me know if this is not true, but the Lakers wont have the same incentives to be bad this upcoming season, will they? Especially with their pick going to the Celts, I feel like that's going to be some pretty big motivation for them and they are going to want to show some signs of improvement, or George might change his mind, who knows.

EDIT - just read that Celtics would only get the Lakers pick if it was between 2-5. That's a really small margin. It would then be the Kings pick in 2019. Man, I really want SAC to pickup 2 quality guys this draft.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Re Lakers: Let me know if this is not true, but the Lakers wont have the same incentives to be bad this upcoming season, will they? Especially with their pick going to the Celts, I feel like that's going to be some pretty big motivation for them and they are going to want to show some signs of improvement, or George might change his mind, who knows.

It's mostly true, they won't tank like they did this year. But their team is bad. They have okay young talent and bad older talent. Williams is gone. Just don't personally think they'll be any good.

 

[Agent TBY]

Do you think Boston are going to even keep #3?

If they didn't plan on picking at all, they could get a much better return flipping #1 straight up than doing it this way. Almost certainly picking with #3.

 

[NUFAN]

It's mostly true, they won't tank like they did this year. But their team is bad. They have okay young talent and bad older talent. Williams is gone. Just don't personally think they'll be any good.

9th worst record might be a bit too kind, but in my edit I wrote that the pick will only go to the Celtics if it is 2-5 - LAL are capable of finishing better than 5th worst record. Deng and Mozgov could be okay if fully fit this season; of course their deals are both too long and too much cash overall.

If they didn't plan on picking at all, they could get a much better return flipping #1 straight up than doing it this way. Almost certainly picking with #3.

That's what I was thinking too, although there might be a franchise you don't need a point guard. For example - would the Clippers trade Blake Griffin for Boston's #3 pick and a bench depth player?

 

[Anil]

He is a more dynamic scorer, and when he wants to, a plus defender. Pity he can be a ball stopper.

the problem is he rarely wants to...and he will be the 3rd option on that team...i think it would be 2 steps back for the cavs for all his vaunted scoring prowess...

 

[andruid]

9th worst record might be a bit too kind, but in my edit I wrote that the pick will only go to the Celtics if it is 2-5 - LAL are capable of finishing better than 5th worst record. Deng and Mozgov could be okay if fully fit this season; of course their deals are both too long and too much cash overall.



That's what I was thinking too, although there might be a franchise you don't need a point guard. For example - would the Clippers trade Blake Griffin for Boston's #3 pick and a bench depth player?

Also read that by shifting from 1 to 3 they can now just about create enough cap space to chase after Gordon Hayward.

 

[duffer]

Dwight traded

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Great trade by the Lakers. Ball makes a lot of the talents that Russell has redundant and they managed to gain a better center, a first round pick and get rid of the worst contract in basketball.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Hawks have well ****ed themselves over the last few years. They should've tried to get something for both Horford and Millsap, instead they're both gonna have walked for nothing because they were trying to "win". Just so poorly done.

 

[andruid]

How many NBA teams are still in 'win now' mode? I can only think of 4

 

[Anil]

After this season? One team and one person outside that team...