2022-2023 NBA Thread

[VaqueroTD]

Look out for Brooklyn! The Nutty Bunch finally getting its act together.

Clippers could do the same if their stars could stay off the injured list for more than a week.

 

[Texas2Step41]

LUKA MFN DONCIC

 

[rags]

LUKA MFN DONCIC

He's a bad man!

 

[darthseinfeld]

Im hoping Boston seriously looks at Mo Bamba. Timelord gets nicked up, and Bamba is the perfect "backup". Long term he is probably the better player. Also with his shooting ability, he can share the floor with Williams. Williams and Bamba on the floor together is some serious rim protection.

Orlando is supposedly looking for a 1st. There is talk Boston may be looking to trade Grant Williams. Im not sure if Orlando would be interested, but that would be an even swap if they bring a 3rd team that wants Williams. I think Williams would be a great addition for Orlando. Very versatile and young enough to be part of a Banchero core

 

[MizzouCowboy4]

Lukka needs help.Like wood and Spencer but rest of team jags

 

[MizzouCowboy4]

LUKA MFN DONCIC

Cuban has failed him.

 

[darthseinfeld]

So trade deadline this. First chip to fall is Kyrie to Dallas

Will be interesting to see what happens with Durant now. Wonder if he has been maneuvering behind the scenes since Kyrie demanded a trade.

Toronto is going to be an interesting watch. Word is Siakam, FVV and OG are available, but only for a very hefty price. Don't know of I see a trade

Phoenix is rumored to be looking for Paul successor. Probably have to trade Paul to do, but might as well. Scary Terry has been rumored there.

Mike Conley could be a low key seismic trade for someone in contention

 

[jterrell]

Mavs Kyrie trade is a big swing with a pretty good fallback option.

If Mavs decide Kyrie should walk in free agency they'd have A LOT of money this summer.
More than a max slot.
Or they can resign him and play over the cap.

DFS is a tremendous person and teammate so will be massively missed. And Spence was a great pro.
But those pieces 3-4 on a good team.
Moving off their 31M helps Dallas create a 2 way go this summer.

Very please Dallas kept Josh Green and the rookie Hardy.
Those low cost quality players are huge.
I tweeted out "Josh Green is the Mavs second best player" no more than 48 hours ago.
That changes for sure with Kyrie on board.

My lineup:
PG: Kyrie
SG: Reggie Bullock
SF: Luka
PF: Josh Green
C: Wood/DP

Still believe one more trade is in the works for the Mavs.

 

[jterrell]

So trade deadline this. First chip to fall is Kyrie to Dallas

Will be interesting to see what happens with Durant now. Wonder if he has been maneuvering behind the scenes since Kyrie demanded a trade.

Toronto is going to be an interesting watch. Word is Siakam, FVV and OG are available, but only for a very hefty price. Don't know of I see a trade

Phoenix is rumored to be looking for Paul successor. Probably have to trade Paul to do, but might as well. Scary Terry has been rumored there.

Mike Conley could be a low key seismic trade for someone in contention

Don't see KD going anywhere.
BK still has a good team. Spence and DFS are really consistent guys. Available and play hard.
Nets traded off so nay picks to build that big 3 that they can't afford to tank.
Need to take their shots and win while they can.

 

[darthseinfeld]

Mavs Kyrie trade is a big swing with a pretty good fallback option.

If Mavs decide Kyrie should walk in free agency they'd have A LOT of money this summer.
More than a max slot.
Or they can resign him and play over the cap.

DFS is a tremendous person and teammate so will be massively missed. And Spence was a great pro.
But those pieces 3-4 on a good team.
Moving off their 31M helps Dallas create a 2 way go this summer.

Very please Dallas kept Josh Green and the rookie Hardy.
Those low cost quality players are huge.
I tweeted out "Josh Green is the Mavs second best player" no more than 48 hours ago.
That changes for sure with Kyrie on board.

My lineup:
PG: Kyrie
SG: Reggie Bullock
SF: Luka
PF: Josh Green
C: Wood/DP

Still believe one more trade is in the works for the Mavs.

You could always throw a something nominal at whoever signs Kyrie if he walks and create a massive TPE. You guys control all your frps until 2029 I believe. That essentially gives you two max slots to play with

 

[darthseinfeld]

Don't see KD going anywhere.
BK still has a good team. Spence and DFS are really consistent guys. Available and play hard.
Nets traded off so nay picks to build that big 3 that they can't afford to tank.
Need to take their shots and win while they can.

Saw in one of the Kyrie articles that they plan on moving the pics they got to improve the roster, so it looks like you are right

 

[jterrell]

You could always throw a something nominal at whoever signs Kyrie if he walks and create a massive TPE. You guys control all your frps until 2029 I believe. That essentially gives you two max slots to play with

Dallas owes this year's pick to NY but after that has them all til 2029.
And if Kyrie leaves Dallas can free up 81M in cap space.
I'm far less certain of any long-term Kyrie/Dallas deal here being a big factor in the trade grade.
Dallas moved off 31M in cap space next year for a 2029 draft pick if you remove Kyrie for ZERO return.
I think Dallas would make that move.
Renting Kyrie just lets them save face in doing so.

Spencer and DFS are very good role players and arguably the 2nd and 3rd best Mavs but with Luka out the team went 0-7 and you are trading DFS on his NBA-long high value.
Spence is really solid but definitely not more than that.

Dallas was able to make this deal without using the 2027 1st, emerging Josh Green or rookie Jalen Hardy which were All big wins.
Dallas would undoubtedly have preferred to move THJ over Spence but you gotta pay to play.

If Kyrie just REALLY wants to go to LA there are definitely ample trade possibilities in a sign and trade that would be far better than Dallas being locked in another year to a shallow roster with a lack of ball handlers.
Kyrie is as abrasive and complicated as a player can possibly get but he also solves the Mavs major woes. He is arguably the league's best ball handler. A tremendous shot creator and maker.
He has played with ball dominant wings in LeBron and KD and won at a very high clip when both were on the floor.
And he gives you the end game free throw guy Dallas sorely lacked.

For the Nets DFS and Spence are paid fairly but not vastly overpaid vets who can help you win now.
That team is plenty good enough to make a playoff run behind KD.
It would make sense for them to hunt 1 final piece.
Let this crew cook for 3 years and even if you don't win a title, you are a really tough playoff exit.

 

[triplets_93]

https://apnews.com/article/lebron-james-nba-scoring-record-cd0df2a355eaf80c6d534cbb16d44ca9

 

[jterrell]

Gratz to LeBron!
He is clearly a top 3 player of all-time.

I do hope he can finish his career gracefully and I am torn on how some of that looks right now.
He has chosen his destinations as is his right as the Apex player in the entire league.
But he has also pushed and pushed those franchises into tailspins then jumped ship complaining about how they were managed.
And he often comes across as bitter not joyful as losing is taking its toll on him.

When LeBron chose the Lakers I stated he went to LA to retire.
That sounds harsher than it really is.
He chose where he wanted to live out the rest of his life.
Coastal, with mountains, great weather. Access to all the finest of everything.
LA suburbs are great for the uber rich.

But basketball-wise he's paying a price. He wasn't patient with Ingram, Ball and Kuz.
They killed a young developing team to land AD,
And it worked for 1 season.
But it's been very tough on him 2 seasons in a row and doesn't appear to be getting better anytime soon.
Quality role players want 10-15M a year, AD and Bron both want to make 40+.

LeBron could def learn from Kobe here.
Show far more grace and be understanding of the realities of the situation.
Make his max salary for another 3-5 years if he desires but stop harping on the results as if he was not part of the core issue.

 

[darthseinfeld]

Gratz to LeBron!
He is clearly a top 3 player of all-time.

I do hope he can finish his career gracefully and I am torn on how some of that looks right now.
He has chosen his destinations as is his right as the Apex player in the entire league.
But he has also pushed and pushed those franchises into tailspins then jumped ship complaining about how they were managed.
And he often comes across as bitter not joyful as losing is taking its toll on him.

When LeBron chose the Lakers I stated he went to LA to retire.
That sounds harsher than it really is.
He chose where he wanted to live out the rest of his life.
Coastal, with mountains, great weather. Access to all the finest of everything.
LA suburbs are great for the uber rich.

But basketball-wise he's paying a price. He wasn't patient with Ingram, Ball and Kuz.
They killed a young developing team to land AD,
And it worked for 1 season.
But it's been very tough on him 2 seasons in a row and doesn't appear to be getting better anytime soon.
Quality role players want 10-15M a year, AD and Bron both want to make 40+.

LeBron could def learn from Kobe here.
Show far more grace and be understanding of the realities of the situation.
Make his max salary for another 3-5 years if he desires but stop harping on the results as if he was not part of the core issue.

At least got a chip there. His LA time will definitely be seen as a low point, but he did put a banner in the rafters

 

[jterrell]

At least got a chip there. His LA time will definitely be seen as a low point, but he did put a banner in the rafters

No doubt at all!
And if he is content and joyous of that life can be grand for him and the Lakers.
If he is miserable and unrealistic it will go the other way.
Reality is, right now, the team he left in Cleveland, is 100X better than the Lakers.

Kobe endured losses at end and so did Dirk and DWade.
You don't really get to go out a champion unless you play for peanuts and hop on bandwagons.
And LeBron is simply not good enough anymore to carry a team by himself with 1-2 buddies to the Finals.
The fact he ever could is kinda nuts but no man beats father time forever.
I saw Jordan play in Washington and it was still fun to watch but it wasn't GOAT Jordan.

 

[jterrell]

KD in Phoenix, Kyrie in Dallas, Lakers move off Westbrook for 3 able, warm bodies?
Wild trade deadline deals already.
What will today hold?!?!

 

[jterrell]

Don't see KD going anywhere.
BK still has a good team. Spence and DFS are really consistent guys. Available and play hard.
Nets traded off so nay picks to build that big 3 that they can't afford to tank.
Need to take their shots and win while they can.

Welp! Jokes on me.
West seemingly got a lot tougher over last 2 days.

Is Brooklyn still good? They got a ton of those 3rd and 4th best player types. So much depth now. Are they parting it out or packaging for a younger lead dog?

 

[darthseinfeld]

Welp! Jokes on me.
West seemingly got a lot tougher over last 2 days.

Is Brooklyn still good? They got a ton of those 3rd and 4th best player types. So much depth now. Are they parting it out or packaging for a younger lead dog?

They should offload Johnson and Bridges. 3D guys are very much in demand around the league, and they could amass quite a treasure chest offloading. Iirc they own their pick this year, so being lottery bound doesnt help Houston. They could then use those picks to reload in the offseason. Trade a few frp's and they could probably cobble together a 45- 50 win team

 

[darthseinfeld]

KD in Phoenix, Kyrie in Dallas, Lakers move off Westbrook for 3 able, warm bodies?
Wild trade deadline deals already.
What will today hold?!?!

Ainge made a very Danny Ainge trade. That 2027 LA pick is going to be valuable. Cant remember if its unprotected or very lightly protected, but they probably aren't going to be very good