The 2025 NBA Finals Thread

[Cheesebeef]

Maybe it's just me but I think Indiana and OKC play a very similar game - I think of it as they are two of the best representatives of the modern NBA's best playing style.

Both have a bunch of good wings that get after it defensively.

I think this is the blueprint to follow for success.

For a team that is so far away from contending, I think it’s folly to look at what’s working RIGHT NOW and try to build your team that way. A great GM sees what needs to come next to beat those teams and get establish a new era and start building that way for the future.

The Warriors set the new era with super small ball, that gave way to more traditional teams like the Raptors, Lakers, Bucks, and Celtics with big men in able to play at PF or at least with a dominant C. But most of those teams had a legit PF and solid C at least.

We’re never going to compete with the OKC’s of the world. By the time we’re even a pie in the sky hopeful for an 8 seed is going to be 5 years from now and even then, they’ll probably be on the tail end of their run and not quite finished. So we need a GM/Coach with a vision for the future, not someone focused on the present.

Which is why this offseason should be the fire sale to move KD AND Booker, while Booker’s value is at its highest. Build for 5 years from now, not to be an 8 seed next season.

 

[Cheesebeef]

we should be

The only good thing that will come of this is the comedy generated from @Phrazbit going nuclear in the aftermath.

And he’ll have good reason to.

 

[BooksOrangePlanet]

The only good thing that will come of this is the comedy generated from @Phrazbit going nuclear in the aftermath.

And he’ll have good reason to.

that would be brutal - phraz goes to the games and everything

 

[Mainstreet]

OKC is destroying the Timberwolves at halftime, 65-32.

 

[Hoop Head]

OKC came to play. They're 24 minutes from the finals.

 

[Cheesebeef]

This team is SO young AND SO loaded with YOUNG talent AND loaded with draft picks that they could be dominant for 5 or more years. Their core will always be SGA, Holmgren and Williams and they have the eye and draft picks to keep adding role players to them as they lose others to FA.

 

[Hoop Head]

This team is SO young AND SO loaded with YOUNG talent AND loaded with draft picks that they could be dominant for 5 or more years. Their core will always be SGA, Holmgren and Williams and they have the eye and draft picks to keep adding role players to them as they lose others to FA.

The Giddey for Caruso deal was a great example of how they can keep things stocked around their core. Let younger guys develop and once they're due for a payday send them elsewhere for a more established player who brings a similar skill set. Giddey is a better playmaker than Caruso but OKC isn't lacking in playmakers so the trade off was negligible offensively and a huge upgrade on D as Caruso is a scrapper. If he were in a bigger role he'd be a DPoY candidate.

 

[Cheesebeef]

The Giddey for Caruso deal was a great example of how they can keep things stocked around their core. Let younger guys develop and once they're due for a payday send them elsewhere for a more established player who brings a similar skill set. Giddey is a better playmaker than Caruso but OKC isn't lacking in playmakers so the trade off was negligible offensively and a huge upgrade on D as Caruso is a scrapper. If he were in a bigger role he'd be a DPoY candidate.

Yup. And they’re going to be able to do that for YEARS.

 

[Hoop Head]

OKC in 5. I'm a little surprised. After Minnesota came out with a vengeance in game 3 I thought we might see them duke it out but OKC is a well oiled machine. They didn't let the big loss mess with their mojo and got it going in game and sealed it back in Oklahoma.

 

[Bobster]

They are so disruptive defensively.

They're going to be in good shape for the next three or four years until their young players start coming due for their new deals. Then it'll get expensive and they'll have tough decisions to make.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

They are so disruptive defensively.

They're going to be in good shape for the next three or four years until their young players start coming due for their new deals. Then it'll get expensive and they'll have tough decisions to make.

They’ve got such an arsenal of draft picks remaining that they’ll be able to keep reloading as they strategically choose who to pay and who to trade for more low cost picks. Just can’t let the talent walk away without getting anything for it.

 

[Cheesebeef]

They’ve got such an arsenal of draft picks remaining that they’ll be able to keep reloading as they strategically choose who to pay and who to trade for more low cost picks. Just can’t let the talent walk away without getting anything for it.

Yup. I expect them to be smart and deal away guys who aren’t quite MAX guys and are replaceable, but still young with upside, for premium picks or premium role players (like Giddey for What’s His Nuts) moving forward.

 

[Phrazbit]

I am very fearful of a Randle/Divencenzo for KD trade coming.

we should be

Even as stupid as we seem to be... I cannot imagine we're THAT stupid.

Also, the Wolves will not pay the tax. They traded Towns for Randle, in an obvious downgrade to avoid the tax (keep in mind I think both players are insanely overrated). Trading for Durant (and presumably extending him) will explode their cap. The wolves also gave up a ton of picks in the Gobert trade. Even with as little faith as I have in our front office, I cannot put together a trade that is even slightly reasonable given what Minnesota has to offer and what the Suns should want, even if our goal is to somehow become competitive.

I expect the Durant market to be far cooler than the prognosticators seem to think it is, just as it was last time when we bid against ourselves.

We can only pray that Houston bites. They are one of only a couple destinations that make even the slightest amount of sense.

 

[Phrazbit]

They’ve got such an arsenal of draft picks remaining that they’ll be able to keep reloading as they strategically choose who to pay and who to trade for more low cost picks. Just can’t let the talent walk away without getting anything for it.

Yup. I expect them to be smart and deal away guys who aren’t quite MAX guys and are replaceable, but still young with upside, for premium picks or premium role players (like Giddey for What’s His Nuts) moving forward.

Their owner is also awful. He refused to deal with Harden over a couple million per year. That is the one silver lining.

When they hit big on a pick it is very unlikely that they will pay to keep the talent. Just watch, I absolutely promise you that they are going to have outrageous roster turnover the instant these young guys become eligible for extensions. It's going to be SGA, maybe 2 other guys on big contracts and then a roster full of dudes on their rookie deals.

They should dominate the decade, but they basically have an even more soulless Robert Sarver as an owner, only he is fortunate to have the NBA's Billy Bean as a GM.

 

[boisesuns]

For a team that is so far away from contending, I think it’s folly to look at what’s working RIGHT NOW and try to build your team that way. A great GM sees what needs to come next to beat those teams and get establish a new era and start building that way for the future.

The Warriors set the new era with super small ball, that gave way to more traditional teams like the Raptors, Lakers, Bucks, and Celtics with big men in able to play at PF or at least with a dominant C. But most of those teams had a legit PF and solid C at least.

We’re never going to compete with the OKC’s of the world. By the time we’re even a pie in the sky hopeful for an 8 seed is going to be 5 years from now and even then, they’ll probably be on the tail end of their run and not quite finished. So we need a GM/Coach with a vision for the future, not someone focused on the present.

Which is why this offseason should be the fire sale to move KD AND Booker, while Booker’s value is at its highest. Build for 5 years from now, not to be an 8 seed next season.

Agree. We’re not touching more than the play in for a long time. There’s not a bandaid replacement for this team. We’re due for a full reset.

It’s time to get value for booker, not overpay for him. Get what you can for durant and start the process.

 

[Crimson Warrior]

They should dominate the decade, but they basically have an even more soulless Robert Sarver as an owner, only he is fortunate to have the NBA's Billy Bean as a GM.

It would be so so awesome if we could put together a San Antonio Spurs-type run where they won rings in 03, 05 and 07!

But, let the Thunder have at least one parade before anyone starts talking about a dynasty! I haven't watched IND at all this year but it's pretty scary how they took out CLE and now are on the verge of eliminating NY!

P.S. - Pharzbit, I'm definitley not going back to the whole supersonics thing since I got my head kicked in the last time I brought it up, but I would like to point out that the OKC ownership hasn't been in the news at all in... forever.

And, Harden/Durant/Westbook are three very, very different personalities versus SGA/Holmgren/Jalen Williams. Night and day!

 

[Russ Smith]

Aside from the talent and the picks I think OKC made a great move getting rid of Giddey for Caruso. Giddey can pass the ball but he's not a good shooter, not a good defender, had off court issues and was just not a guy who was going to get any better. To get an elite defender in Caruso for him was brilliant.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Their owner is also awful. He refused to deal with Harden over a couple million per year. That is the one silver lining.

When they hit big on a pick it is very unlikely that they will pay to keep the talent. Just watch, I absolutely promise you that they are going to have outrageous roster turnover the instant these young guys become eligible for extensions. It's going to be SGA, maybe 2 other guys on big contracts and then a roster full of dudes on their rookie deals.

They should dominate the decade, but they basically have an even more soulless Robert Sarver as an owner, only he is fortunate to have the NBA's Billy Bean as a GM.

Oh don’t get me wrong, you’re 100% right. But as cheese mentioned, those guys in support will either be first round picks, because they’ve got so many in stock or they will be nice vets like Caruso who aren’t max contract guys. They’ll have the most flexibility in the league due to a continuing massive arsenal of picks. And those should be replenished as they trade young talent that doesn’t fit their cap.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Aside from the talent and the picks I think OKC made a great move getting rid of Giddey for Caruso. Giddey can pass the ball but he's not a good shooter, not a good defender, had off court issues and was just not a guy who was going to get any better. To get an elite defender in Caruso for him was brilliant.

I think this is a weird comment. Why?


I agree that it was a great trade for OKC.

 

[Adrian]

Anthony Edwards vows to get better after Timberwolves' elimination: 'Nobody's going to work harder than me'

Anthony Edwards is determined to be even better next season after failing to reach the Finals for the second straight year.

sports.yahoo.com

 

[Cheesebeef]

I think this is a weird comment. Why?

Same. Giddey is only 22 and just had his best season, upping PPG, rebounding and assists and finally started shooting the three at a decent 37.8% clip to the tune of 15/8/7.

And over the last three months of the season, he was an absolute beast going 20/9/7, while shooting 45% from 3 and helped push the Bulls into the play-in.

Actually looks like that trade was the rare win-win for both teams.

 

[Adrian]

NBA Finals odds: OKC Thunder are absolutely massive favorites against either the Pacers or Knicks

Oklahoma City went 29-1 against the Eastern Conference during the regular season.

sports.yahoo.com

 

[Adrian]

Would the New York Knicks take a mulligan on the Karl-Anthony Towns trade?

The past two postseasons have raised questions about how far a team can go with Towns as its centerpiece.

sports.yahoo.com

 

[Adrian]

Knicks vs. Pacers: Can Jalen Brunson stand his ground against Indiana's hunting with the season on the line?

The Pacers have carved up the Knicks' defense en route to a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference finals, in large part by targeting New York's star guard.

sports.yahoo.com

 

[Russ Smith]

Same. Giddey is only 22 and just had his best season, upping PPG, rebounding and assists and finally started shooting the three at a decent 37.8% clip to the tune of 15/8/7.

And over the last three months of the season, he was an absolute beast going 20/9/7, while shooting 45% from 3 and helped push the Bulls into the play-in.

Actually looks like that trade was the rare win-win for both teams.

Because Giddey is a guy who has to play on the ball and that wasn't what OKC needed from him. SGA is going to have the ball they need guys who can play off the ball and catch and shoot.

I agree Giddey had his best year this year, especially assists but my assumption is it's because he had the ball much more in Chicago than he did in OKC, I don't think he would have done that in OKC. Caruso was a perfect move.

I agree it worked for both teams but I think Giddey was never going to take that next step in OKC because he's a ball dominant player and there's not a coach alive or dead who would take the ball out of SGA's hands and put it in Giddey's.