2023-24 Around the NBA Thread

[Proximo]

I was thinking the same thing.

OKC will have the inside track to any deal for Giannis with their draft picks and young players.

 

[Proximo]

Tobias Harris has one of the worst contracts in the league. He has no right to complain about touches when he hasn't earned his deal any year he's been there. I know Philly offered him that deal but he still hasn't lived up to it in any way whatsoever. He's due $39m next year and will have accumulated just over $250m over the course of his career. He wants touches now because his deal is finally ending but I'd be surprised if he makes over $20m a year elsewhere.

That's not my point.

Embid, Maxey, Harden, and Oubre all need shots. Tobias already felt left out. Team chemistry matters.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

OKC will have the inside track to any deal for Giannis with their draft picks and young players.

But in this day and age of players selecting their grade destination is that where Giannis will want to go? Or does OKC gamble like they did on Paul George?

 

[Hoop Head]

That's not my point.

Embid, Maxey, Harden, and Oubre all need shots. Tobias already felt left out. Team chemistry matters.

Chemistry does matter but I think they'll be fine. Kelly was fine in Charlotte. He's playing for a contract now. If they have chemistry issues it will be because of Harden and not Oubre or Harris. Nick Nurse will have his hands full but he has a good roster that will be dangerous if he can get them on the same page.

 

[Proximo]

But in this day and age of players selecting their grade destination is that where Giannis will want to go? Or does OKC gamble like they did on Paul George?

If he's fine with Millwaukee as long as they are a winner, I think he will be fine with OKC if it gives him a great chance to win titles - which it should. I don't think he is a guy that really want's to go to an LA or New York just to be more famous.

 

[Phrazbit]

OKC will have the inside track to any deal for Giannis with their draft picks and young players.

I don’t see any star player forcing their way to OKC.

It’s the least appealing destination in the league.

 

[Phrazbit]

Chemistry does matter but I think they'll be fine. Kelly was fine in Charlotte. He's playing for a contract now. If they have chemistry issues it will be because of Harden and not Oubre or Harris. Nick Nurse will have his hands full but he has a good roster that will be dangerous if he can get them on the same page.

I don’t think he was fine in Charlotte. They made zero effort to retain him.

I’m not saying he’s a cancer, but I don’t think guys like playing with him. I expect him to drive dudes like Embiid and PJ Tucker nuts with his terrible decision making.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I don’t see any star player forcing their way to OKC.

It’s the least appealing destination in the league.

Not only that, it's in Oklahoma City.

 

[GatorAZ]

I actually buy OKC pulling it off. SGA is a superstar and Giddey, Jalen Williams and Chet have all star potential. Plus they have plenty of assets to pull off a mega trade. Every city is great when you’re a millionaire.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I actually buy OKC pulling it off. SGA is a superstar and Giddey, Jalen Williams and Chet have all star potential. Plus they have plenty of assets to pull off a mega trade. Every city is great when you’re a millionaire.

It wouldn't be a great city for most of the NBA millionaires. Myself, I wouldn't live there for free and 50 years ago it was near the top of my list of cities I'd like to live in. I could tolerate the often miserable weather including being in the center of tornado alley but the religious extremism and religion driven political situation would scare the hell out of me if I were a minority, rich or not.

OKC has the assets no doubt and could put a great product on the floor for a year or two but I don't think it's sustainable in such a relatively small market. Sooner or later, and almost surely sooner, they will start making cost cutting moves and he'll feel like he's right back in a Milwaukee situation.

 

[GatorAZ]

It wouldn't be a great city for most of the NBA millionaires. Myself, I wouldn't live there for free and 50 years ago it was near the top of my list of cities I'd like to live in. I could tolerate the often miserable weather including being in the center of tornado alley but the religious extremism and religion driven political situation would scare the hell out of me if I were a minority, rich or not.

OKC has the assets no doubt and could put a great product on the floor for a year or two but I don't think it's sustainable in such a relatively small market. Sooner or later, and almost surely sooner, they will start making cost cutting moves and he'll feel like he's right back in a Milwaukee situation.

Yes the contractual situation of a super team would be an issue for their ownership but the city stuff is overblown. A player for OKC is probably only spending a third of their year there anyway.

 

[95pro]

If he's fine with Millwaukee as long as they are a winner, I think he will be fine with OKC if it gives him a great chance to win titles - which it should. I don't think he is a guy that really want's to go to an LA or New York just to be more famous.

Those were Gianis' last comments was that he'd want to go wherever he was in the best spot to win more championships.

It wouldn't be a great city for most of the NBA millionaires. Myself, I wouldn't live there for free and 50 years ago it was near the top of my list of cities I'd like to live in. I could tolerate the often miserable weather including being in the center of tornado alley but the religious extremism and religion driven political situation would scare the hell out of me if I were a minority, rich or not.

OKC has the assets no doubt and could put a great product on the floor for a year or two but I don't think it's sustainable in such a relatively small market. Sooner or later, and almost surely sooner, they will start making cost cutting moves and he'll feel like he's right back in a Milwaukee situation.

The new CBA doesn't help if they hit on all their current and future assets, they'll have plenty to sell.

 

[GatorAZ]

The Bucks simply aren’t contending with Middleton being a shell of himself. He was making peak-KD shots against us in the finals. You can’t trade Giannis right now but it would be an all time big brain move by Milwaukee to move on.

 

[Phrazbit]

I actually buy OKC pulling it off. SGA is a superstar and Giddey, Jalen Williams and Chet have all star potential. Plus they have plenty of assets to pull off a mega trade. Every city is great when you’re a millionaire.

Milwaukee is a cultural Mecca compared to Oklahoma City.

Not only do they have the location working against them but the arena is a dump and the owner is a cheapskate.

Any superstar they trade for will bail at the earliest opportunity. The franchise has only been there 15 years and they’ve already had three MVP talents leave right in the middle of their prime.

 

[GatorAZ]

Milwaukee is a cultural Mecca compared to Oklahoma City.

Not only do they have the location working against them but the arena is a dump and the owner is a cheapskate.

Any superstar they trade for will bail at the earliest opportunity. The franchise has only been there 15 years and they’ve already had three MVP talents leave right in the middle of their prime.

Who left besides KD? Westbrook and George both re-signed there. Also they’re not moving there permanently it’s a part time residency. I agree about ownership though.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Yes the contractual situation of a super team would be an issue for their ownership but the city stuff is overblown. A player for OKC is probably only spending a third of their year there anyway.

This might be accurate if you're talking about a single man but most of these guys have or will have families which means that they are tied to that city for much more than the 4 months you're suggesting. And while Giannis is single still (engaged, the last I heard), he's been very active in Milwaukee events and charities during his time there. You don't build your brand by ignoring or escaping from the community you're playing in.

And to be clear, I don't think the city will make or break his decision, just that it will be a factor.

 

[Chaplin]

I don’t think he was fine in Charlotte. They made zero effort to retain him.

I’m not saying he’s a cancer, but I don’t think guys like playing with him. I expect him to drive dudes like Embiid and PJ Tucker nuts with his terrible decision making.

Interesting that you say that, as for all intents and purposes that WASN'T the case with the Suns AND he was a major piece of what turned the team around. Like it or not.

 

[Cheesebeef]

OKC will have the inside track to any deal for Giannis with their draft picks and young players.

Giannis is going to have a big say in where he goes and I doubt he’s looking to go from Milwaukee to… Oklahoma City. Especially knowing that franchise’s history of pinching Pennies when on the verge of establishing a dynasty for a decade.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Milwaukee is a cultural Mecca compared to Oklahoma City.

Not only do they have the location working against them but the arena is a dump and the owner is a cheapskate.

Any superstar they trade for will bail at the earliest opportunity. The franchise has only been there 15 years and they’ve already had three MVP talents leave right in the middle of their prime.

All of this.

 

[Phrazbit]

Who left besides KD? Westbrook and George both re-signed there. Also they’re not moving there permanently it’s a part time residency. I agree about ownership though.

They both re-signed… and left, Harden left because the owner is a cheapskate.

I wasn’t even counting George, he forced his way out in no time.

Superstars don’t get traded in the NBA unless they want to get traded.

I think it’s more likely that SGA forces his way out of there in the next 2 years than seeing anyone force their way in.

 

[GatorAZ]

They both re-signed… and left, Harden left because the owner is a cheapskate.

I wasn’t even counting George, he forced his way out in no time.

Superstars don’t get traded in the NBA unless they want to get traded.

I think it’s more likely that SGA forces his way out of there in the next 2 years than seeing anyone force their way in.

Yeah he was traded eventually but he chose to re-sign in OKC over going to LA in the summer of 18’.

 

[GatorAZ]

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How long have we been hearing about the Knicks as a superstar destination lol

 

[Phrazbit]

Interesting that you say that, as for all intents and purposes that WASN'T the case with the Suns AND he was a major piece of what turned the team around. Like it or not.

The Suns were also waaaaay better after he got hurt in the bubble season.

He signed for the minimum… we could have had him on this team, we didn’t even sniff.

This is Oubre’s own account of his time here.

“Obviously I had a great year statistic-wise, but I had a lot of, just misunderstandings of who I was as a competitor,” Oubre told media about his days in Phoenix. “Because I was trying to lead a group, or try my best to be a vocal leader on a group that didn’t really understand how to make it to that next step. Obviously me being around the same age as everybody, it was just kind of like, you know, ‘bro.’ It was kind of a lot of pushback.”

I’m not surprised that he got push back from his teammates when he tried to be a leader, considering he takes awful shots and is unaccountable defensively.

He averaged 20 a game last year and no one wanted him, signed for the minimum, I bet he’s in China within two years.

 

[Covert Rain]

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How long have we been hearing about the Knicks as a superstar destination lol

Better the Knicks than the Lakers.

 

[Ronin]

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