The 2018-2019 Around the NBA thread

[AzStevenCal]

Glad we didn’t trade...

Hmmm. It's probably not feasible but what's the rule on trading a player before his extension kicks in? Despite what's happening now, I'd love to pair Towns with Ayton and see what 2 mobile bigs can do.

 

[Folster]

Crazy? I think I'd say smart. It was incredibly stupid on New Jersey's part to trade so much for 2 stars that were over 35 and clearly on their last legs. But at least 3 of the Houston picks will be in the late 20's, not much different than 2nd rounders. The 2025 pick might have real value but that seems like pocket change for a real chance to win it all this season. I do think Morey outsmarted himself on the Chris Paul contract as he's 33 with a history of injuries but Butler should have a good 5 years left in him.

It's only smart if they win a title. It will be deemed a failure if they come up short.

 

[Mainstreet]

Sounds like Houston is trying to make a Brooklyn offer to Minnesota for Butler. 4 future first rounders are being discussed. 2019, 21, 23, and 25. Crazy!

I found this tidbit.

A key date in Houston's pursuit of Butler could be next Wednesday, Oct. 31, league sources told ESPN's Zach Lowe. That is the two-month anniversary of their acquisition of Brandon Knight and Marquese Chriss from Phoenix, at which point Houston can aggregate one or both of their salaries into trade packages.

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...ves-four-first-round-draft-picks-jimmy-butler

 

[AzStevenCal]

It's only smart if they win a title. It will be deemed a failure if they come up short.

Maybe but I'm not so sure. Like I said, those picks are likely to be very low value picks. Now, if Harden blows out a knee and Paul's decline starts right away that would likely lead Butler to sign elsewhere. Then, it probably would end up being hailed as a classic failure as those picks could quickly become gold. But odds are, it's a fairly low risk to acquire another star.

 

[Hoop Head]

Hmmm. It's probably not feasible but what's the rule on trading a player before his extension kicks in? Despite what's happening now, I'd love to pair Towns with Ayton and see what 2 mobile bigs can do.

Did you watch the Pelicans with Cousins and Davis? Imagine that with less defense. I'd say no to that deal. The Pelicans were better when one of those two bigs they had sat also. I don't think either Ayton or KAT is on AD's level but I think KAT is close to Cousins prior to his injury.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Did you watch the Pelicans with Cousins and Davis? Imagine that with less defense. I'd say no to that deal. The Pelicans were better when one of those two bigs they had sat also. I don't think either Ayton or KAT is on AD's level but I think KAT is close to Cousins prior to his injury.

Not all that similar of a pairing IMO. Cousins and Davis are both high usage guys and Cousins lacks defensive flexibility. Of course, KAT and Ayton simply lack defense but they are mobile enough to get out on shooters and switch on D if anyone can teach and motivate them to do so. Maybe it doesn't work but I can tell you this, what we have right now REALLY doesn't work.

 

[sunsfan88]

No brained for Morey as he hasn’t been great drafting in the 1st rd anyway

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[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Sounds like Houston is trying to make a Brooklyn offer to Minnesota for Butler. 4 future first rounders are being discussed. 2019, 21, 23, and 25. Crazy!

Wow

 

[Yuma]

No brained for Morey as he hasn’t been great drafting in the 1st rd anyway

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So the idea is our guy can't pick a good first rounder, so let's get rid of the picks. Um, maybe get rid of the guy who can't pick good first round picks?

 

[AzStevenCal]

So the idea is our guy can't pick a good first rounder, so let's get rid of the picks. Um, maybe get rid of the guy who can't pick good first round picks?

Those 4 picks were at 12, 16, 18 and 25 so I don't think it was the failure it's being made out to be. He gambled at 16 on an incredible talent with a serious emotional problem and it backfired, the other picks were quite reasonable IMO. And Capela at 25 was a steal.

They look to be picking in the late 20's for the next several years, especially if they get Butler without losing any talent so I think it's a no brainer even without considering how they've drafted in the past. Like any move, it's a gamble but it's a logical one IMO.

 

[95pro]

I didn’t watch the Lakers Suns game last night. Watching the lakers Nuggets tonight,I realize it’s a back to back and home game so LeBron has to play tonight but man he looks slow. Near the 1 min mark in the 4th he wasn’t sure what to do as he dribbled the shot clock down and put up a horrible shot for the shot clock violation.

 

[GatorAZ]

Looks like we got the Lakers back on track. Way to go Suns.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Looks like we got the Lakers back on track. Way to go Suns.

What got the Lakers back on track was the suspension. Ball and Kuzna starting instead of Ingram and Rondo.

Sometimes it’s addition by subtraction.

 

[Suns_fan69]

What got the Lakers back on track was the suspension. Ball and Kuzna starting instead of Ingram and Rondo.

Sometimes it’s addition by subtraction.

Maybe we should suspend Anderson and Ariza...

 

[AzStevenCal]

Looks like we got the Lakers back on track. Way to go Suns.

Their losses came from Portland, Houston and San Antonio by a combined total of 19 points. They really weren't that far off track in the first place.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Maybe we should suspend Anderson and Ariza...

Interesting idea.

 

[Phrazbit]

Hmmm. It's probably not feasible but what's the rule on trading a player before his extension kicks in? Despite what's happening now, I'd love to pair Towns with Ayton and see what 2 mobile bigs can do.

I agree with you often, but I rabidly disagree here. If Ayton doesn't become an all-time great, it will be because of the same reasons we're seeing Towns exposed as basically empty stats. Towns doesn't give a rip defensively, he doesn't try when he isn't getting the ball and he quits.

Furthermore, the Pelicans tried combining Cousins and Davis, it didn't work. They didn't hit their stride until Cousins got hurt. It's working with Mirotic because Mirotic plays defense, plays off the ball, isn't a whining turd...

I don't want Towns. Barring injury, I think Ayton will be much better and I think combining him with Towns will cause a lot of the same problems that made him less effective at Arizona.

 

[Finito]

KAT is having kind of a breakdown that dude is soft as it gets. He honestly needs to punch out jimmy butler at this point.

If he didn't do it after Butler banged his GF he ain't gonna do it now while Butler is embarking him in the media

 

[95pro]

KAT is having kind of a breakdown that dude is soft as it gets. He honestly needs to punch out jimmy butler at this point.

If he didn't do it after Butler banged his GF he ain't gonna do it now while Butler is embarking him in the media

All excellent points

 

[Russ Smith]

What got the Lakers back on track was the suspension. Ball and Kuzna starting instead of Ingram and Rondo.

Sometimes it’s addition by subtraction.

I'm not totally sure but Lonzo is clearly a totally different player starting and playing big minutes as opposed to off the bench. I'm still not totally sure on Kuzma, when his shot falls, like last night, he's great, but when its' not falling he continues to shoot. It's very odd because he was so well coached in college it wasn't apparent to me what a selfish player he actually is. Ingram has clear holes too but he's a much more team oriented guy.

With Rondo/Lonzo it appears like at least so far Lonzo in less minutes just isn't aggressive, he is afraid he won't stay in so he doesn't want to screw up. When he knows he's going to be in there 30 plus minutes he plays not thinks and is much better. He had a bad first half last night but was very good in the 2nd half in the parts I watched.

I pointed this out a few times last year too, Lonzo has become a MUCH better defensive player, he had 5 steals last night, multiple deflections, I think they missed at least 2 blocks he had on drives. Murray put up over 20 points but he had I think 1 assist, he got so focused on trying to score on Lonzo it bogged down the Denver offense at times. I think Lonzo getting up into him and stealing it from him more than once really bugged him and it led to him playing hero ball and not running the offense.

Gary Harris on the other hand that kid is blowing up.

 

[Russ Smith]

I agree with you often, but I rabidly disagree here. If Ayton doesn't become an all-time great, it will be because of the same reasons we're seeing Towns exposed as basically empty stats. Towns doesn't give a rip defensively, he doesn't try when he isn't getting the ball and he quits.

Furthermore, the Pelicans tried combining Cousins and Davis, it didn't work. They didn't hit their stride until Cousins got hurt. It's working with Mirotic because Mirotic plays defense, plays off the ball, isn't a whining turd...

I don't want Towns. Barring injury, I think Ayton will be much better and I think combining him with Towns will cause a lot of the same problems that made him less effective at Arizona.

The other thing is influence, the last thing you want to risk with Ayton is putting him around another young talented big, but one who doesn't play hard, like KAT. Chandler may be limited and old but he still plays hard, he's IMO more of the type of influence you want around Ayton, KAT could be a bad influence on him.

I'm still having the same worries with Cousins and the Warriors, when he starts playing I have no idea if he'll buy in or not. Great player but he didn't play hard and didn't play defense before the injury, if he does yeah Warriors could be unreal, but if he doesn't they're actually better off with Jones, Looney, Bell and Jerebko because they all buy in and play defense.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

KAT is having kind of a breakdown that dude is soft as it gets. He honestly needs to punch out jimmy butler at this point.

If he didn't do it after Butler banged his GF he ain't gonna do it now while Butler is embarking him in the media

Butler banged his girlfriend?!?

 

[Hoop Head]

Butler banged his girlfriend?!?

I hadn't heard that before but it seems like it actually happened. Found this link about the mess...


https://blacksportsonline.com/home/...-which-caused-their-breakup-tweets-ig-photos/

 

[AzStevenCal]

Butler banged his girlfriend?!?

Don't know if it's true but that's the story.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Don't know if it's true but that's the story.

Man I was in butlers side of this before but that’s just unacceptable. If true he’s a dick.