NBA 2020-2021 Season

[Szumi]

Rockets and Wizards made the trade. Westbrook for Wall and a 1st round pick

[gunnar hendershow]

I'd take the Westbrook contract over the Wall contract any day of the week. Both brutal but one is a much, much better player.

[Pooker]

Probably the only trade either team could have made. Feel bad for Beal, having to play with Westbrook instead of finally getting to lead a team by himself. 

[gunnar hendershow]

2 minutes ago, Pooker said:

Probably the only trade either team could have made. Feel bad for Beal, having to play with Westbrook instead of finally getting to lead a team by himself. 

He led the team last year and they were basically the 9-seed in the East. The Wizards had to make this move as Wall was the only player you could trade for Westbrook and vice versa as both have nasty contracts. It's highly possible Washington's front office would rather ride out Russ's contract than Wall's contract given his injury history.

I wouldn't be shocked if they still go ahead with a Beal trade for assets if it's not working out with Westbrook.

[DYSI]

I wonder where this leaves Harden with Houston. I doubt a broken down John Wall and Boogie Cousins screams "championship contenders" to him, but if the Rockets don't deal him now I feel like there leverage would be out the window and any chance at a decent haul would be gone by the trade deadline - assuming it gets that far. 

[gunnar hendershow]

4 minutes ago, DYSI said:

I wonder where this leaves Harden with Houston. I doubt a broken down John Wall and Boogie Cousins screams "championship contenders" to him, but if the Rockets don't deal him now I feel like there leverage would be out the window and any chance at a decent haul would be gone by the trade deadline - assuming it gets that far. 

I don't know if they'll lose leverage. His contract still has 3 full seasons on it, if they drag it out to the trade deadline or into the off-season there's still a big haul someone will want to pay. But Houston probably is more invested in trading him now that they've moved Westbrook.

[Pooker]

Anthony Davis is staying with the Lakers, 5 year $195 million deal, the day after Lebron signed a two year, $85 million extension.

[gunnar hendershow]

Hard to argue with them doing that. They've got a wild amount of flexibility beyond those two, something to be said about building your superteam with 2 max players as opposed to 3.

[Pooker]

I think they've improved their team a lot this year. I dare say they have a better team now then they did winning the championship last year.

Also, just realized that John Wall and Demarcus Cousins are finally playing together in the NBA. I loved those two at Kentucky, too bad they couldn't play together in their primes in the NBA.

[gunnar hendershow]

24 minutes ago, Pooker said:

I think they've improved their team a lot this year. I dare say they have a better team now then they did winning the championship last year.

Also, just realized that John Wall and Demarcus Cousins are finally playing together in the NBA. I loved those two at Kentucky, too bad they couldn't play together in their primes in the NBA.

They're both finally playing together after having their primes cut short by devastating injuries sadly.

I'll miss Wall in DC. He loved the city and the city loved him back, but Wizards were right to move on and take the better player in Westbrook.

[Chris2K]

The word coming out of Houston is that Harden didn't want to play with Westbrook and was happy to play with Wall, and Westbrook didn't even bother turning up to the Rockets' training camp.

I can't help feeling Westbrook will be happier in a team where he's the biggest name, even if Beal might have something to say about that.

[LL!]

None of that surprises me. The Westbrook trade reeked of doing anything to keep Harden. I still think he's going to abandon ship if he sticks around and they once again go nowhere (which given how the Lakers are built right now is very likely.)

[gunnar hendershow]

Wall and Harden is a terrible pairing for what it's worth. Not that they won't get along but they won't play well together.

Westbrook is by all accounts miserable to be a teammate of so unless Beal is the one in a million guy who gets along great with him I'd want Washington to trade him as soon as possible and ride out the 2 years of Russ before he presumably does not pick up his player option.

[Pooker]

If I was Beal, I would be asking for a trade from the Wizards today. Playing with Westbrook isn't going to be good for him.

[Chris2K]

50 positive COVID tests for players so far, which is 49 unnamed players and Malik Monk.

Also KAT has lost 7 family members to COVID during the pandemic, which is heartbreaking. I'd have no problem if he chose not to start playing until things are much better.

[Pooker]

Mike Conley and another unnamed Jazz player were held out of practice yesterday after being around somebody who tested positive.

Crazy that they went months without a positive test while in the bubble and now there's 50 after just a month away. Amazing how isolation and testing works that way.

[Maxx]

We've also never had more cases per day than we do right now.

[Maxx]

Not only is James Harden not headed to Rockets training camp, he's instead out partying in Vegas without a mask.

[LL!]

8 minutes ago, Maxx said:

Not only is James Harden not headed to Rockets training camp, he's instead out partying in Vegas without a mask.

Don't be silly. He simply just covers his mouth with his beard.

[Pooker]

He's also told the Rockets that he's open to a trade to a contender, like the 76ers.