NBA 2016-2017 Season

[VerbalPuke]

The Pistons wanted a 1st, a young player, and an expiring deal for Reggie Jackson.

Laugh out fucking loud.

[En Dub]

I wasn't too upset with the Celtics not making a move because I like our core team and I appreciate the confidence in the ones that brought you this far. But I was a little irritated that after all the "Trader Danny" hype, there was apparently nothing. 

 

Until it leaked what the Pacers wanted for PG13: The 2017 Brooklyn pick (currently projected #1 pick in a loaded class) and three out of the following: Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, Avery Bradley and Jae Crowder. 

 

Don't get me wrong, George is great. But he's basically said he's going to LA in a year and Indiana can sit and look at him until then for that price.

[gunnar hendershow]

Yeah that Brooklyn pick is worth way more than Paul George unless he commits to signing long-term with Boston.

Indiana has to trade him, and they probably will over the summer, but it'll wind up being for much less than they're currently asking. And I think Larry Bird knows that. But you can't blame him for asking for a king's ransom when he knows full well he doesn't have to do anything right now.

[Quom]

Philly has announced Ben Simmons is out for the year. I'm wondering if they'll also shut Embiid down and tank hard.

[gunnar hendershow]

I suspect they will. Potentially 2 top-10 picks depending where LA's falls. Next year that Lakers pick is finally unprotected.

They apparently also have a swap with Sacramento depending where either of them fall in the draft.

[VerbalPuke]

22 hours ago, En Dub said:

I wasn't too upset with the Celtics not making a move because I like our core team and I appreciate the confidence in the ones that brought you this far. But I was a little irritated that after all the "Trader Danny" hype, there was apparently nothing. 

 

Until it leaked what the Pacers wanted for PG13: The 2017 Brooklyn pick (currently projected #1 pick in a loaded class) and three out of the following: Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, Avery Bradley and Jae Crowder. 

 

Don't get me wrong, George is great. But he's basically said he's going to LA in a year and Indiana can sit and look at him until then for that price.

Yeah, if I'm Boston I hang on to that pick unless I'm getting something crazy in return. George is nice but he probably isn't moving the needle past Cleveland. 

[thatshortguy]

Rumor is Atlanta offered three first rounders to both Chicago and Indiana and were still told no.

...kinda glad, actually.  I know we're likely not getting past the second round, but sending Tiago to Splitsville as well as offloading Mike Scott are shrewd moves for the future.

[maninblack]

Sixers should also look into getting a whole new medical team, if their top draft picks keep getting hurt.

[Quom]

That makes no sense. Embiid came into the league injured and was injured prior to the draft, same with Noel (both likely would have been drafted higher if they were healthy). Ben Simmons' injury was just a freak thing.

By all accounts it's less the medical staff and more whoever is announcing stuff to the media, they lied when they said Ben Simmons was getting his final scan and everything was fine (suddenly there was one more scan and the injury hasn't healed), they then told Embiid he was out for around three weeks but told the media he was day-to-day.

Philly seem like a very odd team. Ilyasova seemed to be the first player to go there that publicly said he liked it there, then they traded him. I dunno, I think they might really struggle to make the next leap. Wolves and Milwaukee have got lucky in that there is little overlap in the people they have drafted and they've all panned out fairly well. Philly is getting cents on the dollar for Noel and had even worse offers for Okafor and I can't see them shaking off the stink of the tank when it's time to consolidate the roster by signing FA's. They might be a larger market, but they have handled everything so, so poorly.  

[JasonM]

The Sixers right now reminds me very much of what the Clippers used to be before they got their superstars. Just a team that is synonymous with always being mediocre and completely unable to turn their assets into something valuable. All their rebuilding have bred a culture of tanking and an anti-winning mentality, which affects players and in a way has stunted their growth too because they've never played for success.

They've drafted great players, and guys like Embiid have come in their own. But at the same time, they've built a lopsided team and then trade away the talented surplus for dimes on the dollar. With Noel gone to the Mavs for next to nothing, and by all accounts Okafor also being done for since he can't seemingly play with Embiid on the court.

For all their tanking, they got nothing to show for it other than even more tanking. And I don't see their stars staying around once their time is up, because the Sixers are a dud team.

In the meantime a team that everyone wanted to see tank (the Mavs), didn't tank. And they got a team filled with interesting prospects and an all-star calibre player in Barnes. In a few seasons they have completely repurposed the machine, with no tanking, and no true free agent scoops (Barnes was a massive risk). Their culture has always been winning, they still have an elite coach in their midst who seemingly is having a better time than ever coaching these kids, and prospective free agents look at Mavs as a team that's one or two big free agents away from being a playoff contender again.

Like I said a month or so back, tanking breaks more than it fixes in the NBA. And the Sixers for all their effort have nothing to really look out for.

[Benjamin]

How the hell do you get 18 technical fouls in a season? That seems insane.

[Quom]

13 hours ago, Benkid Cratchit said:

How the hell do you get 18 technical fouls in a season? That seems insane.

I don't really like Boogie. Having said that I think he has a shitty reputation with refs and in turn they treat him unfairly in comparison to most other players. All talented big men get fucked over by the refs (nearly every offensive play they're being fouled) and I can 100% see why they get frustrated when they get called for stuff down the other end.

But compare what Draymond Green can get away with compared to Boogie then we'll start talking.

[Maxx]

Now with Barnes, Nerlens, DFS, Yogi and Other Curry, the Mavs have become the same kind of endearing band of misfits that they were when they had Van Exel, Finley, Najera and LaFrentz.  Yaay!

[JasonM]

Hearing the name 'Raef LaFrentz' still gives me flashbacks...

[maddog]

Is Draymond Green the biggest tool in the NBA right now? Or maybe the most relevant? The guy just keeps trash talking Paul Pierce who now, in what is his last year in the league, is still a better player than Green and when he was in his prime was a perennial all star who helped lead the Celtics to an ECF with ANTOINE WALKER. Draymond Green couldn't even lead a team to a 9th place finish. Does this dude forget that his teammates win the games and he just stands there like a fool kicking nuts?



Sorry... Celtics fan. Love the Truth. Upset that it's another year the Cs didn't do anything at the deadline and won't do anything in the offseason. And yes I saw people saying sit on the pick, except for the fact that pick isn't going to help the Cs. At all. Unless we get some big in return...

[livid]

It's not like his team lost the NBA Finals after he fucked up and got suspended. Nope, that didn't happen at all.

Draymond Green is definitely a better player than Paul Pierce is now. I think you're underselling Green's ability and importance to the Warriors team. He's definitely an asshole who plays fairly dirty but he's not the talentless waste of space you're suggesting he is. 

More than that, his trash talking to Pierce is just funny.

[Quom]

1 hour ago, maddog said:

Is Draymond Green the biggest tool in the NBA right now? Or maybe the most relevant? The guy just keeps trash talking Paul Pierce who now, in what is his last year in the league, is still a better player than Green and when he was in his prime was a perennial all star who helped lead the Celtics to an ECF with ANTOINE WALKER. Draymond Green couldn't even lead a team to a 9th place finish. Does this dude forget that his teammates win the games and he just stands there like a fool kicking nuts?



Sorry... Celtics fan. Love the Truth. Upset that it's another year the Cs didn't do anything at the deadline and won't do anything in the offseason. And yes I saw people saying sit on the pick, except for the fact that pick isn't going to help the Cs. At all. Unless we get some big in return...

I have no idea what you're talking about. Dray is incredibly hard to like, but he's a great player. He might not be someone that could win a championship by himself, but I have no doubt that there isn't a GM in the league that wouldn't sign him in a second. He's super versatile (how many guys can you name that can bring the ball up the court every possession in a useful way and play the 5?) and a great hustle player. 

[maddog]

2 minutes ago, Quom said:

I have no idea what you're talking about. Dray is incredibly hard to like, but he's a great player. He might not be someone that could win a championship by himself, but I have no doubt that there isn't a GM in the league that wouldn't sign him in a second. He's super versatile (how many guys can you name that can bring the ball up the court every possession in a useful way and play the 5?) and a great hustle player. 

I find alot of his playing ability to be a result of his teammates and circumstances moreso than his own skill. Of course, I am more blinded by his trash talking of Paul Pierce right now than anything, but even without the trash talking I'd still feel the same way, just less so.

[Quom]

Just now, maddog said:

I find alot of his playing ability to be a result of his teammates and circumstances moreso than his own skill. Of course, I am more blinded by his trash talking of Paul Pierce right now than anything, but even without the trash talking I'd still feel the same way, just less so.

There are plenty of 'superstar' players that would suddenly be available if Draymond was being offered in a trade. He's a really solid defender and can play 1-5 at a higher level than perhaps anyone in the league (would be between him and LeBron, Dray is likely a better C or at the very least is willing to play it, LeBron is a better PG). His versatility is what makes him valuable since he offers a huge amount of injury insurance and you don't really need to go searching for minutes for him since you can basically slot him into any rotation and he'll do work.

Nor can you really look at his 'body of work' and say it's all his teammates or isn't impressive. He was a second round pick and had to fight to see the floor in his rookie season. Sophomore season he had a breakout in the series against the Clippers in the playoffs. The next season he'd usurped David Lee and was now not only a starter but is the runner up in Most Improved and Defensive Player of the year and his team won the championship. 

It would be like saying Steph or Klay are shit because they have each other. In reality I think Dray is likely more valuable to Steph and Klay than they are to him. Plus he's only 26.

[Toe]

On 2/28/2017 at 23:53, maddog said:

 And yes I saw people saying sit on the pick, except for the fact that pick isn't going to help the Cs. At all. Unless we get some big in return...

If that pick turns out to be #1 or #2, then I think it becomes even more valuable. The trade market might not have suited Ainge now, but in the summer it might be better for him and the Celtics.