1729 replies to this topic

[SportsGuy]

What I really find interesting about this coming year is that there will be no super team.

There won’t be a team you look at and say, barring something drastic (like what happened to GS), that team will win.

I wonder how that impacts the teams like Denver and Utah, for example. They don’t usually have a real chance at a title..they do now.

How does OKC and Portland leverage their 2 superstars into a chance to win?

Who can Philly retain and will they be the odds on favorite if they keep Butler and Harris?

So many intriguing situations out there now.

[mweb08]

Let's see how the off-season plays out, but yes, it seems that there won't be a clear cut favorite next year or even a group of 2-3 teams that stand above the rest. That should be fun.

[SportsGuy]

Let's see how the off-season plays out, but yes, it seems that there won't be a clear cut favorite next year or even a group of 2-3 teams that stand above the rest. That should be fun.

Another thing that could come into play next year is the larger introduction to stars that people don’t know enough about because of where they play.

A guy like Jokic, for example, could really elevate himself next year. People who really watch and follow the game know him but your casual fan, especially your east coast fan, probably only knows he’s good but that’s about it.

He can really elevate himself this year.

It will also be interesting to see how the lack of a super team effects ratings. For all the talk about how GS was bad for basketball, I don’t think revenues and ratings backed that up?

[mweb08]

It was more that Rob has written about 15,000 words on this compared to your maybe 1,000 in your posts. This post was a good articulation of that. I feel like usually posters like me and you are more often writing the longer posts and Rob is writing the shorter ones. I found some humor in that, hence the like.

I think the interesting part of the scenario not discussed here is who really had the leverage? In some sense, the Lakers really did have the leverage. They've got the high pick and a bunch of assets. They had the best and most willingly aggressive package. No bidding war had seemed to come to fruition. The risk was they took a guy NOP didn't want with #4. Perhaps they weren't confident they could leverage that into what they really wanted or they were worried that eventually NOP gets spooked by the trade. Maybe they were spooked the league agreed with Rob's assessment of the picks.

But ultimately, they were better served to wait, IMO. You should only be scared of a bidding war if you aren't ever willing to give up it all to get a guy. And I think the Lakers were willing to do that. But they are so much better off doing this trade after July 30 so they kind of lost on both sides of the coin here. Maybe make the fully loaded offer with the July 30 contingent and see (and maybe they did that)...

I think the Lakers blinked first. And I don't think you can ever say if they gave up too much or not (which is kind of what Rob is saying, so I guess I actually agree with him if that's what he's trying to say...but for me maybe more in the sense that you can just never know).

Considering the lack of a strong market and the Pelicans preference to get this done before the draft, the Lakers should have had more leverage. However, being a poorly run franchise that has been dragged through the mud recently and giving off an aura of desperation titled things back in the Pelicans favor.

[mweb08]

Another thing that could come into play next year is the larger introduction to stars that people don’t know enough about because of where they play.

A guy like Jokic, for example, could really elevate himself next year. People who really watch and follow the game know him but your casual fan, especially your east coast fan, probably only knows he’s good but that’s about it.

He can really elevate himself this year.

It will also be interesting to see how the lack of a super team effects ratings. For all the talk about how GS was bad for basketball, I don’t think revenues and ratings backed that up?

Jokic is a really fun player to watch and he is one of the best of the young stars in the league. Denver should be a strong contender out west next year, which will probably be easier at the top than the East.

[SportsGuy]

Lowe apparently talking this morning that NO could use that 4th pick to get an established star. He mentioned Bradley Beal.

[mweb08]

Lowe apparently talking this morning that NO could use that 4th pick to get an established star. He mentioned Bradley Beal.

I assume they would have to a fair amount more to get Beal, but they certainly have the assets to do that.

[mweb08]

This article focuses on the prevailing thought that there is no precedent for what the Lakers gave up.

https://sports.yahoo...-204938384.html

[SportsGuy]

https://www.espn.com...cted-free-agent

If you are Boston, do you really want to sign him to a 3 year deal?

[mweb08]

https://www.espn.com...cted-free-agent

If you are Boston, do you really want to sign him to a 3 year deal?

I think so. He's kinda like a much lesser version of Duncan, who aged quite well, not just in terms of ability, but also in his mental approach and acceptance of his decline.

[SportsGuy]

I think so. He's kinda like a much lesser version of Duncan, who aged quite well, not just in terms of ability, but also in his mental approach and acceptance of his decline.

I just see him as a solid guy that ends up costing you 20-25M per year and that not being worth it.

[mweb08]

I just see him as a solid guy that ends up costing you 20-25M per year and that not being worth it.

He's a lot better than a solid guy presently, but he may drop off to just a solid guy.

[SportsGuy]

On First Take today, Ryan Hollins said MJ and Kobe couldn’t hold LeBron’s jock.(or something along those lines)

[mweb08]

On First Take today, Ryan Hollins said MJ and Kobe couldn’t hold LeBron’s jock.(or something along those lines)

Didn't see that, but other than the hyperbolic way of saying it, he's probably right about Kobe depending on how far he's going with it. Kobe never should even be in the GOAT conversation.

[mweb08]

It seems that James Harden and CP3 don't want to play together anymore:

 

https://www.espn.com...rrounds-rockets

 

https://sports.yahoo...-200951028.html

[SportsGuy]

Why sign with them then?

[mweb08]

Why sign with them then?

Paul?

It seems like these problems became worse after he signed the extension.

[mweb08]

Looks like Horford will be testing the market because he and the Celtics weren't close on a deal.

[BSLChrisStoner]

It seems that James Harden and CP3 don't want to play together anymore:

 

https://www.espn.com...rrounds-rockets

 

https://sports.yahoo...-200951028.html

 

 

CP3 responded on Instagram saying it was news to him, but certainly a lot of smoke. 

 

[SportsGuy]

Looks like Horford will be testing the market because he and the Celtics weren't close on a deal.

You have to think Horford wants a ring.