Around The NBA : 2023-24 Season #2

[Dan Z]

Seeing the report that the 76ers would be there ready to sign Paul George made me think. What if he goes and the Clippers still have Harden, Leonard and Westbrook would they think adding Lavine would make sense? Zach is an excellent catch and shoot guy and there he is with three guys who draw a crowd and know how to pass the ball. Any two of them play together with bench guys so their offense stays in gear.

What's the haul? Powell and PJ Tucker?

Exciting! Bring on banner #7!

[ScrantonBulls]

Difficult for me to watch bulls games since the deadline. They're definitely more entertaining, but being a treadmill team AGAIN just sucks.

[Dan Z]

Unless the south beach basketball team falls apart which is not going to happen.

Miami is thoroughly mediocre. Father Time finally defeated Jimmy Butler. He can bring it here and there, but no longer regularly. And the rest of those guys are role players, aside from Bam. I don't expect the Heat to survive this year's first round.

But yeah, we probably won't catch them before the season runs out ...

What's this based on? He's pacing himself in the reg. season. Thoroughly sure he'll bring it regularly in the post-season. I think Jimmy's got another 2-3 years. These days, stars who stay in shape (motivated to win) regularly fight F.T. off until 36-37. The reg. season consistency can drop, but the playoffs are comically spaced where these guys have 2-3 days of rest in between each game, with no travel.

The Heat are actually rated better right now than they were at the end of last season. They miss Strus, but for a team's that consistently underachieved reg. season and overachieved post-season for about 4 years straight, there's no way I'm calling them a play-in bust.

Right now Butler has 28 points, 4 steals, 5 assists and 4 rebounds against the Cavs.

It's a close game that will probably go down to the wire.

[step]

Seeing the report that the 76ers would be there ready to sign Paul George made me think. What if he goes and the Clippers still have Harden, Leonard and Westbrook would they think adding Lavine would make sense? Zach is an excellent catch and shoot guy and there he is with three guys who draw a crowd and know how to pass the ball. Any two of them play together with bench guys so their offense stays in gear.

What's the haul? Powell and PJ Tucker?

Well, we could look to incorporate the 76ers and their cap space in a 3 team deal... which could open quite a number of different options (TPE, S&Ts) etc.

There would have to be a convoluted thought process as to why they'd be prepared to not pay George but accept Lavine... but I won't delve into that.

[drosestruts]

Difficult for me to watch bulls games since the deadline. They're definitely more entertaining, but being a treadmill team AGAIN just sucks.

What's your definition of a treadmill team? How many teams in the NBA do you consider to be a treadmill team?

[Jeffster81]

Did anybody else see James Harden contest his own teammates shot?

[step]

Did anybody else see James Harden contest his own teammates shot?

Read on Twitter

[Repeat 3-peat]

Read on Twitter

[Axl Rose]

Did anybody else see James Harden contest his own teammates shot?

I think the theory is that Harden did it because Kawhi shoots better when contested or something

[Dan Z]

With the way the Nets are playing you'd think they''re taking, but Houston has their 2024 pick. Is their plan cap space after next season?

[Guru]

Did anybody else see James Harden contest his own teammates shot?

I think the theory is that Harden did it because Kawhi shoots better when contested or something

He was just bored

"I was trying to bring some excitement to this team," Harden explained to reporters. "I think these last few weeks have been a fog for us. I think every team goes through it. So I think it was just me trying to create energy, create a great vibe for this team. Maybe it would've been better if he had made the shot, but give them something to laugh about, some excitement."

[prolific passer]

Feel sorry for Lofton. Too good for the gleague but I guess they feel he's not in shape enough for the NBA.

[Repeat 3-peat]

Feel sorry for Lofton. Too good for the gleague but I guess they feel he's not in shape enough for the NBA.

Luka Garza is in the same boat. Tough (weird) spot for these types of players. It's either G League or overseas if they want playing time.

[prolific passer]

Feel sorry for Lofton. Too good for the gleague but I guess they feel he's not in shape enough for the NBA.

Luka Garza is in the same boat. Tough (weird) spot for these types of players. It's either G League or overseas if they want playing time.

Sanogo might end up in that same boat. Very skilled bigs but I guess not skilled enough for todays NBA.

[kodo]

Miami & Philly both won tonight against tough opponents. Really doesn't look like the 8th is going to happen.

[rosenthall]

Miami & Philly both won tonight against tough opponents. Really doesn't look like the 8th is going to happen.

At this point I think we should load manage for the 9th spot, as silly as that sounds.

Right now it looks like we really are going to get a lot of continuity from last season: same # of wins, same seeding, and probably the same playoff outcome. I think we beat the Hawks and then lose to one of the Heat / Pacers.

[DuckIII]

Feel sorry for Lofton. Too good for the gleague but I guess they feel he's not in shape enough for the NBA.

Luka Garza is in the same boat. Tough (weird) spot for these types of players. It's either G League or overseas if they want playing time.

Sanogo might end up in that same boat. Very skilled bigs but I guess not skilled enough for todays NBA.

Sanogo is definitely going to end up overseas because he has no NBA body or skills. He’s not skilled at all, let alone “very skilled.”

Garza and Lofton are highly skilled though. They can’t stick because they can’t defend with any mobility. Unlike the Bulls, most NBA teams want their bigs to be mobile and good at defense.

[TheSuzerain]

Lofton's situation is his own fault. Lose the weight.

[drosestruts]

Lofton's situation is his own fault. Lose the weight.

He's a 6'6" big man who's only big because of his weight. His weight is oddly a plus for him.

Heavy or not, he's just not an NBA player

If he cut too much weight, the things that makes him unique at the g-league and overseas level may cease to exist.

[drosestruts]

With the way the Nets are playing you'd think they''re taking, but Houston has their 2024 pick. Is their plan cap space after next season?

Brooklyn is simply just bad.

A lot of people really liked their mix of talent after trading away their stars and thought they might be some sort of sleeper team with up and coming talent primed to take the lead role on their own team.

I'm curious what they do this offseason with Claxton. Do you keep doubling down on an increasingly expensive core of Bridges/Johnson/Claxton that struggles to win 30 games?

The year after Simmons expires but at the same time you'll need to decide on extensions for players like Cam Thomas, Denis Schroder, and Day'Ron Sharpe.

Over the next 3 years they have one first round pick - Phoenix's 2025 1st.