Around The NBA : 2024-25 Season

[kodo]

Took him a while to pivot to the Hinkie tank.

Hmmm. OKC had two seasons of 22 and 24 wins, finishing with the 4th best record on each occasion. So, not really the same as Hinkie. In fact, Bulls fans would have ripped Presti for not tanking properly, the way that Hinkie did.

Wasn't just those seasons either.
I was in Seattle the one season Sam was GM and still followed the Thunder after. Team won 20 & 23 wins. The fan base actually thought Presti would keep Ray Allen and Rashard and add Durant (off chance of Oden) and hoped for at least a playoffs. Ray & Rashard won 52 games on their own, and KD would be replacing Radmanovic which is like a 10x upgrade. He instead tore that team down to the studs.

It was a very intentional choice to be worse than you had to be.

[Ice Man]

I was in Seattle the one season Sam was GM and still followed the Thunder after. Team won 20 & 23 wins. The fan base actually thought Presti would keep Ray Allen and Rashard and add Durant (off chance of Oden) and hoped for at least a playoffs. Ray & Rashard won 52 games on their own, and KD would be replacing Radmanovic which is like a 10x upgrade. He instead tore that team down to the studs.

It was a very intentional choice to be worse than you had to be.

OK, fair enough ... but nonetheless 2 consecutive years in the #4 drafting slot is pretty different than Hinkie's #1, #3, #1. I don't dispute that Presti was willing to lose, but he didn't go at that task as enthusiastically as Hinkie did.

[jc23]

Pacers need an Larry Bird appearance tonight

[Dan Z]

Obi Toppin has impressed me since going to the Pacers. I had questions about him when he was on the Knicks. I know he was an older rookie, but in hindsight he would've been a better pick than PW.

[BullChit]

Obi Toppin has impressed me since going to the Pacers. I had questions about him when he was on the Knicks. I know he was an older rookie, but in hindsight he would've been a better pick than PW.

In hindsight Aaron Grey was a better pick than PW

[DuckIII]

The Pacers are basically playing a perfect basketball game. This is wild.

[SirKaiser]

Obi Toppin has impressed me since going to the Pacers. I had questions about him when he was on the Knicks. I know he was an older rookie, but in hindsight he would've been a better pick than PW.

In hindsight Aaron Grey was a better pick than PW

[kodo]

The Pacers are basically playing a perfect basketball game. This is wild.

It's wild seeing a crowd chant a bench player's name (TJ) instead of your stars, or at least a starter in the Finals.
I think the "Superteam + a bunch of min contracts" era is super dead.

[DuckIII]

The Pacers are basically playing a perfect basketball game. This is wild.

It's wild seeing a crowd chant a bench player's name (TJ) instead of your stars, or at least a starter in the Finals.
I think the "Superteam + a bunch of min contracts" era is super dead.

There is definitely a lot more parity. But I feel like two super teams are rising in the West and they are going to dominate - between the two of them - for a decade.

But they will be more or less home grown.

[Muzbar]

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/280844/Demar-DeRozan-Widely-Perceived-As-Available-In-Trade

DeRozan is on the trade block already in Sacramento apparently. It's almost like the LaVine/DeRozan pairing doesn't work. If only there had been a way to see that beforehand...

[Ccwatercraft]

Obi Toppin has impressed me since going to the Pacers. I had questions about him when he was on the Knicks. I know he was an older rookie, but in hindsight he would've been a better pick than PW.

In hindsight Aaron Grey was a better pick than PW

I was never really upset at the r Pwill draft pick, I was upset with the overpay. He probably at best deserved a 3 yr deal around 25, maybe 30 tops with a team option.

I sure wish he'd prove me wrong!

[League Circles]

Pretty awesome to see Tony Bradley and James Johnson get on the court!

[kodo]

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/280844/Demar-DeRozan-Widely-Perceived-As-Available-In-Trade

DeRozan is on the trade block already in Sacramento apparently. It's almost like the LaVine/DeRozan pairing doesn't work. If only there had been a way to see that beforehand...

Wonder if the new GM is going to do a complete teardown including Sabonis & Lavine, or if it's just moving Derozan.

[Muzbar]

I can't believe some people weren't excited for this series.

This is possibly one of the best NBA finals I've experienced.

Can't wait for game 7.

[WesPeace]

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/280844/Demar-DeRozan-Widely-Perceived-As-Available-In-Trade

DeRozan is on the trade block already in Sacramento apparently. It's almost like the LaVine/DeRozan pairing doesn't work. If only there had been a way to see that beforehand...

Wonder if the new GM is going to do a complete teardown including Sabonis & Lavine, or if it's just moving Derozan.

They should just move DeRozan, Zach and Sab are still a lot younger. They need to swap DDR for legit playmaker, point guard.. also they could draft someone like Javon Small in 2nd round, he should be available around their pick #42

[Donkedave]

I can't believe some people weren't excited for this series.

This is possibly one of the best NBA finals I've experienced.

Can't wait for game 7.

They weren’t? Unreal! Everyone did ride Pacers off with the Hali injury also. They have fight in them for sure. Hope they win game 7

[Ice Man]

Playoff narratives are almost all about offenses, but of course that is only half the story. The Game 5 narrative was about how Hali let the Pacers down by not scoring more, but in Game 5 the Pacers scored more than they did in Game 6. The reason they extended the series was not whether Haliburton took shots, but the fact that their defense shut down OKC -- in particular JWill and SGA.

[sco]

This Indy team reminds me of the 04 Pistons beating the Lakers. Definitely a David v. Goliath situation.

[Ice Man]

This Indy team reminds me of the 04 Pistons beating the Lakers. Definitely a David v. Goliath situation.

Yes, although it should be said that at least as measured by the VORP and BPM stats, Haliburton is miles better than anybody on the '05 Pistons. Hali scored 7th in the regular season on one of those measures and 4th in the other, whereas the Pistons had nobody in the Top 15.

[Dresden]

I can't believe some people weren't excited for this series.

This is possibly one of the best NBA finals I've experienced.

Can't wait for game 7.

Yes, this has been a great finals. Glad to see two small market teams in the spotlight, instead of the usual Boston/Lakers. Reminds me of the 70's, when we had match ups like Seattle/Washington.