Around The NBA

[CjayC]

Are we done trading down?

Trade down looks like a great play still. Poku looks like a good prospect

Yeah so far haven't been sold. I think he can become a good enough shooter(Despite that 2nd game he had), but I don't really see the lateral quickness so even if he becomes a superior ballhandler "for his size", I don't see how he'll leverage it. I guess hopefully using the handle to create better looks to get his shot off? Looked like a giraffe out there at times with the ball. Defensively it's probably going to be the biggest issue.

[Chi town]

Random thoughts...

Harden and House for Simmons, Filler and picks... Simmons fits well w Cousins and Wall.

Culver has improved. He’s an intriguing 2 way playmaker and won’t be getting enough opportunity in MIN w Edwards KAT and Rubio and Russell. His shot has improved a lot.

Bane can play play and will help MEM quite a bit.

LaMelo will hit his wall during the season but he’s way past his brother at this same point when Lonzo was getting started.

[Chi town]

Cole Anthony has been quietly playing good. Lamelo Ball is showing more offense tonight.

He’s a great fit for what the Magic need.

[Chi town]

People naturally assumed the draft would be bad because of the lack of athletic/flashy players but turns out this draft seems really loaded with potential solid 2 way skilled players. Kinda its own unique draft.

Seems that way. I think things being cut short hurt the view of the players but actually helped them develop.

A lot can change in real games. I also think no fans helps younger players too. Once fans are back it’s a different deal.

[R3AL1TY]

People naturally assumed the draft would be bad because of the lack of athletic/flashy players but turns out this draft seems really loaded with potential solid 2 way skilled players. Kinda its own unique draft.

Seems that way. I think things being cut short hurt the view of the players but actually helped them develop.

A lot can change in real games. I also think no fans helps younger players too. Once fans are back it’s a different deal.

Good point. We even saw in the bubble how having no fans elevated certain players' games or made them played with more confidence.

[TheStig]

I wouldn't say he was more integral. He was more of a PG and better as a defender but Brogdon was more of a crucial piece for their offense.

I stand by my statement. He was clearly a more important player to them in that role. He wasn't going to get to have a bigger role playing behind those 3.

We'll have to disagree on that but I respect your opinion.

You can disagree but they signed one to a long term deal and declined to match an offer sheet on the other. Which do you think they thought was more integral?

[MGB8]

Random thoughts...

Harden and House for Simmons, Filler and picks... Simmons fits well w Cousins and Wall.

Culver has improved. He’s an intriguing 2 way playmaker and won’t be getting enough opportunity in MIN w Edwards KAT and Rubio and Russell. His shot has improved a lot.

Bane can play play and will help MEM quite a bit.

LaMelo will hit his wall during the season but he’s way past his brother at this same point when Lonzo was getting started.

Like with Coby, it's a little early to say that Culver's improved - but he's had two good games in a row and it certainly looks that way. He was one of my favorites in last year's draft and I was surprised at how bad he was offensively last season. Unlike most of Minnesota's players, he was a huge "winning" player in college and his basketball IQ and all-around skills could make him into a winning, 2-way wing in the NBA - but only if he shoots / scores well enough to not be a massive liability on offense.

I also agree that Bane looks like he belongs in the NBA. Likely another late gem for Memphis along the lines of Dillon Brooks who will be a legit contributor as a rookie.

As for LaMelo... not just way beyond where his brother started - he looks like a future top 10 player, to me. At least if he can shoot the way he did last night. His defense isn't as bad as advertised (that was always an effort issue), and neither does the form on his shot (may also be an effort and emotional maturity thing) - but his footspeed with the ball, vision and passing accuracy and quickness absolutely look like they translate.

[MGB8]

Random thoughts...

Harden and House for Simmons, Filler and picks... Simmons fits well w Cousins and Wall.

Culver has improved. He’s an intriguing 2 way playmaker and won’t be getting enough opportunity in MIN w Edwards KAT and Rubio and Russell. His shot has improved a lot.

Bane can play play and will help MEM quite a bit.

LaMelo will hit his wall during the season but he’s way past his brother at this same point when Lonzo was getting started.

The one thing I don't agree on is Simmons fitting well with Cousins and Wall. I think it's an awful fit because Simmons simply can't shoot. Cousins, while he can shoot, needs space that Simmons would bring, and Simmons is duplicative with Wall. If they make a deal for Simmons and change, my opinion would be that their best bet would be to flip Simmons to a 3rd team and get back someone who fits better - maybe to the Clippers for Paul George.

The best 2 team Harden trade, IMO, is Harden + House to New Orleans for Ingram, Jaxson Hayes, NAW, Kira Lewis, and the Jrue-Holiday picks. That creates a dangerous, likely immediately contention level Pelicans team:

1: Harden, Ball
2: Bledsoe, Reddick, Thornwell
3: House, Hart
4: Zion, Meli, Gabriel
5: Adams, Hernangomez

Meanwhile, Houston is left with a competitive roster and regains draft capital:

1: Wall, Lewis
2: Gordon, NAW, McLemore
3: Ingram, Tate, Nwaba
4: (Wood), Tucker, Caboclo, G.Green
5: Wood, Cousins, Hayes

[Ice Man]

The Orlando Magic broadcast showed this statistic last night. Teams ranked by percentage of returning-player minutes -

1) Indiana - 98%
2) Chicago - 89%
3) Charlotte - 84%
4) Orlando - 84%

Etc.

Their argument was that teams with high numbers might get off to good starts in the season because of continuity. Hmmm, maybe. I do think the stat helps to explain why the Bulls looked so much better than OKC the other night. Our guys looked as if they knew each other, whereas OKC's did not.

As a side note, Detroit was last on the list, at 24%.

[cjbulls]

The Orlando Magic broadcast showed this statistic last night. Teams ranked by percentage of returning-player minutes -

1) Indiana - 98%
2) Chicago - 89%
3) Charlotte - 84%
4) Orlando - 84%

Etc.

Their argument was that teams with high numbers might get off to good starts in the season because of continuity. Hmmm, maybe. I do think the stat helps to explain why the Bulls looked so much better than OKC the other night. Our guys looked as if they knew each other, whereas OKC's did not.

As a side note, Detroit was last on the list, at 24%.

I saw that list too and just laughed. The team with the new FO and among the most to fix of any team in the league, yet they're at the top of the league in retained minutes.

A new coach and new system will pull significant amounts of that continuity. For example, in game 1, the Rockets looked like a team that had played together for years while the Bulls looked like they just thrown together in a pickup game.

[sco]

The Orlando Magic broadcast showed this statistic last night. Teams ranked by percentage of returning-player minutes -

1) Indiana - 98%
2) Chicago - 89%
3) Charlotte - 84%
4) Orlando - 84%

Etc.

Their argument was that teams with high numbers might get off to good starts in the season because of continuity. Hmmm, maybe. I do think the stat helps to explain why the Bulls looked so much better than OKC the other night. Our guys looked as if they knew each other, whereas OKC's did not.

As a side note, Detroit was last on the list, at 24%.

I saw that list too and just laughed. The team with the new FO and among the most to fix of any team in the league, yet they're at the top of the league in retained minutes.

A new coach and new system will pull significant amounts of that continuity. For example, in game 1, the Rockets looked like a team that had played together for years while the Bulls looked like they just thrown together in a pickup game.

IMO, it means little. We lost 2-3 FA's...that's all we had. It also doesn't mean we didn't try to trade guys, but their value was low. Also, we were the 2nd youngest team in the league. Are we the youngest this season? Probably not because we signed Temple. We've got to have one of the, if not the, youngest starting line-up.

[Chi town]

Random thoughts...

Harden and House for Simmons, Filler and picks... Simmons fits well w Cousins and Wall.

Culver has improved. He’s an intriguing 2 way playmaker and won’t be getting enough opportunity in MIN w Edwards KAT and Rubio and Russell. His shot has improved a lot.

Bane can play play and will help MEM quite a bit.

LaMelo will hit his wall during the season but he’s way past his brother at this same point when Lonzo was getting started.

Like with Coby, it's a little early to say that Culver's improved - but he's had two good games in a row and it certainly looks that way. He was one of my favorites in last year's draft and I was surprised at how bad he was offensively last season. Unlike most of Minnesota's players, he was a huge "winning" player in college and his basketball IQ and all-around skills could make him into a winning, 2-way wing in the NBA - but only if he shoots / scores well enough to not be a massive liability on offense.

I also agree that Bane looks like he belongs in the NBA. Likely another late gem for Memphis along the lines of Dillon Brooks who will be a legit contributor as a rookie.

As for LaMelo... not just way beyond where his brother started - he looks like a future top 10 player, to me. At least if he can shoot the way he did last night. His defense isn't as bad as advertised (that was always an effort issue), and neither does the form on his shot (may also be an effort and emotional maturity thing) - but his footspeed with the ball, vision and passing accuracy and quickness absolutely look like they translate.

I liked Culver at the draft too because our obvious need for a 2 way wing. I believe in his D and his playmaking. He could grow into a great fit here but only if he can shoot it. If he can he won’t be going anywhere. MIN needs his D and passing too.

I don’t see Melo as a top 10 player. Don’t believe in his shot. Once teams game plan for him it will a different story. His passing is special tho

[cjbulls]

The Orlando Magic broadcast showed this statistic last night. Teams ranked by percentage of returning-player minutes -

1) Indiana - 98%
2) Chicago - 89%
3) Charlotte - 84%
4) Orlando - 84%

Etc.

Their argument was that teams with high numbers might get off to good starts in the season because of continuity. Hmmm, maybe. I do think the stat helps to explain why the Bulls looked so much better than OKC the other night. Our guys looked as if they knew each other, whereas OKC's did not.

As a side note, Detroit was last on the list, at 24%.

I saw that list too and just laughed. The team with the new FO and among the most to fix of any team in the league, yet they're at the top of the league in retained minutes.

A new coach and new system will pull significant amounts of that continuity. For example, in game 1, the Rockets looked like a team that had played together for years while the Bulls looked like they just thrown together in a pickup game.

IMO, it means little. We lost 2-3 FA's...that's all we had. It also doesn't mean we didn't try to trade guys, but their value was low. Also, we were the 2nd youngest team in the league. Are we the youngest this season? Probably not because we signed Temple. We've got to have one of the, if not the, youngest starting line-up.

I think they were the youngest roster by minutes last year. Temple might throw that off just a bit this year.

I disagree our players had low value. We chose to keep players and overvalue is a more accurate description, the same thing GarPax got knocked for.

[cjbulls]

I don’t see Melo as a top 10 player. Don’t believe in his shot. Once teams game plan for him it will a different story. His passing is special tho

The fact teams are already needing to gameplan for him at age 19, game 3 says a lot in its own right.

[ZOMG]

I don’t see Melo as a top 10 player. Don’t believe in his shot. Once teams game plan for him it will a different story. His passing is special tho

The fact teams are already needing to gameplan for him at age 19, game 3 says a lot in its own right.

I've watched all his games and I haven't seen any gameplanning.

[cjbulls]

I don’t see Melo as a top 10 player. Don’t believe in his shot. Once teams game plan for him it will a different story. His passing is special tho

The fact teams are already needing to gameplan for him at age 19, game 3 says a lot in its own right.

I've watched all his games and I haven't seen any gameplanning.

So what's the big gameplan, sag off him? Orlando was doing that. He shot over them. Play him for the pass? He just finished himself instead.

We have had players somewhat like him, Rondo, Kidd and Ben Simmons come to mind. I don't remember any gameplans that neutralized them.

[ZOMG]

The fact teams are already needing to gameplan for him at age 19, game 3 says a lot in its own right.

I've watched all his games and I haven't seen any gameplanning.

So what's the big gameplan, sag off him? Orlando was doing that. He shot over them. Play him for the pass? He just finished himself instead.

We have had players somewhat like him, Rondo, Kidd and Ben Simmons come to mind. I don't remember any gameplans that neutralized them.

The way to defend him is ALWAYS to sag off. One OK shooting game against Orlando scrubs doesn't change that.

That's not much of a game plan. It's just the other team recognizing that you're so bad at something you do that they don't have to pay attention to that part of your game.

[TheSuzerain]

Simmons fits well w Cousins and Wall.

Wait what?

[R3AL1TY]

If Deandre Hunter can sustain his current level of play or close to it, the Hawks are definitely making the playoffs. Their extra depth need to build chemistry first though.

[Chi town]

If Deandre Hunter can sustain his current level of play or close to it, the Hawks are definitely making the playoffs. Their extra depth need to build chemistry first though.

His 3 ball looks real. He looks to have made big strides.