Around The NBA : 21-22 Edition

[Jvaughn]

Bagley has looked real good today on both sides of the ball.

[HoopsterJones]

Bagley has looked real good today on both sides of the ball.

Looks like he’s out of the doghouse once Luke Walton was fired. Was hoping he was available in a trade while his value was low.

[Repeat 3-peat]

Lakers lose in 3 OT vs the Kings that had 3 starters out.

They are going to scapegoat Vogel aren't they? He's not to be blamed but what else can they do? Their tradable players are on vet min deals. They are ****ed, I still don't understand why collectively they decided to go against the identity that made them a great team, which was great defense, just to add an aging Westbrook and a bunch of old players.

[HoopsterJones]

Lakers lose in 3 OT vs the Kings that had 3 starters out.

They are going to scapegoat Vogel aren't they? He's not to be blamed but what else can they do? Their tradable players are on vet min deals. They are ****ed, I still don't understand why collectively they decided to go against the identity that made them a great team, which was great defense, just to add an aging Westbrook and a bunch of old players.

1. Lebron and AD suggested consolidating their depth (Kuzma, KCP, Harrell) for Westbrook instead of Derozan.

2. Lakers FO cheaper out on NOT re-signing Caruso.

3. Lebron missed some games due to injury and suspension.

They are not well constructed IMO. Can’t have 85-90% of your cap committed to three players and fill in the rest with washed up / past their prime ring chasers on vet min contracts. They lost a lot of their young athletic depth that can make an impact with their energy when their big guns are getting a breather.

[Repeat 3-peat]

Jerami Grant shooting barely 40% from the field and 52 TS% overall. This the player some are willing to offer the rest of our assets towards? yuck.

[BullChit]

Jerami Grant shooting barely 40% from the field and 52 TS% overall. This the player some are willing to offer the rest of our assets towards? yuck.

Is he still beleiving and trying to be the number 1 option?

[Grodoboldo]

Read on Twitter

That's a relief!

[FriedRise]

Jerami Grant shooting barely 40% from the field and 52 TS% overall. This the player some are willing to offer the rest of our assets towards? yuck.

Is he still beleiving and trying to be the number 1 option?

Buy low option? We could use his size and defense, and offensively he’d be like our #5 option.

[DuckIII]

Lakers lose in 3 OT vs the Kings that had 3 starters out.

They are going to scapegoat Vogel aren't they? He's not to be blamed but what else can they do? Their tradable players are on vet min deals. They are ****ed, I still don't understand why collectively they decided to go against the identity that made them a great team, which was great defense, just to add an aging Westbrook and a bunch of old players.

Because it’s what LeBron believed was necessary to continue to compete for titles. He was wrong but, in his defense, he’s got a pretty darn good track record when it comes to picking his teammates.

Regardless, this time LeBron proved to have the worst offseason of any GM. Good. It vastly improved the East, the Bulls, and my interest level in the NBA as a whole. If the Lakers had just not done anything they’d be an elite team this year.

Obviously Vogel will end up getting fired even though none of it is his fault at all.

[Wingy]

This Warriors team is just beautiful. Most entertaining NBA to watch since their pre-Durant hay day.

And that Tuscano Anderson was a joy to watch tonight. Baller.

Yeah, and none of it’s possible w/o the maestro that is Steph. Also, while we fantasize about acquiring Harrison Barnes, if the Kings crater, I predict the GSW will be the ones getting him to solidify their title run. Kuminga/Moody...they hardly knew ye.

Kuminga & Moody for Barnes? I don't see it. Kuminga has outstanding potential. Waived vets are going to line-up to play for the Warriors anyway.

Wiseman, Kuminga, Poole & Moody are the future of the Warriors.

Barnes is proven, and has been on one of their title teams. He fits absolutely everything they do, and is way way better than any veteran waiver scrap heap player.

You don’t fret about your future when you have the rare gift of an all-time great at the end of his peak, and a rejuvenated Draymond who won’t age as gracefully as Steph. As Rose showed us. As Klay/KD showed the Warriors. “The future” is one injury away from disappearing. Warriors should be doing everything they can to win with the basketball gift that is Steph Curry.

[2weekswithpay]

Jerami Grant shooting barely 40% from the field and 52 TS% overall. This the player some are willing to offer the rest of our assets towards? yuck.

His efficiency would increase here since he wouldn't have to be the first option. He was efficient in his complementary role in OKC and Denver.

[MrSparkle]

Yeah, and none of it’s possible w/o the maestro that is Steph. Also, while we fantasize about acquiring Harrison Barnes, if the Kings crater, I predict the GSW will be the ones getting him to solidify their title run. Kuminga/Moody...they hardly knew ye.

Kuminga & Moody for Barnes? I don't see it. Kuminga has outstanding potential. Waived vets are going to line-up to play for the Warriors anyway.

Wiseman, Kuminga, Poole & Moody are the future of the Warriors.

Barnes is proven, and has been on one of their title teams. He fits absolutely everything they do, and is way way better than any veteran waiver scrap heap player.

You don’t fret about your future when you have the rare gift of an all-time great at the end of his peak, and a rejuvenated Draymond who won’t age as gracefully as Steph. As Rose showed us. As Klay/KD showed the Warriors. “The future” is one injury away from disappearing. Warriors should be doing everything they can to win with the basketball gift that is Steph Curry.

That’d be buying really high on Barnes. Only foolish GMs sell rookies for replaceable starters at their peak usage on losing teams. His vorp is 0.7. He’s a solid starter but they already have Wiggins.

Kuminga and Moody have a pretty high ceiling.

As GS is demonstrating with their development, working on guys for 2 years shows dividends. They were able to turn Wiggins into a plus asset, and a lot of their late 1sts and scrapyard pickups are now good rotation players. Didn’t happen overnight.

Besides, their championship window has a lot to do with Klay. If you dump your future eggs and Klay has another injury, that becomes a miserable 3-year window. I believe they’re counting on a patient recovery with him, so that $40m salary (plus luxury tax) doesn’t handicap them for the entire 5y.

[Ice Man]

Buy low option? We could use his size and defense, and offensively he’d be like our #5 option.

Probably 4th, but yeah. Jerami's efficiency has tanked since he moved to Detroit, because he has gone from taking 12 shots per 36 to 18. He's not good enough to force 18 shots. But he's very useful taking 12 shots per game and playing defense. Ideally, he is a deluxe glue player.

[MrSparkle]

I like Grant but pursuing a trade with DET is a hard-no. Conference rival; I don’t want to see Pistons get a bunch of young assets and make us feel salty in 2 years.

But the big problem is fit. 1st option Grant (who leads a tank job) works in the midrange and high post, like Demar and Vuc. Sounds like an offensive nightmare; kind of like when Team USA’s B Teams couldn’t get the job done.

Any fringe star who’s added at the cost of assets (Pat, Coby, FRPs) must be a 3P stud.

[MrSparkle]

One guy i regret not jumping on was Harrell after a bum year in LA. The guy was signed cheap as hell, and (somehow) clearly just a bad fit alongside Lebron and Davis. I wonder as the Wizards comes back to earth and slip down to 5-7 seed (Bucks/Hawks are coming), whether they might cash out on some guys. They’ve got a lot of tweener PFs and Cs.

[Grodoboldo]

Somewhere, Josh Smith nods in approval

Read on Twitter

@statmuse: Anthony Davis this season:

16.7% on threes — worst in NBA history by any player with 2+ attempts per game and 20+ games played.

38.3% on midrange — worst in the NBA by any player with 100+ attempts.

33.1% on jumpshots — worst in the NBA by any player with 150+ attempts. https://t.co/KZ2YEYzEjD

[PaKii94]

Somewhere, Josh Smith nods in approval

Read on Twitter

@statmuse: Anthony Davis this season:

16.7% on threes — worst in NBA history by any player with 2+ attempts per game and 20+ games played.

38.3% on midrange — worst in the NBA by any player with 100+ attempts.

33.1% on jumpshots — worst in the NBA by any player with 150+ attempts. https://t.co/KZ2YEYzEjD

I wonder how much the new ball is affecting players. We have vuc on our team also shooting like ass and I've been following Lauri in CLE and he's been poor shooting wise also. Then we have Lillard stinking it up too

[dice]

Lakers lose in 3 OT vs the Kings that had 3 starters out.

They are going to scapegoat Vogel aren't they? He's not to be blamed but what else can they do? Their tradable players are on vet min deals. They are ****ed, I still don't understand why collectively they decided to go against the identity that made them a great team, which was great defense, just to add an aging Westbrook and a bunch of old players.

Because it’s what LeBron believed was necessary to continue to compete for titles. He was wrong but, in his defense, he’s got a pretty darn good track record when it comes to picking his teammates.

not really. he went to play with his friend in miami and chose poorly on a quasi-superstar third wheel, forcing him into a secondary role and making it difficult to fill out the roster. and they were a ray allen bailout away from only getting 1 title out of it. had lebron and wade come to chicago to play w/ noah and d rose...and rose hadn't gotten injured? whoo boy

was trading for kevin love a particularly astute move? don't think so. it was rather obvious. as was recruiting anthony davis

going with westbrook over role players like caruso is the THIRD time he has tried to have a 3rd star squeeze into a secondary role. the first two times didn't work out great, and this one is a disaster. 'cause russell westbrook is the last guy you try to take a back seat

the most charitable thing i can say about lebron as a team builder is that he's better than michael jordan

[Dresden]

I usually think you can make a pretty good guess on what teams have after 20 games, and we'''re about at that point now.

In the East, it looks like BRK is a step above everyone else at this point. The Bulls, MIA, MIL, and CHA look to be in the next tier. WAS has leveled off as has NY and CLE. I expect them to be around .500 by end of the year, maybe slightly above for NY.

If you had told me at the end of last year that we'd be in a good position to be a 2-5 seed in the east this year, I'd wouldn't have believed it. Now I think we have a legit chance to be top 3 in the east, and the NBA Finals are not out of the question, esp. given Garnett and Harden's age.

[Dresden]

Out West, GS and PHO are head and shoulders above everyone in the NBA right now. I thought PHO might take a big step back this year, but they have come on strong, and look like a powerhouse that could be in the finals again.

After those two, UT, DAL and maybe the Clippers seem to be the next tier, but I don't see any of them making a run at GS or PHO.

GS will also be getting Klay back shortly- Yikes!