WOJ: NBA investigating possible tampering: Update Bulls forfeit 2nd Round Pick pg. 31

[AshyLarrysDiaper]

Still think the Portland pick is going to convey, but I've given up on the whole "We'll have to firsts!" thing for a while now.

I dunno. The wheels seem to be coming off in Portland. If they miss the playoffs this season, Dame’s gone, rebuild time and that’s all she wrote.

We’ll see though. It’s a long season.

I just feel like there are actually quite a lot of bad or thoroughly meh teams in the West (New Orleans, Houston, OKC, Minnesota, Sacramento, San Antonio, Memphis, the Lakers?). Dame will be a lot better than he has been. And they're 6-7 now, which isn't terrible considering their schedule.

No, 6-7 isn’t bad. For me it’s less the record than the vibe coming off that org. It stinks from top to bottom, locker room to c-suite.

Also, when I look up at the standings, Memphis is the only team I feel remotely hopeful about PDX passing. And even that’s a shaky proposition.

Maybe they sneak into the 8th seed, which would be a dream scenario for us. But that looks like their ceiling barring a major injury on another team.

[dougthonus]

I dunno. The wheels seem to be coming off in Portland. If they miss the playoffs this season, Dame’s gone, rebuild time and that’s all she wrote.

We’ll see though. It’s a long season.

I just feel like there are actually quite a lot of bad or thoroughly meh teams in the West (New Orleans, Houston, OKC, Minnesota, Sacramento, San Antonio, Memphis, the Lakers?). Dame will be a lot better than he has been. And they're 6-7 now, which isn't terrible considering their schedule.

No, 6-7 isn’t bad. For me it’s less the record than the vibe coming off that org. It stinks from top to bottom, locker room to c-suite.

Also, when I look up at the standings, Memphis is the only team I feel remotely hopeful about PDX passing. And even that’s a shaky proposition.

Maybe they sneak into the 8th seed, which would be a dream scenario for us. But that looks like their ceiling barring a major injury on another team.

The Lakers are the other team that might have the wheels completely fall off the bus in the West, we'll see. I had the opinion when the trade was made that I didn't think the Blazers would be a playoff team this year and that we'd likely end up with two second rounders from this deal.

[AshyLarrysDiaper]

I just feel like there are actually quite a lot of bad or thoroughly meh teams in the West (New Orleans, Houston, OKC, Minnesota, Sacramento, San Antonio, Memphis, the Lakers?). Dame will be a lot better than he has been. And they're 6-7 now, which isn't terrible considering their schedule.

No, 6-7 isn’t bad. For me it’s less the record than the vibe coming off that org. It stinks from top to bottom, locker room to c-suite.

Also, when I look up at the standings, Memphis is the only team I feel remotely hopeful about PDX passing. And even that’s a shaky proposition.

Maybe they sneak into the 8th seed, which would be a dream scenario for us. But that looks like their ceiling barring a major injury on another team.

The Lakers are the other team that might have the wheels completely fall off the bus in the West, we'll see. I had the opinion when the trade was made that I didn't think the Blazers would be a playoff team this year and that we'd likely end up with two second rounders from this deal.

I went into the season thinking Larry Nance was exactly what Portland needed and they'd round out as a 6ish seed. Ah well.

[dougthonus]

No, 6-7 isn’t bad. For me it’s less the record than the vibe coming off that org. It stinks from top to bottom, locker room to c-suite.

Also, when I look up at the standings, Memphis is the only team I feel remotely hopeful about PDX passing. And even that’s a shaky proposition.

Maybe they sneak into the 8th seed, which would be a dream scenario for us. But that looks like their ceiling barring a major injury on another team.

The Lakers are the other team that might have the wheels completely fall off the bus in the West, we'll see. I had the opinion when the trade was made that I didn't think the Blazers would be a playoff team this year and that we'd likely end up with two second rounders from this deal.

I went into the season thinking Larry Nance was exactly what Portland needed and they'd round out as a 6ish seed. Ah well.

I figured at the time (and still mainly think the same way) that it was/will be close.

They were a team I thought would be right around the 8/9 spot which is roughly where they are. They could move up. The thing that I thought was dangerous about them falling out is that they're a team that's been in that position for awhile now, and unlike a team such as Memphis, New Orleans, or Sacramento that might be hungry to get to 42 wins, if the Blazers were trending towards mediocrity they would be more likely to blow it up or just drop the rope.

It's still super early and Lillard has been awful, so you have to feel they have potential for better play than they've shown to date. I don't think that they're doomed to miss yet, but it wouldn't surprise me.

[MrSparkle]

Blazers have started sub-500 about 4/5 the last years though. Don't get me wrong, they've blown some bad games, but it seems to be a pattern. Lillard's in the worst slump of his career. Probably having a really hard time with the (no) foul calls. But he's also shooting 27% from 3P; he won't end the season that bad. I think 6 or 7-seed is manageable for them. Kinda feel like the Clippers can't keep winning.

[gardenofsound]

Back to tampering, Hollinger points out something that I kind of glazed over as I read the other stories about Demar and the Lakers...

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Uh...

Doesn't this warrant an investigation also?

[Grodoboldo]

Back to tampering, Hollinger points out something that I kind of glazed over as I read the other stories about Demar and the Lakers...

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Uh...

Doesn't this warrant an investigation also?

I think our FO should complain to the league. I mean, it's only fair, why would we be the only ones to get **** over something the whole damn league does repeatedly?

[samwana]

the league should just make some solid decisions and find rules that make sense. it's crazy these things happen every year every fing year. it never got called. now that the bulls did it it's gonna be fined?
this is really absurd and it has been since the beginning. and lebron can do whatever he wants to recruit players under contract somewhere else.
this league is all about being someone important. rules are being bend to fit whereever the league sees fit..

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[Chi town]

Add in DDR talked about the Clippers too. That could have been before FA and therefore tampering.

[StunnerKO]

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[MGB8]

I dunno. The wheels seem to be coming off in Portland. If they miss the playoffs this season, Dame’s gone, rebuild time and that’s all she wrote.

We’ll see though. It’s a long season.

I just feel like there are actually quite a lot of bad or thoroughly meh teams in the West (New Orleans, Houston, OKC, Minnesota, Sacramento, San Antonio, Memphis, the Lakers?). Dame will be a lot better than he has been. And they're 6-7 now, which isn't terrible considering their schedule.

No, 6-7 isn’t bad. For me it’s less the record than the vibe coming off that org. It stinks from top to bottom, locker room to c-suite.

Also, when I look up at the standings, Memphis is the only team I feel remotely hopeful about PDX passing. And even that’s a shaky proposition.

Maybe they sneak into the 8th seed, which would be a dream scenario for us. But that looks like their ceiling barring a major injury on another team.

I wouldn't worry *too* much about Portland. The win against the Raptors, coming after Billups kind of lit into the team's overall effort, was pretty nice (and on the 2nd night of a back to back). And it's not like they've played an easy schedule.

I expect them to get better. Meanwhile, Dallas at 9-4 may be fools gold - that team has not consistently looked good. Clippers at 9-5 are similar, IMO - a team that's not as good as its record.

Denver, while a good team, could also easily hit a slump just due to their already extensive injuries - Murray and Porter out for an indefinite / extended period. The Nuggets have been winning on scheme and smoke and mirrors (but then just lost to Dallas - though 2nd night of a back to back and Denver basically just faded in the 4th).

Lakers should surge - but not if health gets in the way.

[dougthonus]

I wouldn't worry *too* much about Portland. The win against the Raptors, coming after Billups kind of lit into the team's overall effort, was pretty nice (and on the 2nd night of a back to back). And it's not like they've played an easy schedule.

I expect them to get better. Meanwhile, Dallas at 9-4 may be fools gold - that team has not consistently looked good. Clippers at 9-5 are similar, IMO - a team that's not as good as its record.

Denver, while a good team, could also easily hit a slump just due to their already extensive injuries - Murray and Porter out for an indefinite / extended period. The Nuggets have been winning on scheme and smoke and mirrors (but then just lost to Dallas - though 2nd night of a back to back and Denver basically just faded in the 4th).

Lakers should surge - but not if health gets in the way.

Hard for me to see Portland as better than these teams whom are above them in the standings presently and I would predict to be better before the season started:

Golden State
Phoenix
Dallas
Utah
LAC
Denver
LAL

That means they need to hope they're really better than Memphis (toss up IMO)
Memphis

On the plus side, there aren't may teams below them that you'd expect to be able to pass them. SAC, OKC, and MIN are closest and you don't really believe those teams are better than Portland. I thought Portland was a bubble 8/9 team before the season started and would have predicted they didn't make it just assuming someone behind them would surprise. That hasn't really happened, but nor has anyone ahead fallen out.

[sco]

I wouldn't worry *too* much about Portland. The win against the Raptors, coming after Billups kind of lit into the team's overall effort, was pretty nice (and on the 2nd night of a back to back). And it's not like they've played an easy schedule.

I expect them to get better. Meanwhile, Dallas at 9-4 may be fools gold - that team has not consistently looked good. Clippers at 9-5 are similar, IMO - a team that's not as good as its record.

Denver, while a good team, could also easily hit a slump just due to their already extensive injuries - Murray and Porter out for an indefinite / extended period. The Nuggets have been winning on scheme and smoke and mirrors (but then just lost to Dallas - though 2nd night of a back to back and Denver basically just faded in the 4th).

Lakers should surge - but not if health gets in the way.

Hard for me to see Portland as better than these teams whom are above them in the standings presently and I would predict to be better before the season started:

Golden State
Phoenix
Dallas
Utah
LAC
Denver
LAL

That means they need to hope they're really better than Memphis (toss up IMO)
Memphis

On the plus side, there aren't may teams below them that you'd expect to be able to pass them. SAC, OKC, and MIN are closest and you don't really believe those teams are better than Portland. I thought Portland was a bubble 8/9 team before the season started and would have predicted they didn't make it just assuming someone behind them would surprise. That hasn't really happened, but nor has anyone ahead fallen out.

I can see Dallas petering out after KP has his annual injury. Not sure about Denver if MPJ is out for long.

[MGB8]

Seems my thoughts on Portland have already been preliminarily validated.

[Ctownbulls]

2nd round pick - homerun result

[StunnerKO]

AYEEEEEEEE

[FriedRise]

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Portland pick still safe! Now do your thing AKME!

[meekrab]

Complete bs given every other team does the same **** but oh well at least it's over.

[FriedRise]

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[bad knees]

Wow! That’s awesome! No fine either!