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[gflem]

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LOL!

[toooskies]

CJ McCollum doesn't look like an albatross after his first 10 games in NO.

[LivingLegend]

CJ McCollum doesn't look like an albatross after his first 10 games in NO.

Hes probably playing with a little extra pep in his step right now from being with a new team. A boost in play seems to happen for a lot of new guys when they first change teams.

[JonFromVA]

CJ McCollum doesn't look like an albatross after his first 10 games in NO.

Yeah, usually when someone throws around a term like albatross they're thinking in the long-term over the length of his contract and taking everything in to account like positional value, defense, and injuries.

Kind of like how we felt about Kevin Love, but then lo and behold he accepted coming off the bench and has been able to stay on the floor ... and his contract is no longer an albatross.

[jbk1234]

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[JonFromVA]

As great as KD is, he should be playing within an offense and not taking turns ISO'ing with Russ or Kyrie.

[jbk1234]

As great as KD is, he should be playing within an offense and not taking turns ISO'ing with Russ or Kyrie.

He's definitely more prone to hero ball than LBJ was, but I don't know that Kyrie is ever really going to play within an offense in the post season, unless the offense is just him and LBJ running the high PNR until one of them gets switched onto a preferred target.

[JonFromVA]

As great as KD is, he should be playing within an offense and not taking turns ISO'ing with Russ or Kyrie.

He's definitely more prone to hero ball than LBJ was, but I don't know that Kyrie is ever really going to play within an offense in the post season, unless the offense is just him and LBJ running the high PNR until one of them gets switched onto a preferred target.

Kyrie has improved as a distributor, but I still see him as a shooting guard in an offense not a point guard. So short of adding another superstar so defenses can't double/trap all 3 players, I think they need someone to run some offense for them.

Simmons if he ever plays for the Sixers might fill that role? We know he has his own problems on offense, but at least he should permit Kyrie to defend the weakest opposing player.

Collin isn't as good as Kyrie at pretty much anything, but without the baggage Kyrie carries around there shouldn't be anything holding him back from trying to improve and doing what his team needs of him.

Hitting circus shots and making passes nobody saw coming is fun, but it's not necessary when an offense is balanced and functioning.

[jbk1234]

As great as KD is, he should be playing within an offense and not taking turns ISO'ing with Russ or Kyrie.

He's definitely more prone to hero ball than LBJ was, but I don't know that Kyrie is ever really going to play within an offense in the post season, unless the offense is just him and LBJ running the high PNR until one of them gets switched onto a preferred target.

Kyrie has improved as a distributor, but I still see him as a shooting guard in an offense not a point guard. So short of adding another superstar so defenses can't double/trap all 3 players, I think they need someone to run some offense for them.

Simmons if he ever plays for the Sixers might fill that role? We know he has his own problems on offense, but at least he should permit Kyrie to defend the weakest opposing player.

Collin isn't as good as Kyrie at pretty much anything, but without the baggage Kyrie carries around there shouldn't be anything holding him back from trying to improve and doing what his team needs of him.

Hitting circus shots and making passes nobody saw coming is fun, but it's not necessary when an offense is balanced and functioning.

I think Sexton's problem is the speed at which he plays is both an attribute and liability. He's moving too fast to see the floor well too often, and it tends to make him too predictable against good defenses. I'm not entirely sure it's worth it for him to try to slow down either. If everyone allowed themselves to forget about the money for a minute, and asked themselves where the best place for Sexton to start would be, the answer is on a roster like the Pistons where Cade can game manage from the SF position, Bey can take the more difficult backcourt assignment, and he can just score when he gets the ball.

But if a team like the Pistons don't see him as a starter, then he's just not a starter in the NBA. At least not on a team trying to win.

[JonFromVA]

He's definitely more prone to hero ball than LBJ was, but I don't know that Kyrie is ever really going to play within an offense in the post season, unless the offense is just him and LBJ running the high PNR until one of them gets switched onto a preferred target.

Kyrie has improved as a distributor, but I still see him as a shooting guard in an offense not a point guard. So short of adding another superstar so defenses can't double/trap all 3 players, I think they need someone to run some offense for them.

Simmons if he ever plays for the Sixers might fill that role? We know he has his own problems on offense, but at least he should permit Kyrie to defend the weakest opposing player.

Collin isn't as good as Kyrie at pretty much anything, but without the baggage Kyrie carries around there shouldn't be anything holding him back from trying to improve and doing what his team needs of him.

Hitting circus shots and making passes nobody saw coming is fun, but it's not necessary when an offense is balanced and functioning.

I think Sexton's problem is the speed at which he plays is both an attribute and liability. He's moving too fast to see the floor well too often, and it tends to make him too predictable against good defenses. I'm not entirely sure it's worth it for him to try to slow down either. If everyone allowed themselves to forget about the money for a minute, and asked themselves where the best place for Sexton to start would be, the answer is on a roster like the Pistons where Cade can game manage from the SF position, Bey can take the more difficult backcourt assignment, and he can just score when he gets the ball.

But if a team like the Pistons don't see him as a starter, then he's just not a starter in the NBA. At least not on a team trying to win.

The simple answer for Collin is to simplify things for him, spread the floor, let him blow by his man, and give him easy reads to make when help comes - but that's probably not the answer on Team Klunky. JBB seems allergic to putting more than 3 shooters on the floor.

So, the complicated answer is he needs to adapt and expand his game if he's going to cut it on this team. Learning how to go slow in order to better read the defense would likely extend his career. He should be working on that. Even if he's back to 100% after his meniscus tear, his kind of speed doesn't last forever.

[jbk1234]

Kyrie has improved as a distributor, but I still see him as a shooting guard in an offense not a point guard. So short of adding another superstar so defenses can't double/trap all 3 players, I think they need someone to run some offense for them.

Simmons if he ever plays for the Sixers might fill that role? We know he has his own problems on offense, but at least he should permit Kyrie to defend the weakest opposing player.

Collin isn't as good as Kyrie at pretty much anything, but without the baggage Kyrie carries around there shouldn't be anything holding him back from trying to improve and doing what his team needs of him.

Hitting circus shots and making passes nobody saw coming is fun, but it's not necessary when an offense is balanced and functioning.

I think Sexton's problem is the speed at which he plays is both an attribute and liability. He's moving too fast to see the floor well too often, and it tends to make him too predictable against good defenses. I'm not entirely sure it's worth it for him to try to slow down either. If everyone allowed themselves to forget about the money for a minute, and asked themselves where the best place for Sexton to start would be, the answer is on a roster like the Pistons where Cade can game manage from the SF position, Bey can take the more difficult backcourt assignment, and he can just score when he gets the ball.

But if a team like the Pistons don't see him as a starter, then he's just not a starter in the NBA. At least not on a team trying to win.

The simple answer for Collin is to simplify things for him, spread the floor, let him blow by his man, and give him easy reads to make when help comes - but that's probably not the answer on Team Klunky. JBB seems allergic to putting more than 3 shooters on the floor.

So, the complicated answer is he needs to adapt and expand his game if he's going to cut it on this team. Learning how to go slow in order to better read the defense would likely extend his career. He should be working on that. Even if he's back to 100% after his meniscus tear, his kind of speed doesn't last forever.

JBB did exactly that against the Nets in the play-in with Garland, Love, and Lauri (the only real 3 point shooters on the roster), and half of RCF was ready to fire him the next day. I'd argue that Bickerstaff is cooking with the only ingredients on the shelf.

[JonFromVA]

I think Sexton's problem is the speed at which he plays is both an attribute and liability. He's moving too fast to see the floor well too often, and it tends to make him too predictable against good defenses. I'm not entirely sure it's worth it for him to try to slow down either. If everyone allowed themselves to forget about the money for a minute, and asked themselves where the best place for Sexton to start would be, the answer is on a roster like the Pistons where Cade can game manage from the SF position, Bey can take the more difficult backcourt assignment, and he can just score when he gets the ball.

But if a team like the Pistons don't see him as a starter, then he's just not a starter in the NBA. At least not on a team trying to win.

The simple answer for Collin is to simplify things for him, spread the floor, let him blow by his man, and give him easy reads to make when help comes - but that's probably not the answer on Team Klunky. JBB seems allergic to putting more than 3 shooters on the floor.

So, the complicated answer is he needs to adapt and expand his game if he's going to cut it on this team. Learning how to go slow in order to better read the defense would likely extend his career. He should be working on that. Even if he's back to 100% after his meniscus tear, his kind of speed doesn't last forever.

JBB did exactly that against the Nets in the play-in with Garland, Love, and Lauri (the only real 3 point shooters on the roster), and half of RCF was ready to fire him the next day. I'd argue that Bickerstaff is cooking with the only ingredients on the shelf.

JBB's mindset is he will occasionally take a chance at finding some shooting - playing Wade and Osman even giving Windler an occasional chance as long as the shots are going down, but will then lean back on his hustle/defense players when they aren't.

The injuries took their toll, but when healthy/healthier he does have some decent options and he can keep someone like Allen on the floor to keep the defense from falling apart. Basically go with Allen, DG and Lauri then add two from Love, LeVert, Osman, Sexton, Wade, and Windler.

Wade was a pretty big loss because he gave JBB some options if Cedi was cold, or Kevin could defend his shadow. He'd even let the Cavs go 5 out with shooters in situations where the opponent was playing a small C.

With any luck someone out of Mobley, Okoro, and Stevens will improve their shooting this Summer and of course Altman will hopefully make some upgrades.

[JonFromVA]

I like to think DG is up there with Ja and has just been a little behind due to injuries, needing to develop physically, and coming out a year earlier than Ja ... but dang Ja sure put some more separation between them with his performance against the Warrior's last night.

DG's mastery of passing & shooting is going to have to go up some more notches to stay in the conversation.

[jbk1234]

My two least favorite teams are in the Finals. I hope the Celtics at least avoid a sweep. The Curry stand will be insufferable.

[gflem]

My two least favorite teams are in the Finals. I hope the Celtics at least avoid a sweep. The Curry stand will be insufferable.

The lesser of two evils for me is for the C's to win. I was really hoping for the Heat to win it all, and they aren't high on my list of teams to like either, but I do like Jimmy Butler.

[jbk1234]

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[jbk1234]

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[jbk1234]

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[gflem]

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I can't wait for all his crying when no teams want to sign him. I can't even imagine what he will blame for that when it inevitably happens.

[JonFromVA]

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I can't wait for all his crying when no teams want to sign him. I can't even imagine what he will blame for that when it inevitably happens.

The key is, is Durant ready to move on from Irving? And are the Nets willing to rock his boat?

Otherwise, even if Kyrie doesn't end up with a full max, the Nets will be strongly incentivized to pay him quite a lot. At least they should be under no compunction to pay him if he decides to stay home this time.

I'm no capoligist, but the Nets are way over the salary cap. Even if Irving declines his option and they let him walk, I'm not sure they free up enough money to go out and sign a free agent. So, I don't see a path they could replace Irving with say Sexton. I also can't see the Cavs wanting to take Irving back let alone trying to pair him Garland, but I suppose a 3-way trade that lands Collin in Brooklyn might work and/or even be necessary due to the BYC in any S&T.