Two weeks til training camp.... 7 questions...

[bstein14]

With two weeks til training camp there's probably not a lot of NBA news as rosters are mostly set. The most interesting storylines in the league at the moment are likely whether or not the long drawn out trade demands of Harden and Dame will be answered or if they'll be forced to go to training camp with their current teams....

1. Is Dame Lilliard still a Blazer on October 3rd and does he go to Blazers training camp?

2. Is James Haren still a Sixer on October 3rd and does he report to Sixers training camp?

3. Is Diallo signed anywhere in the NBA by October 3rd? (He led all guards in FG% last season)

4. Does Detroit sign anyone else (still only 14 guaranteed contracts) before the start of camp?

5. Has Rodney McGruder played his last NBA game?

6. Which player on our team is most likely to be traded before the start of the season?

7. Who are our starters for our for our first Preseason game October 8th?

[Moses ShamMoses]

thanks for putting these questions together, i've been a little out of the NBA loop over the summer. I can't believe Diallo hasn't been signed to a vet minimum contract. Maybe teams just don't like that he can't shoot as a guard?

[theBigLip]

1. Is Dame Lilliard still a Blazer on October 3rd and does he go to Blazers training camp?
Still on Blazers and he does go to camp.

2. Is James Harden still a Sixer on October 3rd and does he report to Sixers training camp?
Still on Sixers and he does go to camp with a fake injury.

3. Is Diallo signed anywhere in the NBA by October 3rd? (He led all guards in FG% last season)
No

4. Does Detroit sign anyone else (still only 14 guaranteed contracts) before the start of camp?
No

5. Has Rodney McGruder played his last NBA game?
Yes

6. Which player on our team is most likely to be traded before the start of the season?
Hayes. I don't expect us to make a trade until we see what we have. Who is going to emerge in the battle for the backup guard spots? And the Bagley-Wiseman backup big battle. The losers of those battles will be trade fodder for sure.

7. Who are our starters for our for our first Preseason game October 8th?
Cade, Ivey, Bogdanovich, Stewart, Duren

[Billl]

1. Yep, Dame on the blazers until at least the point where this years FA crop can be traded.

2. Harden on phili but pulling some fake injury nonsense

3. Nope. Looks like nobody is calling. I think he'll make a roster at some point as injuries pile up.

4. Nope - this is what we have

5. Nope. I think we'll see him on some team that gets hit with an injury bug. He's a generic pro you can plug in

6. Bagley - could be killian as well. Not expecting either to get moved before the season starts though

7. Assuming everyone is healthy, cade,ivey,bojan,stew,duren

[vege]

1. Is Dame Lilliard still a Blazer on October 3rd and does he go to Blazers training camp?
Still on Blazers and he does go to camp.

2. Is James Harden still a Sixer on October 3rd and does he report to Sixers training camp?
Still on Sixers and he does go to camp with a fake injury.

3. Is Diallo signed anywhere in the NBA by October 3rd? (He led all guards in FG% last season)
No

4. Does Detroit sign anyone else (still only 14 guaranteed contracts) before the start of camp?
No

5. Has Rodney McGruder played his last NBA game?
Yes

6. Which player on our team is most likely to be traded before the start of the season?
Hayes. I don't expect us to make a trade until we see what we have. Who is going to emerge in the battle for the backup guard spots? And the Bagley-Wiseman backup big battle. The losers of those battles will be trade fodder for sure.

7. Who are our starters for our for our first Preseason game October 8th?
Cade, Ivey, Bogdanovich, Stewart, Duren

I agree with all, except the guards thing. There is absolutely no battle there. The backups are Morris and Burks, Hayes have 0 chance of taking any minutes from them.

The rest I agree 100%.

[NYPiston]

1. Dame will be a Blazer on October 3rd and be at Camp and it'll be awkward for a while before a resolution is achieved

2. Harden will be a Sixer and show up fatter than ever at Camp then hit free agency and wonder why he didn't get a lucrative long term contract and sign for relative cheap with the Lakers or Miami

3. Diallo? No offense but I don't care lol but just to play along, he won't be on an NBA roster by October 3rd

4. Don't see the Pistons signing anybody else by Camp. If anything they probably need to move out a body or two

5. See #3. I think somebody might give McGruder a 10 day contract in season but not by October 3rd, he actually has a little game left in him so I don't think he's done as an NBA player quite yet

6. IF I had to choose somebody that could be traded in the next 2 weeks it would be Killian but I see no way it happens, yet. In typical Weaver fashion, he'll probably get moved for another reclamation project in season

7. Assuming that everybody plays the first preseason game, it'll be Cade, Ivey, Bogey, Stewart and Duren starting.

[Pharaoh]

1. Is Dame Lilliard still a Blazer on October 3rd and does he go to Blazers training camp? Yes and yes

2. Is James Haren still a Sixer on October 3rd and does he report to Sixers training camp? Yes and yes

3. Is Diallo signed anywhere in the NBA by October 3rd? (He led all guards in FG% last season). No

4. Does Detroit sign anyone else (still only 14 guaranteed contracts) before the start of camp? No

5. Has Rodney McGruder played his last NBA game? Yes.

6. Which player on our team is most likely to be traded before the start of the season? None. We'll wait.

7. Who are our starters for our for our first Preseason game October 8th?[/quote]

Cade, Ivey, Bojan, Stewart, Duren


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[Spider156]

With two weeks til training camp there's probably not a lot of NBA news as rosters are mostly set. The most interesting storylines in the league at the moment are likely whether or not the long drawn out trade demands of Harden and Dame will be answered or if they'll be forced to go to training camp with their current teams....

1. Is Dame Lilliard still a Blazer on October 3rd and does he go to Blazers training camp?

2. Is James Haren still a Sixer on October 3rd and does he report to Sixers training camp?

3. Is Diallo signed anywhere in the NBA by October 3rd? (He led all guards in FG% last season)

4. Does Detroit sign anyone else (still only 14 guaranteed contracts) before the start of camp?

5. Has Rodney McGruder played his last NBA game?

6. Which player on our team is most likely to be traded before the start of the season?

7. Who are our starters for our for our first Preseason game October 8th?

1. Lillard gets traded before training camp is my wild guess
2. Harden is stuck in Philly because of Morey and Morey clearly lied to him
3. Diallo gets signed but not to the contract he wants similar to Christian wood, oubre etc
4. Detroit signs someone with an unguaranteed contract which gets guaranteed maybe December or all star break in which case they can let go of the player in case a trade comes through where they take on an extra player and the other team can’t take back a player.
5. Mcgruder has shown he can be efficient. Likely able to get a spot on a rebuilding team that needs his veteran leadership. You gotta remember we traded him and he came back and he was happy. That’s not normal. See Brogdan who is mad at his team.
6. Most likely to be traded I’d say is Killian, Bagley, Burks, and even Wiseman if the offer is right. In order.
7. Cade Ivey Bojan Stewart Duren. Fans want Cade Ivey Ausar Bojan Duren

[Snakebites]

1. Is Dame Lilliard still a Blazer on October 3rd and does he go to Blazers training camp?
2. Is James Haren still a Sixer on October 3rd and does he report to Sixers training camp?
3. Is Diallo signed anywhere in the NBA by October 3rd? (He led all guards in FG% last season)
4. Does Detroit sign anyone else (still only 14 guaranteed contracts) before the start of camp?
5. Has Rodney McGruder played his last NBA game?
6. Which player on our team is most likely to be traded before the start of the season?
7. Who are our starters for our for our first Preseason game October 8th?

1) No. I think they pull off a trade. Dame still has value to a contending team and does nothing for the Blazers on their current path. They have an incentive to move him.
2) Yes- still an Sixer. Opposite of the Blazers situation. Harden has more value to Philly as they try to cope with a waning title window (if they even have one). Meanwhile rival teams will be wary of giving up value for a rental on a declining star with a lot of drama and baggage attached.

He might try not to report. But I think he eventually shows up and really dogs it.
3) I think he gets training camp invites and catches on somewhere at the minimum.
4) Nothing guaranteed. They’ll use camp to test drive a few guys though.
5) Yeah. Klay Thompson’s prediction comes true a few years later. Good on Rodney sticking in the league as long as he did.
6) I don’t think we’ll trade anyone. But most likely among unlikely guys? Ehhh…Killian?
7) Cade, Ivey, Bojan, Stew, Duren

[flow]

There are a number of viable players still on the free agent market. Oubrey was just signed yesterday. Several more will be picked up prior to camp, likely including Diallo.

[Crymson]

thanks for putting these questions together, i've been a little out of the NBA loop over the summer. I can't believe Diallo hasn't been signed to a vet minimum contract. Maybe teams just don't like that he can't shoot as a guard?

It's less a maybe and more of a certainty. In almost every case, being a perimeter player who can't shoot is a death sentence for one's NBA effectiveness. In all of the remaining instances, it's still a major impediment that a team needs to build a roster around. Diallo not only cannot shoot at all but hasn't made even a lick of progress as a shooter in five NBA seasons.

Diallo falls into the unfortunate purgatory of being neither a player with promising upside nor one with the ability to meaningfully contribute now nor a veteran leader. Roster spots in the NBA are scarce; even 13th-15th spots aren't simply given away out of hand. Teams want somebody who falls into one of those three categories.

[whitehops]

4. Does Detroit sign anyone else (still only 14 guaranteed contracts) before the start of camp?

the more it became clear that we're keeping both bagley and wiseman i've really wanted them to bring in a veteran bench center. pickings are slim but someone like bismack biyombo could at least come in and stabilize the bench defense. wiseman and bagley are both terrible defensively and duren is still very much learning so a reliable guy would be a big benefit imo.

[Canadafan]

4. Does Detroit sign anyone else (still only 14 guaranteed contracts) before the start of camp?

the more it became clear that we're keeping both bagley and wiseman i've really wanted them to bring in a veteran bench center. pickings are slim but someone like bismack biyombo could at least come in and stabilize the bench defense. wiseman and bagley are both terrible defensively and duren is still very much learning so a reliable guy would be a big benefit imo.

Yes. We still have our Exemption too

[MortSahlfan]

It's sad that a player like Diallo can't get signed. I hope a contender get him. I'm kinda happy Cojo is going to the Warriors. He was probably the most disliked (along with Hayes) but he was our leader with Cade out, and shot well from 3 the last few years. He talks a lot, and chemistry/veteran talk isn't just BS. The best thing Houston did was getting Fred and Dillon. With their presence around, I don't think you're going to see Houston's "core" play-hump when they were supposed to be scrimmaging.

[theBigLip]

1. Is Dame Lilliard still a Blazer on October 3rd and does he go to Blazers training camp?
Still on Blazers and he does go to camp.

2. Is James Harden still a Sixer on October 3rd and does he report to Sixers training camp?
Still on Sixers and he does go to camp with a fake injury.

3. Is Diallo signed anywhere in the NBA by October 3rd? (He led all guards in FG% last season)
No

4. Does Detroit sign anyone else (still only 14 guaranteed contracts) before the start of camp?
No

5. Has Rodney McGruder played his last NBA game?
Yes

6. Which player on our team is most likely to be traded before the start of the season?
Hayes. I don't expect us to make a trade until we see what we have. Who is going to emerge in the battle for the backup guard spots? And the Bagley-Wiseman backup big battle. The losers of those battles will be trade fodder for sure.

7. Who are our starters for our for our first Preseason game October 8th?
Cade, Ivey, Bogdanovich, Stewart, Duren

I agree with all, except the guards thing. There is absolutely no battle there. The backups are Morris and Burks, Hayes have 0 chance of taking any minutes from them.

The rest I agree 100%.

I don’t give Hayes much of a chance, but he’s got “it” somewhere hidden inside him. He had a magical month last year when all of a sudden he could shoot and looked like a legit player. Is that a once in a lifetime anomaly, or the start of his renaissance? I guess we will find out soon enough.

[Mr Peanut]

1. Is Dame Lilliard still a Blazer on October 3rd and does he go to Blazers training camp?
Still on Blazers and he does go to camp.

2. Is James Harden still a Sixer on October 3rd and does he report to Sixers training camp?
Still on Sixers and he does go to camp with a fake injury.

3. Is Diallo signed anywhere in the NBA by October 3rd? (He led all guards in FG% last season)
No

4. Does Detroit sign anyone else (still only 14 guaranteed contracts) before the start of camp?
No

5. Has Rodney McGruder played his last NBA game?
Yes

6. Which player on our team is most likely to be traded before the start of the season?
Hayes. I don't expect us to make a trade until we see what we have. Who is going to emerge in the battle for the backup guard spots? And the Bagley-Wiseman backup big battle. The losers of those battles will be trade fodder for sure.

7. Who are our starters for our for our first Preseason game October 8th?
Cade, Ivey, Bogdanovich, Stewart, Duren

I agree with all, except the guards thing. There is absolutely no battle there. The backups are Morris and Burks, Hayes have 0 chance of taking any minutes from them.

The rest I agree 100%.

I don’t give Hayes much of a chance, but he’s got “it” somewhere hidden inside him. He had a magical month last year when all of a sudden he could shoot and looked like a legit player. Is that a once in a lifetime anomaly, or the start of his renaissance? I guess we will find out soon enough.

It's hard not to think that so much of his game is mental. He was terrible to start last season but once he got an opportunity to start and with less pressure once it was clear the season was gone with Cade out, he found his feet and had that strong 1-2 month stretch. Then we had the Paris game against the Bulls and there seemed to be a lot of expectation for him to perform in his home country, and he flopped and from there on closed the season out fairly weakly.

One wonders with Cade back and us trading for Monte whether his confidence will be shot again and in his more limited opportunities he won't perform, and that will be the final curtain for his Pistons career.

[theBigLip]

I agree with all, except the guards thing. There is absolutely no battle there. The backups are Morris and Burks, Hayes have 0 chance of taking any minutes from them.

The rest I agree 100%.

I don’t give Hayes much of a chance, but he’s got “it” somewhere hidden inside him. He had a magical month last year when all of a sudden he could shoot and looked like a legit player. Is that a once in a lifetime anomaly, or the start of his renaissance? I guess we will find out soon enough.

It's hard not to think that so much of his game is mental. He was terrible to start last season but once he got an opportunity to start and with less pressure once it was clear the season was gone with Cade out, he found his feet and had that strong 1-2 month stretch. Then we had the Paris game against the Bulls and there seemed to be a lot of expectation for him to perform in his home country, and he flopped and from there on closed the season out fairly weakly.

One wonders with Cade back and us trading for Monte whether his confidence will be shot again and in his more limited opportunities he won't perform, and that will be the final curtain for his Pistons career.

Good point. Agree it is mental - if he physically could do it at some point, it's not like he got too old or had an injury.

[Pharaoh]

Think Hayes will have to settle for being a defensive guy from now on.

Unless he's really improved his shooting there's not another role for him other than play D and stand in the corner

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[Spider156]

It's sad that a player like Diallo can't get signed. I hope a contender get him. I'm kinda happy Cojo is going to the Warriors. He was probably the most disliked (along with Hayes) but he was our leader with Cade out, and shot well from 3 the last few years. He talks a lot, and chemistry/veteran talk isn't just BS. The best thing Houston did was getting Fred and Dillon. With their presence around, I don't think you're going to see Houston's "core" play-hump when they were supposed to be scrimmaging.

Kinda like how Josh Smith helped us? That’s Dillon brooks but less talented. Fred is good but he’s basically Westbrook, that’s their Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon signing put together! He’s extremely expensive. They lost their cap space and lost KPJ and Christopher. No Houston shot their foot to the ground. They may be better but that roster’s ceiling is as high as Amen Thompson not Jalen Green.

Also Diallo can get signed, just not to the contract he wants. That’s why Christian Wood held out, Oubre, now you see Rivers waiting for a contract. These guys didn’t get the contract they wanted so they hold out hoping someone gets hurt and a team needs depth.

[Spider156]

Think Hayes will have to settle for being a defensive guy from now on.

Unless he's really improved his shooting there's not another role for him other than play D and stand in the corner

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I think he’s pretty average on defense and probably the worst player in the league to stand in the corner. No he’s cooked out of the league imo. I highly doubt Killian plays for another NBA team. He’s not an NBA player, not even G League. I think he’s a big bust. Forget him.