ATL - Kawhi salary cap circumvention

[MartyConlonOnTheRun]

I'm confused. was ours a hospital title?

[DingleJerry]

Unfortunately at this point we just have to expect injuries to factor into every playoffs. In a way that's part of building a team. Granted, its largely luck. But its not purely luck/coincidence that OKC is so young and they are the ones that stayed healthiest. Or that they're likely the deepest team able to handle an injury as long at happened to anyone besides SGA

[jschligs]

Unfortunately at this point we just have to expect injuries to factor into every playoffs. In a way that's part of building a team. Granted, its largely luck. But its not purely luck/coincidence that OKC is so young and they are the ones that stayed healthiest. Or that they're likely the deepest team able to handle an injury as long at happened to anyone besides SGA

I actually think Indy was deep enough to handle injury to anyone outside of Hali. Except maybe Siakam too but I think Toppin/Turner could've handled the post play from Hartenstiein and Chet well enough.

[paulpressey25]

I'm confused. was ours a hospital title?

It was until other teams got hospital titles.

[emunney]

I'm confused. was ours a hospital title?

They're all hospital titles now, and they're all earned, too.

[emunney]

I would not expect to see another playoffs where three key players blow their Achilles' though. Not saying this to discount OKC in any way, they were the clear best team in the league this year, and their path through the west was really tough.

[paulpressey25]

Still quite amazing that Dame, Tatum and Lillard all went down for a year with an Achilles during the playoffs.

[emunney]

Still quite amazing that Dame, Tatum and Lillard all went down for a year with an Achilles during the playoffs.

Don't forget Haliburton and Tyrese.

[MartyConlonOnTheRun]

I would not expect to see another playoffs where three key players blow their Achilles' though. Not saying this to discount OKC in any way, they were the clear best team in the league this year, and their path through the west was really tough.

Yeah, and it is kind of diminishing returns type of thing. It isnt like they would've played the Bucks, Celtics and then Pacers. They were only going to play one of the teams.

[paulpressey25]

Still quite amazing that Dame, Tatum and Lillard all went down for a year with an Achilles during the playoffs.

Don't forget Haliburton and Tyrese.

Lol. Good catch.

I saw so many achilles tweets last night naming "Lillard" that I bypassed them and wondered why "Dame" wasn't mentioned.

[Ron Swanson]

A guy playing through a tweaked hammy or bum shoulder in a 2nd round playoff game isn't the same as literally having injuries in every round take out the opposing teams' best player(s). I mean yeah, I was clearly throwing shade but we really don't need to defend Boston's honor this badly lol.

[paulpressey25]

Bill Simmons tossed out a Celtics deal last night where they'd try to send Jrue to Phoenix, someone from Phoenix then goes to Atlanta into a $25 million trade exception and the C's solve their issues. Can't remember who he had going out.

[Licensed to Il]

The league is wide open next year, no looming dynasties (OKC is nice though). With Tatum out and NY getting a new coach, the east especially is wide open. I have a hunch in the next two days, to quote from “the Hurricane” by Bob Dylan.. “they had no idea what kind of crazy sh-t was about to go down”

[BUCKnation]

So after watching a bunch of the Thunder this postseason, I don't think their awful shooting in the NBA Cup final was flukey at all. It seems more like who they are when the pressure is on.

[Ron Swanson]

You look at the season they had and the ages of their core guys and while I think their dynasty potential is certainly as high as anyone since the mid-2010's Warriors, I think OKC is gonna have to become a much better offensive team in order to actually string a couple titles together. They'll rightfully run it back, but I'd be looking at consolidating some of those fringe assets for a 6th man scorer or microwave offense type guy if I were them.

[BUCKnation]

I'm sure Indy's role players will get a nice confidence bump from this run, but I think they'll be pretty avg to poor next year if they don't fill Hali's role with someone who can play for more than 5-10 min bursts like TJ. They could barely stay afloat in the first half of this season when Hali was playing poorly and nesmith and nembhard were in and out of the lineup. Them having the 6th/7th best odds next year is wild to me.

[BUCKnation]

Also, it's crazy were going straight into the draft. I keep forgetting they have day 2 for the second round now. Like what's the point though when it's on a Thursday afternoon.

[Ron Swanson]

Maybe someone else said it but what a genius insurance trade by Indy getting their 2026 1st back the second before disaster hit. New Orleans has to be absolutely kicking themselves, and it's not like they didn't know this was a possibility because they made the deal after Haliburton was diagnosed with the severe calf strain.

[paulpressey25]

Also, it's crazy were going straight into the draft. I keep forgetting they have day 2 for the second round now. Like what's the point though when it's on a Thursday afternoon.

A two day draft is absolutely ridiculous. I'm not sure who came up with that idea, but obviously they worked for the NFL.

[BUCKnation]

Also, it's crazy were going straight into the draft. I keep forgetting they have day 2 for the second round now. Like what's the point though when it's on a Thursday afternoon.

A two day draft is absolutely ridiculous. I'm not sure who came up with that idea, but obviously they worked for the NFL.

I don't think its a bad idea, but why put the 2nd round in the afternoon on a workday.