ATL - Embiid Out for the Season

skbucks1985 · Post #521 » by **skbucks1985** » Mon Feb 3, 2025 7:51 pm

ReasonablySober wrote:

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Could be a wild week.

Seeing KD go back to OKC would be one of the cooler stories, but unless OKC is willing to trade Hartenstein or gut much of their rotation they probably can't make the salaries work.

MikeIsGood · Post #522 » by **MikeIsGood** » Mon Feb 3, 2025 7:58 pm

MickeyDavis wrote:Getting back to basketball for a minute, a couple of potentially good games tonight

Rockets at Knicks (NBATV)
Spurs at Grizzlies (Wemba is sick though, might not play)

No one watches the NBA for the basketball, MD.

RogerMurdock · Post #523 » by **RogerMurdock** » Mon Feb 3, 2025 8:07 pm

Trade deadline coincides with the next season of Invincible. Coincidence? Yes.

Post #524 » by **humanrefutation** » Mon Feb 3, 2025 8:31 pm

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Doesn't sound like a guy who wasn't planning to spend his prime in Dallas.

FrieAaron · Post #525 » by **FrieAaron** » Mon Feb 3, 2025 8:36 pm

humanrefutation wrote:
Doesn't sound like a guy who wasn't planning to spend his prime in Dallas.

Lots of questions about why still but it seems pretty clear now that Luka didn't want out and the Mavs didn't shop in around at all and specifically targeted AD for whatever reason. They didn't bother to get the most out of his value at all.

Post #526 » by **ReasonablySober** » Mon Feb 3, 2025 8:42 pm

Like you guys probably have I've inhaled everyone with a mic and everyone online who's written about this, and the more I hear details and theories and quasi-justifications the more I 100% believe this is entirely about leverage and casinos in Texas. Why? Because there isn't another explanation that remotely makes sense.

Post #527 » by **humanrefutation** » Mon Feb 3, 2025 8:44 pm

FrieAaron wrote:
humanrefutation wrote:
Doesn't sound like a guy who wasn't planning to spend his prime in Dallas.

Lots of questions about why still but it seems pretty clear now that Luka didn't want out and the Mavs didn't shop in around at all and specifically targeted AD for whatever reason. They didn't bother to get the most out of his value at all.

Mavs didn't want Luka. That much is clear. They must have hated what he'd become behind the scenes and decided that he would take the franchise down with him if they gave him a supermax.

Still, I don't understand shopping him. I read today that they didnt shop him because they were terrified it would leak, upsetting Luka, leading him to demand a trade and causing the fan base to riot. That rationale doesn't make sense for a lot of reasons, and besides, even if that's true, it's Nico Harrison's job, first and foremost, to make the best deal possible and to deal with the fallout.

Now, Harrison not only has the fallout, but he also got fleeced by the Lakers and looks like an absolute fool. Ownership obviously had to sign off on it, but if I owned the team and Nico came to me asking for approval for this trade, not only would I have rejected it, but I'd strongly consider firing him on the spot for suggesting it.

Plossum · Post #528 » by **Plossum** » Mon Feb 3, 2025 8:53 pm

The owners being cheap and not wanting to pay him $350m makes most sense to me. But prob wanted to stay relevant hence trading for AD instead of a tear down.

But there are def some shady ties between Harrison and Pelinka. That they essentially gifted Luka to the Lakers in the dead of the night with zero shopping of him is very suspicious. I’m not sure we’ll ever get the full story though. The league will be happy Luka is in LA and won’t care.

Post #529 » by **ReasonablySober** » Mon Feb 3, 2025 9:00 pm

Plossum wrote:The owners being cheap and not wanting to pay him $350m makes most sense to me. But prob wanted to stay relevant hence trading for AD instead of a tear down.

But there are def some shady ties between Harrison and Pelinka. That they essentially gifted Luka to the Lakers in the dead of the night with zero shopping of him is very suspicious. I’m not sure we’ll ever get the full story though. The league will be happy Luka is in LA and won’t care.

Miram Adelson is the second most wealthy owner in the league. $350 million is absolutely nothing to her.

ReddoverKobe · Post #530 » by **ReddoverKobe** » Mon Feb 3, 2025 9:03 pm

ReasonablySober wrote:Like you guys probably have I've inhaled everyone with a mic and everyone online who's written about this, and the more I hear details and theories and quasi-justifications the more I 100% believe this is entirely about leverage and casinos in Texas. Why? Because there isn't another explanation that remotely makes sense.

The fact you have the 2nd or 3rd best player in the league and you dont even let other teams know you want to trade him is so damning. Even if AD is the guy they wanted all along they still could have leveraged other trade offers to get more. Its so bizarre

RRyder823 · Post #531 » by **RRyder823** » Mon Feb 3, 2025 9:33 pm

ReasonablySober wrote:Like you guys probably have I've inhaled everyone with a mic and everyone online who's written about this, and the more I hear details and theories and quasi-justifications the more I 100% believe this is entirely about leverage and casinos in Texas. Why? Because there isn't another explanation that remotely makes sense.

I'm pretty sure your right on this and the sad part is there won't be any investigation into it

Sent from my SM-S918U using RealGM mobile app

MKE_Hodag22 · Post #532 » by **MKE_Hodag22** » Mon Feb 3, 2025 10:12 pm

Not a rumor - but got bored playing w/ trade machine.

DEN - Kevin Durant
PHX - Porter Jr., Nnaji, Saric, Braun

Murray/Westbrook/Durant/Gordon/Jokic would be fun to watch. PHX gets 2 young-ish assets in Porter Jr./Braun

emunney · Post #533 » by **emunney** » Mon Feb 3, 2025 10:17 pm

I can't believe Nico Harrison said that they didn't negotiate with other teams because they didn't want it to get out and have Luka demand a trade. **** then you might have to trade him.

Folks, if you're planning on saying something in public, write it down and read it out loud for somebody else to hear and ask critical questions. You might just save yourself from looking like Nico Harrison.

MKE_Hodag22 · Post #534 » by **MKE_Hodag22** » Mon Feb 3, 2025 10:20 pm

emunney wrote:I can't believe Nico Harrison said that they didn't negotiate with other teams because they didn't want it to get out and have Luka demand a trade. **** then you might have to trade him.

Folks, if you're planning on saying something in public, write it down and read it out loud for somebody else to hear and ask critical questions. You might just save yourself from looking like Nico Harrison.

Shortsighted on his part for sure. Even IF he demanded a trade, i think the other 29 teams would 100% send an offer in and you pick the best one.

Wooderson · Post #535 » by **Wooderson** » Mon Feb 3, 2025 10:28 pm

MKE_Hodag22 wrote:
emunney wrote:I can't believe Nico Harrison said that they didn't negotiate with other teams because they didn't want it to get out and have Luka demand a trade. **** then you might have to trade him.

Folks, if you're planning on saying something in public, write it down and read it out loud for somebody else to hear and ask critical questions. You might just save yourself from looking like Nico Harrison.

Shortsighted on his part for sure. Even IF he demanded a trade, i think the other 29 teams would 100% send an offer in and you pick the best one.

He literally could have gotten the same deal with the Lakers anytime.

I'm inclined to believe the ownership angle, whether it's the full blown casino stuff or not wanting the supermax. At the same time, Harrison is the same dude who **** up Nikes Steph Curry pitch in 2013 by recycling an old Kevin Durant PowerPoint deck. The dude might just enjoy the smell of his own farts so much he doesn't notice the poop in his undies. And in this case it sounds like he had disdain for Luka.

Post #536 » by **ReasonablySober** » Mon Feb 3, 2025 10:40 pm

Even if the explanation is closer to dumb instead of conspiratorial ownership stuff that would rock the NBA, the explanation still doesn't hold up. If this was as simple as Nico wanted Davis and only Davis, literally any GM would also get every possible asset from LA. Knect, Reeves, a pick swap in '26, pick swap in '28, and a 1st in '31. That has to be the absolute minimum.

Dick Tate · Post #537 » by **Dick Tate** » Mon Feb 3, 2025 10:53 pm

ReasonablySober wrote:Even if the explanation is closer to dumb instead of conspiratorial ownership stuff that would rock the NBA, the explanation still doesn't hold up. If this was as simple as Nico wanted Davis and only Davis, literally any GM would also get every possible asset from LA. Knect, Reeves, a pick swap in '26, pick swap in '28, and a 1st in '31. That has to be the absolute minimum.

Sounds like the '31 1st would've been in play had the Lakers been allowed to speak with Luka's agent. It seems the whole idea was to keep everyone in the dark so public outcry wouldn't kill the deal.

DingleJerry · Post #538 » by **DingleJerry** » Mon Feb 3, 2025 11:00 pm

We don't wanna pay a 25ish year old a max contract because he's injury prone due to being in bad shape doesn't really fly when you're about to have two 32ish year olds who are injury prone on the books for max contract extensions. One of which who is also a massive headcase.

Unless yea in the next year or two they let both guys walk to reduce salary commitments for a sale or just to reap massive profits being cheap owners. At least then it will 'make sense' in that its logical from their perspective/objective.

ETA: my gut reaction as soon as it happened is how LBJ/Luka is such a bad pairing. And what does LBJ do from here. My guess is he just rides it out enjoying himself in LA rather than try to jump to a better fit for a chance at winning. But, was a good time trying to come up with scenarios that could work. There is some back to Cle things that aren't too stupid, but really if you're them why rock the boat

Matches Malone · Post #539 » by **Matches Malone** » Mon Feb 3, 2025 11:00 pm

Craig and Duarte waived.

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drone3 · Post #540 » by **drone3** » Mon Feb 3, 2025 11:02 pm

Wooderson wrote:
MKE_Hodag22 wrote:
emunney wrote:I can't believe Nico Harrison said that they didn't negotiate with other teams because they didn't want it to get out and have Luka demand a trade. **** then you might have to trade him.

Folks, if you're planning on saying something in public, write it down and read it out loud for somebody else to hear and ask critical questions. You might just save yourself from looking like Nico Harrison.

Shortsighted on his part for sure. Even IF he demanded a trade, i think the other 29 teams would 100% send an offer in and you pick the best one.

He literally could have gotten the same deal with the Lakers anytime.

I'm inclined to believe the ownership angle, whether it's the full blown casino stuff or not wanting the supermax. At the same time, Harrison is the same dude who **** up Nikes Steph Curry pitch in 2013 by recycling an old Kevin Durant PowerPoint deck. The dude might just enjoy the smell of his own farts so much he doesn't notice the poop in his undies. And in this case it sounds like he had disdain for Luka.

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