Around the NBA - Curse all of the other teams here

[B8RcDeMktfxC]

It’s like Toney Parker. Was he the most talented guy? Best stats, best moves? No.

But a great winner.

Sign me up for that. That has gotten lost in all this stuff. Ole man statement but true

Win or you’re not that good, sorry.

He couldn't guard anyone either. And his teammate was a top 5 player of all time and they had a top 5 coach of all time.

They used to move Parker off the ball all of the time and would put Bowen on the lead guard sometimes.

It's crazy how teams hunt mismatches nowadays way more than they used to in the 90s and early 2000s. Teams would just run their sets but rarely would they just target guys on defense. I think offenses and defenses have gotten much smarter in the last 20 years.

Stats/Analytics came for everyone.

[Chanel Bomber]

I have a question.. what is the #1 skill in the NBA right now?

I think it really depends on your role.

You want your player with the highest usage to be either a dominant scorer or a dominant playmaker.

You want your wing/guard role players to be knockdown shooters, or good shooters with added value in other areas.

You want your center to protect the rim (still) and also survive on switches.

Overall, I'd say shooting, and being at least playable on defense, are the most important skills in today's NBA, but I think we have to look at roles specifically.

[thebuzzardman]

I have a question.. what is the #1 skill in the NBA right now?

I think it really depends on your role.

You want your player with the highest usage to be either a dominant scorer or a dominant playmaker.

You want your wing/guard role players to be knockdown shooters, or good shooters with added value in other areas.

You want your center to protect the rim (still) and also survive on switches.

Overall, I'd say shooting, and being at least playable on defense, are the most important skills in today's NBA, but I think we have to look at roles specifically.

Not according to the Knicks!

[K_ick_God]

I think Jalen did get the better of him when it counted. That says something. It’s too early to know if he’s a stats guy or a winner.

[knickstape4ever]

Mavs on a 3 game winning streak and they could've easily lost 2 of them

I was told they are absolutely not making the playoffs and how their pick was going to be way up in the lottery.

idk who said that, but it's still no sure thing either way. 538 has them at 51%

every loss counts tho. it's very likely gonna be a top 20 pick at worst and lottery is still possible

[dakomish23]

Wonder if there is something in the way this season has played out, pandemic and weird scheduling, that benefits the sort of good offensive guys who have never gotten over the hump to being truly good players and big options offensively.

I'm thinking of

Randle
Timmy
LaVine

All 3 have previously been kind of the same class of player till this year.

Lavine and Randle have been wayyyyy better longer than THJ.

He was good last year b/c of the shot profile. Put him on a team that gives him free reign and he’ll suck again

LaVine has been the best of the three by a fair amount. But not great. And I wouldn't say that Randle has been way better than anybody really. More productive but also a big loser till this year, and a guy you'd rather dump.

There's distance between the three guys but they're mostly offensive guys who haven't won and who are not consistent. LaVine is not some great player either, look at the Bulls' records.

Look, you're not a great scorer when you never play in the playoffs. You're a productive loser, literally.

I made that comment based on body of work.

Randle’s last season was by far his worst in the NBA outside of his true rookie season (got injured game 1 of his actual rookie season). This is kind of where I expected him to be in his prime 20/10 offensive guy on good efficiency.

Lavine has also been very efficient for every year but his rookie year, except for a year where he only played 24 games due to injury. He’s now back to the basket big level efficient.

THJ had one solid year in ATL, sucked again for us and for DAL when he first got traded there. Then they changed up his shot profile - less dribble, more spot up. It worked.

Good for him that he could even be mentioned with these other two when it looked like he would be g a career journeyman. But I still think the other two are def a tier above him

I have a feeling we’ll be seeing a lot more of Lavine up close so we’ll talk about him more

[thebuzzardman]

Mavs on a 3 game winning streak and they could've easily lost 2 of them

I was told they are absolutely not making the playoffs and how their pick was going to be way up in the lottery.

idk who said that, but it's still no sure thing either way. 538 has them at 51%

every loss counts tho. it's very likely gonna be a top 20 pick at worst and lottery is still possible

My offseason prediction was 21-24.
At least they seem to be moving up from that.

I think it moves up to like 17 or 18, at best.

Knicks at 10-12.

[knickstape4ever]

Read on Twitter

[knickstape4ever]

can't see why the Bulls would trade Lavine

[Chanel Bomber]

can't see why the Bulls would trade Lavine

It'll cost a king's ransom.

The window of opportunity was when Jim Boylen was the coach. The Knicks should have taken advantage of the chaos to make a move for Lavine when he was at odds with the Bulls organization.

It was already obvious then that this guy was gonna get better and better.

[3toheadmelo]

Read on Twitter

Watch on YouTube

[knickstape4ever]

Read on Twitter

Watch on YouTube

they ain't trading him for the same reasons we're keeping Randle, and he's definitely the better player

even if he did hit the market, I doubt they'd want to trade him in-conference

[K_ick_God]

Coby with a good one too.

[HerSports85]

At what point does the Wizards try to move Beal/Westbrook and start their re build

[WargamesX]

Best chance we have at Lavine is two things happen

1) The bulls don’t use their available cap space to resign him as a FA this summer

2) He gets tired of losing and decides to plays in NY with a team that can offer him a a Kawhi deal, and a coach he is familiar with (and probably misses) in Thibs. That’s a 2 years guaranteed Max deal with a player option for the 3rd year that he can rescind so we can sign him to a legit Max with Bird rights.

We have no control on option 1, but option 2 requires we role over a bunch of contracts, and are a legit good team next year.

[3toheadmelo]

Read on Twitter

Watch on YouTube

they ain't trading him for the same reasons we're keeping Randle, and he's definitely the better player

even if he did hit the market, I doubt they'd want to trade him in-conference

Let me dream of lavine x Randle

[knickstape4ever]

Best chance we have at Lavine is two things happen

1) The bulls don’t use their available cap space to resign him as a FA this summer

2) He gets tired of losing and decides to plays in NY with a team that can offer him a a Kawhi deal, and a coach he is familiar with (and probably misses) in Thibs. That’s a 2 years guaranteed Max deal with a player option for the 3rd year that he can rescind so we can sign him to a legit Max with Bird rights.

We have no control on option 1, but option 2 requires we role over a bunch of contracts, and are a legit good team next year.

1) Bulls have plenty of cap space to re-sign Lavine. their books are completely open ($0 committed) after next season when Lavines contract ends

2) even if he does request a trade, I doubt the Bulls will want to trade him here. their preference will likely be to send him to the West and teams like the Pelicans and Warriors have the assets to get it done

[WargamesX]

Best chance we have at Lavine is two things happen

1) The bulls don’t use their available cap space to resign him as a FA this summer

2) He gets tired of losing and decides to plays in NY with a team that can offer him a a Kawhi deal, and a coach he is familiar with (and probably misses) in Thibs. That’s a 2 years guaranteed Max deal with a player option for the 3rd year that he can rescind so we can sign him to a legit Max with Bird rights.

We have no control on option 1, but option 2 requires we role over a bunch of contracts, and are a legit good team next year.

1) Bulls have plenty of cap space to re-sign Lavine. their books are completely open ($0 committed) after next season when Lavines contract ends

2) even if he does request a trade, I doubt the Bulls will want to trade him here. their preference will likely be to send him to the West and teams like the Pelicans and Warriors have the assets to get it done

1) Its not the money factor, it would be him leaving because he is sick of losing. Don't forget he tried to leave during his RFA to join the kings and the Bulls matched. Plus there have been rumors he wanted to leave before. Kawhi and Lebron showed how to get your money if you leave your bird rights. Get a 3 year Max with the third year a player option. He opts out and can sign for 5 years more at an even higher salary. They can take the 14 mil in Free cap space this year and offer it to him to sign. Basically not adding to their team except through the draft.

2) I don't think a trade would happen. I think he walks, the way his contract is set up he won't accept an extension because he is worth more than that can pay him. He's going to be a UFA and the Bulls will likely still be meh as a team goes

[knickstape4ever]

Best chance we have at Lavine is two things happen

1) The bulls don’t use their available cap space to resign him as a FA this summer

2) He gets tired of losing and decides to plays in NY with a team that can offer him a a Kawhi deal, and a coach he is familiar with (and probably misses) in Thibs. That’s a 2 years guaranteed Max deal with a player option for the 3rd year that he can rescind so we can sign him to a legit Max with Bird rights.

We have no control on option 1, but option 2 requires we role over a bunch of contracts, and are a legit good team next year.

1) Bulls have plenty of cap space to re-sign Lavine. their books are completely open ($0 committed) after next season when Lavines contract ends

2) even if he does request a trade, I doubt the Bulls will want to trade him here. their preference will likely be to send him to the West and teams like the Pelicans and Warriors have the assets to get it done

1) Its not the money factor, it would be him leaving because he is sick of losing. Don't forget he tried to leave during his RFA to join the kings and the Bulls matched. Plus there have been rumors he wanted to leave before. Kawhi and Lebron showed how to get your money if you leave your bird rights. Get a 3 year Max with the third year a player option. He opts out and can sign for 5 years more at an even higher salary

2) I don't think a trade would happen. I think he walks, the way his contract is set up he won't accept an extension because he is worth more than that can pay him. He's going to be a UFA and the Bulls will likely still be meh as a team goes

but if they have the $, which they do, they're gonna use it on him, or at least be willing to no matter what. it might be hard for him to turn down a max extension if offered this offseason (tho not sure how much more he stands to make, if any by waiting a yr)

him asking out is the only way he gets traded, and the Bulls rn are about at the same level we are w/ a respectable coach now w/ Donovan, so I dont see it happening, not for awhile at least

[WargamesX]

1) Bulls have plenty of cap space to re-sign Lavine. their books are completely open ($0 committed) after next season when Lavines contract ends

2) even if he does request a trade, I doubt the Bulls will want to trade him here. their preference will likely be to send him to the West and teams like the Pelicans and Warriors have the assets to get it done

1) Its not the money factor, it would be him leaving because he is sick of losing. Don't forget he tried to leave during his RFA to join the kings and the Bulls matched. Plus there have been rumors he wanted to leave before. Kawhi and Lebron showed how to get your money if you leave your bird rights. Get a 3 year Max with the third year a player option. He opts out and can sign for 5 years more at an even higher salary

2) I don't think a trade would happen. I think he walks, the way his contract is set up he won't accept an extension because he is worth more than that can pay him. He's going to be a UFA and the Bulls will likely still be meh as a team goes

but if they have the $, which they do, they're gonna use it on him, or at least be willing to no matter what. it might be hard for him to turn down a max extension if offered this offseason (tho not sure how much more he stands to make, if any by waiting a yr)

him asking out is the only way he gets traded, and the Bulls rn are about at the same level we are w/ a respectable coach now w/ Donovan, so I dont see it happening, not for awhile at least

I am not saying he won't take the money but that is also the only scenario I see the knicks grabbing him. Like we're monitoring trades looking for deals, but its unlikely the Bulls trade him.

Plus I don't think the knicks will be bad next year. We're barely bad this year, and I expect the knicks to become better.