Around the NBA Continued

[Reign23]

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Alec Burks 53.2 TS%

RJ Barrett 53.8 TS%

This development could disrupt the spacetime continuum

MJ Burks showing compassion for the youth, what a beautiful soul

martyr!

[DOT]

little surprised that CAM fell off the cliff again after a very solid start.

Are you?

It's the same thing as always with him, he didn't even really have a good start, just 4 good games in the middle

First 8 games he was at 4.4 ppg on 31/13/79 from the field with 2.5 rebounds and 1.0 apg

Then he was put into the starting lineup and put up 15.3 ppg on 54/52/86 with 3.3 rebounds and 1.0 apg in his first 4 games

In 15 games since then, he's at 6.1 ppg on 36/24/94 with 2.6 rebounds and 2.1 apg

It's year 5 with him. This is who he is.

[Capn'O]

Yet another coach that doesn't understand Cam's true abilities.

Spoiler:

Spoiler:

Lakers still in the positive when he's on the court so at least he's playing defense.

[Reign23]

little surprised that CAM fell off the cliff again after a very solid start.

Are you?

It's the same thing as always with him, he didn't even really have a good start, just 4 good games in the middle

First 8 games he was at 4.4 ppg on 31/13/79 from the field with 2.5 rebounds and 1.0 apg

Then he was put into the starting lineup and put up 15.3 ppg on 54/52/86 with 3.3 rebounds and 1.0 apg in his first 4 games

In 15 games since then, he's at 6.1 ppg on 36/24/94 with 2.6 rebounds and 2.1 apg

It's year 5 with him. This is who he is.

I saw a few games from the "hot" stretch in november and he looked really good. Anyway....

[SelbyCobra]

They got off to an unsustainable hot offensive start and now are crashing back to earth especially Cam Thomas.

Vaughn is terrible. They don't have elite defensive personnel but they shouldn't be as bad as they are on that end. I thought they might be able to buoy themselves a bit on that end but they are now bottom 10 in the league.

It's going to get uglier unless Mikal pulls himself back out of this slump he's in but the reality of the situation is that he's simply not a number 1 scoring option on a good offensive team.

I remember talking about this with you earlier in the season but I couldn't believe the amount of people who were talking themselves into this team as being any good when their main ball handlers were going to be Dinwiddie, DSj and the corpse of Ben Simmons in the year 2024

I saw it too often with Knicks teams who thought they'd be good with just below average to terrible guard play. You can't get away with that unless you have a special talent somewhere else in the team which the Nets obviously dont have.

Yep. I said it since the playoffs last season: Bridges is a good #3 on a championship team at best. Not a #1 guy. Now, if you put Bridges on the floor with a Brunson, Anunoby, and Randle, where all he would have to do is defend, catch and shoot, that would be something. Reality has set in.

They will be sellers, and the vultures will be circling sooner than later to pick apart that corpse. Would you want the Villanova reunion to be completed in NY?

Brunson/Bridges/OG/Randle/Mitch. That would be elite imo.

Yes. This is what I want. I’d almost give the DMitch package for Bridges.

Taking a step back, it is pretty crazy that Leon has missed on every major FA opportunity, and still gotten this team a step away from a player like Bridges making them a fringe title contender.

A lineup of

Brunson
Bridges
OG
Randle
Mitch/IHart

Is a truly legit team. Not a favorite by any means, but in the mix and a few breaks away from something crazy (good) happening. The one thing Leon has undeniably done well is meticulous patience in keeping his powder dry without eroding capital. After the OG trade he's actually got this roster within striking distance of being in the conversation for real.

[3toheadmelo]

I don’t see the nets trading mikal any time soon but let’s say if we do trade for mikal, we are basically going all in on Brunson and Randle as our main options on offense. I personally rather trade for a #1 so we can make Randle our third option and use him more of a playmaking role (Draymond green).

[thebuzzardman]

I don’t see the nets trading mikal any time soon but let’s say if we do trade for mikal, we are basically going all in on Brunson and Randle as our main options on offense. I personally rather trade for a #1 so we can make Randle our third option and use him more of a playmaking role (Draymond green).

Assuming Mikal is the SG on offense, does he really have enough guard-like skills?

To me, it would be 2 SF offense, with all the implications of a SF skillset vs a guards.

The defense and switchability would be out of this world though.

[3toheadmelo]

I don’t see the nets trading mikal any time soon but let’s say if we do trade for mikal, we are basically going all in on Brunson and Randle as our main options on offense. I personally rather trade for a #1 so we can make Randle our third option and use him more of a playmaking role (Draymond green).

Assuming Mikal is the SG on offense, does he really have enough guard-like skills?

To me, it would be 2 SF offense, with all the implications of a SF skillset vs a guards.

The defense and switchability would be out of this world though.

He doesn’t really playmake and while he can score a little, it’s not someone you can rely on as a main option. He’s averaging 17 PPG shooting 38% from the field in his last 10 games. But I agree the defense would be amazing.

[thebuzzardman]

I don’t see the nets trading mikal any time soon but let’s say if we do trade for mikal, we are basically going all in on Brunson and Randle as our main options on offense. I personally rather trade for a #1 so we can make Randle our third option and use him more of a playmaking role (Draymond green).

Assuming Mikal is the SG on offense, does he really have enough guard-like skills?

To me, it would be 2 SF offense, with all the implications of a SF skillset vs a guards.

The defense and switchability would be out of this world though.

He doesn’t really playmake and while he can score a little, it’s not someone you can rely on as a main option. He’s averaging 17 PPG shooting 38% from the field in his last 10 games. But I agree the defense would be amazing.

It's more that even as the 3rd option, he's not bringing elite handle/creation, so it's Brunson and like 3 guys have forward skills with the ball.

Not sure it works.

[3toheadmelo]

Assuming Mikal is the SG on offense, does he really have enough guard-like skills?

To me, it would be 2 SF offense, with all the implications of a SF skillset vs a guards.

The defense and switchability would be out of this world though.

He doesn’t really playmake and while he can score a little, it’s not someone you can rely on as a main option. He’s averaging 17 PPG shooting 38% from the field in his last 10 games. But I agree the defense would be amazing.

It's more that even as the 3rd option, he's not bringing elite handle/creation, so it's Brunson and like 3 guys have forward skills with the ball.

Not sure it works.

I don’t think it will work in the playoffs. And tbh I think mikal and OG are redundant (offensively)

[Jalen Bluntson]

Yep. I said it since the playoffs last season: Bridges is a good #3 on a championship team at best. Not a #1 guy. Now, if you put Bridges on the floor with a Brunson, Anunoby, and Randle, where all he would have to do is defend, catch and shoot, that would be something. Reality has set in.

They will be sellers, and the vultures will be circling sooner than later to pick apart that corpse. Would you want the Villanova reunion to be completed in NY?

Brunson/Bridges/OG/Randle/Mitch. That would be elite imo.

Yes. This is what I want. I’d almost give the DMitch package for Bridges.

Taking a step back, it is pretty crazy that Leon has missed on every major FA opportunity, and still gotten this team a step away from a player like Bridges making them a fringe title contender.

A lineup of

Brunson
Bridges
OG
Randle
Mitch/IHart

Is a truly legit team. Not a favorite by any means, but in the mix and a few breaks away from something crazy (good) happening. The one thing Leon has undeniably done well is meticulous patience in keeping his powder dry without eroding capital. After the OG trade he's actually got this roster within striking distance of being in the conversation for real.

They went to the playoffs and Thibs won COTY in season one. Then they made a whole fuggin bunch of mistakes and here we are in season four after a second rd playoff appearance last year. Talking about being one great piece away? With assets to get one? Challenging for the 4 seed again? How did we get here?

[SelbyCobra]

I don’t see the nets trading mikal any time soon but let’s say if we do trade for mikal, we are basically going all in on Brunson and Randle as our main options on offense. I personally rather trade for a #1 so we can make Randle our third option and use him more of a playmaking role (Draymond green).

I agree here, both on the Nets not moving Mikal and the primary goal being a true #1, but if a #1 isn't available, I think there's a way that trading for a player like Bridges doesn't actually hinder the ability to trade for a #1 in the future. If the assets are moved into the right very good player, you're just banking/consolidating them in a different form for the moment that the true #1 eventually shakes loose.

Assuming Mikal is the SG on offense, does he really have enough guard-like skills?

To me, it would be 2 SF offense, with all the implications of a SF skillset vs a guards.

The defense and switchability would be out of this world though.

This is why I think it would result in a "fringe contender" type team, but that in and of itself is a level of legitimacy we've only dreamed of as Knicks fans. It'd be flawed, but it'd be undeniably competitive at the highest level.

[Fury]

I don’t see the nets trading mikal any time soon but let’s say if we do trade for mikal, we are basically going all in on Brunson and Randle as our main options on offense. I personally rather trade for a #1 so we can make Randle our third option and use him more of a playmaking role (Draymond green).

I don't think Randle has the mindset for that. Nor do I think Thibs would want that.

[3toheadmelo]

I don’t see the nets trading mikal any time soon but let’s say if we do trade for mikal, we are basically going all in on Brunson and Randle as our main options on offense. I personally rather trade for a #1 so we can make Randle our third option and use him more of a playmaking role (Draymond green).

I don't think Randle has the mindset for that. Nor do I think Thibs would want that.

randle has had a good amount of games of him faciliating and just taking the back seat. it doesnt matter what thibs wants. the front office has been patient in waiting for a true #1 so i think that's their plan to make randle have a smaller role.

[SelbyCobra]

I don’t see the nets trading mikal any time soon but let’s say if we do trade for mikal, we are basically going all in on Brunson and Randle as our main options on offense. I personally rather trade for a #1 so we can make Randle our third option and use him more of a playmaking role (Draymond green).

I don't think Randle has the mindset for that. Nor do I think Thibs would want that.

I don't think Randle organically has the mindset for that, but if they brought in someone who was a true, unquestionable lead-dog scorer that Randle would be forced to bend the knee to - I think he would.

I'm not saying I'm sure it would work, I have huge reservations about Randle and wouldn't be mad if they dealt him, but the same way Julius can be negatively controlled by intense moments or manipulative opponents, I believe he could also be positively controlled by an unquestionable #1 guy.

[Fat Kat]

I don’t see the nets trading mikal any time soon but let’s say if we do trade for mikal, we are basically going all in on Brunson and Randle as our main options on offense. I personally rather trade for a #1 so we can make Randle our third option and use him more of a playmaking role (Draymond green).

Assuming Mikal is the SG on offense, does he really have enough guard-like skills?

To me, it would be 2 SF offense, with all the implications of a SF skillset vs a guards.

The defense and switchability would be out of this world though.

Mikal probably has more guard-like skills than Grimes, but Randle handles the secondary ball-handling duties on this team anyway. It would work.

[Fury]

I don’t see the nets trading mikal any time soon but let’s say if we do trade for mikal, we are basically going all in on Brunson and Randle as our main options on offense. I personally rather trade for a #1 so we can make Randle our third option and use him more of a playmaking role (Draymond green).

I don't think Randle has the mindset for that. Nor do I think Thibs would want that.

randle has had a good amount of games of him faciliating and just taking the back seat. it doesnt matter what thibs wants. the front office has been patient in waiting for a true #1 so i think that's their plan to make randle have a smaller role.

I think there's a difference between stretches of taking a backseat to being a Draymond Green type of player. Green could do it cause he barely has any offensive moves. Randle is just a different type of player, who can facilitate but that isn't his game (playmaking first). He would have to go through a huge transformation.

[Fury]

I don’t see the nets trading mikal any time soon but let’s say if we do trade for mikal, we are basically going all in on Brunson and Randle as our main options on offense. I personally rather trade for a #1 so we can make Randle our third option and use him more of a playmaking role (Draymond green).

I don't think Randle has the mindset for that. Nor do I think Thibs would want that.

I don't think Randle organically has the mindset for that, but if they brought in someone who was a true, unquestionable lead-dog scorer that Randle would be forced to bend the knee to - I think he would.

I'm not saying I'm sure it would work, I have huge reservations about Randle and wouldn't be mad if they dealt him, but the same way Julius can be negatively controlled by intense moments or manipulative opponents, I believe he could also be positively controlled by an unquestionable #1 guy.

That's a big if

[3toheadmelo]

as i was saying lol

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[3toheadmelo]

I don't think Randle has the mindset for that. Nor do I think Thibs would want that.

randle has had a good amount of games of him faciliating and just taking the back seat. it doesnt matter what thibs wants. the front office has been patient in waiting for a true #1 so i think that's their plan to make randle have a smaller role.

I think there's a difference between stretches of taking a backseat to being a Draymond Green type of player. Green could do it cause he barely has any offensive moves. Randle is just a different type of player, who can facilitate but that isn't his game (playmaking first). He would have to go through a huge transformation.

randle played that role basically on the lakers. wasnt a big time scorer and basically did everything else. and im not saying randle to be only in the playmaking role. just something similar to draymond but with more scoring. basically an 18/10/8 guy. i think he can do it.