2019 season speculation including trade ideas

[bwgood77]

Ok, so no All Star for Lillard. And no All Star for Bradley Beal.

The All Star is about the best players, no some players from the Top 10 teams in the league. Do you prefer Bledsoe over Beal in the All Star because his team is 17W-3L?

The winning record is important, but it is not everything.

8W-10L is a decent record ( I expected a worse record after 18 games) and Booker is playing REALLY well. Enough to be an All Star IMO.

No it’s not. The All Star game has always and will forever be a popularity contest. This has been proven right time and time again.

Kobe was among the very top leading vote leaders in years where he sat out with the Achilles injury or was rather mediocre when he was old as hell.

That is only for the starters. The ten players that fans want to watch the most.

Do you think Doncic is popular enough to be top 5 in votes in west? Isn't voting different now (media and players even play a part for starters? I was thinking it was like you are saying and thought I researched the new rules and realized media and players count for like 25% each, and fans 50% and then maybe coaches pick reserves? Though I can't remember for sure about reserves.

I think if it was just fans, and Curry was healthy, him, Harden, LeBron and AD would finish ahead of Doncic in voting. Not sure who else.

[Saberestar]

No it’s not. The All Star game has always and will forever be a popularity contest. This has been proven right time and time again.

Kobe was among the very top leading vote leaders in years where he sat out with the Achilles injury or was rather mediocre when he was old as hell.

That is only for the starters. The ten players that fans want to watch the most.

Do you think Doncic is popular enough to be top 5 in votes in west? Isn't voting different now (media and players even play a part for starters? I was thinking it was like you are saying and thought I researched the new rules and realized media and players count for like 25% each, and fans 50% and then maybe coaches pick reserves? Though I can't remember for sure about reserves.

I think if it was just fans, and Curry was healthy, him, Harden, LeBron and AD would finish ahead of Doncic in voting. Not sure who else.

Absolutely. He is gonna start in the West.

And yeah, the selection is a bit different now, but for a ton of years starters have been selected by the fans and coaches the rest of the players.
https://www.nba.com/all-star-voting-format-explained

[Saberestar]

To answer the poll question - Booker isn’t sniffing an all star game.

Care to elaborate?

Last year's Western Conference All-Stars...

Spoiler:

Steph Curry
James Harden
Kevin Durant
Paul George
Lebron James

Russell Westbrook
Damian Lillard
Klay Thompson
Anthony Davis
Lamarcus Aldridge
Nikola Jokic
Karl Anthony Towns

Curry, Klay aren't going to make it, and Durant is in the East. Booker has had pretty solid numbers throughout his entire career but everyone says he doesn't make the all-star team based on being on a losing team. Well right now record wise the Suns are better than the Blazers and Spurs so you could potentially take off Lillard and LMA. Obviously Doncic is making the all-star team, likely starting, and Kawhi too, but that still leaves 3 open all-star spots. D-Lo isn't making the all-star team either. There really isn't as much competition this year, so I'm not sure who makes it over Booker as of now.

Yeah, if everyone was healthy, probably not, but with no Curry, Klay, and Durant, that leaves:

Doncic

Then 2 of

Gobert
Aldridge
Booker
Lillard
Westbrook

I was originally thinking Lillard would definitely make it, after your posts, and that Westbrook probably wouldn't. I did a comparison of Booker, Lillard and Westbrook, and I definitely think Lillard makes it. And Westbrook's #s are a little better than I thought. Aldridge's #s are about the same as last year so I wouldn't for sure count him out. Gobert I thought might after people thinking he got snubbed...but he is having a worse year.

http://bkref.com/tiny/aQvAA

So all in all I thought the 3 spots would be taken by Doncic, Lillard and then a toss up. I think it's very borderline. I voted no on the poll originally, mostly because I think it would have to be clear cut but also because we seem to be playing more team ball and he isn't really carrying us, and when we miss others, we can lose to avg teams. But he is playing better than ever.

If the players rate him really high this year he has a good chance. I think it really is a toss up and depends on whether people still want to reward guys like Aldridge and Westbrook. Aldridge is averaging more blocks and is shooting 3s fairly well, but is down in rebounds.

Harden
Paul George
Leonard
LeBron
A. Davis
Doncic
Towns
Jokic
Lillard

That's it. I think these players are surefire All Stars this season IF healthy. So there are THREE spots available. Booker is one of the best options to fill one of those spots. Three from probably these players:

Booker
Westbrook
Mitchell
Gobert
Hield
Ingram
Aldridge
DeRozan
McCollum
Porzingis
Jamal Murray

[Saberestar]

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[bwgood77]

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Damn we are in trouble Baynes and Diallo are out. Can't lose this game. At least Ty Jerome might give us more options but probably shouldn't play too much unless he is immediately on fire. Losing Cam and Mikal at the same time not good either.

[Saberestar]

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Damn we are in trouble Baynes and Diallo are out. Can't lose this game. At least Ty Jerome might give us more options but probably shouldn't play too much unless he is immediately on fire. Losing Cam and Mikal at the same time not good either.

Baynes is probable for the game. Usually probable means that he will play.

[Dual]

Yeah and no more Ricky listed, it seems his back is totally healed.
I hope the illness thing dont spread on more players.

[Revived]

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[lilfishi22]

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[spanishninja]

Care to elaborate?

Last year's Western Conference All-Stars...

Spoiler:

Steph Curry
James Harden
Kevin Durant
Paul George
Lebron James

Russell Westbrook
Damian Lillard
Klay Thompson
Anthony Davis
Lamarcus Aldridge
Nikola Jokic
Karl Anthony Towns

Curry, Klay aren't going to make it, and Durant is in the East. Booker has had pretty solid numbers throughout his entire career but everyone says he doesn't make the all-star team based on being on a losing team. Well right now record wise the Suns are better than the Blazers and Spurs so you could potentially take off Lillard and LMA. Obviously Doncic is making the all-star team, likely starting, and Kawhi too, but that still leaves 3 open all-star spots. D-Lo isn't making the all-star team either. There really isn't as much competition this year, so I'm not sure who makes it over Booker as of now.

Yeah, if everyone was healthy, probably not, but with no Curry, Klay, and Durant, that leaves:

Doncic

Then 2 of

Gobert
Aldridge
Booker
Lillard
Westbrook

I was originally thinking Lillard would definitely make it, after your posts, and that Westbrook probably wouldn't. I did a comparison of Booker, Lillard and Westbrook, and I definitely think Lillard makes it. And Westbrook's #s are a little better than I thought. Aldridge's #s are about the same as last year so I wouldn't for sure count him out. Gobert I thought might after people thinking he got snubbed...but he is having a worse year.

http://bkref.com/tiny/aQvAA

So all in all I thought the 3 spots would be taken by Doncic, Lillard and then a toss up. I think it's very borderline. I voted no on the poll originally, mostly because I think it would have to be clear cut but also because we seem to be playing more team ball and he isn't really carrying us, and when we miss others, we can lose to avg teams. But he is playing better than ever.

If the players rate him really high this year he has a good chance. I think it really is a toss up and depends on whether people still want to reward guys like Aldridge and Westbrook. Aldridge is averaging more blocks and is shooting 3s fairly well, but is down in rebounds.

Harden
Paul George
Leonard
LeBron
A. Davis
Doncic
Towns
Jokic
Lillard

That's it. I think these players are surefire All Stars this season IF healthy. So there are THREE spots available. Booker is one of the best options to fill one of those spots. Three from probably these players:

Booker
Westbrook
Mitchell
Gobert
Hield
Ingram
Aldridge
DeRozan
McCollum
Porzingis
Jamal Murray

they might do the thing where the top two or three teams each get two all-stars each, meaning Murray, Westbrook, or Porzingis get in for no other reason than their uniform.

[Calvin Klein]

No All Star for Book if things keep going the way they are right now.

Ok, so no All Star for Lillard. And no All Star for Bradley Beal.

The All Star is about the best players, no some players from the Top 10 teams in the league. Do you prefer Bledsoe over Beal in the All Star because his team is 17W-3L?

The winning record is important, but it is not everything.

8W-10L is a decent record ( I expected a worse record after 18 games) and Booker is playing REALLY well. Enough to be an All Star IMO.

I stand corrected. I hadn't considered that so many all stars are injured/gone east.

He could make it.

I just don't feel he is playing at that level in these last few games. He was 100% in during the first 11 games.

[spanishninja]

No All Star for Book if things keep going the way they are right now.

Ok, so no All Star for Lillard. And no All Star for Bradley Beal.

The All Star is about the best players, no some players from the Top 10 teams in the league. Do you prefer Bledsoe over Beal in the All Star because his team is 17W-3L?

The winning record is important, but it is not everything.

8W-10L is a decent record ( I expected a worse record after 18 games) and Booker is playing REALLY well. Enough to be an All Star IMO.

I stand corrected. I hadn't considered that so many all stars are injured/gone east.

He could make it.

I just don't feel he is playing at that level in these last few games. He was 100% in during the first 11 games.

other all-star candidates have also had inconsistency too. CJ McCollum straight up disappeared for a few games earlier.

[Revived]

There’s a video on Instagram of Booker hitting 45 straight 3s in practice. I know I’ve been hard on him lately (and for good reason imo) but damn that’s pretty impressive even if it’s just practice.

I hope that can translate over to games. He’s at a career high 41% for this season from 3 but it hasn’t been falling lately.

[sunskerr]

Yeah I want to see Book launch away from downtown. We need the scoring punch. He has to find a way to be as aggressive as he was in previous years while working with Rubio to set up the offense.

[Revived]

I feel like something bad happened to the team after or before that Miami game. Feels like the vibes around the team has been much different and they aren’t playing with the same fire as they did before. I know the missing guys played a role but still just seems different. Like the Heat game just threw them off entirely or something idk.

[Revived]

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Sounds like that whole mess was just overblown by the media.

[Qwigglez]

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I also feel like he should be getting traded... for Ty Johnson, Dario Saric, and a 2021 1st round pick. (maybe without the pick since Gordon isn't playing very well this year).

[Ghost of Kleine]

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I also feel like he should be getting traded... for Ty Johnson, Dario Saric, and a 2021 1st round pick. (maybe without the pick since Gordon isn't playing very well this year).

Agreed! Marion 2.0 ( Athletic team energizer and multipositional defender) Soon to be on his way to the valley. I'd be very intrigued to have his defensive athleticism and energy in a lineup alongside of Bridges, and Oubre. Then let Booker, Ayton and Cam, and Jerome just bomb away on offense. So definitely open to something along those lines I think.

Only thing I'd change is that I wouldn't give them the 2021 draft pick personally as it's going to be a super loaded draft. But another year, like 2022 or 2023, pethaps, But just couldn't give up that 21' pick....lol.

[ImNotMcDiSwear]

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I also feel like he should be getting traded... for Ty Johnson, Dario Saric, and a 2021 1st round pick. (maybe without the pick since Gordon isn't playing very well this year).

Agreed! Marion 2.0 ( Athletic team energizer and multipositional defender) Soon to be on his way to the valley. I'd be very intrigued to have his defensive athleticism and energy in a lineup alongside of Bridges, and Oubre. Then let Booker, Ayton and Cam, and Jerome just bomb away on offense. So definitely open to something along those lines I think.

Only thing I'd change is that I wouldn't give them the 2021 draft pick personally as it's going to be a super loaded draft. But another year, like 2022 or 2023, pethaps, But just couldn't give up that 21' pick....lol.

Marion averaged 20/10 with 2 SPG and 1.5 BPG throughout his prime. Gordon doesn't get nearly as many points or rebounds, and he's not even in the ****ing conversation when it comes to steals and blocks.

Don't compare the two. It's silly.

[bwgood77]

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Sounds like that whole mess was just overblown by the media.

That link in that tweet had a great article about Monty who....a lot about what he went through when his wife was killed and why he liked the opportunity with the Suns. He also speaks highly of Sarver.