2023-24 Season Discussion and Speculation - Free Agency Begins

[lilfishi22]

Lord have mercy. I wouldnt let 4 fouls stop me from chasing a rebound, its not like this guy is dennis rodman tangling dudes up on his way for his 17th rebound.

It was 1 foul at that point. Didn't pick up his second until 12s left in the first half

Private eye lilfishi on the case!
You know, I will say I find it kind of funny but mostly ironic that all the Ayton sympathizers keep chortling about how he can avg 23/12/2 if (insert excuse or alternate reality) when the "Ayton haters" always say... you know we don't really give a **** about numbers to an extent. Like if he gives us a high energy 14/11/1.5 with good defense we'd be pretty damn happy. Basically for them its about numbers, for us its about effort but that seems to fly miles over their heads

Yeah the irony isn't lost on me that it's the apologists who talk big numbers but it's in fact the "hayders" that have set a very low bar for DA to clear

I personally just want double digit rebounding and that great defense he's shown he can play with before

[BobbieL]

It was 1 foul at that point. Didn't pick up his second until 12s left in the first half

Private eye lilfishi on the case!
You know, I will say I find it kind of funny but mostly ironic that all the Ayton sympathizers keep chortling about how he can avg 23/12/2 if (insert excuse or alternate reality) when the "Ayton haters" always say... you know we don't really give a **** about numbers to an extent. Like if he gives us a high energy 14/11/1.5 with good defense we'd be pretty damn happy. Basically for them its about numbers, for us its about effort but that seems to fly miles over their heads

Yeah the irony isn't lost on me that it's the apologists who talk big numbers but it's in fact the "hayders" that have set a very low bar for DA to clear

I personally just want double digit rebounding and that great defense he's shown he can play with before

Just consistent effort. The rest will follow. If h is 2021 DA - team will be very good

[Iceman36]

DA now getting a new chance at complete new circumstances and he needs a fair chance. That's what I am giving him right now.

[kennydorglas]

If Ayton has the blues from feeling unloved, I suggest he register for a realGM account and read some of the defenses of him here

He didn't contest a shot cus he could have hit his head on the backboard ..... That's all time

hes already here.
not trying to hide it at all tho

[POLI]

I reckon the West is pretty open this season.

Teams with aging stars: GSW, Lakers, Clippers
Younger stars but unproven teams: Memphis, Sacramento, New Orleans, Dallas
Top Contenders: Denver, Phoenix

You are forgetting the Kings, that improved their roster just losing Metu (to us), but getting a couple of good players and the European MVP that, if the coach finds the right role for him, will shoot the lights off in any game.

[SlovenianDragon]

I reckon the West is pretty open this season.

Teams with aging stars: GSW, Lakers, Clippers
Younger stars but unproven teams: Memphis, Sacramento, New Orleans, Dallas
Top Contenders: Denver, Phoenix

You are forgetting the Kings, that improved their roster just losing Metu (to us), but getting a couple of good players and the European MVP that, if the coach finds the right role for him, will shoot the lights off in any game.

My top teams in the west are:

1. Suns (not biased we have always been a regular season team)
2. Denver (Jokic)
3. Thunder (Pull a kings)
4. Kings (the actual kings)

Im not worried about the rest of the teams. These are the 4 teams I see doing well in the RS and the playoffs.. After those 4 teams the west is wide open.

[enigmatics]

At this point we've only seen KD/Book and Ayton play on this team... KD got PLENTY of **** last p/o and even booker to an extent when he had his duds. Maybe we can all get a gofundme together and send DA some flowers to cheer him up?

KDouble prefers sending him unsolicited dp's lol.

[enigmatics]

I reckon the West is pretty open this season.

Teams with aging stars: GSW, Lakers, Clippers
Younger stars but unproven teams: Memphis, Sacramento, New Orleans, Dallas
Top Contenders: Denver, Phoenix

You are forgetting the Kings, that improved their roster just losing Metu (to us), but getting a couple of good players and the European MVP that, if the coach finds the right role for him, will shoot the lights off in any game.

Bro the Kings gave zero craps that Metu ain't on the roster anymore.

[Mulhollanddrive]

Okogie and Goodwin shot 38% from wide open 3s last season (same percentage as Booker).

With the gravity of the big 3 if teams want to dare them to beat them they're good shooters.

[bwgood77]

It was 1 foul at that point. Didn't pick up his second until 12s left in the first half

Private eye lilfishi on the case!
You know, I will say I find it kind of funny but mostly ironic that all the Ayton sympathizers keep chortling about how he can avg 23/12/2 if (insert excuse or alternate reality) when the "Ayton haters" always say... you know we don't really give a **** about numbers to an extent. Like if he gives us a high energy 14/11/1.5 with good defense we'd be pretty damn happy. Basically for them its about numbers, for us its about effort but that seems to fly miles over their heads

Yeah the irony isn't lost on me that it's the apologists who talk big numbers but it's in fact the "hayders" that have set a very low bar for DA to clear

I personally just want double digit rebounding and that great defense he's shown he can play with before

I think there is only like 1 person who said he'd get 23/12/2 and most of those who don't spend our time constantly whining about him also would be happy with an efficient 14/10 and good defense consistently. I don't understand the caring so much about 1.5 or 2 blocks. That isn't necessarily a great indicator of how good of a defender you are, and often means you are playing sloppy, out of position, or will pick up fouls. Not saying always, but if you just go for blocks, you can fly by someone and give them an easy shot. His best defensive season 2 years ago he was deterring a lot of shots...people would start to drive and he'd stay in front of them, move with them, and his length finally just made them pass back out and not try that shot in the lane because he was all over them. This of course shows up in no stats but was impressive then. He's not a shot blocking type really anyway. He has had some good blocks but I don't think it should be some primary focus of his...to block shots. He needs to stay with and in front of his defenders, deter and prevent shots in the paint/rim.

[enigmatics]

Okogie and Goodwin shot 38% from wide open 3s last season (same percentage as Booker).

With the gravity of the big 3 if teams want to dare them to beat them they're good shooters.

In the playoffs Okogie couldn't hit the broad side of a barn though. Teams literally didn't pay him any mind. That's also why I'm cautious about all the new names because pretty much all of them aren't playoff tested.

[sunsbum]

Private eye lilfishi on the case!
You know, I will say I find it kind of funny but mostly ironic that all the Ayton sympathizers keep chortling about how he can avg 23/12/2 if (insert excuse or alternate reality) when the "Ayton haters" always say... you know we don't really give a **** about numbers to an extent. Like if he gives us a high energy 14/11/1.5 with good defense we'd be pretty damn happy. Basically for them its about numbers, for us its about effort but that seems to fly miles over their heads

Yeah the irony isn't lost on me that it's the apologists who talk big numbers but it's in fact the "hayders" that have set a very low bar for DA to clear

I personally just want double digit rebounding and that great defense he's shown he can play with before

I think there is only like 1 person who said he'd get 23/12/2 and most of those who don't spend our time constantly whining about him also would be happy with an efficient 14/10 and good defense consistently. I don't understand the caring so much about 1.5 or 2 blocks. That isn't necessarily a great indicator of how good of a defender you are, and often means you are playing sloppy, out of position, or will pick up fouls. Not saying always, but if you just go for blocks, you can fly by someone and give them an easy shot. His best defensive season 2 years ago he was deterring a lot of shots...people would start to drive and he'd stay in front of them, move with them, and his length finally just made them pass back out and not try that shot in the lane because he was all over them. This of course shows up in no stats but was impressive then. He's not a shot blocking type really anyway. He has had some good blocks but I don't think it should be some primary focus of his...to block shots. He needs to stay with and in front of his defenders, deter and prevent shots in the paint/rim.

Constantly whining about him? This dude makes his own headlines There's a reason hes the focus of the conversation, yes.. he CAN be that much of an X factor....but he isn't because he's lazy/low effort and a perpetual talking head for himself which just keeps adding hate fuel to the fire. let us continue.

[Frank Lee]

Don’t you mean… Let us proceed?

Too lazy to look, but who the heck is Ayton’s agent? And why hasn’t he put a gag order on the kid? Seriously, from his very first interview he was stepping in it

[Mulhollanddrive]

There's footage of Paul, Booker, Durant, Monty all telling Ayton similar things about being soft or quitting (or words to that effect) seems he needs to change the opinion of his team before the internet.

[KdoubleDees23]

It was 1 foul at that point. Didn't pick up his second until 12s left in the first half

Private eye lilfishi on the case!
You know, I will say I find it kind of funny but mostly ironic that all the Ayton sympathizers keep chortling about how he can avg 23/12/2 if (insert excuse or alternate reality) when the "Ayton haters" always say... you know we don't really give a **** about numbers to an extent. Like if he gives us a high energy 14/11/1.5 with good defense we'd be pretty damn happy. Basically for them its about numbers, for us its about effort but that seems to fly miles over their heads

Yeah the irony isn't lost on me that it's the apologists who talk big numbers but it's in fact the "hayders" that have set a very low bar for DA to clear

I personally just want double digit rebounding and that great defense he's shown he can play with before

So the irony is y’all want 14/11 yet dude gave 18/10 with good defense . With low usage and high ts%

Y’all are just haters and don’t know what you are talking about.

If he dunked a few more times and fought for a rebound here and there y’all would have hard ons .

[KdoubleDees23]

I 100% said Ayton would avg 23/12 if he went to a team where he was 2nd option and got higher usage .

I still think that’s the case

I think this year his ppg goes down but I also think his rpg goes up

[KdoubleDees23]

I cheer on my team and for the best. Y’all old heads just hate and truly don’t know crap about basketball.

We won’t get anyone better than Ayton for a trade. You keep him, and hope for the best .

[sunsbum]

If he dunked a few more times and fought for a rebound here and there y’all would have hard ons .

radical concept!

[KdoubleDees23]

If he dunked a few more times and fought for a rebound here and there y’all would have hard ons .

radical concept!

Yep. I feel like you want a DeAndre Jordan type as your Center. You would rather have ooooosssss and awwwssss when they dunk vs a finesse center who can shoot and score around the rim / mid range.

[enigmatics]

radical concept!

You don't even know "concepts" bro. lol jk