Around the NBA, Season 2017-2018

vryadli · Post #61 » by **vryadli** » Fri Nov 3, 2017 12:37 am

Standing in both conferences is very unexpected and entertaining. And the difference between the conferences is currently negligible. Looks like the move of some "stars" to the West made East stronger. I'd be surprised if it is not a fluke... but may be it IS just a fluke.

KqWIN · Post #62 » by **KqWIN** » Fri Nov 3, 2017 4:37 am

Kuzma is exactly what we needed and he was playing our backyard

Denizfeital · Post #63 » by **Denizfeital** » Sat Nov 4, 2017 4:57 pm

Lebron 57 points.

I love that guy.

Crunch 99 · Post #64 » by **Crunch 99** » Sun Nov 5, 2017 1:45 pm

Is George Hill hurt, or is he just plain disengaged?

From Zach Lowe's "Ten Things" blog:
http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/21269003/zach-lowe-10-things-like-featuring-kristaps-porzingis-nba

Snip: "The Kings have the league's worst point differential. Their past three games have been decided by the second quarter. Even worse: Opponents have outscored them by a gargantuan 24 points per 100 possessions with both Zach Randolph and George Hill on the floor. Hill's play is more troubling. He doesn't, like, do anything. He's taking only 10.5 shots per 36 minutes, four fewer than he launched on 50-win Jazz team. His assists, free throws, and drives are all down -- precipitously. It's hard to recall any good player who transitioned from a playoff team to a bad one, and then did so much less than he had before. Hill is either hurt, recovering from toe issues, or disengaged. He can't pin all this on the inexperience around him, or Dave Joerger running so much of the offense through the high post."

By the way, I'd say "chronic disengagement" on the part of some players is another potential risk that comes along with tanking or a bad team, though in theory you would expect all players to behave professionally and be giving it their all.

Post #65 » by **Inigo Montoya** » Sun Nov 5, 2017 2:24 pm

I think he was expecting a much larger contract than he got. When he finally found out the market had dried out and had to settle on a smaller contract than he had anticipated (and maybe even lower than what he could have signed with the Jazz during their extension talks) and sign with a team he knew was going to be bad (because, let's face it, we all knew the Kings will be bad), he was probably disengaged from the start. Still thinking about the larger contract he could have had and with a playoff team, while having to play for a bottom feeder. This pairing was doomed to fail from the start, and frankly, I don't understand why the Kings signed Hill in the first place.

Post #66 » by **Inigo Montoya** » Sun Nov 5, 2017 2:34 pm

Strange no one is willing to offer a first round pick for Jahlil Okafor. He has his faults but no one is willing to part with a first round pick for a 21 year old big who can score like he can?

sipclip · Post #67 » by **sipclip** » Sun Nov 5, 2017 3:22 pm

Inigo Montoya wrote:Strange no one is willing to offer a first round pick for Jahlil Okafor. He has his faults but no one is willing to part with a first round pick for a 21 year old big who can score like he can?

I've always liked Okafor and would love to somehow snag him but I don't think we have much to offer the Sixers for him. I wouldn't be willing to offer the Sixers a first without really heavy protection. The fact that they didn't pick up his option lowers his value even more because he can just bolt at the end of the season for nothing.

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Daddy 801 · Post #68 » by **Daddy 801** » Sun Nov 5, 2017 5:08 pm

Kings should trade Hill if he isn't playing hard. No reason to have a bet if they set a bad example. Spurs would probably love to grab him again. Maybe the Cavs?

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stitches · Post #69 » by **stitches** » Sun Nov 5, 2017 5:12 pm

Is anyone surprised that a player who chose not to play in a playoff series vs the Warriors in order to not jeopardize getting a big contract would coast once he got his new contract?

Daddy 801 · Post #70 » by **Daddy 801** » Sun Nov 5, 2017 5:37 pm

stitches wrote:Is anyone surprised that a player who chose not to play in a playoff series vs the Warriors in order to not jeopardize getting a big contract would coast once he got his new contract?

Not surprised at all.

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AingesBurner · Post #71 » by **AingesBurner** » Sun Nov 5, 2017 5:45 pm

George Hill is a big pussy, dude has no balls.

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KqWIN · Post #72 » by **KqWIN** » Sun Nov 5, 2017 8:09 pm

Not to bring up Hayward again, but I find it strange that his exit is considered classless while Hill's does not get talked about. Hill ducked out on his team and it started way before the GSW series.

Tom349 · Post #73 » by **Tom349** » Mon Nov 6, 2017 2:39 am

KqWIN wrote:Not to bring up Hayward again, but I find it strange that his exit is considered classless while Hill's does not get talked about. Hill ducked out on his team and it started way before the GSW series.

I don't think anyone cared for Hill by the time of his exit interview.

Rauxcee · Post #74 » by **Rauxcee** » Mon Nov 6, 2017 2:49 am

Tom349 wrote:
KqWIN wrote:Not to bring up Hayward again, but I find it strange that his exit is considered classless while Hill's does not get talked about. Hill ducked out on his team and it started way before the GSW series.

I don't think anyone cared for Hill by the time of his exit interview.

This. I had no interest in retaining Hill before the playoffs even started. Also, Hill wasn't groomed as the poster child for the franchise, didn't lead the team on, and didn't have his agent lie to the franchise for 6 hours while he "wrote" a players tribune article, to name a few things.

KqWIN · Post #75 » by **KqWIN** » Mon Nov 6, 2017 3:13 am

Rauxcee wrote:
Tom349 wrote:
KqWIN wrote:Not to bring up Hayward again, but I find it strange that his exit is considered classless while Hill's does not get talked about. Hill ducked out on his team and it started way before the GSW series.

I don't think anyone cared for Hill by the time of his exit interview.

This. I had no interest in retaining Hill before the playoffs even started. Also, Hill wasn't groomed as the poster child for the franchise, didn't lead the team on, and didn't have his agent lie to the franchise for 6 hours while he "wrote" a players tribune article, to name a few things.

But he did compete until the end of his contract. If a guy leaves, he leaves, but if spends the majority of the season serving himself at the detriment of his team that is something I am not ok with. What Hill did was as scummy as it gets. I guess it doesn't matter if you are so scummy that the fans don't want you anymore.

tleikheen · Post #76 » by **tleikheen** » Mon Nov 6, 2017 5:31 am

Look where Kanter is playing now and with Kanter getting the minutes next to KP ,he might have found a home .

MTJazzv3 · Post #77 » by **MTJazzv3** » Tue Nov 7, 2017 1:43 am

Anyone besides me wondering how Kuzma got overlooked by the Jazz? With their vaunted "nose" going to all corners of the earth it is ironic they sniffed and passed on a Ute. Turns out he had a great workout with LA. True, every team not in the lottery except the Lakers whiffed on Kuzma, but for the "home" team to not see his upside is a little discouraging. That said, I kind of don't mind watching the Lakers anymore because as a Ute fan I want him to do well. Utes national rep isn't what it used to be but good to see Kuz looking like the 2017 draft steal and Wright and Poeltl making a mark with progress with Toronto.

Post #78 » by **Inigo Montoya** » Tue Nov 7, 2017 3:45 pm

Woj bomb:

Read on Twitter

Post #79 » by **Inigo Montoya** » Tue Nov 7, 2017 3:48 pm

Now that Bledsoe is gone and Knight is injured (and not really a PG anyway), you know who'd fit with that Suns roster? Rubio... Not that they need him since they're trying to tank. They might be content to roll with Ulis and James.

AingesBurner · Post #80 » by **AingesBurner** » Tue Nov 7, 2017 4:32 pm

Inigo Montoya wrote:Now that Bledsoe is gone and Knight is injured (and not really a PG anyway), you know who'd fit with that Suns roster? Rubio... Not that they need him since they're trying to tank. They might be content to roll with Ulis and James.

Honestly I like Rubio a lot and wouldn't want to do that to him.