NBA Games Discussion Thread - Part 5

[verbal8]

JaVale has learned how to play (in the 10+ years since he's been here). He is a far cry from the player
we traded for Nene which was a great trade for us. We instantly became a respectable team when Nene
replaced McGee. McGee is no longer a nightly joke. He's solid.

I see some similarities with McGee's career path and Kwame Brown. Both of them were disappointing as young players, but figured out how to be productive players while in the NBA.

[Ruzious]

Desmond Bane is quietly becoming one of the top snipers in the game for the interesting Memphis Griz - now 24-14. But the player i'd probably try to trade from them is De'Anthony Melton. We need an athlete like him - who can create steals and get some easy baskets in transition. One thing our D doesn't do is create steals and turn them into buckets.

[FAH1223]

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[FAH1223]

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[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

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No matter what happens with the Wizards just imagine House bad this season season would be had Russell Westbrook not been traded to the Lakers.

This season has been like a breath of fresh air no matter how kuzma plays or whatever

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Atlanta won with 12... players out with Covid protocol plus 2 others out injured. Crazy situation.

I'm sure you recollect me calling for us to puh-lease find a way to buy a R2 pick & grab Skylar Mays....

He is a hell of a player.

Weren't you also all over saddiq Bey out of Villanova? That guy is destroying it

[Ruzious]

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[payitforward]

Atlanta won with 12... players out with Covid protocol plus 2 others out injured. Crazy situation.

I'm sure you recollect me calling for us to puh-lease find a way to buy a R2 pick & grab Skylar Mays....

He is a hell of a player.

Weren't you also all over saddiq Bey out of Villanova? That guy is destroying it

No. I had no great interest in Saddiq Bey. Both Ruzious & Zards were extremely high on him, however -- I'm sure there were others as well, but R & Z were extremely vocal about Bey.

OTOH, I'm not sure why you think Bey is playing well. He had a pretty good rookie season but has fallen back substantially this year. He may turn out fine, obviously!

edit: OTOH, I was very high on Tyler Bey -- who lasted 10 minutes in the league!

[Ruzious]

I'm sure you recollect me calling for us to puh-lease find a way to buy a R2 pick & grab Skylar Mays....

He is a hell of a player.

Weren't you also all over saddiq Bey out of Villanova? That guy is destroying it

No. I had no great interest in Saddiq Bey. Both Ruzious & Zards were extremely high on him, however -- I'm sure there were others as well, but R & Z were extremely vocal about Bey.

OTOH, I'm not sure why you think Bey is playing well. He had a pretty good rookie season but has fallen back substantially this year. He may turn out fine, obviously!

edit: OTOH, I was very high on Tyler Bey -- who lasted 10 minutes in the league!

Sadiq's on a terrific role (call him Kaiser Bey) in the last 8 games. This is an aritcle written before his best game - against the Bucks. https://pistonpowered.com/2021/12/30/saddiq-bey-potential-pistons/

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

He is a hell of a player.

Weren't you also all over saddiq Bey out of Villanova? That guy is destroying it

No. I had no great interest in Saddiq Bey. Both Ruzious & Zards were extremely high on him, however -- I'm sure there were others as well, but R & Z were extremely vocal about Bey.

OTOH, I'm not sure why you think Bey is playing well. He had a pretty good rookie season but has fallen back substantially this year. He may turn out fine, obviously!

edit: OTOH, I was very high on Tyler Bey -- who lasted 10 minutes in the league!

Sadiq's on a terrific role (call him Kaiser Bey) in the last 8 games. This is an aritcle written before his best game - against the Bucks. https://pistonpowered.com/2021/12/30/saddiq-bey-potential-pistons/

That is correct. His last few games he has been on .

https://pistonpowered.com/2021/12/30/saddiq-bey-potential-pistons/

Since having his worst game of the season against Brooklyn and hearing talk of being sent to the G-League, Saddiq Bey has turned his season around and is starting to look like the guy who made the All-Rookie team last season and showed so much potential.

Saddiq Bey’s last seven games for the Pistons

Since that four point game, here is what Saddiq Bey has done in the last seven:

24.2 points per game

7.4 rebounds

3.1 assists

6.8 free throw attempts per game making 6.4 of them

These are All-Star numbers, and though Bey will probably not keep it up once all of the starters have returned, he is proving himself to be a guy who can fight through adversity and is willing to work hard to improve his game, which is great for the future of the team.

(Saddiq is not a good shooter but he is active)

I think certain players need one breakthrough game that instills confidence both in themselves and their coaching staff, and from that breakthrough momentum builds. Jalen Smith seems to be a brand new player of late as well.

[Ruzious]

JaVale has learned how to play (in the 10+ years since he's been here). He is a far cry from the player
we traded for Nene which was a great trade for us. We instantly became a respectable team when Nene
replaced McGee. McGee is no longer a nightly joke. He's solid.

I see some similarities with McGee's career path and Kwame Brown. Both of them were disappointing as young players, but figured out how to be productive players while in the NBA.

Javale's having a tremendous season as Phoenix' backup center - playing 16.3 minutes a game. Per 36, he's averaging 23.2 points, 16.2 rebounds, 1.9 blocks, and shooting 65.7% from the field. Turnovers remain an issue, but he could get another ring this season.

[doclinkin]

I'm sure you recollect me calling for us to puh-lease find a way to buy a R2 pick & grab Skylar Mays....

He is a hell of a player.

Weren't you also all over saddiq Bey out of Villanova? That guy is destroying it

No. I had no great interest in Saddiq Bey. Both Ruzious & Zards were extremely high on him, however -- I'm sure there were others as well, but R & Z were extremely vocal about Bey.

OTOH, I'm not sure why you think Bey is playing well. He had a pretty good rookie season but has fallen back substantially this year. He may turn out fine, obviously!

edit: OTOH, I was very high on Tyler Bey -- who lasted 10 minutes in the league!

I was debating between Beys. But my final draft recommendation was a trade down for Saddiq Bey and Xavier Tillman plus future considerations.

The Mavs were rumored to be trying to move up for Halliburton with a package that would have netted both these players plus Seth Curry. I like Deni today, not so much then (I liked Halliburton and Devin Vassell if we kept the pick) but at the time I would have taken the Dallas trade.

[payitforward]

Yes, I recall that.Of course, you couldn't have known that Saddiq Bey would be there. Or Tillman for that matter -- though that would have seemed more likely.

In any case, neither of those guys looks like the bargain of the draft. Maxey (whom I didn't particularly like), Bane (30), Tre Jones (41), & above all Kenyon Martin Jr. (52) have looked to be steals. I expect Paul Reed to join that list -- &, of course, Skylar Mays as well.

[doclinkin]

Yes, I recall that.Of course, you couldn't have known that Saddiq Bey would be there. Or Tillman for that matter -- though that would have seemed more likely.

In any case, neither of those guys looks like the bargain of the draft. Maxey (whom I didn't particularly like), Bane (30), Tre Jones (41), & above all Kenyon Martin Jr. (52) have looked to be steals. I expect Paul Reed to join that list -- &, of course, Skylar Mays as well.

Wouldn't have mattered. So long as they don't mind Halliburton as a consolation prize. The team selects Haliburton for Dallas then works for a deal, if the package they like are there then they make a trade. If not, then we had an ideal combo guard to spell Beal/Wall (at the time).

But yeah, I had KMart2 tabbed as likely to be better than where he'd be picked, liked Bane as well. But I have been startled by how good Deni is, this quickly. Defense is one of the hardest areas for young players to adjust. The rules changes have really helped him, where Euroballers in the past get stung by being too physical on defense and not quick enough.

It makes me wonder if there are European defenders we should be hunting down. Back when I was a madman and scouting Euro players I wondered if Romain Sato or The Octopus Dimitris Diamantidis would translate to the NBA. Sato I thought yes, the ODD not so much.

[FAH1223]

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25 point lead blown by Boston

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Yes, I recall that.Of course, you couldn't have known that Saddiq Bey would be there. Or Tillman for that matter -- though that would have seemed more likely.

In any case, neither of those guys looks like the bargain of the draft. Maxey (whom I didn't particularly like), Bane (30), Tre Jones (41), & above all Kenyon Martin Jr. (52) have looked to be steals. I expect Paul Reed to join that list -- &, of course, Skylar Mays as well.

I hope I don't have the wrong Jones brother (Tyus could be the one) but Memphis didn't miss a beat when Ja Morant was injured. Tre Jones is a starter on many teams IMO.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Yes, I recall that.Of course, you couldn't have known that Saddiq Bey would be there. Or Tillman for that matter -- though that would have seemed more likely.

In any case, neither of those guys looks like the bargain of the draft. Maxey (whom I didn't particularly like), Bane (30), Tre Jones (41), & above all Kenyon Martin Jr. (52) have looked to be steals. I expect Paul Reed to join that list -- &, of course, Skylar Mays as well.

Buy low on Paul Reed, Jalen Smith, and Skylar Mays.

No way Memphis lets Bane go IMO.

[FAH1223]

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[payitforward]

Yes, I recall that.Of course, you couldn't have known that Saddiq Bey would be there. Or Tillman for that matter -- though that would have seemed more likely.

In any case, neither of those guys looks like the bargain of the draft. Maxey (whom I didn't particularly like), Bane (30), Tre Jones (41), & above all Kenyon Martin Jr. (52) have looked to be steals. I expect Paul Reed to join that list -- &, of course, Skylar Mays as well.

I hope I don't have the wrong Jones brother (Tyus could be the one) but Memphis didn't miss a beat when Ja Morant was injured. Tre Jones is a starter on many teams IMO.

Yes, that's Tyus -- who has turned into an absolutely terrific player! Tre is the younger brother, on the Spurs, & so far he looks extremely good as well.