NBA Games Discussion Thread - Part 5

[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.

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

No way Memphis lets Bane go IMO.

The current Memphis FO took over in the Spring of 2019. Since then, they've given the league a seminar in how to use the draft.

I don't mean picking Ja Morant #2 -- anyone can do that. But, they got Clarke @#21, then made trades to get Bane #30 & Tillman #35 the following year.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Payitforward, you were and are so right about Brandon Clarke. Dude is a stud.

The FO in Memphis is perhaps the best.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

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.

How true. The thing no one says about Kwame Brown is that whatever professional relationship he and emjay had to begin with it concluded on a high note.

Brown played for Jordan again many years later at Charlotte.

I have seen Kwame and spoken to him in person when he was in Hawaii. In my humble opinion he almost looks like he could be Michael Jordan's son. Very similar skin tones and their eyes to me look alike but I've never seen Michael Jordan up close since about 1984 when Maryland played North Carolina at Cole.

There is definitely like a father-son or parent-child dynamic between them in my opinion

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

MJ

I sincerely hate voiced to text editing that changes what I know I typed just before I hit send.

[FAH1223]

[nate33]

Jalen Smith's offensive rebounding numbers have been off the charts. Over this 6-game stretch when he has gotten minutes, he has averaged an incredible 6.6 offensive rebounds per 36 minutes. That would lead the league (Adams is the current leader at 6.0, Capela is 2nd at 5.1).

[Ruzious]

Jalen Smith's offensive rebounding numbers have been off the charts. Over this 6-game stretch when he has gotten minutes, he has averaged an incredible 6.6 offensive rebounds per 36 minutes. That would lead the league (Adams is the current leader at 6.0, Capela is 2nd at 5.1).

Interesting that Adams is leading the league with 6.0. Memphis got him in the Valanciunas trade. Last season, JV was a better offensive rebounder than Adams per 36 - 5.2 vs 4.8. I wonder if Memphis has a strategy that other teams don't to get more offensive rebounds. They are first in the NBA with 13.5 offensive rebounds per game. Next is Toronto (that's a surprise) with 12.9. Last season, Memphis was second to New Orleans, and NO is 4th this season. Philadelphia is last this season - another surprise. They were 13th last season. I guess the difference is Simmons.

[FAH1223]

I found the 10 day contract rates

Years in NBA | Salary
0 | $53,176
1 | $85,578
2 | $95,930
3 | $99,380
4 | $102,831
5 | $111,457
6 | $120,083
7 | $128,709
8 | $137,336
9 | $138,019
10+ | $151,821

[nate33]

Jalen Smith's offensive rebounding numbers have been off the charts. Over this 6-game stretch when he has gotten minutes, he has averaged an incredible 6.6 offensive rebounds per 36 minutes. That would lead the league (Adams is the current leader at 6.0, Capela is 2nd at 5.1).

Interesting that Adams is leading the league with 6.0. Memphis got him in the Valanciunas trade. Last season, JV was a better offensive rebounder than Adams per 36 - 5.2 vs 4.8. I wonder if Memphis has a strategy that other teams don't to get more offensive rebounds. They are first in the NBA with 13.5 offensive rebounds per game. Next is Toronto (that's a surprise) with 12.9. Last season, Memphis was second to New Orleans, and NO is 4th this season. Philadelphia is last this season - another surprise. They were 13th last season. I guess the difference is Simmons.

I think one of the advantages with Memphis is Morant's ability to the rim. He is forcing opposing bigs to help more often than most teams, and that gets the big out of position to box out Adams.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Jalen Smith's offensive rebounding numbers have been off the charts. Over this 6-game stretch when he has gotten minutes, he has averaged an incredible 6.6 offensive rebounds per 36 minutes. That would lead the league (Adams is the current leader at 6.0, Capela is 2nd at 5.1).

I wanted the Wizards to come up with Smith and Paul Reed and they still can if they make it a priority right now

Not only is he a tremendous rebounder, Jalen also blocks shots and he is a very good 3-point shooter. Regardless of whether you say he cannot play power forward or not he is the ideal guy to put next to Daniel Gafford or Thomas Bryant because he can follow-up slams or he can spot up for three points and you can't cover both of those big men at the same time. Gafford and Smith would be deadly.

Phoenix is all in for a championship push and when DeAndre Ayton returns to the lineup Smith is going to have to go back to the bench. I am not sure how much time Crowder's going to miss injured but I do know that Cameron Johnson does things that Smith cannot do. Kaminsky was also ahead of him in the lineup but I don't know how that's going to work out when Frank comes back to the Suns lineup.

Washington needs to try to make a trade package right now for Jalen Smith in hopes of retaining him in Seasons to come at the right price

[FAH1223]

Jalen Smith's offensive rebounding numbers have been off the charts. Over this 6-game stretch when he has gotten minutes, he has averaged an incredible 6.6 offensive rebounds per 36 minutes. That would lead the league (Adams is the current leader at 6.0, Capela is 2nd at 5.1).

I wanted the Wizards to come up with Smith and Paul Reed and they still can if they make it a priority right now

Not only is he a tremendous rebounder, Jalen also blocks shots and he is a very good 3-point shooter. Regardless of whether you say he cannot play power forward or not he is the ideal guy to put next to Daniel Gafford or Thomas Bryant because he can follow-up slams or he can spot up for three points and you can't cover both of those big men at the same time. Gafford and Smith would be deadly.

Phoenix is all in for a championship push and when DeAndre Ayton returns to the lineup Smith is going to have to go back to the bench. I am not sure how much time Crowder's going to miss injured but I do know that Cameron Johnson does things that Smith cannot do. Kaminsky was also ahead of him in the lineup but I don't know how that's going to work out when Frank comes back to the Suns lineup.

Washington needs to try to make a trade package right now for Jalen Smith in hopes of retaining him in Seasons to come at the right price

Thing is we don’t have a PG.

[nate33]

Washington needs to try to make a trade package right now for Jalen Smith in hopes of retaining him in Seasons to come at the right price

He will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. Trading for him now would give us no edge in keeping him in the long term.

Perhaps one can argue we should pursue him in free agency in the summer, but there is no advantage whatsoever in sacrificing an asset to acquire him now.

[Ruzious]

With all 3 of Harrell, Rui, and Bryant coming back soon, Styx would likely be stuck on the bench for the Wiz. Wiz already should be working on a consolidation trade, imo.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Washington needs to try to make a trade package right now for Jalen Smith in hopes of retaining him in Seasons to come at the right price

He will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. Trading for him now would give us no edge in keeping him in the long term.

Perhaps one can argue we should pursue him in free agency in the summer, but there is no advantage whatsoever in sacrificing an asset to acquire him now.

Per usual, nate33, you are absolutely right — when it comes to the financial aspect. It would give the Wizards no leverage signing him now.

(If I didn’t post this earlier, belated Happy New Year, my friend!)

I don’t always follow logic. I tend to be a lot more intuitive. My results are mixed but often my hunch pays off. With regards to Jalen Smith…

I am almost certain that he will not resign with Phoenix after they put them through what they have so far. Monty Williams SHOULD HAVE PLAYED JALEN LAST PLAYOFFS but he didn’t.

(History notes: Rick Carlisle lost a Finals not playing Marquis Daniels. Greg Popovich lost a Finals not playing healthy rookie Dejuan Blair…Even good coaches make mistakes with young players!)

I am almost certain that Phoenix would love to trade Smith. They have already said he’s not worth investing in next season. The leverage to be gained is that Phoenix wants to move him rather than bury him on the bench when other players like Ayton return. They might give a good trade to a team trying to take deadweight from their team. Washington wants a boost to at least get to the middle of the pack of the playoff hunt if possible. Washington can conceivably afford to pay Jalen Smith next season in a bidding war if need be.

A reason to acquire him now is hometown loyalty, the kid is from Baltimore. He went to Maryland. He probably wantEd Washington to draft him.

If as a Wizards player Smith starts playing well and has an emerging season this guy has some kind of star potential if only for his rebounding in three-point shooting. The reason to acquire him now is that you might get a hometown discount next season or at least have the inside leg on retaining him because I believe he is a lot better player than what Phoenix has thought so far.

Jalen Smith is going to have a Richard Lewis or Vin Baker type of career, I think. He can AVERAGE twenty easily. He can block shots better than Rashard ever could. He’s a far better rebounder.

Just a thought that’s enough energy for that.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

With all 3 of Harrell, Rui, and Bryant coming back soon, Styx would likely be stuck on the bench for the Wiz. Wiz already should be working on a consolidation trade, imo.

Harrell is unrestricted and an obvious trade piece to go to a winner like Phoenix. Rui? Payitforward and I both KNOW Brandon Clarke is better and will require less $$ to retain.

I am willing to wait and see on Rui but I do not see a superstar anyway anyhow. His ceiling is poor man Carmelo Anthony…But then again I don’t know about his defense being able to raise up. He sure does play well against Giannis Antetokounmpo. I could be biased against him but I would move him in a trade I will give Jaylon Smith plus some other assets.

I think the master move MIGHT BE a three-way deal that moves Beal to a third team. He’s only a Supermax if he’s suddenly a Harden-like PG who plays hard on defense also. I don’t see it but he does have the ability at times.

I want Jalen Smith and I want to get rid of some of the moveable Wizards pieces, but I could be wrong.

[Ruzious]

With all 3 of Harrell, Rui, and Bryant coming back soon, Styx would likely be stuck on the bench for the Wiz. Wiz already should be working on a consolidation trade, imo.

Harrell is unrestricted and an obvious trade piece to go to a winner like Phoenix. Rui? Payitforward and I both KNOW Brandon Clarke is better and will require less $$ to retain.

I am willing to wait and see on Rui but I do not see a superstar anyway anyhow. His ceiling is poor man Carmelo Anthony…But then again I don’t know about his defense being able to raise up. He sure does play well against Giannis Antetokounmpo. I could be biased against him but I would move him in a trade I will give Jaylon Smith plus some other assets.

I think the master move MIGHT BE a three-way deal that moves Beal to a third team. He’s only a Supermax if he’s suddenly a Harden-like PG who plays hard on defense also. I don’t see it but he does have the ability at times.

I want Jalen Smith and I want to get rid of some of the moveable Wizards pieces, but I could be wrong.

So get him in the offseason; not now - as he most likely wouldn't get a chance to play much with the Wiz this season and therefore probably get frustrated with them and not be inclined to re-sign with them.

[closg00]

Washington needs to try to make a trade package right now for Jalen Smith in hopes of retaining him in Seasons to come at the right price

He will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. Trading for him now would give us no edge in keeping him in the long term.

Perhaps one can argue we should pursue him in free agency in the summer, but there is no advantage whatsoever in sacrificing an asset to acquire him now.

Nobody explained (That I saw), what the heck happened over in Phoenix where a young lottery player who wasn't playing, was in the dog house, and on the trade block. On the one hand their FO is vindicated because the selection dropped jaws on draft night, but then they only played him due to players being out. Very strange.

[FAH1223]

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[queridiculo]

I was upset about the Westbrook trade at first but came around pretty quickly once I thought about it some more.

Boy, did the Wizards dodge a bullet.

Shep deserves executive of the year just for getting rid of that contract

In less than two years the Wizards went from the worst contract in the league, to the second worst and essentially being scott free.

[closg00]

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