Around the NBA (Non-Celtics) 2020-21, Part 1

[ConstableGeneva]

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[sam_I_am]

The Nets roster is pretty talented and well constructed on paper. 2 stars, legit big man, 3 great 3 point shooters, 2 young good all around players in La Vert and Dimwiddie. When Kyrie was healthy last year the Nets looked dysfunction though. Curious to see how good they can be assuming the big 2 stay healthy.

[cl2117]

The Nets roster is pretty talented and well constructed on paper. 2 stars, legit big man, 3 great 3 point shooters, 2 young good all around players in La Vert and Dimwiddie. When Kyrie was healthy last year the Nets looked dysfunction though. Curious to see how good they can be assuming the big 2 stay healthy.

I also think they'll probably do well out of the gate with everyone trying to prove it works and a weak East. They're going to be a really dangerous, but still a bit of a timebomb between personality issues/injuries.

I don't think they're good enough to survive a significant injury (KD/Kyrie/DJ possibly others) or locker room turmoil and I think both are only a matter of time. It just depends on when those hit and how/if they recover.

[Tatumfor2]

Westbrook for Wall? I guess no contract is untradable....

[Tatumfor2]

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[Tatumfor2]

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LOL at me for thinking I broke this news here.

[playa-hater]

my sauces are saying Beal will be demanding a trade real soon

[soxfan2003]

What a dumb and disastrous deal that Westbrook trade was.

The deal was as follows.

"Traded by the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Houston Rockets for Chris Paul, a 2021 1st round draft pick, a 2024 1st round draft pick, a 2025 1st round draft pick and a 2026 1st round draft pick. (top-4 protected) (top-4 protected; if 2026 first-round pick is protected, it becomes $1MM and 2026 second-round pick) (2021 first-round pick is right to swap with HOU, top-4 protected.) (2025 first-round pick is right to swap with HOU, top-20 protected.)"

Assuming Morey was actually opposed to the deal.....
Morey appeared to have more loyalty to the owner/ his own paycheck/Harden/whoever than he did to the Houston Rockets fans who are really a part of the people who paid his paycheck.

In his shoes, I would have quit warned the team against the deal.

I was literally the one person on this forum strongly advocating for a Nets like trade months before Ainge made it. I think the lopsidedness of that trade gets overrated since Ainge took on 2 bad contracts -- at that time -- and at the time the Nets owners gave assurances that the crazy spending would last at least a few years. I have maintained that Ainge only got around 20-25% extra from the Nets when you account for everything and do not use hindsight. Celtics got lucky that Nets didn't do moderately better that first year since that may have really helped them out in the short term future. Nets hit by injuries to Lopez. And Celtics got lucky to win the lottery via the Nets a few years later.

The Russell Westbrook for Chris Paul trade was just nuts since a a rationale argument could be made at the time that Chris Paul > Russell Westbrook for championship caliber ball. Yes, he is older but Paul is the better shooter and that helps out older players age relatively gracefully.

I just can't believe how dumb Houston was to think that paying so much to make that deal made any sense at all. I would have shipped James Harden out so fast before making such a deal that it isn't even funny.

Harden is a great player but even at 27 years old, he wasn't great enough to justify making really dumb trades since he isn't getting a long with Chris Paul. And then to make such a deal when Harden is older himself is just crazy.

Without using hindsight, I can't think of a worst post 1980 trade than this in NBA history involving well established veterans.

Clippers had a ridiculous overpay for Paul George but at least on paper George was a player that fit well with pretty much any star NBA player. And at least there in that deal the Clippers were getting clearly the better NBA player. And in that deal, Kahwi Leonard could have signed with the Lakers or stayed with Toronto so OKC did have leverage when K Leonard was stupid enough to help OKC out.

Leonard should have only gotten a private agreement that the Clippers would make a "mortgage their future" trade by the deadline but he should never have focused in on a specific player.

[2Mas]

The Nets roster is pretty talented and well constructed on paper. 2 stars, legit big man, 3 great 3 point shooters, 2 young good all around players in La Vert and Dimwiddie. When Kyrie was healthy last year the Nets looked dysfunction though. Curious to see how good they can be assuming the big 2 stay healthy.

I also think they'll probably do well out of the gate with everyone trying to prove it works and a weak East. They're going to be a really dangerous, but still a bit of a timebomb between personality issues/injuries.

I don't think they're good enough to survive a significant injury (KD/Kyrie/DJ possibly others) or locker room turmoil and I think both are only a matter of time. It just depends on when those hit and how/if they recover.

I expect Brooklyn to be very very good. I love they didn't trade their depth for another "star". Their deep & can withstand injuries & rest days.

& I really don't think the east is weak anymore. 7 good teams in a conference is challenging. I think 7 teams have a chance at 50 wins (well the equivalent so 44 wins).Atl, Wash should be in. Chicago should be in the mix. Orl is gonna try too.

[sam_I_am]

The Nets roster is pretty talented and well constructed on paper. 2 stars, legit big man, 3 great 3 point shooters, 2 young good all around players in La Vert and Dimwiddie. When Kyrie was healthy last year the Nets looked dysfunction though. Curious to see how good they can be assuming the big 2 stay healthy.

I also think they'll probably do well out of the gate with everyone trying to prove it works and a weak East. They're going to be a really dangerous, but still a bit of a timebomb between personality issues/injuries.

I don't think they're good enough to survive a significant injury (KD/Kyrie/DJ possibly others) or locker room turmoil and I think both are only a matter of time. It just depends on when those hit and how/if they recover.

I expect Brooklyn to be very very good. I love they didn't trade their depth for another "star". Their deep & can withstand injuries & rest days.

& I really don't think the east is weak anymore. 7 good teams in a conference is challenging. I think 7 teams have a chance at 50 wins (well the equivalent so 44 wins).Atl, Wash should be in. Chicago should be in the mix. Orl is gonna try too.

Who is better? 2020-21 Tatum or KD after a year off and Achilles repair? KD or Giannis? That will determine who will be better. Nets roster is well constructed but Kyrie and that team was garbage before he shut it down. KD at his peak could carry that roster to finals but how good will he be?

[EthanLikesBBall]

Any young players wowing people at training camp?

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[ConstableGeneva]

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[LarryBirdsFingr]

Any young players wowing people at training camp?

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Yes

[LarryBirdsFingr]

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Lillard, now that's a point guard.

[Bleeding Green]

Any young players wowing people at training camp?

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Probably just players taken one spot ahead of the Celtics and then in six weeks we'll hear reports that 'Ainge was keyed in on that player' until he went off the board one pick too early. So Kira Lewis, Quickley, Hampton all spring to mind.

[3D Chess]

Any young players wowing people at training camp?

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Probably just players taken one spot ahead of the Celtics and then in six weeks we'll hear reports that 'Ainge was keyed in on that player' until he went off the board one pick too early. So Kira Lewis, Quickley, Hampton all spring to mind.

Halliburton!

[Zeroforwinger]

Westbrook for Wall? I guess no contract is untradable....

There’s a handful that are only tradable for each other.

[Bleeding Green]

Any young players wowing people at training camp?

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Probably just players taken one spot ahead of the Celtics and then in six weeks we'll hear reports that 'Ainge was keyed in on that player' until he went off the board one pick too early. So Kira Lewis, Quickley, Hampton all spring to mind.

Halliburton!

"Ainge offered picks 14, 26, 30, 47 and a 2028 unprotected first for Haliburton, but Vlade said no."

'Sources' should probably wait until Haliburton is good before making that story up, so they don't end up with a Justise Winslow situation.

[3D Chess]

Probably just players taken one spot ahead of the Celtics and then in six weeks we'll hear reports that 'Ainge was keyed in on that player' until he went off the board one pick too early. So Kira Lewis, Quickley, Hampton all spring to mind.

Halliburton!

"Ainge offered picks 14, 26, 30, 47 and a 2028 unprotected first for Haliburton, but Vlade said no."

'Sources' should probably wait until Haliburton is good before making that story up, so they don't end up with a Justise Winslow situation.

Vlade did say "no", but it was part of him saying "Danny, I don't work there no more".

[Bleeding Green]

Danny forgot to update his contacts, oops. Fire his ass.