The latest rumors/news after today's signings

[bondom34]

That's not why they traded him, but you're free to believe otherwise.

It is why you traded him.

With all due respect, you come in here as if you are plugged in, and you may be, but doesn't appear to be much value in that when it comes to the Thunder. Or am I missing the part where you guys didn't get completely blindsided by every major move the team have made since moving there? Harden, Perkins/Green, Ibaka and especially on KD leaving -- where Thunder "insiders" didn't just get blindsided, they presented inaccurate info as a lock.

I was posting here nearly 6 months ago about the strong mutual interest between KD and the Ws and their core players. That tidbit alone beats every piece of insider info you have ever heard about the Thunder by what, a factor of like a thousand or so?

So yes, I will go on believing... excuse me... knowing that the Thunder traded Harden to avoid the tax, and that Durant in no way thought Westbrook was staying beyond this season when he made the decision to go to GS (aka another impending departure that you seem hell-bent on being blindsided by).

You the man, cave.

Cognitive dissonance is a bitch and often leads to denial/repression.

You're free to as well, but I've again got it on good word.

I'll let you guys alone, sorry to intervene. But I've got good word just as he does.

[ConstableGeneva]

I'm struggling to see how they create enough room. I might be missing something, but he is only at $17 million. That is a pretty big amount to clear to get him to his max for even this year. The Celtics would have to bring him in and get to $8+ million under to make it happen. Not sure I can see that.

If my calculations are correct:
- Current cap space (salaries + cap holds) - $ 261,297
- After agreeing to stash Yabu and Zizic - 2,986,697
- After renouncing Gigi - $ 5,261,697
- After Westbrook trade - $ 9,223,943
Trade would be Zeller, Jonas, Smart, Hunter, rights to Brown for Westbrook.

Don't forget Empty Roster Charges and/or Jackson, Green and Bentil, depending how you are looking at the timing. Like I said, I haven't run the math fully. You could be right.

We already have 12 guaranteed players signed, so empty roster charges might not apply or does the 13th roster spot have an empty roster charge? Jackson, Green, and Bentil could all be signed after the trade using whatever room's left and/or exceptions. Just wanted to see if Westbrook R&E is still technically in play, not that I'm expecting any major trade to go down.

[Marley2Hendrix]

It is why you traded him.

With all due respect, you come in here as if you are plugged in, and you may be, but doesn't appear to be much value in that when it comes to the Thunder. Or am I missing the part where you guys didn't get completely blindsided by every major move the team have made since moving there? Harden, Perkins/Green, Ibaka and especially on KD leaving -- where Thunder "insiders" didn't just get blindsided, they presented inaccurate info as a lock.

I was posting here nearly 6 months ago about the strong mutual interest between KD and the Ws and their core players. That tidbit alone beats every piece of insider info you have ever heard about the Thunder by what, a factor of like a thousand or so?

So yes, I will go on believing... excuse me... knowing that the Thunder traded Harden to avoid the tax, and that Durant in no way thought Westbrook was staying beyond this season when he made the decision to go to GS (aka another impending departure that you seem hell-bent on being blindsided by).

You the man, cave.

Cognitive dissonance is a bitch and often leads to denial/repression.

You're free to as well, but I've again got it on good word.

I'll let you guys alone, sorry to intervene. But I've got good word just as he does.

Take it easy, brother bear. I 've enjoyed the counter-points/perspective.

[Marley2Hendrix]

If my calculations are correct:
- Current cap space (salaries + cap holds) - $ 261,297
- After agreeing to stash Yabu and Zizic - 2,986,697
- After renouncing Gigi - $ 5,261,697
- After Westbrook trade - $ 9,223,943
Trade would be Zeller, Jonas, Smart, Hunter, rights to Brown for Westbrook.

Don't forget Empty Roster Charges and/or Jackson, Green and Bentil, depending how you are looking at the timing. Like I said, I haven't run the math fully. You could be right.

We already have 12 guaranteed players signed, so empty roster charges might not apply or does the 13th roster spot have an empty roster charge? Jackson, Green, and Bentil could all be signed after the trade using whatever room's left and/or exceptions. Just wanted to see if Westbrook R&E is still technically in play, not that I'm expecting any major trade to go down.

If the super team trades worked out, could definitely envision Bentil reimagining the Leon Powe role.

[Green89]

I'm going to attempt to sum it all up just from Boston's perspective

Out:

Amir Johnson, Jonas Jerebko, Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, Tyler Zeller, Terry Rozier, R.J. Hunter, James Young, Jordan Mickey, 2 BRK picks, MEM Pick

In:

Blake Griffin, Paul Pierce, Russell Westbrook, and Kyle Singler

I'm down with it as we don't lose Crowder and I'm sure we won't do it unless we get guaranteed extensions. DO IT DANNY!!

[Fencer reregistered]

I'm going to attempt to sum it all up just from Boston's perspective

Out:

Amir Johnson, Jonas Jerebko, Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, Tyler Zeller, Terry Rozier, R.J. Hunter, James Young, Jordan Mickey, 2 BRK picks, MEM Pick

In:

Blake Griffin, Paul Pierce, Russell Westbrook, and Kyle Singler

I'm down with it as we don't lose Crowder and I'm sure we won't do it unless we get guaranteed extensions. DO IT DANNY!!

At least it doesn't include the rights to Iverson or Brooks!

[ConstableGeneva]

Don't forget Empty Roster Charges and/or Jackson, Green and Bentil, depending how you are looking at the timing. Like I said, I haven't run the math fully. You could be right.

We already have 12 guaranteed players signed, so empty roster charges might not apply or does the 13th roster spot have an empty roster charge? Jackson, Green, and Bentil could all be signed after the trade using whatever room's left and/or exceptions. Just wanted to see if Westbrook R&E is still technically in play, not that I'm expecting any major trade to go down.

If the super team trades worked out, could definitely envision Bentil reimagining the Leon Powe role.

Rozier, Young and Hunter/Mickey from BOS to SAC
Holland (would be waived by LAC), Johnson, Hunter/Mickey and 1 BRK (probably 2018) from BOS to LAC
Griffin and Pierce from LAC to BOS
Gay from SAC to LAC

EDITED: It works!
http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=hupt6mz

Westbrook / IT / Jackson
Bradley / Green
Crowder / Nader
Griffin / Pierce / Bentil
Horford / KO

Sign vet minimums to shooters/rebounding bigs.

[Slartibartfast]

Pierce is essentially now a spot up three point shooter, which in all honesty, is something we could use.

Seeing Pierce in the Michael Finley role... that would be a little painful

[GregB]

We already have 12 guaranteed players signed, so empty roster charges might not apply or does the 13th roster spot have an empty roster charge? Jackson, Green, and Bentil could all be signed after the trade using whatever room's left and/or exceptions. Just wanted to see if Westbrook R&E is still technically in play, not that I'm expecting any major trade to go down.

If the super team trades worked out, could definitely envision Bentil reimagining the Leon Powe role.

Rozier, Young and Hunter/Mickey from BOS to SAC
Holland (would be waived by LAC), Johnson, Hunter/Mickey and 1 BRK (probably 2018) from BOS to LAC
Griffin and Pierce from LAC to BOS
Gay from SAC to LAC

EDITED: It works!
http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=hupt6mz

If Blake would give us a verbal agreement or opt in to his final year. I'm down to make a deal like this. I think Bradley Or Smart will need to be involved too.

[Captain_Caveman]

That's not why they traded him, but you're free to believe otherwise.

It is why you traded him.

With all due respect, you come in here as if you are plugged in, and you may be, but doesn't appear to be much value in that when it comes to the Thunder. Or am I missing the part where you guys didn't get completely blindsided by every major move the team have made since moving there? Harden, Perkins/Green, Ibaka and especially on KD leaving -- where Thunder "insiders" didn't just get blindsided, they presented inaccurate info as a lock.

I was posting here nearly 6 months ago about the strong mutual interest between KD and the Ws and their core players. That tidbit alone beats every piece of insider info you have ever heard about the Thunder by what, a factor of like a thousand or so?

So yes, I will go on believing... excuse me... knowing that the Thunder traded Harden to avoid the tax, and that Durant in no way thought Westbrook was staying beyond this season when he made the decision to go to GS (aka another impending departure that you seem hell-bent on being blindsided by).

No, you're free to go on believing, as I said. And you and multiple national reporters claimed he was looking at GSW. Good on you, but that's not why Harden was traded. Many OKC fans thought one of Serge or Kanter would be traded too. That tidbit alone wasn't even insider information. So there's your fraction of a thousand.

You can try to present info as an insider all you like, but that's the truth, and feel free to believe what you want, I've got it from a source who spoke to a player on the team. I've been over it too many times.

Solid info on KD's preferences only worth a fraction of a thousand? Tough crowd lol. What does that make your info worth, then?

FWIW, I'd heard it as a strong possibility before Woj and Spears put it out there, and when I read Woj's article(s), I brought it back to people who confirmed it that it was more than a strong possibility.

Posted as much on this forum half a dozen times since then, even calling them frontrunners for the guy. This wasn't based on some "player on the team", but like half a dozen guys who are as decorated as they come, all of whom who spoke to KD directly before he signed there.

[Writebloc]

I wish I had insider information, but sadly I'm not that connected. I was able to dredge up some stuff from the interwebs:

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/12693591/exchange-chris-paul-blake-griffin-sign-growth-los-angeles-clippers

This is from the last day of the season in 2015, I think it is pretty clear that the chemistry isn't there for the Clippers. The fact that Doc's considering shopping Blake could be to appease Chris Paul, you know Doc's always going to take the point guard's side.

Paul and Griffin engaged in an animated discussion in front of the Clippers' bench after Griffin was fouled while shooting a 3-pointer with less than one second left in the first half. After teammates tried to mediate the conversation, Paul walked toward the bench and Griffin walked toward the court.

"Talk it out. Figure it out. Move on," was written on the whiteboard in the Clippers' locker room after the game.

Then of course last year Blake pulls a nutty on a trainer, in light of the Warrior's moves, last year may have been the final year that the Clippers could have "competed" for a title as constructed.

http://www.sheri-all-went-wrong-for-blake-griffin-and-clippers/

If they were still capable of competing at a high level with Griffin, we wouldn’t have the Warriors now setting the standard in the West.

Golden State is a model, not only of what you can do on offense but what you can get a bunch of offensive players to do on defense, and of what comprises good chemistry.

Losing one of your stars with a broken hand after punching out his entourage’s version of Turtle doesn’t cut it, chemistry-wise.

It remains to be seen when Griffin will return — Rivers has scoffed at the team’s four-to-six week projection — and how long he’ll be suspended when he’s back.

The Clippers were grim to a man after going to 13-3 without Griffin Wednesday in Atlanta.

“We’re all like family,” said Paul. “That’s how we’re going to deal with this, as a family.”

“Two guys that I’m super close with, and it’s sticky, man,” said Jordan, who was out with Griffin and Testi. “It’s tough.”

“This is a hard lesson for Blake but it’s also a hard lesson for our team,” said Rivers.

As far as their future goes, they no longer need shades to see it. Now it’s more like a searchlight.

I think there is more than enough evidence to suggest that it isn't the good ship lollipop in LA LA land, and whatever Doc has turned into he was the originator of Ubuntu and it seems that while Doc still tried to instill this philosophy with the Clippers it clearly never took off.

This would be a huge gamble for Doc, but when you just had KD dropped into the Warriors it would seem going conservative would be a foolhardy play considering the group they've had for three seasons hasn't sniffed the Western Conference Finals.

[SuperDeluxe]

Pierce is essentially now a spot up three point shooter, which in all honesty, is something we could use.

A spot up three point shooter whose shot is not going in (.310 last season, in a downward trend).

I love Paul Pierce, but if he ever returns to Boston it won't be to play any kind of meaningful minutes.

[Green89]

Pierce is essentially now a spot up three point shooter, which in all honesty, is something we could use.

A spot up three point shooter whose shot is not going in (.310 last season, in a downward trend).

I love Paul Pierce, but if he ever returns to Boston it won't be to play any kind of meaningful minutes.

A veteran voice on the bench who plays 11 minutes per game is fine by me. Locker room chemistry will be kept in check with PP in there. It was probably all Chris Paul's fault in the LAC locker room, anyway.

[165bows]

I do remember being surprised at Doc's ability to dig in during his, uh, own trade negotiations when he traded for himself.

Tons of leaks and media back and forth through sources, and he ultimately got a cheaper deal than I imagined he would. He also managed to get the league involved and block any player movement which was a smart move.

Weird since all of his other moves have been bad value.

On another note, the mega trade idea is exciting and the ability of that team to attack the rim would have the potential to cause problems. But dumping the entire asset chest is a little disappointing. Smart, Brown, Brooklyn 17, Memphis pick plus smaller stuff has the potential to be the best trade haul in a very long time.

[ddb]

If the Celtics get Westbrook and Griffin it will kind of awkward having two superteams in the same division.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!! Nicely done

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[ddb]

I wonder what # Westbrook will wear if AB remains on the roster as well. I could see Westbrook rocking #7

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[ConstableGeneva]

I wonder what # Westbrook will wear if AB remains on the roster as well. I could see Westbrook rocking #7

Sent from my SM-G930T using RealGM mobile app

4 is available. It's his number in High School. Or 44, number in his Twitter/IG handle.

[bondom34]

It is why you traded him.

With all due respect, you come in here as if you are plugged in, and you may be, but doesn't appear to be much value in that when it comes to the Thunder. Or am I missing the part where you guys didn't get completely blindsided by every major move the team have made since moving there? Harden, Perkins/Green, Ibaka and especially on KD leaving -- where Thunder "insiders" didn't just get blindsided, they presented inaccurate info as a lock.

I was posting here nearly 6 months ago about the strong mutual interest between KD and the Ws and their core players. That tidbit alone beats every piece of insider info you have ever heard about the Thunder by what, a factor of like a thousand or so?

So yes, I will go on believing... excuse me... knowing that the Thunder traded Harden to avoid the tax, and that Durant in no way thought Westbrook was staying beyond this season when he made the decision to go to GS (aka another impending departure that you seem hell-bent on being blindsided by).

No, you're free to go on believing, as I said. And you and multiple national reporters claimed he was looking at GSW. Good on you, but that's not why Harden was traded. Many OKC fans thought one of Serge or Kanter would be traded too. That tidbit alone wasn't even insider information. So there's your fraction of a thousand.

You can try to present info as an insider all you like, but that's the truth, and feel free to believe what you want, I've got it from a source who spoke to a player on the team. I've been over it too many times.

Solid info on KD's preferences only worth a fraction of a thousand? Tough crowd lol. What does that make your info worth, then?

FWIW, I'd heard it as a strong possibility before Woj and Spears put it out there, and when I read Woj's article(s), I brought it back to people who confirmed it that it was more than a strong possibility.

Posted as much on this forum half a dozen times since then, even calling them frontrunners for the guy. This wasn't based on some "player on the team", but like half a dozen guys who are as decorated as they come, all of whom who spoke to KD directly before he signed there.

Considering he was ready to buy a house literally a day or 2 before the meetings in OKC, I wouldn't call them frontrunners. They got him, but he wasn't leaning that way very long.

And I'd take the word of someone who spoke directly to a guy over "multiple sources" if you will. But hey like I said believe what you want.

[bondom34]

You the man, cave.

Cognitive dissonance is a bitch and often leads to denial/repression.

You're free to as well, but I've again got it on good word.

I'll let you guys alone, sorry to intervene. But I've got good word just as he does.

Take it easy, brother bear. I 've enjoyed the counter-points/perspective.

Same to you my man, you're all good by me. Nothing taken personally, just (shockingly) tired of that debate . Been through it a million times. Good luck to you all.

[ConstableGeneva]

I do remember being surprised at Doc's ability to dig in during his, uh, own trade negotiations when he traded for himself.

Tons of leaks and media back and forth through sources, and he ultimately got a cheaper deal than I imagined he would. He also managed to get the league involved and block any player movement which was a smart move.

Weird since all of his other moves have been bad value.

On another note, the mega trade idea is exciting and the ability of that team to attack the rim would have the potential to cause problems. But dumping the entire asset chest is a little disappointing. Smart, Brown, Brooklyn 17, Memphis pick plus smaller stuff has the potential to be the best trade haul in a very long time.

Yeah, I hope if this goes through, we don't empty the cupboard. We need something to fall back on if things don't work out. A Brooklyn pick and a couple of young guys would've been the insurance. That's why I'm cool with just standing pat unless we get a star on a bargain price. (Good read: http://basketball.realgm.com/article/242963/Why-The-Celtics-Should-Hunker-Down-Not-Disrupt-Asset-Base )

Here are some available FAs to add to the hypothetical superteam:
Shooters: Budinger, Novak, D.Wright, K-Mart, Bonner
Bigs: McGee, Sanders, J.Thompson, Gooden, Perk, R.Evans