Around the NBA

[Neeva]

Yea Toronto is definitely a lotto team, super bad loss. Siakam looks kind of washed already, is he really 3-5 years older than he says?

[jpatrick]

Yea Toronto is definitely a lotto team, super bad loss. Siakam looks kind of washed already, is he really 3-5 years older than he says?

Siakam looking like he should have tried to get extended this offseason, even if meant getting traded.

But Barnes, wow. I thought he stagnated a bit in year two. But if his current three point shooting continues, he’s every bit the future player that Ant is. That was a clutch pick. Everyone saying they should’ve taken Suggs, who is looking like a role player at best, and Barnes is going to be a star. And he’s a stud on both ends of the court.

[Note30]

Yea Toronto is definitely a lotto team, super bad loss. Siakam looks kind of washed already, is he really 3-5 years older than he says?

Knee jerk reaction, people have been saying that about Siakam for 2 to 3 years he'll be just fine.

I'd trade Siakam and Barnes for Rudy or KAT in a heartbeat.

[shrink]

Yea Toronto is definitely a lotto team, super bad loss. Siakam looks kind of washed already, is he really 3-5 years older than he says?

Knee jerk reaction, people have been saying that about Siakam for 2 to 3 years he'll be just fine.

I'd trade Siakam and Barnes for Rudy or KAT in a heartbeat.

Read on Twitter

[KGdaBom]

I thought some of you might enjoy this thread, talking about Jokic and … Pek!

https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2329879

I loved having Pek on our team. Such a shame that he couldn't withstand the physical demands of the NBA. After leaving the NBA he became an enforcer for the mafia.

[KGdaBom]

Yea Toronto is definitely a lotto team, super bad loss. Siakam looks kind of washed already, is he really 3-5 years older than he says?

Knee jerk reaction, people have been saying that about Siakam for 2 to 3 years he'll be just fine.

I'd trade Siakam and Barnes for Rudy or KAT in a heartbeat.

Are you talking about them sending us Siakam and Scottie "doesn't know" Barnes for Rudy or KAT? Yeah I'd pack their bags and drive them to the airport if I got that offer. I have Siakam in a few of my cash fantasy leagues and his slow start is hurting me a lot. 3rd round pick.

[minimus]

My early overreactions (mostly players who I mentioned in my trade ideas or as FAs):

- Shaedon Sharpe. I thought he is an athletic dunker without offensive game destined to be a high volume, low efficiency scorer. I was wrong, he is a real deal

- Scoot Henderson. Needs some time to adapt to NBA. Sometimes looks out of control

- Tyus Jones. Does not look as starting level PG, but really a solid role player. Same for Tre Jones

- Pat Williams. Struggling mightily in first games.

- Cameron Johnson. Cant hit threes...

- Devin Vassell looked really good as scorer/shooter before got injured

- Dennis Schröder looks decent as starting PG, I was wrong when I said he is only an undersized bench scorer

- P.J. Washington plays well, both in offense and defense

- Jalen Johnson plays like a smaller John Collins version. Kudos to Snyder for recognizing young talent

- Jalen Duren looks like a mix of Amare Stoudamire and Bam Adebayo

[TimberKat]

Watching LaMelo Ball last night got me wondering what if we have him instead of Ant? We still make the Gobert trade. DLo will be the shooting guard that he wants to be. I am sure you will see more lob from Ball to Gobert. Are we better off? Gobert - Towns - JMcD - DLo - Ball ?

[TimberKat]

My early overreactions (mostly players who I mentioned in my trade ideas or as FAs):

- Shaedon Sharpe. I thought he is an athletic dunker without offensive game destined to be a high volume, low efficiency scorer. I was wrong, he is a real deal

- Scoot Henderson. Needs some time to adapt to NBA. Sometimes looks out of control

- Tyus Jones. Does not look as starting level PG, but really a solid role player. Same for Tre Jones

- Pat Williams. Struggling mightily in first games.

- Cameron Johnson. Cant hit threes...

- Devin Vassell looked really good as scorer/shooter before got injured

- Dennis Schröder looks decent as starting PG, I was wrong when I said he is only an undersized bench scorer

- P.J. Washington plays well, both in offense and defense

- Jalen Johnson plays like a smaller John Collins version. Kudos to Snyder for recognizing young talent

- Jalen Duren looks like a mix of Amare Stoudamire and Bam Adebayo

I told you so about Scoot. It will take him a couple years. He is got to get that jumper above 40%.

Cam Johnson will be fine. Just need a few games.

Schroeder - wanted to have him instead of Milton/NAW

[Colbinii]

Yea Toronto is definitely a lotto team, super bad loss. Siakam looks kind of washed already, is he really 3-5 years older than he says?

Knee jerk reaction, people have been saying that about Siakam for 2 to 3 years he'll be just fine.

I'd trade Siakam and Barnes for Rudy or KAT in a heartbeat.

Read on Twitter

Of course his preference is to stay with Toronto--they can offer him the most money.

[Colbinii]

Yea Toronto is definitely a lotto team, super bad loss. Siakam looks kind of washed already, is he really 3-5 years older than he says?

Knee jerk reaction, people have been saying that about Siakam for 2 to 3 years he'll be just fine.

I'd trade Siakam and Barnes for Rudy or KAT in a heartbeat.

Yeah, I would trade KAT or Rudy for Jokic as well.

No need for homer trades--Barnes is worth more than anyone but ANT on this team.

[shrink]

Of course his preference is to stay with Toronto--they can offer him the most money.

Yes, any player on the same team that can make All NBA in a season he gets a new contract can make more money.

But the Wolves have to be particularly aware of players that might leave for nothing. Minnesota isn’t a free agent destination, and for most NBA players who have only visited here a few times, in the winter, we are probably near the bottom of their list. MIN isn’t likely to draw star-level talent in free agency, and any trade for a star-level player needs to come with team control, and in this era of player empowerment for star-level players, some desire to stay in Minnesota.

If Siakim expressed interest in MIN, or better yet, wanted to extend, then I think we could start a conversation. But when a player explicitly says he won’t re-sign with any team that trades for him, that is a huge red flag for a team like Minnesota. If you see Barnes as worth KAT, that’s one thing, but we’d have to value Siakim as “one season then salary relief.”

[KGdaBom]

My early overreactions (mostly players who I mentioned in my trade ideas or as FAs):

- Shaedon Sharpe. I thought he is an athletic dunker without offensive game destined to be a high volume, low efficiency scorer. I was wrong, he is a real deal

- Scoot Henderson. Needs some time to adapt to NBA. Sometimes looks out of control

- Tyus Jones. Does not look as starting level PG, but really a solid role player. Same for Tre Jones

- Pat Williams. Struggling mightily in first games.

- Cameron Johnson. Cant hit threes...

- Devin Vassell looked really good as scorer/shooter before got injured

- Dennis Schröder looks decent as starting PG, I was wrong when I said he is only an undersized bench scorer

- P.J. Washington plays well, both in offense and defense

- Jalen Johnson plays like a smaller John Collins version. Kudos to Snyder for recognizing young talent

- Jalen Duren looks like a mix of Amare Stoudamire and Bam Adebayo

I told you so about Scoot. It will take him a couple years. He is got to get that jumper above 40%.

Cam Johnson will be fine. Just need a few games.

Schroeder - wanted to have him instead of Milton/NAW

I still say you will be proven very wrong about Scoot. He will turn it around and be a top 100 player in the NBA this year with the sky being the limit for his future.

[twolves31]

Watching LaMelo Ball last night got me wondering what if we have him instead of Ant? We still make the Gobert trade. DLo will be the shooting guard that he wants to be. I am sure you will see more lob from Ball to Gobert. Are we better off? Gobert - Towns - JMcD - DLo - Ball ?

Dlo is trash, Ball has missed 74 games in 3 years and is currently shooting 34% and 31.9% from 3 this season. Ball's assists would be nice, as would Ant's buddy Halliburton if we had traded Towns for Hali 2 years ago. No reason to speculate on what could have been, plenty of what ifs in Timberwolves history.

[BlacJacMac]

Watching LaMelo Ball last night got me wondering what if we have him instead of Ant? We still make the Gobert trade. DLo will be the shooting guard that he wants to be. I am sure you will see more lob from Ball to Gobert. Are we better off? Gobert - Towns - JMcD - DLo - Ball ?

Right now it looks like LaVar pushing his kids from such a young age has done serious damage to their legs as they were growing.

It sucks because they're both tremendous players.

[jpatrick]

My early overreactions (mostly players who I mentioned in my trade ideas or as FAs):

- Shaedon Sharpe. I thought he is an athletic dunker without offensive game destined to be a high volume, low efficiency scorer. I was wrong, he is a real deal

- Scoot Henderson. Needs some time to adapt to NBA. Sometimes looks out of control

- Tyus Jones. Does not look as starting level PG, but really a solid role player. Same for Tre Jones

- Pat Williams. Struggling mightily in first games.

- Cameron Johnson. Cant hit threes...

- Devin Vassell looked really good as scorer/shooter before got injured

- Dennis Schröder looks decent as starting PG, I was wrong when I said he is only an undersized bench scorer

- P.J. Washington plays well, both in offense and defense

- Jalen Johnson plays like a smaller John Collins version. Kudos to Snyder for recognizing young talent

- Jalen Duren looks like a mix of Amare Stoudamire and Bam Adebayo

The two young players that I’ve watched that look like they’ve made a jump are Sharpe and Scottie Barnes. I too thought Sharpe had the making of an inefficient scorer type (like what Jalen Green is unfortunately becoming in Houston), but he looks like he’s going to be really a really good, all-around SG.

[Klomp]

I know too early blah blah blah, but given good health Wemby could be the GOAT before his career is done. I don't remember LeBron or Jordan doing things like this at the very start of their NBA careers.
Klomp and whoever. You still think the Spurs don't make the playoffs?

Correct. They have a decent shot to maybe make the play-in as the 9 or 10, but I don't see them ending with a playoff spot.

With young teams comes inconsistency. The Spurs right now have a similar comparison to the early year Jazz of 2022-23. They will continue to have some flashy wins, but won't be consistent enough over the long haul.

As for the Jordan/LeBron comment, rookie Jordan averaged 28/6/6, while rookie LeBron averaged 21/6/6.

[KGdaBom]

I know too early blah blah blah, but given good health Wemby could be the GOAT before his career is done. I don't remember LeBron or Jordan doing things like this at the very start of their NBA careers.
Klomp and whoever. You still think the Spurs don't make the playoffs?

Correct. They have a decent shot to maybe make the play-in as the 9 or 10, but I don't see them ending with a playoff spot.

With young teams comes inconsistency. The Spurs right now have a similar comparison to the early year Jazz of 2022-23. They will continue to have some flashy wins, but won't be consistent enough over the long haul.

As for the Jordan/LeBron comment, rookie Jordan averaged 28/6/6, while rookie LeBron averaged 21/6/6.

Those are Points, rebounds and assists. Wembanyama's strongest suit is his shot blocking. However, that 38 point 5 block and whatever else he got game by Wemby was what I was talking about. I don't recall Jordan or LeBron doing something like that in their first 5 games.

[BlacJacMac]

LeBron's very first NBA game: 25 points, 6 rebounds, 9 assists, 4 steals.

Jordan had 37 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 6 steals and 2 blocks in his 3rd career game.

Jordan broke 30 points 7 times in his first 15 games, highlighted by a 45/10/4/3/2 in his 9th game.

[karch34]

I thought some of you might enjoy this thread, talking about Jokic and … Pek!

https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2329879

I loved having Pek on our team. Such a shame that he couldn't withstand the physical demands of the NBA. After leaving the NBA he became an enforcer for the mafia.

Living a bit south of DaBomb I’ve had some people in neighborhood with ball history. One of them is still an assistant and an accomplished Euro League player. He played with Pek and had stories that just crystallized what a bad @$$ he was. Miss not having that type on our team.