2023-24 Season Discussion and Speculation 5 - the calm before the storm

[Slim Charless]

Surely the Warriors will decline his team option this summer so they can try to restructure their roster better! And IF Paul was actually willing to come back on a vet min deal AND WAS WILLING to play backup guard (obviously his only viable role at this point), I'd absolutely sign up for that!!!

** additionally, I'd then ( knowing he'd intend to sign here again) look to add some high end shooters (I have a list for that too of course) and an elite rim running long super athletic lob threat/ rim protector (from the undrafted pool)for him to set up/ mentor along with our bench vets!

I seriously doubt he signs with us and another team can pay him more than we can.

The Lakers or the Clippers make the most sense since he wants to be close to his family.

You make really good points!
And you're probably right that he might prefer the Flakers or even another team to be closer to his family. But Out of the Lakers and us, he probably realizes that we'd (aside from league/refs propping them up for Le'Douches' legacy) be his very best chance with the sheer star power that we do have, AND that he'd fit perfectly in a supplementary role of the bench as an ideal match off our bench, and the likely missing piece that could get him his ring by shoring that position up for us?


The only better options that I'd see for him having a legit chance at a ring beside us might be Denver or Boston. But I'm not sure either would really have a need for a guard? Maybe he could consider Milwaukee or New York though? But then he'd be much farther away from Cali and his family than he would be with us after all. But with all three of Booker, Beal, Durant here already, Paul wouldn't have to do as much heavy lifting, and that might also be appealing to him in a reduced role?

Ring hopping to Denver seems like a great move for him. Much better chance of getting 1 there than LAL or with us quite frankly.

Hope he gets a ring before he hangs it up. He deserves it as he was the onw who brought about the change in this team. Alot of posters currently posting in this very thread said otherwise....but GoK you saw it was always CP3 as did a few others ( ) it was never Monty or anyone else.

Chris Paul changed the course of the team in those few years.

[Ghost of Kleine]

Read on Twitter

[sashaturiaf]

So Jimmy Butler's hurt his MCL and is out for multiple weeks per Woj, 2 days after KDs crash test Dummies comment which aluded to Jimmy flopping into his legs and hurting his MCL last season.

That KD voodoo magic is strong. Sucks for the NBA though, Celtics will now go unchallenged in the east.

[King4Day]

So Jimmy Butler's hurt his MCL and is out for multiple weeks per Woj, 2 days after KDs crash test Dummies comment which aluded to Jimmy flopping into his legs and hurting his MCL last season.

That KD voodoo magic is strong. Sucks for the NBA though, Celtics will now go unchallenged in the east.

I thought he was referring to Bruce Brown (his own teammate) who flopped into his knee.
I could be wrong though as he's had many injuries.

Watch on YouTube

[Slim Charless]

So Jimmy Butler's hurt his MCL and is out for multiple weeks per Woj, 2 days after KDs crash test Dummies comment which aluded to Jimmy flopping into his legs and hurting his MCL last season.

That KD voodoo magic is strong. Sucks for the NBA though, Celtics will now go unchallenged in the east.

If the NYK make it to East Finals to meet them, I can be convinced otherwise. Not having Randle is big but imo he's the 3rd most important Knick behind Brunson and OG. Maybe 4th.

[Ghost of Kleine]

Read on Twitter

Sam Mitchell talks about how the Wolves can stop the suns and beat them in a series (at 1:05 minutes in)

It'll be interesting to see what strategy Minnesota actually employs?

[Ghost of Kleine]

Read on Twitter

[lilfishi22]

So Jimmy Butler's hurt his MCL and is out for multiple weeks per Woj, 2 days after KDs crash test Dummies comment which aluded to Jimmy flopping into his legs and hurting his MCL last season.

That KD voodoo magic is strong. Sucks for the NBA though, Celtics will now go unchallenged in the east.

If the NYK make it to East Finals to meet them, I can be convinced otherwise. Not having Randle is big but imo he's the 3rd most important Knick behind Brunson and OG. Maybe 4th.

Regardless where you rank Randle, they absolutely need him to beat the C's in a 7 game series.

[bwgood77]

So Jimmy Butler's hurt his MCL and is out for multiple weeks per Woj, 2 days after KDs crash test Dummies comment which aluded to Jimmy flopping into his legs and hurting his MCL last season.

That KD voodoo magic is strong. Sucks for the NBA though, Celtics will now go unchallenged in the east.

If the NYK make it to East Finals to meet them, I can be convinced otherwise. Not having Randle is big but imo he's the 3rd most important Knick behind Brunson and OG. Maybe 4th.

Regardless where you rank Randle, they absolutely need him to beat the C's in a 7 game series.

I think Philly will take out NY in 6.

[lilfishi22]

Read on Twitter

Sam Mitchell talks about how the Wolves can stop the suns and beat them in a series (at 1:05 minutes in)

It'll be interesting to see what strategy Minnesota actually employs?

The positive is that we've been able to beat the Wolves with 125 and 133 points but we've also beaten them with 97pts too. We've been able to do it with a low scoring and high scoring game. They're only chance is for KAT to have a dominant series to take pressure off of Ant who we've been able to completely shut out in the last game. Without anyone else really stepping up, they can't win this series. But if KAT has a dominant series, then it's going to be a very tough one.

The other positive is that KAT has historically been a pretty inconsistent playoff performer.

[lilfishi22]

If the NYK make it to East Finals to meet them, I can be convinced otherwise. Not having Randle is big but imo he's the 3rd most important Knick behind Brunson and OG. Maybe 4th.

Regardless where you rank Randle, they absolutely need him to beat the C's in a 7 game series.

I think Philly will take out NY in 6.

That's also a real possibility. I'm not particularly high on the Knicks. I am excited to watch Brunson work though

[bwgood77]

Regardless where you rank Randle, they absolutely need him to beat the C's in a 7 game series.

I think Philly will take out NY in 6.

That's also a real possibility. I'm not particularly high on the Knicks. I am excited to watch Brunson work though

Philly was 29-13 before Embiid got hurt. Oubre was hurt too before that. The Knicks then were 25-17. Philly was crushing people early with Embiid. Though the Knicks did destroy them early...and played well against them all season, though the other games were without Embiid.

I just can't see Embiid going out in the first round....and the Sixers were the better team when he was healthy. The Knicks tried so hard to get the 2 seed...I kept thinking I'd rather have the 3.

[Ghost of Kleine]

Watch on YouTube

[Slim Charless]

Regardless where you rank Randle, they absolutely need him to beat the C's in a 7 game series.

I think Philly will take out NY in 6.

That's also a real possibility. I'm not particularly high on the Knicks. I am excited to watch Brunson work though

We'll see. I can picture the Knicks losing in the 1st round and I could also see a world where they make it to the Finals.

They'll miss Randle as another facilitator of the offense when Brunson sits and when he needs a break. Otherwise.......meh. OG seemed to really unlock that team back in January.

[Qwigglez]

Randle has consistently underperformed in the playoffs. I feel like he is easy to gameplan against.

I don't see the Knicks beating the Sixers, and got the Sixers winning in 6.

[Slim Charless]

I think Philly will take out NY in 6.

That's also a real possibility. I'm not particularly high on the Knicks. I am excited to watch Brunson work though

Philly was 29-13 before Embiid got hurt. Oubre was hurt too before that. The Knicks then were 25-17. Philly was crushing people early with Embiid. Though the Knicks did destroy them early...and played well against them all season, though the other games were without Embiid.

I just can't see Embiid going out in the first round....and the Sixers were the better team when he was healthy. The Knicks tried so hard to get the 2 seed...I kept thinking I'd rather have the 3.

Randle has consistently underperformed in the playoffs. I feel like he is easy to gameplan against.

I don't see the Knicks beating the Sixers, and got the Sixers winning in 6.

Just because I wanted to make sure my memory served me correctly as to how Biid does in the playoffs, checked his career. The results:

Regular season- 28ppg on 51/34/83 percentages
Playoffs- 24ppg on 46/23/81 percentages


To whit:

Joel Embiid is somewhat lucky he's played with infamous chokers like Harden and Ben Simmons otherwise he's be justifiably known as a massive playoff underperformer.

Philly should win but they are FAR from a shoe-in vs the Knicks. Imo at least.

[Qwigglez]

Yeah I wouldn't say they are a shoe-in. I think Embiid isn't 100% yet, and that could be a determining factor. However, the Sixers have Tobias Harris, Oubre, Hield, and then Lowry which are good role players to go along with budding star Maxey. BTW, this will be Hield's first post-season appearance in his career.

I like the chemistry that the Knicks have though. I think team chemistry can take a team far.

[Slim Charless]

Yeah I wouldn't say they are a shoe-in. I think Embiid isn't 100% yet, and that could be a determining factor. However, the Sixers have Tobias Harris, Oubre, Hield, and then Lowry which are good role players to go along with budding star Maxey. BTW, this will be Hield's first post-season appearance in his career.

I like the chemistry that the Knicks have though. I think team chemistry can take a team far.

I think they're gonna throw OG on Maxey. The same OG who was trending towards DPOTY before his injury. That'll be the story of the series. Now that we're talking about it, I'm looking forward to watching.

I'll take Knicks in 7.

[Saberestar]

[bwgood77]

That's also a real possibility. I'm not particularly high on the Knicks. I am excited to watch Brunson work though

Philly was 29-13 before Embiid got hurt. Oubre was hurt too before that. The Knicks then were 25-17. Philly was crushing people early with Embiid. Though the Knicks did destroy them early...and played well against them all season, though the other games were without Embiid.

I just can't see Embiid going out in the first round....and the Sixers were the better team when he was healthy. The Knicks tried so hard to get the 2 seed...I kept thinking I'd rather have the 3.

Randle has consistently underperformed in the playoffs. I feel like he is easy to gameplan against.

I don't see the Knicks beating the Sixers, and got the Sixers winning in 6.

Just because I wanted to make sure my memory served me correctly as to how Biid does in the playoffs, checked his career. The results:

Regular season- 28ppg on 51/34/83 percentages
Playoffs- 24ppg on 46/23/81 percentages


To whit:

Joel Embiid is somewhat lucky he's played with infamous chokers like Harden and Ben Simmons otherwise he's be justifiably known as a massive playoff underperformer.

Philly should win but they are FAR from a shoe-in vs the Knicks. Imo at least.

Well of course they are not a shoe in. The Knicks have gotten better and traded for OG this season. Brunson is a stud. They are very good. I think it will be tight. I just thought it sounded like YOU felt the Knicks were a shoe in.

You are right the Sixers have choked in the playoffs, but yes of course they had Simmons the big choker and Harden who choked last year.

Anyway, I've seen charts with all star players comparing regular season to playoff stats...and pretty much all of them are better in the regular season....which obviously makes sense..because the average competition is far weaker. The only one who was better in the playoffs in the big graphic I saw (this was a few years back) was Kawhi.