An early summer 2024 thread

[wakelaunch1]

a second round pick swap, with a team like Utah, not sure the details but this seems like one which is unlikely to actually get swapped is not really the place to go on a rant about the team.


Yea, pretty different situations there, always have to take into account the contexts of these things and add some cap and salary considerations to analyze a lot of this stuff rightly.

they keep signing people that nobody wants and having to give up picks of their stupidity along with having players nobody wants unless they just want to dump contracts. Its a foolish front office. how many people outside of Kawhi, are teams clamboring from the Clippers? And Kawhi is one injury away from pretty much being worthless. We like the players because they are Clippers but do other teams want them?

Dunn is ok but man did we over pay for him. I barely knew he was in the NBA and he played on a losing team. and we doubled his salary with 3 years. Who here is excited to have Kris Dunn? 5 pts per game on the Utah Jazz. We are going to have to pay to get off his contract, i can almost guarantee you.

We still have PJ tucker too, who is washed.

Without knowing your understanding of the cap and CBA or who you were expecting, it's hard to comment back.

Im not sure what Dunn did to earn double in his paycheck. When you are operating now on the new cap restrictions every million counts. His production when down last year from 13 pts per game to 5 points per game. The GM has been loose with money for the past few years overpaying for everyone and now he has to become more frugal on the margins. We currently sitting on a brutal PJ tucker contract when we have young players who deserve that roster spot.



Season Team Salary
2023/24 Utah Jazz $2,586,484 ($2,586,484*)
2022/23 Utah Jazz $1,000,001 ($1,029,692*)
2021/22 Portland Trail Blazers $312,080 ($350,459*)

Dunn got $5.7 million a year with a non guaranteed 3rd year. His minimum this year with it being his 9th season would have been $3 million since minimum salaries increase by years of experience. So he's making barely more than his minimum.

Clippers don't really have the resources to just get whatever "somebody" you might be thinking of. That's why Adam Silver recently said he's happy about the results of the CBA. Restricting how much teams can ultimately spend and their flexibility to do so was the point.

The 2030 swap could give the Clippers a lower 2nd round pick in 2030 or it might not. The benefit of a swap is that you still get a pick regardless, you don't lose the pick, and a second round swap is not nearly as critical. Of course a 2nd round swap could be really painful if you go from 31st to 60th, or any huge change like that, but that's based on you being a bottom 10 team and the swap team being a top 10 team.

[madmaxmedia]

Im not sure what Dunn did to earn double in his paycheck. When you are operating now on the new cap restrictions every million counts. His production when down last year from 13 pts per game to 5 points per game. The GM has been loose with money for the past few years overpaying for everyone and now he has to become more frugal on the margins. We currently sitting on a brutal PJ tucker contract when we have young players who deserve that roster spot.

Dunn's 2022 season was a complete outlier where he shot 53.7 FG% and 47.2 3PT% in only 22 games, you can throw that year out the window. We acquired him as a very strong backcourt defender/backup PG, whose offensive line is likely going to be similar to his 2023 stat line. I think we desperately needed a guy like that- especially with poor defenders like Norm and Bones (and James) in our back court. Whether Dunn was the right choice we'll see (who else was available that fit that profile?), but I do believe he's a pretty known quantity either way. Another way of saying it is that if he could score 13 PPG on good efficiency, with his defense Dunn would be making $10M+ as a starting NBA PG.

We didn't trade for PJ Tucker, he was a necessary evil in being able to trade for James Harden without giving up another 1st or say Terance Mann. If you didn't like the Harden trade I can understand that, but that's the real picture as to why PJ is a Clipper. We sure as heck didn't decide to pick him up on his own merits, the Sixers forced him down our throats.

IMO Russ played an outsized role on this team relative to his contract, so I don't consider him to be an overpay either. He did become redundant after the Harden trade of course, but that's the breaks. If Denver had a equal expiring contract they would have traded him for Russ, but their hands were tied so we used the Dunn acquistion to facilitate a deal that got Russ's contract off the books. I thought it worked out pretty well in the end.

Zubac and Mann are on very team-friendly deals IMO, Coffey too. Norm's contract has been pretty good too for the role he's played on the team.

Kawhi can certainly be viewed as an overpay due to his availability the last few years. When healthy he's still a top 10 level player, but yeah only when healthy...

[esqtvd]

I had him penciled in to start but Law Murray says DO NOT count on Kevin Porter Jr anytime to begin the season

I don't know where we're gonna get points with projected starters Mann, Zu and Derrick Jones Jr averaging under 30 points a game COMBINED last year

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[og15]

I had him penciled in to start but Law Murray says DO NOT count on Kevin Porter Jr anytime to begin the season

I don't know where we're gonna get points with projected starters Mann, Zu and Derrick Jones Jr averaging under 30 points a game COMBINED last year

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It's likely going to be one of those situations where a guy starts but is rotated out early to give a different look at the position.

So a 6th man scorer will be getting very healthy minutes off the bench.

[Roscoe Sheed]

I had him penciled in to start but Law Murray says DO NOT count on Kevin Porter Jr anytime to begin the season

I don't know where we're gonna get points with projected starters Mann, Zu and Derrick Jones Jr averaging under 30 points a game COMBINED last year

Read on Twitter

It's likely going to be one of those situations where a guy starts but is rotated out early to give a different look at the position.

So a 6th man scorer will be getting very healthy minutes off the bench.

I think presently that third scorer will likely be Powell- he is capable of averaging at least 20 PPG in a larger role, but then his defensive limitations become more impactful

[Clemenza]

The 3rd scorer this year is Zu if Lue takes the handcuffs off of him. 20/10 guy this year Guaranteed!!

[Roscoe Sheed]

The 3rd scorer this year is Zu if Lue takes the handcuffs off of him. 20/10 guy this year Guaranteed!!

15 PPG sounds reasonable especially if they establish a strong screen and roll game with Harden

[Ballings7]

I never really saw KPJ starting, but playing more of a Ginobili-like role as far as coming off the bench, and finishig games when its right, or if that success sticks (obviously Ginobili finished every game), finishing often.

Still on the bandwagon for KPJ till he's out of the rotation, which I don't think will happen. Hopefully the personal legal results doesn't bump him out for too long.


Zubac I think will take a leap this year offensively... more shots with PG gone, and Harden around, and offseason improvement. Also having that confidence from his playoffs against Dallas.

[jengmann3]

I never really saw KPJ starting, but playing more of a Ginobili-like role as far as coming off the bench, and finishig games when its right, or if that success sticks (obviously Ginobili finished every game), finishing often.

Still on the bandwagon for KPJ till he's out of the rotation, which I don't think will happen. Hopefully the personal legal results doesn't bump him out for too long.


Zubac I think will take a leap this year offensively... more shots with PG gone, and Harden around, and offseason improvement. Also having that confidence from his playoffs against Dallas.

It's an interesting roster. I like the idea of kpj starting as he is such a wildcard. He seems like he can handle a bit, and he's a big guard. On the flip side Norm does make some sense and of course T Mann makes a bit of sense. Even Kris Dunn makes some sense of you want to be elite defensively and have someone alongside Harden who will always take the best guard. It also ensures Kawhi doesn't guard the top 2 perimeter players. For example, vs okc u could put Dunn on Shai and DJJ on Williams. Similarly you can put Dunn on Kyrie and DJJ on Luka, and Kawhi will have to match up with Klay. I am kinda concerned that Zubac may be the third best player on the team.

[Clemenza]

Let's cut to the chase. Don't get upset, this is just a hot take alert: Jordan Miller would be the perfect starter next to Harden in the backcourt. He plays both ends of the floor which is way more defense than Norm and much more offense than Mann. He doesn't force anything, let's the game come to him, rebounds, defends, draws contact, and hits the three. Not sure if KPJ will be available at the start of the season yet. Just my opinion.

[og15]

Let's cut to the chase. Don't get upset, this is just a hot take alert: Jordan Miller would be the perfect starter next to Harden in the backcourt. He plays both ends of the floor which is way more defense than Norm and much more offense than Mann. He doesn't force anything, let's the game come to him, rebounds, defends, draws contact, and hits the three. Not sure if KPJ will be available at the start of the season yet. Just my opinion.

You need someone who can guard PG's next to Harden. Harden has never been a PG on defense, and really right now he's even best at SF lateral quickness wise.

So this leaves you with options like Mann, Dunn, DJJ, etc

[Clemenza]

Let's cut to the chase. Don't get upset, this is just a hot take alert: Jordan Miller would be the perfect starter next to Harden in the backcourt. He plays both ends of the floor which is way more defense than Norm and much more offense than Mann. He doesn't force anything, let's the game come to him, rebounds, defends, draws contact, and hits the three. Not sure if KPJ will be available at the start of the season yet. Just my opinion.

You need someone who can guard PG's next to Harden. Harden has never been a PG on defense, and really right now he's even best at SF lateral quickness wise.

So this leaves you with options like Mann, Dunn, DJJ, etc

Miller plays good defense. That's why I brought him up. Mann will be slightly better, but you're giving up a lot of offense especially if Derrick Jones Jr. is also in the starting lineup. Can't start Powell because that's no defense at all next to Harden. Dunn would work, but he's backing up Harden at point unless I'm mistaken. Just a thought.

[og15]

Let's cut to the chase. Don't get upset, this is just a hot take alert: Jordan Miller would be the perfect starter next to Harden in the backcourt. He plays both ends of the floor which is way more defense than Norm and much more offense than Mann. He doesn't force anything, let's the game come to him, rebounds, defends, draws contact, and hits the three. Not sure if KPJ will be available at the start of the season yet. Just my opinion.

You need someone who can guard PG's next to Harden. Harden has never been a PG on defense, and really right now he's even best at SF lateral quickness wise.

So this leaves you with options like Mann, Dunn, DJJ, etc

Miller plays good defense. That's why I brought him up. Mann will be slightly better, but you're giving up a lot of offense especially if Derrick Jones Jr. is also in the starting lineup. Can't start Powell because that's no defense at all next to Harden. Dunn would work, but he's backing up Harden at point unless I'm mistaken. Just a thought.

I agree that Miller can defend he competes there looks like he's pretty good.

Miller is defensively a 2, sometimes 3 (smaller 3's weight wise) not a true 1 2 3, so it could be a tough place to put him in to be having to guard point guards on a nightly basis because Harden is not going to be guarding any point guards well.

I could be wrong though, it's not like he's lacking physical tools. He should get a shot to compete for it.

[KL2]

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[KL2]

Reggie Jackson to the Sixers. PG can’t help himself.

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[og15]

Reggie Jackson to the Sixers. PG can’t help himself.

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I was just commenting on the general board that I'm pretty sure him and Mann already mentioned this before, so nothing new.

It's likely being portrayed a certain way, but watching the clip, it's a whole nothing burger, probably also related to him and Mikal who was in the pod talking about the difference in fan treatment when you play for the more popular vs the less popular franchise in a city.

[Captain Ballmer]

Regardless of the angles, narratives, guests... Wayoff P doesn't have to say that. He has small brain with big mouth, so happy that he fumbled all the bridges with us as soon as he had a chance, we can easily şhit on him now.

[MartinToVaught]

Let's not forget that PG had two chances to play for the "A-Team" and turned them down both times because he's too mentally fragile to handle the pressure of being a Laker.

He's also now on the C-Team at best in their own city. Philly fans care more about the Eagles' long snapper or the Phillies' middle relievers than they'll ever care about him, especially after he has another one of his annual playoff meltdowns. So if he thinks he's sitting at the cool kids' table now, he's delusional.

[og15]

Regardless of the angles, narratives, guests... Wayoff P doesn't have to say that. He has small brain with big mouth, so happy that he fumbled all the bridges with us as soon as he had a chance, we can easily şhit on him now.

Yea, I have little concern for Paul George or his success as a Sixer.

When I first saw the tweet, my reaction was very different from when I then watched the clip. The tweet makes you feel like, "look at this idiot". The clip on the other hand is just narrating a reality of it being a Laker dominated city.

I had a very different initial perception, but the clip was just the same stuff him and Mann had talked about in terms of Lakers fans in LA basically acting a certain way towards Clippers players in terms of, "yea you're cool, but you're not Lakers" kind of treatment.

[TrueLAfan]

Regardless of the angles, narratives, guests... Wayoff P doesn't have to say that. He has small brain with big mouth, so happy that he fumbled all the bridges with us as soon as he had a chance, we can easily şhit on him now.

Yea, I have little concern for Paul George or his success as a Sixer.

When I first saw the tweet, my reaction was very different from when I then watched the clip. The tweet makes you feel like, "look at this idiot". The clip on the other hand is just narrating a reality of it being a Laker dominated city.

I had a very different initial perception, but the clip was just the same stuff him and Mann had talked about in terms of Lakers fans in LA basically acting a certain way towards Clippers players in terms of, "yea you're cool, but you're not Lakers" kind of treatment.

I think it’s … interesting. I think it illustrates PGs strengths in a couple of areas and (bigger) weaknesses in others. I do think his assessment of the Clippers/Lakers is accurate. I think he’s honest and reasonably eloquent in laying this out.

But—man! What this shows most of all is that PG didn’t commit to trying to change the narrative. Players like Elton and Lamar Odom, flawed in their own right, were willing to try and push the status quo in LA when Sterling was the owner. So was CP3. CP3, warts and all, would never have put up with a player that was so casual about his team’s fortunes and respect. He would (and did) fight and scratch and claw for the respect that PG seems to just … acknowledge and accept a lack of. To me, PG13s comments show a sense of complacency; “The Lakers were/are the A-team.” Dammit man, try and do something about it. You have the talent and teammates and owner. This is a guy who wants a max salary while not being an alpha player and not trying as hard as he could and should have to push his team to a higher level. It’s a little sad to me.