ATL - Embiid Out for the Season

[Ron Swanson]

Even if the explanation is closer to dumb instead of conspiratorial ownership stuff that would rock the NBA, the explanation still doesn't hold up. If this was as simple as Nico wanted Davis and only Davis, literally any GM would also get every possible asset from LA. Knect, Reeves, a pick swap in '26, pick swap in '28, and a 1st in '31. That has to be the absolute minimum.

Sounds like the '31 1st would've been in play had the Lakers been allowed to speak with Luka's agent. It seems the whole idea was to keep everyone in the dark so public outcry wouldn't kill the deal.

The fact that the Lakers actually had the gall to dictate terms like this makes the fallout even worse. This isn't just Nico Harrison caving in the negotiations, this is offering a 25-year old franchise superstar on a silver platter for half his market price to a dude he has a longstanding personal relationship and former business dealings with. Harrison not even so much as counter-offering or posturing for more assets is the most damning evidence that nothing about this is right. I honestly have never actually believed the "it's rigged" assertions about the NBA, but man, I'm close at this point.

[drew881]

Picturing Jason Kidd in locker room trying to make the Major League “all there’s left to do is win the whole f-ing thing”. lol

[chonestown]

Compelling, but I'm not overlooking human stupidity as the driver here.

[Ayt]

The owners being cheap and not wanting to pay him $350m makes most sense to me. But prob wanted to stay relevant hence trading for AD instead of a tear down.

But there are def some shady ties between Harrison and Pelinka. That they essentially gifted Luka to the Lakers in the dead of the night with zero shopping of him is very suspicious. I’m not sure we’ll ever get the full story though. The league will be happy Luka is in LA and won’t care.

AD makes more than Luka now and will make more than Luka's supermax if he signs an extension.

[ReasonablySober]

Shortsighted on his part for sure. Even IF he demanded a trade, i think the other 29 teams would 100% send an offer in and you pick the best one.

He literally could have gotten the same deal with the Lakers anytime.

I'm inclined to believe the ownership angle, whether it's the full blown casino stuff or not wanting the supermax. At the same time, Harrison is the same dude who **** up Nikes Steph Curry pitch in 2013 by recycling an old Kevin Durant PowerPoint deck. The dude might just enjoy the smell of his own farts so much he doesn't notice the poop in his undies. And in this case it sounds like he had disdain for Luka.

[url]

Read on Twitter

?t=r7mf3CB4opsYhvbVv00R1g&s=19[/url]

This is the only thing that makes sense

He's going to be on the next Basketball Illuminati pod. That's going to be a must listen.

[PG Graveyard]

That trade makes no sense at all that I can believe that. The Adelsons are ghouls so it’s definitely possible. What would be the Giannis equivalent? Trading him in 2019 for Paul George and a pick because PG shoots free throws better?

[humanrefutation]

He literally could have gotten the same deal with the Lakers anytime.

I'm inclined to believe the ownership angle, whether it's the full blown casino stuff or not wanting the supermax. At the same time, Harrison is the same dude who **** up Nikes Steph Curry pitch in 2013 by recycling an old Kevin Durant PowerPoint deck. The dude might just enjoy the smell of his own farts so much he doesn't notice the poop in his undies. And in this case it sounds like he had disdain for Luka.

[url]

Read on Twitter

?t=r7mf3CB4opsYhvbVv00R1g&s=19[/url]

This is the only thing that makes sense

He's going to be on the next Basketball Illuminati pod. That's going to be a must listen.

...I'm sorry, but that has to be one of the dumber takes I've ever read. So, the Mavs traded Luka to to tank their team to dry up attendance, make a threat to move credible, only to convince the state to push through gambling legalization and allow them to build a Casino/Arena in DFW?

He cannot be serious with that.

[ReasonablySober]

...I'm sorry, but that has to be one of the dumber takes I've ever read. So, the Mavs traded Luka to to tank their team to dry up attendance, make a threat to move credible, only to convince the state to push through gambling legalization and allow them to build a Casino/Arena in DFW?

He cannot be serious with that.

When you understand what Miriam Adelson cares about (it's not basketball) it makes sense. Her two biggest interests are Israel, and bringing gambling to Texas. She only bought the Mavericks to be a trojan horse to get gambling past the Legislature.

[humanrefutation]

...I'm sorry, but that has to be one of the dumber takes I've ever read. So, the Mavs traded Luka to to tank their team to dry up attendance, make a threat to move credible, only to convince the state to push through gambling legalization and allow them to build a Casino/Arena in DFW?

He cannot be serious with that.

When you understand what Miriam Adelson cares about (it's not basketball) it makes sense. Her two biggest interests are Israel, and bringing gambling to Texas. She only bought the Mavericks to be a trojan horse to get gambling past the Legislature.

My dude, it's far more likely that she'll have more trouble finding friendly legislators after she just traded a player beloved by the city for a relative pittance. What makes her think that Texas would step up to save a loser Mavs franchise, anyway? They'd be more likely to do so if they were winning and there was public pressure to get a deal done.

[ReasonablySober]

...I'm sorry, but that has to be one of the dumber takes I've ever read. So, the Mavs traded Luka to to tank their team to dry up attendance, make a threat to move credible, only to convince the state to push through gambling legalization and allow them to build a Casino/Arena in DFW?

He cannot be serious with that.

When you understand what Miriam Adelson cares about (it's not basketball) it makes sense. Her two biggest interests are Israel, and bringing gambling to Texas. She only bought the Mavericks to be a trojan horse to get gambling past the Legislature.

My dude, it's far more likely that she'll have more trouble finding friendly legislators after she just traded a player beloved by the city for a relative pittance. What makes her think that Texas would step up to save a loser Mavs franchise, anyway? They'd be more likely to do so if they were winning and there was public pressure to get a deal done.

Let me preface this by saying I totally admit that this is a conspiracy theory. I'm not prone to these at all. But,

I honestly believe that in this case it just makes the most sense given the factors involved. She's tried to get her casino built when the Mavs were making Finals appearances and that failed. She's bribed everyone there is to bribe. Her only play left is to dangle the threat of relocation over the city.

[humanrefutation]

When you understand what Miriam Adelson cares about (it's not basketball) it makes sense. Her two biggest interests are Israel, and bringing gambling to Texas. She only bought the Mavericks to be a trojan horse to get gambling past the Legislature.

My dude, it's far more likely that she'll have more trouble finding friendly legislators after she just traded a player beloved by the city for a relative pittance. What makes her think that Texas would step up to save a loser Mavs franchise, anyway? They'd be more likely to do so if they were winning and there was public pressure to get a deal done.

Let me preface this by saying I totally admit that this is a conspiracy theory. I'm not prone to these at all. But,

I honestly believe that in this case it just makes the most sense given the factors involved. She's tried to get her casino built when the Mavs were making Finals appearances and that failed. She's bribed everyone there is to bribe. Her only play left is to dangle the threat of relocation over the city.

You won't get an argument from me about the hopes of the scummy Adelson family. I can believe that they want to get a foothold into the untapped Texas gambling market. I don't think trading Luka has anything to do with that, though, and the reasoning doesn't add up even a little bit in my mind.

I'll just note that there are factors that make more sense than that wild, confusing conspiracy - namely, the front office and Kidd grew tired of dealing with Luka, thought he didn't respect them or their authority (because he probably didn't), and convinced themselves that it was worth exploring a move instead of giving him a supermax, and they wanted a win-now package in return. That they only shopped him with the Lakers is about Nico and Pelinka.

I'm more likely to attribute an irrational decision to stupidity than to some sort of galaxy-brained genius.

[MickeyDavis]

Whatever the reasons/conspiracies it's going to backfire and I love it

[Plossum]

Doesn’t there need to be a significant majority of NBA owners agreeing to move a team too? The Mavs leaving a huge market like Dallas threatens revenue sharing. It’s a nice conspiracy theory but I’m not sure it holds much weight under scrutiny.

[jakecronus8]

Starting to get it more for Dallas. For all of Doncic’s talents he’s among the worst defenders in the league. And if he doesn’t take his fitness seriously, how serious does he take winning?

Could they have gotten more? Obviously yes. But I’m beginning to think Luka is pretty damn overrated.

ETA: when both are at their peaks, is AD not the more impactful player?

[Ayt]

Starting to get it more for Dallas. For all of Doncic’s talents he’s among the worst defenders in the league. And if he doesn’t take his fitness seriously, how serious does he take winning?

Could they have gotten more? Obviously yes. But I’m beginning to think Luka is pretty damn overrated.

ETA: when both are at their peaks, is AD not the more impactful player?

Have you ever watched Luka in the playoffs?

[stillgotgame]

I can't believe Nico Harrison said that they didn't negotiate with other teams because they didn't want it to get out and have Luka demand a trade. **** then you might have to trade him.

Folks, if you're planning on saying something in public, write it down and read it out loud for somebody else to hear and ask critical questions. You might just save yourself from looking like Nico Harrison.

And then he dumped all over Jason Kidd by making a point that he didn’t tell him. Sorry Jason but we don’t trust you to not leak this
Kidd is pissed as hell, damn funny.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DFlaknBPhKb/?igsh=Njhtemo4cWg4bnRu

[SirChurros]

Starting to get it more for Dallas. For all of Doncic’s talents he’s among the worst defenders in the league. And if he doesn’t take his fitness seriously, how serious does he take winning?

Could they have gotten more? Obviously yes. But I’m beginning to think Luka is pretty damn overrated.

ETA: when both are at their peaks, is AD not the more impactful player?

People said the same thing about Jokic and then they put together a team around him and won a title.

Fat Luka led the Mavs to the Finals and they lost to the best team in the league.

Trading a guy after that instead of doubling down and getting the guys around him is baffling.

[drew881]

Did anyone post this graphic:

https://www.facebook.com/share/15oiJSU4Qz/?mibextid=wwXIfr

[-Jragon-]

This Luka trade the new Glove / Ray? Kidd is the new Karl?

[BUCKnation]

Nice tank job by utah tonight. Up 10 with 6 min left and they just kept throwing it to indy for easy fast breaks. Then markennen bricked 2 fts to tie with under 20 left