Rumors, Random Thoughts, and non-Threadworthy Posts 18.0 Dave Cowens drove a taxi

[Klomp]

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[Devilanche]

Ace Bailey is trying to slide to Brooklyn, right?

He'd give up about $19mil sliding from 3 to 8. Sounds like he is trying to force a trade but it may cost him.

He brings scoring , OKC needs scoring. Forcing his way to 15 confirmed

[Domejandro]

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Personally, I cannot wait for Minnesota to finally be in the Eastern Conference so they can actually have regional rivals, not have one of the worst flight times each season, and avoid the Western Conference gauntlet.

[jredsaz]

Prediction: The KD to Miami trade happens on draft day because they can trade more picks. Miami gets KD for non-win now players like Rozier & Robinson but trade three 1sts. Heat keep Wiggins and Ware.

If so, what can the Suns get back for Rozier & Robinson expiring and one of the 29 or 31 Heat picks?

[jredsaz]

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Personally, I cannot wait for Minnesota to finally be in the Eastern Conference so they can actually have regional rivals, not have one of the worst flight times each season, and avoid the Western Conference gauntlet.

God I hope they go away from the East/West bracket and adopt a 1-16. This **** is getting so hard in the West.

[zimpy27]

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Personally, I cannot wait for Minnesota to finally be in the Eastern Conference so they can actually have regional rivals, not have one of the worst flight times each season, and avoid the Western Conference gauntlet.

Minny would be a big win from a Seattle+Vegas expansion

Pacific: Lakers, Clippers, Vegas, Suns, Seattle, Blazers, GSW, Kings
South Central: Jazz, Nuggets, Dallas, Spurs, Rockets, Memphis, OKC, Pelicans
Midwest: Minny, Raptors, Bulls, Bucks, Cavs, Hawks, Pacers, Pistons
Atlantic: Celtics, Knicks, Nets, Wiz, Hornets, Miami, Orlando, Sixers

[Realtalk420]

I know it’s too early as Indiana hasn’t finished the season yet but what are they going to do with Mathurin? Are they paying him and dumping someone else or are they going to trade him? If so will they wait until trade deadline or will they trade him in the summer? What would be his value if traded during summer?

[zimpy27]

I know it’s too early as Indiana hasn’t finished the season yet but what are they going to do with Mathurin? Are they paying him and dumping someone else or are they going to trade him? If so will they wait until trade deadline or will they trade him in the summer? What would be his value if traded during summer?

I think they take offers but ultimately they resign him.


I think he'd be a $15m per season guy based off current form. He hasn't improved in 3 years of regular season but his playoffs have been decent

[YayBasketball]

If Pelicans take Maluach at 7, what are some idea targets for Missi + 23?

Trade up to pick 13 ATL- they just hired Bryson Graham who drafted Missi. Would bring a nice compliment backup to Okongwu, move back 10 spots. Pels move up for a second prospect they like, one of: Queen, CMB, Jakucionis, Bryant, Essengue, Coward.

Coby White. Missi + Hawkins + 23 for White? Better if a McCullom/Vucevic swap is included, or a follow up deal to send CJ elsewhere.

Lakers target Missi as cheap rim running lob threat? But Reaves would be all Pelicans are interested in. Missi + Alvarado + Hawkins +#23 for Reaves. Gives Lakers lots of depth. Could also expand to a bigger deal like McCullom + Missi + 23 for Reaves and 2 of Vanderbilt/Rui/Vincent/Kleber. But sounds like they'll keep Reaves and use '31 to get Claxton.

[kobe_vs_jordan]

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Personally, I cannot wait for Minnesota to finally be in the Eastern Conference so they can actually have regional rivals, not have one of the worst flight times each season, and avoid the Western Conference gauntlet.

Grizzlies more East than minny.

[penbeast0]

I'm looking a trade that would send Brown to the Bucks to team up with Giannis and Bos can shed some salary, i'm still working on it though lols.

Holiday and Porzingis are who they purportedly want to move and the salary lines up pretty well with Lillard (have to add Pat Connaughton); this way we align the two injured stars who appear out for the year and the team that gets them can do a developmental year for a draft choice while the other team goes for it with the older Jrue (and Porzingis).

This has been floated a couple times. The push back is that Celtics want to get under the 2nd apron and ideally put of the tax either this season or next. This trade prevents that.

Lillard would have to go to the Nets and Celtics would provide draft capital for it to work.

My theory was that whichever team gets Lillard and Tatum goes for the title after a gap year. Use minor contracts like Hauser to get under the 2nd apron, use the extra draft capital that whichever team ends up with Tatum provides to fill the roster and plan for the future. Again, Celtics want to get under the 2nd apron, absolutely. They also want to compete for the NBA title.

[Scoot McGroot]

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Personally, I cannot wait for Minnesota to finally be in the Eastern Conference so they can actually have regional rivals, not have one of the worst flight times each season, and avoid the Western Conference gauntlet.

Grizzlies more East than minny.

To me, it’s gotta be Minnesota. Look at the map. If Memphis stays in the West, they have a good amount of teams around them in the Western conference. Minnesota is all on an island with their location in the west, but would have a ton of teams within a short flight if they moved to the East.

[Scoot McGroot]

I know it’s too early as Indiana hasn’t finished the season yet but what are they going to do with Mathurin? Are they paying him and dumping someone else or are they going to trade him? If so will they wait until trade deadline or will they trade him in the summer? What would be his value if traded during summer?

I think they take offers but ultimately they resign him.


I think he'd be a $15m per season guy based off current form. He hasn't improved in 3 years of regular season but his playoffs have been decent

His defense has vastly improved. He was a turnstile who didn’t put in effort in his first year (he wasn’t asked to). Since then, he’s worked to be a decent enough defender, and a maybe good team defender, who still needs to lose his ball watching ways.

Plus, he passes now. His first year and a half he was an absolute black hole, where if he was passed the ball, he was immediately driving the lane. Now he fits in the flow of offense.

[Realtalk420]

If Pelicans take Maluach at 7, what are some idea targets for Missi + 23?

Trade up to pick 13 ATL- they just hired Bryson Graham who drafted Missi. Would bring a nice compliment backup to Okongwu, move back 10 spots. Pels move up for a second prospect they like, one of: Queen, CMB, Jakucionis, Bryant, Essengue, Coward.

Coby White. Missi + Hawkins + 23 for White? Better if a McCullom/Vucevic swap is included, or a follow up deal to send CJ elsewhere.

Lakers target Missi as cheap rim running lob threat? But Reaves would be all Pelicans are interested in. Missi + Alvarado + Hawkins +#23 for Reaves. Gives Lakers lots of depth. Could also expand to a bigger deal like McCullom + Missi + 23 for Reaves and 2 of Vanderbilt/Rui/Vincent/Kleber. But sounds like they'll keep Reaves and use '31 to get Claxton.

Seems interesting for Lakers, but Missi + 23 is not enough and I don’t think Alvarado and Hawkins gap that value. Not interested in McCollum.

[Realtalk420]

I know it’s too early as Indiana hasn’t finished the season yet but what are they going to do with Mathurin? Are they paying him and dumping someone else or are they going to trade him? If so will they wait until trade deadline or will they trade him in the summer? What would be his value if traded during summer?

I think they take offers but ultimately they resign him.


I think he'd be a $15m per season guy based off current form. He hasn't improved in 3 years of regular season but his playoffs have been decent

His defense has vastly improved. He was a turnstile who didn’t put in effort in his first year (he wasn’t asked to). Since then, he’s worked to be a decent enough defender, and a maybe good team defender, who still needs to lose his ball watching ways.

Plus, he passes now. His first year and a half he was an absolute black hole, where if he was passed the ball, he was immediately driving the lane. Now he fits in the flow of offense.

Thanks for the feedback. So you think they’ll try to resign him and dump someone else (Toppin?)? I’m guessing you can’t afford to pay both Turner AND Mathurin and keep everyone? Or am I wrong?

[Domejandro]

Personally, I cannot wait for Minnesota to finally be in the Eastern Conference so they can actually have regional rivals, not have one of the worst flight times each season, and avoid the Western Conference gauntlet.

Grizzlies more East than minny.

To me, it’s gotta be Minnesota. Look at the map. If Memphis stays in the West, they have a good amount of teams around them in the Western conference. Minnesota is all on an island with their location in the west, but would have a ton of teams within a short flight if they moved to the East.

Yeah, it's pretty much a lock to be Minnesota, barring something shocking.

Map:

Spoiler:

Memphis shares a division with Dallas, Houston, New Orleans, and San Antonio.
Shortest flight distance: ~358 Miles
Furthest flight distance: ~632 Miles

In contrast, Minnesota shares a division with Denver, Oklahoma City, Portland, and Utah.
Shortest flight distance: ~680 Miles
Longest flight distance: ~1,429 Miles.

Minnesota's shortest flight is longer than Memphis' longest flight, within their division.

Assuming four divisions per conference (assuming that they don't just scrap divisions):
East:
Atlanta/Charlotte/Miami/Orlando
Boston/Brooklyn/New York/Washington
Chicago/Indiana/Milwaukee/Minnesota
Cleveland/Detroit/Toronto/Philadelphia
West:
Clippers/Lakers/Las Vegas/Phoenix
Denver/Memphis/Oklahoma City/Utah
Golden State/Portland/Sacramento/Seattle
Dallas/Houston/New Orleans/San Antonio

Memphis gets a little hosed, with the Utah flight that is ~1,259 miles, but the flight to Oklahoma City (~374 miles) helps compensate a bit. Minnesota being a Western Conference team is honestly vile, and hoses everyone in their division (especially Portland) to a pretty extreme degree.

[Scoot McGroot]

I think they take offers but ultimately they resign him.


I think he'd be a $15m per season guy based off current form. He hasn't improved in 3 years of regular season but his playoffs have been decent

His defense has vastly improved. He was a turnstile who didn’t put in effort in his first year (he wasn’t asked to). Since then, he’s worked to be a decent enough defender, and a maybe good team defender, who still needs to lose his ball watching ways.

Plus, he passes now. His first year and a half he was an absolute black hole, where if he was passed the ball, he was immediately driving the lane. Now he fits in the flow of offense.

Thanks for the feedback. So you think they’ll try to resign him and dump someone else (Toppin?)? I’m guessing you can’t afford to pay both Turner AND Mathurin and keep everyone? Or am I wrong?

I think they’ll wait. If Turner walks, there’s no need to cut salary. If they keep Turner, there’s an argument to be made to keep everyone and use the growth of the youth to try and make another run at the Finals. And, the problem may solve itself in the form of a consolidation trade or other move next season.

I don’t think they’ll go out and make a decision too early about whom to keep because of a looming cap crunch in another year down the line. They resigned Obi when they knew it might get in the way, and it paid off massively with his playoffs performance. I think they’ll keep trying to sign guys to good deals and work it out from there?

But if good offers are made at any time, I’m sure they’ll listen.

[Texas Chuck]

I feel the travel pain. Dallas in hockey and baseball forever was in a division with West Coast teams so it was tons of big travel and a bunch of late games, Hockey got fixed but the Rangers are still in a division with 3 WC teams.

And our little football team insists on being in the NFC east with the big market teams when that's never made sense, but TV loves 6 games a year with those markets against the Cowboys so that one's never changing.

But I'm anti-expansion. Cuban has a great breakdown about how its not a revenue add for the existing teams its just a loan few of them need. The expansion fees don't begin to cover the permanent erosion of 1/16 of league revenue going to those two new teams. Plus it just further dilutes the product.

League would be better served moving underperforming teams to Vegas and Seattle if they feel they need teams there, but I'm not even for that--hate to see fans lose their team. And I understand Dallas is too big a market to lose their team, so it feels wrong suggesting specific teams that should be moved.

[kobe_vs_jordan]

Personally, I cannot wait for Minnesota to finally be in the Eastern Conference so they can actually have regional rivals, not have one of the worst flight times each season, and avoid the Western Conference gauntlet.

Grizzlies more East than minny.

To me, it’s gotta be Minnesota. Look at the map. If Memphis stays in the West, they have a good amount of teams around them in the Western conference. Minnesota is all on an island with their location in the west, but would have a ton of teams within a short flight if they moved to the East.

I understand the flight logic but can’t imagine grizz would let another team go to the East without a protest. And probably pelicans too want to move east.

Is the lg going to prioritize travel as the team that gets to move east? Pacific division travels a lot. A fair amount of teams. Travel just as far as the wolves relatively.

Pretty decent research by a wolves fan.
https://www.reddit.com/r/timberwolves/s/Ml96E1sBi6

[jscott]

Grizzlies more East than minny.

To me, it’s gotta be Minnesota. Look at the map. If Memphis stays in the West, they have a good amount of teams around them in the Western conference. Minnesota is all on an island with their location in the west, but would have a ton of teams within a short flight if they moved to the East.

I understand the flight logic but can’t imagine grizz would let another team go to the East without a protest. And probably pelicans too want to move east.

Is the lg going to prioritize travel as the team that gets to move east? Pacific division travels a lot. A fair amount of teams. Travel just as far as the wolves relatively.

Pretty decent research by a wolves fan.
https://www.reddit.com/r/timberwolves/s/Ml96E1sBi6

That research is based of 2023-24 data which is good but here is 2024-25 data:

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It shows that again the Wolves travel the most and even in 23-24 when the Spurs edged them out, they’re not even in the top 5 last year while Wolves never rank lower than 3rd any year.

As you can see, and to your point, Pacific coast teams travel a lot too but which of them do you want to put in the Eastern Conference?