ATL - Kawhi salary cap circumvention

[HKPackFan]

Don't get me wrong, SGA is really good, but watching him regularly over the past 2 months. He seems a bit overrated to me. Or at least not as good as I thought he was.

I would never in a million years ever consider taking him over Giannis.

As a Bucks fan. I feel like these playoffs have simultaneously proven how insanely good Giannis is.

While also making you question, how bad are the Bucks that even with a guy like Giannis, they could only manage to win 1 single playoff game?

True, This finals has shown me how far apart the bucks are from belonging in the finals. BBIQ, depth, coaching, defense, talent beyond giannis.

The good thing is with giannis there is always a chance if you build around him properly. But right now it appears to be a big gap.

And yes, none of the guys on either team look as dominant as Giannis. He's on another level.

[tonyreyes123]

Don't get me wrong, SGA is really good, but watching him regularly over the past 2 months. He seems a bit overrated to me. Or at least not as good as I thought he was.

I would never in a million years ever consider taking him over Giannis.

As a Bucks fan. I feel like these playoffs have simultaneously proven how insanely good Giannis is.

While also making you question, how bad are the Bucks that even with a guy like Giannis, they could only manage to win 1 single playoff game?

True, This finals has shown me how far apart the bucks are from belonging in the finals. BBIQ, depth, coaching, defense, talent beyond giannis.

The good thing is with giannis there is always a chance if you build around him properly. But right now it appears to be a big gap.

And yes, none of the guys on either team look as dominant as Giannis. He's on another level.

Bucks are done being contenders Giannis or not

[Bobicous]

So with a vet min starter, Dames previous injury and follow up injury, Brook, and Doc we pushed the team that won the east, and Beat the team that won the west and somehow we are miles away?

[HKPackFan]

Don't get me wrong, SGA is really good, but watching him regularly over the past 2 months. He seems a bit overrated to me. Or at least not as good as I thought he was.

I would never in a million years ever consider taking him over Giannis.

As a Bucks fan. I feel like these playoffs have simultaneously proven how insanely good Giannis is.

While also making you question, how bad are the Bucks that even with a guy like Giannis, they could only manage to win 1 single playoff game?

True, This finals has shown me how far apart the bucks are from belonging in the finals. BBIQ, depth, coaching, defense, talent beyond giannis.

The good thing is with giannis there is always a chance if you build around him properly. But right now it appears to be a big gap.

And yes, none of the guys on either team look as dominant as Giannis. He's on another level.

Bucks are done being contenders Giannis or not

I don't believe that. Maybe a dip for 1 or 2 years but with Giannis can always come back on top with the right fit around him. Horst has some work to do.

[blazza18]

"Pushed the team that won the east" is certainly one way to talk about losing a series 4-1.

[FlagsFlyForever]

If you are suggesting Shai's legacy would be tarnished if OKC loses on Sunday, please don't ever criticize Durant or any other player for going to a team where they have a better chance at a ring.

[Bobicous]

"Pushed the team that won the east" is certainly one way to talk about losing a series 4-1.

So your saying if we play the game 4 lineup the entire series it isn't closer? Dame being hurt then getting hurt again had no impact? Game 5 not having the craziest luck bad luck of all time wasn't a factor?

[Prez]

I wouldn't go as far as to say SGA's legacy would be tarnished with a series loss here but it's weird to me to suggest that it shouldn't factor at all into how we evaluate him as a player or compare him to other greats currently or in the past. Indy is good but OKC is a 68 win near 13 SRS team, if they lose this series it absolutely should be held against him imo. It's just the territory that comes with being an MVP level player. There's just no way to me a healthy Jokic, Giannis, prime Curry, prime Kawhi, etc. would lose a series like this to an Indy-level opponent with the supporting talent/coaching that SGA has, even if their offensive talent seems to be suspect at times. Healthy Giannis with an OKC-level situation around him would ruin this Pacers team.

He's a great player but it's abundantly clear to me he's not quite on the Jokic/Giannis level, but just a shade below it. He could absolutely get there as early as next year but to me as of right this second it's a tier of 2 players at the top of the league.

[blazza18]

"Pushed the team that won the east" is certainly one way to talk about losing a series 4-1.

So your saying if we play the game 4 lineup the entire series it isn't closer? Dame being hurt then getting hurt again had no impact? Game 5 not having the craziest luck bad luck of all time wasn't a factor?

Sure if the idiot coach played the guys that made more sense together the series would've been closer. But he didn't and the roster still isn't good enough and we lost in 5 games. Hardly something to feel good about.

[FlagsFlyForever]

I wouldn't go as far as to say SGA's legacy would be tarnished with a series loss here but it's weird to me to suggest that it shouldn't factor at all into how we evaluate him as a player or compare him to other greats currently or in the past. Indy is good but OKC is a 68 win near 13 SRS team, if they lose this series it absolutely should be held against him imo. It's just the territory that comes with being an MVP level player. There's just no way to me a healthy Jokic, Giannis, prime Curry, prime Kawhi, etc. would lose a series like this to an Indy-level opponent with the supporting talent/coaching that SGA has, even if their offensive talent seems to be suspect at times. Healthy Giannis with an OKC-level situation around him would ruin this Pacers team.

He's a great player but it's abundantly clear to me he's not quite on the Jokic/Giannis level, but just a shade below it. He could absolutely get there as early as next year but to me as of right this second it's a tier of 2 players at the top of the league.

The only thing keeping Shai out of the top tier with Jokic or Giannis is sustainability. This season, I think he was as good as anybody, but can he do it for multiple seasons? If so, I'll put him up there with the all-time greats even if he doesn't win any rings.

I think you're relying too heavily on factors out of his control when evaluating him as an individual. Jokic, Giannis, etc. are great players, but they're not unstoppable forces able to overcome things beyond their control. Let's just say Milwaukee had lost to Brooklyn in 2021. Would you view ring-less Giannis as a lesser player even if everything else about him was exactly the same?

[tonyreyes123]

Pacers in 7 for the lulz

[ANTETOKOUNBROS]

we beat OKC for a a chip already, we did it first remember that IND!

[PG Graveyard]

"Pushed the team that won the east" is certainly one way to talk about losing a series 4-1.

So your saying if we play the game 4 lineup the entire series it isn't closer? Dame being hurt then getting hurt again had no impact? Game 5 not having the craziest luck bad luck of all time wasn't a factor?

Also Dame being an enormous negative when he did play certainly didn’t help either

[MickeyDavis]

James Capers, Josh Tiven and Sean Wright officiating. Good crew.

[GHOSTofSIKMA]

"Pushed the team that won the east" is certainly one way to talk about losing a series 4-1.

So your saying if we play the game 4 lineup the entire series it isn't closer? Dame being hurt then getting hurt again had no impact? Game 5 not having the craziest luck bad luck of all time wasn't a factor?

Sure if the idiot coach played the guys that made more sense together the series would've been closer. But he didn't and the roster still isn't good enough and we lost in 5 games. Hardly something to feel good about.

we got blown the eff out with the old look and became at least somewhat competitive with the new look

so there is some level of optimism related to that series in the sense of what direction we should be trying to build.....and that perhaps the front office and coaching staff may see it with us......but id agree confidence on any part of the spectrum would be blatant homerism

in no way have i suggested "punting next season"....but the idea its going to be anything other than a small step forward with a new identity is overly optimistic imo. im 100% with you. theres literally like 85 million in virtually dead salary on this roster. i think guys are being overzealous. until we process multiple dudes out the way like we may be doing with brook i see this as a full year exercise simply acquiring blue sky. its important for the time being who we DONT bring back and continue to remove....not who we desperately retain or bring in unless its for all the dead salary weve got.

[trwi7]

Durant traded to Houston for 5 2nd round picks.

[brewbucks]

About time

[ReasonablySober]

That's light.

[ReasonablySober]

Who owns the Phoenix '26 first rounder and how do we get it.

[JayMKE]

Remember when Horst traded 5 2nd round picks for Jae Crowder