Like much of our panel, this writer elected to go with Hunter in large part because his greatest skill -- perimeter shooting -- is something Boston so desperately needed last season. What's murkier is where his opportunity will come from, particularly if second-year guard/forward James Young elevates to a more consistent role.
In NBA.com's annual survey of incoming rookies, Hunter finished second in both the "best shooter" and "biggest steal" categories. But rookies often struggle to consistently knock down shots in their first NBA season while adjusting to a deeper 3-point line, and Hunter is going to have to do that quickly to generate consistent floor time.
My wish is for Mickey to get playing time and have the more significant impact, but it's not gonna happen with a hundred bigs ahead of him so I'm also going with Hunter, for all the reasons already stated in the article.
KGboss wrote:Fine by me putting that stuff here constable. It's all projection based discussion.
I suppose, but there are several threads with such discussion. I appreciated this being a place where people can put down concrete stuff.
What are your predictions, Constable/everyone else? Let's keep this rolling and try to make this thread a bit longer. Splitting your predictions into pieces like Bows (or myself last year) is a good way to do it if anyone feels overwhelmed.
So far nine people have made predictions, let's try to push it to 15.
I'll lead off by saying that I'm a little concerned about where minutes are going to come from for some of our guys. Internal competition is great. I get that....But there's also something to be said about consistency and knowing what your role is on the team. The depth is a good problem to have and often times these things have a natural way of working out.....But I can't help but wonder that Danny is still working on deals. Anyway, below are my August predictions.
NBA: MVP- LeBron James DPOY- DJordan ROTY- Close call between Okafor & Mudiay. Okafor is my choice. CPOY- Durant 6th- IThomas COY- Stevens EOTY- RC Buford
West: Spurs Clippers Warriors Rockets OKC Memphis New Orleans Jazz
Playoffs: East- Cavs > Bucks in 4... Bulls > Raptors in 6.....Heat > Wizards in 6. Celtics > Hawks in 7 Cavs > Celts in 6..... Bulls > Heat in 7 Cavs > Bulls in 6
West: Spurs > Jazz in 4....Clippers > Pelicans in 5..... Warriors > Grizz in 6...... Thunder > Rockets in 7 Spurs > Thunder in 7..........Clippers > Warriors in 7 (Pierce the hero) Spurs > Clippers in 6
Cavs > Spurs in 7....LeBron wins 3rd ring and Finals MVP. Brings a title to Cleveland. People start talking about him as the best again. URGH! I sure hope I'm wrong!
ddb wrote:I'll lead off by saying that I'm a little concerned about where minutes are going to come from for some of our guys. Internal competition is great. I get that....But there's also something to be said about consistency and knowing what your role is on the team. The depth is a good problem to have and often times these things have a natural way of working out.....But I can't help but wonder that Danny is still working on deals.
Are there really no teams that want Sully/Turner? I understand not wanting ET, but despite his issues Sully still wasn't that bad last year. I guess the whole 1-year rental of Sully instead of 2 of KO hurts our chances of a deal...
I'll put on my green tinted glasses and say Sully comes to camp in shape, stays in shape the whole year and has a break out year. We are happy to pay him at the end of the year. For the recording I'm basing this off of blind optimism lol
1.) By the end of the season, Lee has pulled a Humphries and won us over, to where we'll be totally okay with the idea of bringing him back for a reasonable amount, to be a veteran presence and quality bench guy moving forward.
2.) By the trade deadline, we will make a deal for another quality player - someone in the IT range - not a superstar, but someone it's a no-brainer to bring on board, who has grown disgruntled on their current team. The nucleus of our outgoing package will be the least of our projected 1st round picks (likely our own), and Jerebko's deal.
3.) Minnesota will make the playoffs. The youngun's will do better than expected, KG will have a positive impact, the fans will get onboard, and their front office will decide to just go with it - they wouldn't be able stomach saying to the fans, "Yeah, our young stars are coming along better than anyone expected, but, we want them to reel it back and start losing a little bit more."
Yes, I absolutely know that #3 is not happening. Just wanted a good range of of aggressiveness on the predictions.
Bonus prediction:
Spoiler:
Nothing is clean and easy this year - no real questions get answered.
Sully plays well enough, but doesn't clearly establish himself as a must-keep. Bradley continues to have his ups and downs - most of the remaining grumpiness about his contract dissipates, but he doesn't make any all-nba teams. Smart takes strides but doesn't convince anyone he's our next superstar. Olynyk continues to contribute and refine his game, but doesn't ever 'flip the switch' into a much more aggressive player. Veterans get more minutes than many of us would like, because Stevens will do what's best for getting wins. The rookies get minutes here and there, but they're just rookies, not saviors.
Basically, a great, big, fat reprise of last year. EXCEPT. The sum of the parts shows some carry-over from the 2nd half of last year, and we find ourselves putting up a real fight for the division as the year starts to wind down. There's no clear reason or star to point to for this, beyond just more solid coaching and management from Stevens.
We all debate endlessly over how we should feel about this. The 'T' words (both of them) get used a lot.
1.) By the end of the season, Lee has pulled a Humphries and won us over, to where we'll be totally okay with the idea of bringing him back for a reasonable amount, to be a veteran presence and quality bench guy moving forward.
2.) By the trade deadline, we will make a deal for another quality player - someone in the IT range - not a superstar, but someone it's a no-brainer to bring on board, who has grown disgruntled on their current team. The nucleus of our outgoing package will be the least of our projected 1st round picks (likely our own), and Jerebko's deal.
Been trying to think of who a comparable IT level talent is. All the talk is 'let's land a superstar,' but I think you are right this is more likely an avenue. Not buying it's Markieff, either. My best guess was MKG in FA next summer, but that's not happening now. I'll throw my hat in the ring and say Steven Adams but who knows really.
@deanondraft: @KevinOConnorNBA @GoodmanESPN Ppl don't believe 40 Ws last yr is real, but Brad = wizard, Rondo/Green = cancers, new players = underrated
@deanondraft: @KevinOConnorNBA @GoodmanESPN I'd say 50 is more likely than 40. They won 40 last yr + return all young players, more IT/Jae, Amir > Bass,
SMTBSI wrote:1.) By the end of the season, Lee has pulled a Humphries and won us over...
Slartibartfast wrote:I don't think I was the only one that was actually disappointed when Hump cracked the starting line-up over guys with an actual Celtic future.
If Lee pulling a Humphries means he's starting and KO is riding the end of the bench, I will be polishing my pitchfork and lighting my torch.
SMTBSI wrote:...to where we'll be totally okay with the idea of bringing him back for a reasonable amount, to be a veteran presence and quality bench guy moving forward.
I'm right there with you - if Lee becomes our starting PF for any meaningful stretch of time, then things are not going well. That wasn't what my prediction was ... predicting. Just that he will prove to still have something in the tank, and to actually turn out to be a good citizen.
This team will go 45-37 in the regular season and get ousted in the 1st rd of the playoffs AGAIN barring some unforseen trade that actullay lands us a STUD. We'll perform better in the regular season than most teams because Stevens does an excellent job of getting the team to play hard every game and that's 80% of the winning formula for regular season games. However, STUDS are all that matters in the postseason and this team will get exposed again in the 1st rd unless we play another team full of ham and eggers. We'll be the Cincinnati Bengals of the NBA until we land a STUD...........getting people excited in the jay-vee season and then reminding people why nobody outside of our fan base takes us serious in the postseason when all our glaring flaws and lack of supreme talent comes into focus. BOOK IT.
BannersOnly wrote:This team will go 45-37 in the regular season and get ousted in the 1st rd of the playoffs AGAIN barring some unforseen trade that actullay lands us a STUD. We'll perform better in the regular season than most teams because Stevens does an excellent job of getting the team to play hard every game and that's 80% of the winning formula for regular season games. However, STUDS are all that matters in the postseason and this team will get exposed again in the 1st rd unless we play another team full of ham and eggers. We'll be the Cincinnati Bengals of the NBA until we land a STUD...........getting people excited in the jay-vee season and then reminding people why nobody outside of our fan base takes us serious in the postseason when all our glaring flaws and lack of supreme talent comes into focus. BOOK IT.
We are definitely in need of a Great Shooting SF, and a Quality Rim Protecting C.
With what we had last year, we only made it to the first round. I think this year (with what we currently have) that we go at least 48-34 and get into the 2nd round. We'll have to do a bit better, to get to at least the 4th seed. Which would give us Homecourt advantage for that 1st round.
Now, if we can get any better talent this year, then the skies the limit.
It took 22 years, to get our last Championship. We are poised to win several, in that same time frame.
"You have to put the work in. Nothing is given." ~ Jayson Tatum
PO: CAVS vs Bulls RAPTORS vs Heat CELTICS vs Bucks WIZARDS vs Hawks - CAVS vs WIZARDS RAPTORS vs Celtics CAVS vs Raptors - WARRIORS vs Jazz THUNDER vs Grizzlies ROCKETS vs Pelicans SPURS vs Clippers - WARRIORS vs Spurs THUNDER vs Rockets THUNDER vs Warriors ------------------------------------ FINALS: THUNDER vs Cavs
