Around the League

[Snakebites]

Looks like last night's game was Lionell Hollins' last game as the coach of the Nets, and Billy King's last overseeing as the General Manager.

Frankly, I'm surprised it took this long. Billy King should have been out of there in early 2014, when it was already apparent the KG/Pierce trade was a total disaster.

Said it before and I'll say it again, I cannot recall a team being in a worse situation than the Nets are in right now. Terrible team with no lottery picks coming until 2019.

Im actually surprised they did it now to be honest. That franschise is utterly ruined for the next three years with no draft picks and a roster of garbage. I dont think I have ever seen a team from the top down in such a bad place. The sixers are terrible and everything they have done has been terrible and they all should be fired as well but they at least have talented players ready for a great coach and GM.

Who in the HELL is going to take the GM and coaching positions? They are not going to put anything good on their resume for the next three years period. How do they get another job when they are indeed fired? Its like winning the lottery and you know that if you collect the winnings your dead in three years. Tough call.

Look for Lopez to get moved for picks quickly and it's going to be to a team that makes everyone groan in the East. He could also end up out West in Dallas as well. They have one real trade asset and thats Brook. Picks are coming back in that deal. Hell Boston could end up with him.

They'll find some ambitious person looking for a challenge, you can bet on that. Whether that will end up working out is anyone's guess.

The Sixers are a terrible team and may or may not be able to right that ship, but they do have something that the Nets don't- assets. Lots and lots of assets. And the new regime may well be able to do something with those assets.

The Nets? Accepting that job is like a painter accepting a job with no proper canvas and instead of paint they have to use chalk. They'll still find a taker though.

[chrbal]

The nice thing about them is you could easily argue a tear down, the bad thing is like almost everything else.

[thesack12]

I really like Kent Bazemore. He's a much better player than Fournier or any other wing that may help us.

It also helps he's getting literally pennies on his contract right now.

I like Baze also. He's quietly having a great season.

When SVG signed Meeks, I said Detroit signed the wrong former Laker free agent. But I was flamed for it.

I really didn't think he'd semi-blow up and play this well as a Demarre Caroll replacement. He's surpassed Caroll IMO. I'm really impressed at his development since the days of him being GOAT-worthy bench celebrator on the Warriors.

For sure, I wasn't impressed with the Meeks signing at all. SVG hasn't had the best FA signings thus far. Trades are good.

Yeah, I'd be lying if I said I thought he was going to been as good as he has been. But at the time both Baze and Meeks were comparable players with similar spiked values entering free agency. One guy was overpaid as the first free agent signed that summer and was supposed to be a valuable piece which hasn't happened, and the other guy signed for peanuts late in the offseason and is excelling. And yeah, I agree that he's above Carroll right now.

Yup, SVG has largely sucked in free agency. Fortunately for he and Detoit he's shined on the trade market for the most part.

[thesack12]

Billy King's resume contains fail after fail after fail.

He doesn't have too many redeeming factors attached to his career, are there any other than the '01 Finals appearance? Since '01 I think he only has like 3 total playoff series wins.

[DBC10]

I like Baze also. He's quietly having a great season.

When SVG signed Meeks, I said Detroit signed the wrong former Laker free agent. But I was flamed for it.

I really didn't think he'd semi-blow up and play this well as a Demarre Caroll replacement. He's surpassed Caroll IMO. I'm really impressed at his development since the days of him being GOAT-worthy bench celebrator on the Warriors.

For sure, I wasn't impressed with the Meeks signing at all. SVG hasn't had the best FA signings thus far. Trades are good.

Yeah, I'd be lying if I said I thought he was going to been as good as he has been. But at the time both Baze and Meeks were comparable players with similar spiked values entering free agency. One guy was overpaid as the first free agent signed that summer and was supposed to be a valuable piece which hasn't happened, and the other guy signed for peanuts late in the offseason and is excelling. And yeah, I agree that he's above Carroll right now.

Yup, SVG has largely sucked in free agency. Fortunately for he and Detoit he's shined on the trade market for the most part.

Agreed. Bazemore was largely unnoticed and I don't think anyone reasonable predicted he'd be this solid so far.

The credit really goes to Coach Budenholzer for his development with a Spurs-like culture. They're really making use of every drop of talent in those guys right now.

[Snakebites]

I really didn't think he'd semi-blow up and play this well as a Demarre Caroll replacement. He's surpassed Caroll IMO. I'm really impressed at his development since the days of him being GOAT-worthy bench celebrator on the Warriors.

For sure, I wasn't impressed with the Meeks signing at all. SVG hasn't had the best FA signings thus far. Trades are good.

Yeah, I'd be lying if I said I thought he was going to been as good as he has been. But at the time both Baze and Meeks were comparable players with similar spiked values entering free agency. One guy was overpaid as the first free agent signed that summer and was supposed to be a valuable piece which hasn't happened, and the other guy signed for peanuts late in the offseason and is excelling. And yeah, I agree that he's above Carroll right now.

Yup, SVG has largely sucked in free agency. Fortunately for he and Detoit he's shined on the trade market for the most part.

Agreed. Bazemore was largely unnoticed and I don't think anyone reasonable predicted he'd be this solid so far.

The credit really goes to Coach Budenholzer for his development with a Spurs-like culture. They're really making use of every drop of talent in those guys right now.

A lot of it is being in the right system, and whatever you want to say about Mike Budenholzer, the guy knows how to fit players into a system.

Its tough to say whether or not Bazemore would be able to excel here like he has in Atlanta this year, but its safe to say he'd have been a heck of a lot better signing than Jodie Meeks. Hindsight ins 20/20 and what not, though.

[DBC10]

^Considering our history of known shooters slumping hard and being worthless in the later years of their contract, I really doubt Bazemore would do well. It's been a trend lately of shooters having their numbers dip below their historic percentages. Especially the 3 ball.

[Snakebites]

Some numbers to give some general perspective here that I thought were interesting:

The Warriors are currently a god-like 35-2. Never seen anything like this start. The current best record in regular season history is 72-10, set by the Bulls in 1995-96 (incidentally the first year I followed basketball as a boy).

In order to top this mark and finish with 73 wins, the Warriors would have to finish 38-7. That means their winning percentage for the remainder of the season would have to be .844. The Spurs current percentage is .842.

In other words, despite how godlike they've been so far, they STILL need to be better than any other team in the league for the REST of the season on top of what they've already done to break that record. Just shows how crazy that record really is. Even crazier is that it seems like the Warriors might just be able to pull it off.

So dominant were the Bulls in that season that I cam perilously close as an impressionable youth to losing interest in the sport entirely. Wonder if there are any young Warrior haters out there right now with that sort of dilemma going on.

Pardon the brain dump.

[Kilo]

So what is Dumars up to these days? Could he be looked at for the BKLN job? It will be a tough sell for any GM though given the draft pick situation. Will need at least a five year contract.

[MrBigShot]

Billy King was a really bad GM, but at least he tried. He put together on paper what a lot of people believed to be a legitimate contender before the season began, but as we know that plan fell flat on its face.

He screwed them over long-term, but at least he didn't set his team up to embarrass themselves and losing as many games as possible for multiple seasons with a complete disregard for the veteran leadership, locker room culture, and the human element of basketball in general. Players aren't just pieces on a chess board as Hinkie, and quite frankly Morey as well seem to think.

[DBC10]

Billy King was a really bad GM, but at least he tried. He put together on paper what a lot of people believed to be a legitimate contender before the season began, but as we know that plan fell flat on its face.

He screwed them over long-term, but at least he didn't set his team up to embarrass themselves and losing as many games as possible for multiple seasons with a complete disregard for the veteran leadership, locker room culture, and the human element of basketball in general. Players aren't just pieces on a chess board as Hinkie, and quite frankly Morey as well seem to think.

He should've never gave out picks like they were candy in the first place. This is the same problem with these delusional old-school GMs like Isiah Thomas, Dumars, and King. They also have a tendency of hiring old-school delusional coaches who can't adapt in the new era like Mo Cheeks, Byron Scott, and Hollins too.

I'm sure when Billy first inquired to Ainge about Pierce and KG, Ainge likely jokingly threw out the unprotected 1st in return for those old veterans. Ainge was probably shocked that King accepted.

[thesack12]

Yeah, I'd be lying if I said I thought he was going to been as good as he has been. But at the time both Baze and Meeks were comparable players with similar spiked values entering free agency. One guy was overpaid as the first free agent signed that summer and was supposed to be a valuable piece which hasn't happened, and the other guy signed for peanuts late in the offseason and is excelling. And yeah, I agree that he's above Carroll right now.

Yup, SVG has largely sucked in free agency. Fortunately for he and Detoit he's shined on the trade market for the most part.

Agreed. Bazemore was largely unnoticed and I don't think anyone reasonable predicted he'd be this solid so far.

The credit really goes to Coach Budenholzer for his development with a Spurs-like culture. They're really making use of every drop of talent in those guys right now.

A lot of it is being in the right system, and whatever you want to say about Mike Budenholzer, the guy knows how to fit players into a system.

Its tough to say whether or not Bazemore would be able to excel here like he has in Atlanta this year, but its safe to say he'd have been a heck of a lot better signing than Jodie Meeks. Hindsight ins 20/20 and what not, though.

Yeah, Bud is definitely a top 10 coach in this league, arguably higher. He deserves tons of credit for what he's doing in Atlanta.

As for Baze vs Meeks, at the time of their free agency there wasn't a ton of separation between the tiers each guy fell into. Unfortunately SVG made Meeks the first free agent off the board despite being a 3rd/4th tier free agent. When Bazemore signs a 2 year/4 mil contract, its just goes to show why jumping the gun on Meeks was such a bad, bad signing.

[bondom34]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/keith_langlois/status/686683969987997696[/tweet]

[zeebneeb]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/keith_langlois/status/686683969987997696[/tweet]

It would seem the powers that be realize you cant have the next coming of Russell and a STARTING All-Star not have any national T.V. time after all.

One less Laker game is a good thing people.

Oh and thanks for the heads up!

[bondom34]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/keith_langlois/status/686683969987997696[/tweet]

It would seem the powers that be realize you cant have the next coming of Russell and a STARTING All-Star not have any national T.V. time after all.

One less Laker game is a good thing people.

Oh and thanks for the heads up!

No prob, glad to see an up and coming team get on TV and make it watchable!

[zeebneeb]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/keith_langlois/status/686683969987997696[/tweet]

It would seem the powers that be realize you cant have the next coming of Russell and a STARTING All-Star not have any national T.V. time after all.

One less Laker game is a good thing people.

Oh and thanks for the heads up!

No prob, glad to see an up and coming team get on TV and make it watchable!

Well it also happens to showcase the NBA's next two great bigmen in Porky and Andre.

In the coming years this is going to be a big draw. Win Win for the league and fans.

[bondom34]

It would seem the powers that be realize you cant have the next coming of Russell and a STARTING All-Star not have any national T.V. time after all.

One less Laker game is a good thing people.

Oh and thanks for the heads up!

No prob, glad to see an up and coming team get on TV and make it watchable!

Well it also happens to showcase the NBA's next two great bigmen in Porky and Andre.

In the coming years this is going to be a big draw. Win Win for the league and fans.

Didn't even think of it, really hoping Dre makes the ASG, he's earned it this season too.

[tmorgan]

Yeah, we don't really have anyone to guard Porzingis. Morris and Tolliver need to lay body on him all night and tire him out.

[mattao313]

Was watching the GS Heat game and Winslow is so useless on offense they put Boguts on him. lol

[DBC10]

Was watching the GS Heat game and Winslow is so useless on offense they put Boguts on him. lol

The "Tony Allen."

They did the exact same thing against Memphis last year in the playoffs. That's how they won actually, they made Tony shoot and of course he never could.