New Rumors and News Thread

[Edug27]

Yup, We should all hope Sacramento, Chicago or the Clippers implode. Pounce at the deadline or in the offseason. Otherwise build with the Nets picks.

Yup. Every year things go sideways for certain teams and players.
I can almost guarantee the Kings will stink again.
Who knows about the Bulls. That roster is weird.
Clippers will be good. 2nd, 3rd or 4th out West.
Personally, I am rooting for the Pelicans to implode and finish at the bottom again. That paired with Boston getting another top 3 pick and suddenly there could be legs to Davis becoming quietly available.

Sent from my SM-G930T using RealGM mobile app

You got another 3-4 years before those rumors start.

[Edug27]

I did some digging today and the Blake talks are done. But one source said if things don't start well with the Clippers, it could start up again. Apparently Ballmer isn't patient and he wants to see them make real steps towards contention this year. He's realistic enough to know beating the Warriors might not happens, but he wants them to be #2 in the West at least or he might start forcing changes and bring his own guys in.

Moving Blake means 'blow it up'. It doesn't mean 'make steps towards contention'.

[Smitty731]

I did some digging today and the Blake talks are done. But one source said if things don't start well with the Clippers, it could start up again. Apparently Ballmer isn't patient and he wants to see them make real steps towards contention this year. He's realistic enough to know beating the Warriors might not happens, but he wants them to be #2 in the West at least or he might start forcing changes and bring his own guys in.

Moving Blake means 'blow it up'. It doesn't mean 'make steps towards contention'.

For the short term. But if the short teams leads to a better long term, the sense is that Ballmer will push for it. As I said, he's not a patient guy and he doesn't want to wait around on things. If the Clippers falter at all, there will be changes coming.

[Andrew McCeltic]

I'm just thinking Okafor could be worth getting because it's a 'buy low', and if the price is right, he's still insanely talented. He may have enough 'superstar' in him that he can take care of his defensive problems. A lot of us are confident in Smart getting better on offensive for the same reasons. I've seen the stats about how little Jahlil is likely to improve at defense and rebounding, and the rebounding is a bigger concern, but Kobe Bryant had a historically awful rookie season, too, and became Kobe Bryant. That's a hell of a reach, I know, but when you watch Okafor, there's so much raw talent there. He just doesn't have any sense of what to do without the ball in his hands, no urgency on defense, but some of that you can teach. And we all know the case for Noel. I just think we're a move short of what we wanted to do this off-season.

[Writebloc]

Read on Twitter

Off the top of the dome I remember Shaq and Kobe coexisting to create a championship environment, anyone else remember a partnership that wasn't too partnery?

[OFWGKTA]

^Ray and Rondo never liked each other, but I'm not sure how far along their feud was in the title year.

[Andrew McCeltic]

Washington is the treadmill team they deserve to be. Was sort of smart to clean out the Jordan Crawfords and Jamal Mcgees for vets, but now they're back to the middle with 130 million to a guy who hasn't stayed healthy and put it all together.

Would we even want Wall, if he went on the block? I'm sure Sacramento would jump at him. Dallas, maybe. Tough to say.

[Smitty731]

Read on Twitter

Off the top of the dome I remember Shaq and Kobe coexisting to create a championship environment, anyone else remember a partnership that wasn't too partnery?

Bird and McHale didn't always get along all that well.

[Edug27]

I did some digging today and the Blake talks are done. But one source said if things don't start well with the Clippers, it could start up again. Apparently Ballmer isn't patient and he wants to see them make real steps towards contention this year. He's realistic enough to know beating the Warriors might not happens, but he wants them to be #2 in the West at least or he might start forcing changes and bring his own guys in.

Moving Blake means 'blow it up'. It doesn't mean 'make steps towards contention'.

For the short term. But if the short teams leads to a better long term, the sense is that Ballmer will push for it. As I said, he's not a patient guy and he doesn't want to wait around on things. If the Clippers falter at all, there will be changes coming.

Right so a impatient guy wouldn't make a long term move that ruins th short term...

[Smitty731]

Moving Blake means 'blow it up'. It doesn't mean 'make steps towards contention'.

For the short term. But if the short teams leads to a better long term, the sense is that Ballmer will push for it. As I said, he's not a patient guy and he doesn't want to wait around on things. If the Clippers falter at all, there will be changes coming.

Right so a impatient guy wouldn't make a long term move that ruins th short term...

Not how it works with business guys like Ballmer. You make the rough move now to move on to the long term growth as soon as you can. Often the process is as exciting as the result, so he'll want to get on to the next move.

I know you doubt they'll trade Griffin, and I do to some extent too, but Ballmer isn't happy the team he spent $2 billion dollars on is kind of just sitting in the same place. He's going to push for change is they continue as status quo.

[Andrew McCeltic]

Don't think it works now cap-wise, but Blake for Porzingis is the first move, then Chris Paul to whatever team with assets (Orlando? Charlotte? Miami? Utah?) wants him.

[Ed Pinkney]

Hypothetical question - could Wall and Thomas play together effectively and if healthy and playing to his potential would you resign Wall for the max?

I think Wall is underated a bit, he is a really, really good point guard.

[Pacino62]

Hypothetical question - could Wall and Thomas play together effectively and if healthy and playing to his potential would you resign Wall for the max?

I think Wall is underated a bit, he is a really, really good point guard.

Yes. Yes.

Yes please.

[Ed Pinkney]

Hypothetical question - could Wall and Thomas play together effectively and if healthy and playing to his potential would you resign Wall for the max?

I think Wall is underated a bit, he is a really, really good point guard.

Yes. Yes.

Yes please.

He hasn't really had good coaching at any stage of his NBA career and does pretty much everything for that team. Imagine what Stevens could do for him.

[Captain_Caveman]

Been saying for a minute now how a lot of these prospective trade partners are not dealing from a long-term position of strength due to the fact that they have no future.

Sacto - Even if you don't share my low opinion about Boogie, his character and locker room presence, at least accept how very screwed the Kings are here. No way to build around a cancer who will be a year away from restricted free agency in a year.

Bulls - Way to build a 40-win team instead of trading Butler for a top 5 pick and tanking for another one.

Pelicans - You'd have to pry AD out of my cold, dead fingers, but they are never going anywhere.

Thunder - Russ the MVP? Talk to me when that team is .500 at the deadline and everyone hates playing with him.

Pacers and Clippers - Not on the verge of implosion of anything, but they aren't going to contend, now or ever. So now what?

Meanwhile, we are sitting on a big pile of young prospects and future picks, whose collective value isn't about to drop off the cliff in a year.

[GregB]

Been saying for a minute now how a lot of these prospective trade partners are not dealing from a long-term position of strength due to the fact that they have no future.

Sacto - Even if you don't share my low opinion about Boogie, his character and locker room presence, at least accept how very screwed the Kings are here. No way to build around a cancer who will be a year away from restricted free agency in a year.

Bulls - Way to build a 40-win team instead of trading Butler for a top 5 pick and tanking for another one.

Pelicans - You'd have to pry AD out of my cold, dead fingers, but they are never going anywhere.

Thunder - Russ the MVP? Talk to me when that team is .500 at the deadline and everyone hates playing with him.

Pacers and Clippers - Not on the verge of implosion of anything, but they aren't going to contend, now or ever. So now what?

Meanwhile, we are sitting on a big pile of young prospects and future picks, whose collective value isn't about to drop off the cliff in a year.

Yes sir, we are sitting with house money waiting for someone to blink. If they don't we just hope we get at least one top 10 players out of Brown, 17, and 18. If we do we are in great shape.

[165bows]

Been saying for a minute now how a lot of these prospective trade partners are not dealing from a long-term position of strength due to the fact that they have no future.

Sacto - Even if you don't share my low opinion about Boogie, his character and locker room presence, at least accept how very screwed the Kings are here. No way to build around a cancer who will be a year away from restricted free agency in a year.

Bulls - Way to build a 40-win team instead of trading Butler for a top 5 pick and tanking for another one.

Pelicans - You'd have to pry AD out of my cold, dead fingers, but they are never going anywhere.

Thunder - Russ the MVP? Talk to me when that team is .500 at the deadline and everyone hates playing with him.

Pacers and Clippers - Not on the verge of implosion of anything, but they aren't going to contend, now or ever. So now what?

Meanwhile, we are sitting on a big pile of young prospects and future picks, whose collective value isn't about to drop off the cliff in a year.

Agree here and I'd speculate Washigton here especially given the report on Wall/Beal issues. They are going nowhere and if Wall is as jealous of others' salary as he is made out to be in that Ringer article, he may be clamoring for an extension this summer (when he becomes eligible for a raise and an extra contract year).

Interesting thing is that with MIN combining Towns and Thibs in the west, there is a team with a real future there. What team in the east can build a legit finals contender as LeBron moves into his mid-30s the next few years? Pretty scant list.

[Andrew McCeltic]

I'm wondering if Indiana would give up Myles Turner for immediate vet help. Probably not, but does happen occasionally.

And Sacramento is bad, but so bad they can't be counted on to act rationally. They're unpredictable and might trade Cousins for John Henson and Michael Carter-Williams.

[ZeroTolerance]

Been saying for a minute now how a lot of these prospective trade partners are not dealing from a long-term position of strength due to the fact that they have no future.

Sacto - Even if you don't share my low opinion about Boogie, his character and locker room presence, at least accept how very screwed the Kings are here. No way to build around a cancer who will be a year away from restricted free agency in a year.

Bulls - Way to build a 40-win team instead of trading Butler for a top 5 pick and tanking for another one.

Pelicans - You'd have to pry AD out of my cold, dead fingers, but they are never going anywhere.

Thunder - Russ the MVP? Talk to me when that team is .500 at the deadline and everyone hates playing with him.

Pacers and Clippers - Not on the verge of implosion of anything, but they aren't going to contend, now or ever. So now what?

Meanwhile, we are sitting on a big pile of young prospects and future picks, whose collective value isn't about to drop off the cliff in a year.

Not to bolster your already huge ego and supreme self-confidence or anything like that,

But I think you have hit the proverbial nail squarely on the head.

I like our positioning and something will break eventually. It's got to happen sometime soon, one would think?

BTW...Cousins sure proved himself in the Olympics?

Dude couldn't stay on the floor for more than a few minutes to a time without fouling somebody....He was totally lost out there...and lucky just not to trip over himself or worse yet, someone else.

He would be an absolute worst fit for this team....without a doubt!

All I can say is it''s a good thing we had Deandre Jordan to do all of the dirty work...

[ZeroTolerance]

Washington is the treadmill team they deserve to be. Was sort of smart to clean out the Jordan Crawfords and Jamal Mcgees for vets, but now they're back to the middle with 130 million to a guy who hasn't stayed healthy and put it all together.

Would we even want Wall, if he went on the block? I'm sure Sacramento would jump at him. Dallas, maybe. Tough to say.

I'm not sure that either of Washington's back court duo is better than our present corps"

And both of those guys are are overpaid.....While our guys are all bargains considering what they currently make....

I don't think you do anything to disrupt that?

We need a front line big....And when I say that I mean someone who can contribute consistently and not cause any distractions.

That should be the target. I could see us facilitating a trade than brings such a valuable front line player here. We've got the assets to certainly do that without it affecting our core.

Maybe Philly would be interested in obtaining Wall? A deal that sends Noel or even Okafor here would certainly be worth doing...

Get out the trade checkers and lets see what could possibly happen?