Discussing Other Teams' Moves - Part 7

[Rafael122]

Here's a popcorn worthy thread. viewtopic.php?f=32&t=1798381 After a loss to the Bucks, some Toronto fans now think they should trade Kawhi Leonard.

It's laughable how badly fans overreact.

Kawhi is a legit MVP candidate and Toronto has the 2nd best record in the league, and they're suggesting that they trade Kawhi and try and build for the future.

The East is going to be so interesting to watch over the next 2 years.

Raptors - if they don't make the finals and Kawhi signs elsewhere, they're probably going to rebuild.

Celtics - Ainge has controlled the draft for the last half decade, all in a pursuit to get two max stars and it may end up blowing up in his face. Davis isn't coming there, and Kyrie might be a Knick. They'll be left with Horford, a one legged Hayward, and young players.

Sixers - who knows if they actually resign Butler. It's not working, so why commit $200 million to him?

Pacers - Tony Parker said it took him 2 years to recover from the same injury Oladipo got. Oladipo is younger, so maybe the timeline moves up a bit, but you have to be thinking Indiana is going to bottom out this year and next.

Really, the only two teams in the East who are set up well are Milwaukee and Brooklyn. Now Milwaukee can light their potential cap room on fire if Middleton comes back on a max contract, but they have Giannis locked up for 2 more seasons and Brooklyn has 2 max slots available.

I didn't include the Knicks b/c we have no idea if they actually get KD and Kyrie.

[Ruzious]

Here's a popcorn worthy thread. viewtopic.php?f=32&t=1798381 After a loss to the Bucks, some Toronto fans now think they should trade Kawhi Leonard.

It's laughable how badly fans overreact.

Kawhi is a legit MVP candidate and Toronto has the 2nd best record in the league, and they're suggesting that they trade Kawhi and try and build for the future.

The East is going to be so interesting to watch over the next 2 years.

Raptors - if they don't make the finals and Kawhi signs elsewhere, they're probably going to rebuild.

Celtics - Ainge has controlled the draft for the last half decade, all in a pursuit to get two max stars and it may end up blowing up in his face. Davis isn't coming there, and Kyrie might be a Knick. They'll be left with Horford, a one legged Hayward, and young players.

Sixers - who knows if they actually resign Butler. It's not working, so why commit $200 million to him?

Pacers - Tony Parker said it took him 2 years to recover from the same injury Oladipo got. Oladipo is younger, so maybe the timeline moves up a bit, but you have to be thinking Indiana is going to bottom out this year and next.

Really, the only two teams in the East who are set up well are Milwaukee and Brooklyn. Now Milwaukee can light their potential cap room on fire if Middleton comes back on a max contract, but they have Giannis locked up for 2 more seasons and Brooklyn has 2 max slots available.

I didn't include the Knicks b/c we have no idea if they actually get KD and Kyrie.

Wow, it does sound a lot worse than I had realized - I thought the East was starting to get better this season. I think the Celtics are still set up best, because they have so many draft picks.

Milwaukee's 4 starters other than Giannis are free agents this offseason. But they can probably clear enough space to re-sign them all. It'll be interesting to see how much Middleton gets. I think he's vital to Milwaukee, but he's not worth a max contract, because he's a limited defender.

[Rafael122]

It's laughable how badly fans overreact.

Kawhi is a legit MVP candidate and Toronto has the 2nd best record in the league, and they're suggesting that they trade Kawhi and try and build for the future.

The East is going to be so interesting to watch over the next 2 years.

Raptors - if they don't make the finals and Kawhi signs elsewhere, they're probably going to rebuild.

Celtics - Ainge has controlled the draft for the last half decade, all in a pursuit to get two max stars and it may end up blowing up in his face. Davis isn't coming there, and Kyrie might be a Knick. They'll be left with Horford, a one legged Hayward, and young players.

Sixers - who knows if they actually resign Butler. It's not working, so why commit $200 million to him?

Pacers - Tony Parker said it took him 2 years to recover from the same injury Oladipo got. Oladipo is younger, so maybe the timeline moves up a bit, but you have to be thinking Indiana is going to bottom out this year and next.

Really, the only two teams in the East who are set up well are Milwaukee and Brooklyn. Now Milwaukee can light their potential cap room on fire if Middleton comes back on a max contract, but they have Giannis locked up for 2 more seasons and Brooklyn has 2 max slots available.

I didn't include the Knicks b/c we have no idea if they actually get KD and Kyrie.

Wow, it does sound a lot worse than I had realized - I thought the East was starting to get better this season. I think the Celtics are still set up best, because they have so many draft picks.

Milwaukee's 4 starters other than Giannis are free agents this offseason. But they can probably clear enough space to re-sign them all. It'll be interesting to see how much Middleton gets. I think he's vital to Milwaukee, but he's not worth a max contract, because he's a limited defender.

Throughout this whole Kyrie-Porzingis-Davis stuff, the national NBA writers seem to want to pigeon hole Boston into everything. I don't think they're set up that well.

For one, the Clippers pick is probably going to be a late teens-early 20s pick. They probably won't get the Memphis pick until 2021, and the Kings pick is looking like a late lottery pick just b/c the East is so terrible.

I think Brown is solid, but he's the 3rd best option on a championship team, at best. Tatum has taken a step back b/c Kyrie and Hayward are back. I've always maintained the stance that Boston probably should have made a trade for a big fish a year or two ago before those picks became players.

The Raptors GM made the Kawhi trade, I think a) to get out of DDR's contract and b) its a "screw it, if it works and we win a title, fine"

[FAH1223]

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[long suffrin' boulez fan]

Here's a popcorn worthy thread. viewtopic.php?f=32&t=1798381 After a loss to the Bucks, some Toronto fans now think they should trade Kawhi Leonard.

It's laughable how badly fans overreact.

Kawhi is a legit MVP candidate and Toronto has the 2nd best record in the league, and they're suggesting that they trade Kawhi and try and build for the future.

The East is going to be so interesting to watch over the next 2 years.

Raptors - if they don't make the finals and Kawhi signs elsewhere, they're probably going to rebuild.

Celtics - Ainge has controlled the draft for the last half decade, all in a pursuit to get two max stars and it may end up blowing up in his face. Davis isn't coming there, and Kyrie might be a Knick. They'll be left with Horford, a one legged Hayward, and young players.

Sixers - who knows if they actually resign Butler. It's not working, so why commit $200 million to him?

Pacers - Tony Parker said it took him 2 years to recover from the same injury Oladipo got. Oladipo is younger, so maybe the timeline moves up a bit, but you have to be thinking Indiana is going to bottom out this year and next.

Really, the only two teams in the East who are set up well are Milwaukee and Brooklyn. Now Milwaukee can light their potential cap room on fire if Middleton comes back on a max contract, but they have Giannis locked up for 2 more seasons and Brooklyn has 2 max slots available.

I didn't include the Knicks b/c we have no idea if they actually get KD and Kyrie.

So, I’d agree with this diagnosis more if Ainge were, say, Ernie.

But given the chess pieces he’s playing with, I’m fairly certain he’s going to come away with a nice roster... and perhaps more future pieces. Ainge gonna Ainge.

[I_Like_Dirt]

So, I’d agree with this diagnosis more if Ainge were, say, Ernie.

But given the chess pieces he’s playing with, I’m fairly certain he’s going to come away with a nice roster... and perhaps more future pieces. Ainge gonna Ainge.

This is at the core of the issue, really. Yeah, teams will rise and fall but the teams that always seem to have upward mobility are going to be the teams with better managers at the helm. Ainge will keep the Celtics relevant. Ujiri will keep the Raptors relevant. Marks will keep the Nets relevant. The Bucks will stay relevant as long as Bud is at the helm and he will bail if the roster ever turns for the worse. Those teams will all have their ups and downs - the Celtics and Raptors might have to reset a bit and the Bucks probably are what they are at this point given all the free agents they have this offseason but well run teams just tend to find ways.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

BRK losing Spencer for some time now too with a thumb injury. Everything is breaking EG and Ted's way for another run at a 1st round exit.

How much does having to pay the luxury tax even mean to a billionaire like Ted Leonsis?

[long suffrin' boulez fan]

The Sixers have some serious talent... and the Clips are set up with picks and cap space.

Seems like a win win to me.

[FAH1223]

The Sixers have some serious talent... and the Clips are set up with picks and cap space.

Seems like a win win to me.

Yup. Clippers are set on Kawhi and they have someone from their organization at EVERY Raptors game which is borderline tampering.

[Kanyewest]

The Sixers have some serious talent... and the Clips are set up with picks and cap space.

Seems like a win win to me.

Yup. Clippers are set on Kawhi and they have someone from their organization at EVERY Raptors game which is borderline tampering.

If the 76ers beat the Raptors, then it is more likely that Leonard joins the Clippers.

Also, the Clippers are indirectly screwing the Celtics as well. If the Clippers miss the playoffs again, then the Clippers get to keep their pick instead of sending it to Boston. And if the Clippers finish worse than the Kings, then the Kings pick will get worse which is set to be conveyed to Celtics.

[verbal8]

The Sixers have some serious talent... and the Clips are set up with picks and cap space.

Seems like a win win to me.

It does seem like a deal that could help both teams move in the direction they are attempting to pursue. It helps the Clippers maximize flexibility to acquire a new core. It adds talent now for the Sixers.

I wonder if the Sixers/Pelicans would consider dealing Embiid for Davis straight up. The Embiid would be the best single player the Pelicans could get for Davis and the contract length could come close to offsetting the loss in talent/production.

[nate33]

I think the Clippers fleeced Philly in the deal. Harris was an unrestricted free agent in 3 months. How the heck do you give up two 1sts (including the really good Miami one) and a promising young player for a 3-month rental?

Bill Simmons tweeted a good point. Philly still lacks an on-the-ball defender at PG and they lack ball handlers other than Simmons. They should have made the same trade for Jrue Holiday, only it might have cost them a bit less, and Holiday is under contract at an affordable price for a long time. Holiday can run point when Simmons sits, but play off the ball when Simmons has it.

PG Holiday
SG Redick
SF Butler
PF Simmons
C Embiid

Now THAT'S a scary crunch time lineup.

[queridiculo]

BRK losing Spencer for some time now too with a thumb injury. Everything is breaking EG and Ted's way for another run at a 1st round exit.

How much does having to pay the luxury tax even mean to a billionaire like Ted Leonsis?

Leonsis is rich, no doubt about it, but I think a whole lot of his net worth is tied up in his business ventures and monumental.

I don't think him or monumental have the sort of cash flow where he can just pour money into the Wizards like some other teams can.

No doubt that was part of the reason why the Nets attached all kinds of nasty little surprises to his offer sheet. Having to pay 50% of Porter's salary up front is probably already a pain point for the organization, so I doubt you'll ever see Leonsis pay the luxury tax unless it's for a sure fire thing.

[nate33]

Somebody help me understand this Miami/Phoenix trade:

Miami trades: Wayne Ellington + Tyler Johnson
Phoenix trades: Ryan Anderson

Phoenix is reportedly going to waive Ellington. So Phoenix just paid an additional $5M this year and $4M next year to turn Ryan Anderson into Tyler Johnson. Why did they bail out Miami like that? No picks were involved.

[FAH1223]

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[Eli Babak]

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Not surprising. Smith is useless and Johnson a bust.

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**** Ernie.

[Ruzious]

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Not surprising. Smith is useless and Johnson a bust.

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**** Ernie.

Bucks say thank you to Ernie for providing most of the ammo they needed to get Mirotic.

[JWizmentality]

Lol...we are going to be irrelevant in the East for years.

[LyricalRico]

Wait...Philly was able to get a first for Markelle "forgot how to shoot and playing with one arm" Fultz?!?!

[trast66]

Wait...Philly was able to get a first for Markelle "forgot how to shoot and playing with one arm" Fultz?!?!

Orlando could be worse run than we are. Both franchises on the short list for worst in NBA, throw Knicks in there.