Around the NBA (2018-19 season)

[TunaFish]

Looks like someone has been reading our discussion above:

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2844428-lebrons-title-odds-shrink-as-the-player-empowerment-movement-he-started-grows?utm_source=cnn.com&utm_campaign=editorial&utm_medium=referral

And:

https://larrybrownsports.com/basketball/nba-owners-concerns-superstar-power/503427

[U hova]

Paul George demanding a trade completely flew over my head.

[THE J0KER]

Paul George demanding a trade completely flew over my head.

After George trade, I'm focused on an eventual Denver deal with Oklahoma, but I expected to see Gallinari, not Grant.

J.Grant played last season pretty much close to P.Millsap/G.Harris level in good playoff team, and if Millsap continues to decline and Grant to improve no surprise if he is going to be our 4th best player. He also can play on SF too, which can be his temporary basic role in Denver this season until Milsap is here and Porter still improving.

[TunaFish]

Paul George demanding a trade completely flew over my head.

After George trade, I'm focused on an eventual Denver deal with Oklahoma, but I expected to see Gallinari, not Grant.

J.Grant played last season pretty much close to P.Millsap/G.Harris level in good playoff team, and if Millsap continues to decline and Grant to improve no surprise if he is going to be our 4th best player. He also can play on SF too, which can be his temporary basic role in Denver this season until Milsap is here and Porter still improving.

This about luxury tax. Grant is available because OKC needs to move some contracts to get below the Luxury tax threshold. OKC can't take salary back. Denver is 12 million below the threshold. Grant's salary is about 9 million. Denver can take Grant using either a TPE (if not expired) or the MLE and not send back salary. They can't do that with Gallo who is at 22 million.

Again, remember OKC is shedding salary to avoid the luxury tax and will not be looking for salary.

Denver needs a backup power forward and Grant fills the bill. It's a perfect match.

[THE J0KER]

Paul George demanding a trade completely flew over my head.

After George trade, I'm focused on an eventual Denver deal with Oklahoma, but I expected to see Gallinari, not Grant.

J.Grant played last season pretty much close to P.Millsap/G.Harris level in good playoff team, and if Millsap continues to decline and Grant to improve no surprise if he is going to be our 4th best player. He also can play on SF too, which can be his temporary basic role in Denver this season until Milsap is here and Porter still improving.

This about luxury tax. Grant is available because OKC needs to move some contracts to get below the Luxury tax threshold. OKC can't take salary back. Denver is 12 million below the threshold. Grant's salary is about 9 million. Denver can take Grant using either a TPE (if not expired) or the MLE and not send back salary. They can't do that with Gallo who is at 22 million.

Again, remember OKC is shedding salary to avoid the luxury tax and will not be looking for salary.

Denver needs a backup power forward and Grant fills the bill. It's a perfect match.

This is actually all about our 1st round pick from OKC point of view. Technically, they really saved the team of paying luxury tax with this move, but it is no secret that Thunder works behind the scene to get rid of giant supermax Russell Westbrook deal, and probably it is just question of the time when they will dump Danilo Gallinari expiring contract too. Next week OKC will be not just far away from luxury, but probably ready to buy bad contracts (for picks). Jeramy Grant is probably OKC best contract, they signed 27/3 with him last summer, and he very improved in meantime last season, but they don't need him at all next season where Thunder will tank badly. For Nuggets it is a win-win situation, our 2020 1st round pick is going to be late 20th anyway, and Grant is forward. The only bad thing I see from this trade is the fact that Jeramy Grant didn't come here on two years to play 18/2 contract, but 9/1, his price is already around 15M, and we must be prepared for that next summer on the poor FA market to save him.

[THE J0KER]

Russell Westbrook will join James Harden in Houston instead of Chris Paul.

It is an improvement for Houston, considering the connection between Harden and CP3 was broken last season badly.

[DaFan334]

Harden and Westbrook may have the same issue that Paul and Harden had with only 1 ball to go around. How they share the rock will really determine their success. Westbrook could be tailor-made for that offense though.

[skywalker33]

Harden and Westbrook may have the same issue that Paul and Harden had with only 1 ball to go around. How they share the rock will really determine their success. Westbrook could be tailor-made for that offense though.

Isn't the HOU offense based upon 3-pt shooting ??? Not RW's strongpoint.

[Manolito]

Lyles to Spurs....let's see what Pop can do with him

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[NuggetsWY]

Lyles to Spurs....let's see what Pop can do with him

I hope he does well. I thought he showed a little more of what Utah thought they saw in him. Maybe Pop can find a way to get the solid talent to shine through.

[The Rebel]

Harden and Westbrook may have the same issue that Paul and Harden had with only 1 ball to go around. How they share the rock will really determine their success. Westbrook could be tailor-made for that offense though.

Isn't the HOU offense based upon 3-pt shooting ??? Not RW's strongpoint.

WEstbrook's 3s and his ability to finish at the rim have both declined considerably over the last couple of years. I also wonder if I am the only one that remembers that Harden came off the bench for the Thunder because he and Westbrook struggled to play together? I do not think this deal makes the Rockets better, in fact I think it makes them worse and tied up their cap for another year.

[The Rebel]

Lyles to Spurs....let's see what Pop can do with him

I hope he does well. I thought he showed a little more of what Utah thought they saw in him. Maybe Pop can find a way to get the solid talent to shine through.

Maybe Pop can get through to him but I lost all faith in Lyles ever getting to his ceiling when I watched that pod cast he did with Jefferson where he was bitching about practices in Utah. Less than a year after a team dumps you after drafting and pushing you as a long term fit for over a year you would think that the player would realize that he screwed up.

I think he has a ton of talent, but I do not see him getting much more run in San Antonio than he did in Denver, and I think Pop is wanting him gone by the trade deadline.

[THE J0KER]

I don't like to see that our big conference rivals Rockets and Clippers are frontrunners to sign Andre Iguodala. When teams are already so close, every notable new addition can be very significant.

[TunaFish]

Marc Stein of The New York Times says there’s a belief in league circles that Memphis may be leaning toward keeping Iggy on their roster into the season unless they receive a trade offer that includes a first-round pick.

Who in their right mind would give up a 1st?

[U hova]

Memphis mishandled Tyreke's contract year... I doubt anyone will want to sign with them if they keep hogging assets against the players will.

[skywalker33]

Marc Stein of The New York Times says there’s a belief in league circles that Memphis may be leaning toward keeping Iggy on their roster into the season unless they receive a trade offer that includes a first-round pick.

Who in their right mind would give up a 1st?

I'm with you Tuna, I don't think Iggy,at his age and production is worth a 1st. As for MEM keeping him, maybe until the deadline or perhaps just to keep him as a salary cap holder.