Around the League Discussion - 2018-2019 (Playoffs)

[Sixerscan]

All I said is their 3-15 is overrated. If you don’t overrate them then the point wasn’t made for you lol. Agreed it’s all about PG and Kawhi

[Kobblehead]

What kind of trade would satisfy your concerns?

[Sixerscan]

A few of these guys for a better guard or a center. Preferably both though that would be tough. If they could get Lowry that would be great though the money likely wouldn’t work.

Main point is they should consolidate their depth. They have more decent guys than minutes at this point.

[Negrodamus]

Isn't it weird that Okafor was on this team? Of the top draft picks we've had since the beginning of the process, I think about him the least.

[Kobblehead]

If Okafor was a free agent this summer, I would have been all over bringing him in for a 10 minute role. He was lowkey awesome for New Orleans last year.

[Sixerscan]

Isn't it weird that Okafor was on this team? Of the top draft picks we've had since the beginning of the process, I think about him the least.

Even weirder to think he was the main topic of conversation for a year plus on this board.

[Kobblehead]

Which toxic discussions were the most annoying to partake in and/or read on the board?

Turner discussions, Okafor discussions, or Fultz discussions?

[LloydFree]

Regarding 538’s team projections..

So they project the Rockets to be the best team in the west while the Clips to underperform.

Rockets made it far last season. Westbrook over the corpse of CP3 is a big upgrade. Now teams have to deal with 48 mins of relentless attacks of top tier star guards.

They project the Clips to have bad defense, which i suspect is because of their poor center rotation.

I think they're also considering PG13 to be out for a considerable amount of time. I think that, in addition to Kawhi's load management, will considerably lessen their win total/ability to hold HCA and advance deep in the playoffs.

Yeah with their full strength rotation they have them winning 54 games, and with George in the lineup the defense is above average.

Their 3-15 gets pretty badly overrated by people though.

Then again I've also seen stuff from 538 saying that Westbrook might be the most overrated player by the numbers in the league. I think its just supposed to be a fun exercise rather than some sort of predictive model you should bet on (besides the Sixers being the best of course that's just science).

The Clippers 3-15 is terrifically over-rated. They don't really have a player outside of Leonard or George that could start on the 76ers, Rockets or Lakers.

What they have is a super deep bunch of good players on value contracts. Players that every other team can use. I expect them to make a trade at the deadline for a Center (Gasol maybe) by consolidating their depth.

[Sixerscan]

Which toxic discussions were the most annoying to partake in and/or read on the board?

Turner discussions, Okafor discussions, or Fultz discussions?

This is an excellent question that I have no idea where to begin. All were bad in their own different ways. Would swing Dalembert in as the 4th horseman. He was the only one that the team actually paid, so we actually had to have the debate for a longer period of time

[Kobblehead]

I expect them to make a trade at the deadline for a Center (Gasol maybe) by consolidating their depth.

I just don't see a need for a big, for them.

What if Harrell continues to dominate in his opportunities, Zubac continues to be surprisingly effective, and Kabengele flashes young Ibaka glimpses here and there?

Not only would they not need a big, but they'd have a surplus.

[Sixerscan]

I expect them to make a trade at the deadline for a Center (Gasol maybe) by consolidating their depth.

I just don't see a need for a big, for them.

What if Harrell continues to dominate in his opportunities, Zubac continues to be surprisingly effective, and Kabengele flashes young Ibaka glimpses here and there?

Not only would they not need a big, but they'd have a surplus.

Clippers have a smart front office. They'll realize for whatever regular season highlights they have that they have no one to mark Davis, Jokic let alone Embiid.

Really they need both Lowry and Gasol which is sort of ironic.

[LloydFree]

I expect them to make a trade at the deadline for a Center (Gasol maybe) by consolidating their depth.

I just don't see a need for a big, for them.

What if Harrell continues to dominate in his opportunities, Zubac continues to be surprisingly effective, and Kabengele flashes young Ibaka glimpses here and there?

Not only would they not need a big, but they'd have a surplus.

Harrell can't defend anybody. People get caught up in watching his hustle and energy plays. Against any team with a real Center, he'll get dominated.

Zubac isn't close to being a starting caliber player. In fact I think the Clippers got so carried away with the thought that they stole a useful player from the Lakers, they likely over-payed him to be a below average starting Center.

Kabangele was a steal. One of the two players I wish the 76ers had selected at 24, but he isn't going to do anything for a couple years.

[Kobblehead]

What bigman do the Clippers have to defend?

It's not like Towns and Ayton are coming to the Western playoffs yet.

- The dunk and block Cs like Capella and Gobert aren't worthy of defensive attention.
- The corpse of Boogie Cousins isn't likely to keep them up at night.
- Jokic is great, but he's passive in demeanor and finesse. Not a guy who will bang in the post and punish an opposing frontcourt.

[Kobblehead]

Clippers have a smart front office. They'll realize for whatever regular season highlights they have that they have no one to mark Davis, Jokic let alone Embiid.

Really they need both Lowry and Gasol which is sort of ironic.

If they're unsatisfied with what they have, isn't it reasonable to expect Howard and/or Baynes to hit the buyout market? Both are cheap, $5m expiring that will be easy to negotiate a release from. No need to lose depth to address that.

[XtremeDunkz]

Which toxic discussions were the most annoying to partake in and/or read on the board?

Turner discussions, Okafor discussions, or Fultz discussions?

Fultz. It isnt even close.

[Sixerscan]

Clippers have a smart front office. They'll realize for whatever regular season highlights they have that they have no one to mark Davis, Jokic let alone Embiid.

Really they need both Lowry and Gasol which is sort of ironic.

If they're unsatisfied with what they have, isn't it reasonable to expect Howard and/or Baynes to hit the buyout market? Both are cheap, $5m expiring that will be easy to negotiate a release from. No need to lose depth to address that.

Playing Baynes or Dwight Howard in the last 5 minutes in game 7 of the western conference finals as your overqualified 8th-10th men sit on the sidelines:

[Kobblehead]

I'm good with any big on the court, as long as they're hitting their free throws. Whether that be Harrell, Zubac or Baynes.

Good luck at another team attempting to close out a playoff series by running offense through a bigman in the modern era.

[Negrodamus]

Which toxic discussions were the most annoying to partake in and/or read on the board?

Turner discussions, Okafor discussions, or Fultz discussions?

Fultz, because his upside would have actually worked in the modern game. At the very least, he could have been a good sixth man.

Turner and Okafor were so obviously no worth their pick, I was resigned to them not living up to expectations from the moment we selected them. Fultz should not have been the first pick (and I was a huge critic of his), but he felt like a top ten pick and didn't fall out because he was garbage like the other two. That was way more frustrating to me.

[LloydFree]

I'm good with any big on the court, as long as they're hitting their free throws. Whether that be Harrell, Zubac or Baynes.

Good luck at another team attempting to close out a playoff series by running offense through a bigman in the modern era.

I'll waste a prayer hoping the Clippers will view it the same way. If they do, may as well start printing 76ers vs Lakers Finals tickets.

[Kobblehead]

In what world will Kawhi Leonard and Paul George have their fate determined by what bigman is on the court with them?