Around the League - 2019-2020

[76ciology]

The best coached team right now for me is the Lakers. And it’s not just of Vogel but they have a handful of the best minds in NBA right now.

For instance, Vogel going away from McGee-AD frontcourt was a great adjustment that I dont think Brett would have done. Their defense against Harden is another example.

MDA not making adjustments and really doesnt have any options but to play microball is putting him at a disadvantage right now

Yeah they went ALL-IN on microball after making the disastrous trade for Westbrick, realizing that since the guy can't shoot they need to surround him with shooters.

Right now MDA has no other choice so you can't really knock him for not being able to adjust.

Houston is a team that could really use a guy like Al Horford.

I remember a woj podcast with MDA. I believe it was when he was hired to be their HC.

He talked about how he regret giving up on smallball given his failure to beat the Spurs. They went to get shaq as counter. He said that the Suns may have beat the Spurs at some point if they just sticked with smallball. I believe that mindset has influenced on how he has run the team.

To beat the Lakers you have to slow down one of their stars. This microball thing is not going to get it done.

They’re getting out rebounded (G4) and Lakers are getting a lot of point blank shots around the rim (G2&G3).

Al can help them. But a guy like Whiteside or DeAndre Jordan or Drummond could be better fits.

[VDT]

Paul is a win now trade and Richardson will help the team more than the pick. The pick has also more value for the OKC so its a no brainer for me.

I'm ok w/keeping Richardson if we plan to resign him or at least sign and trade him next summer for value.

Since our cheap ownership will likely let him walk instead, he needs to go in the deal.

We need that pick to find our PG of the future. CP3 has a 2 year contract and it would be foolish to count on him after that.

Of course, with the myopic "vision" of this front office I would expect them to send the pick and keep JRich to set up a ONE YEAR window.

I doubt they will try to keep him. The team will already have 4 max contracts which is probably unprecedented.There is no way they are going to keep them especially for a team that hasnt won anything. It is probably not even sound team building. It's much better to have two genuine max players and then quality roleplayers than trying to form a top heavy team because of diminishing returns and because you are likely to just overpay players.

At the same time hoping that a pick in the 20s will be the pg of the future is optimistic. Even finding a starter (not a star) pg would be unlikely and it would take probably years for him to get there. Which again doesnt really help us now. There is also a limit to how many young, inexperienced players you can develop while trying to be competitive.

[Arsenal]

The best coached team right now for me is the Lakers. And it’s not just of Vogel but they have a handful of the best minds in NBA right now.

For instance, Vogel going away from McGee-AD frontcourt was a great adjustment that I dont think Brett would have done. Their defense against Harden is another example.

MDA not making adjustments and really doesnt have any options but to play microball is putting him at a disadvantage right now

Yeah they went ALL-IN on microball after making the disastrous trade for Westbrick, realizing that since the guy can't shoot they need to surround him with shooters.

Right now MDA has no other choice so you can't really knock him for not being able to adjust.

Houston is a team that could really use a guy like Al Horford.

I remember a woj podcast with MDA. I believe it was when he was hired to be their HC.

He talked about how he regret giving up on smallball given his failure to beat the Spurs. They went to get shaq as counter. He said that the Suns may have beat the Spurs at some point if they just sticked with smallball. I believe that mindset has influenced on how he has run the team.

To beat the Lakers you have to slow down one of their stars. This microball thing is not going to get it done.

They’re getting out rebounded (G4) and Lakers are getting a lot of point blank shots around the rim (G2&G3).

Al can help them. But a guy like Whiteside or DeAndre Jordan or Drummond could be better fits.

I guarantee the Rockets under their current management are not interested in Whiteside, Jordan, or Drummond because they can't stretch the floor. Horford while not awesome at it, can. They'd take one of those guys on the minimum, but they won't send value for them in trade or in free agency.

[Kobblehead]

IMO, it's not just the lack of size, it's also the lack of depth in Houston.

Daniel House sucks and should not be playing 31 minutes a night for a contender. Also, a 34 year old, cooked iteration of Jeff Green should not be playing 28 minutes a night for a contender.

Trevor Ariza, Kent Bazemore, James Ennis, Andre Iguodala, Jae Crowder, Mo Harkless were all traded this year and the Rockets didn't come away with any of the above. It was a mistake.

[Arsenal]

IMO, it's not just the lack of size, it's also the lack of depth in Houston.

Daniel House sucks and should not be playing 31 minutes a night for a contender. Also, a 34 year old, cooked iteration of Jeff Green should not be playing 28 minutes a night for a contender.

Trevor Ariza, Kent Bazemore, James Ennis, Andre Iguodala, Jae Crowder, Mo Harkless were all traded this year and the Rockets didn't come away with any of the above. It was a mistake.

It's all because their owner Fertitta is cheap and refuses to pay the luxury tax. It started with refusing to run it back in summer 2018 by letting Ariza walk, and has been a domino effect since then.

[76ciology]

IMO, it's not just the lack of size, it's also the lack of depth in Houston.

Daniel House sucks and should not be playing 31 minutes a night for a contender. Also, a 34 year old, cooked iteration of Jeff Green should not be playing 28 minutes a night for a contender.

Trevor Ariza, Kent Bazemore, James Ennis, Andre Iguodala, Jae Crowder, Mo Harkless were all traded this year and the Rockets didn't come away with any of the above. It was a mistake.

Do you think our team has better depth, outside of the top 2 players of both teams?

[76ciology]

Yeah they went ALL-IN on microball after making the disastrous trade for Westbrick, realizing that since the guy can't shoot they need to surround him with shooters.

Right now MDA has no other choice so you can't really knock him for not being able to adjust.

Houston is a team that could really use a guy like Al Horford.

I remember a woj podcast with MDA. I believe it was when he was hired to be their HC.

He talked about how he regret giving up on smallball given his failure to beat the Spurs. They went to get shaq as counter. He said that the Suns may have beat the Spurs at some point if they just sticked with smallball. I believe that mindset has influenced on how he has run the team.

To beat the Lakers you have to slow down one of their stars. This microball thing is not going to get it done.

They’re getting out rebounded (G4) and Lakers are getting a lot of point blank shots around the rim (G2&G3).

Al can help them. But a guy like Whiteside or DeAndre Jordan or Drummond could be better fits.

I guarantee the Rockets under their current management are not interested in Whiteside, Jordan, or Drummond because they can't stretch the floor. Horford while not awesome at it, can. They'd take one of those guys on the minimum, but they won't send value for them in trade or in free agency.

And that’s why Vogel and the Lakers are better.

Lakers adjusted by playing smaller than their usual rotation. They are even bigger than the Rox by doing so.

This Rox roster is OK against other small ball teams or teams who can’t hurt them because of their size like the Clippers.

I dont think Al can help them not getting outrebounded and taken advantage down low. AL is OK at C if he’s playing with 2-3 wings who have length for deflections and grabbing the boards. But he doesn’t have the tools to make up for their lack of length like what the Cs I mentioned.

If Al’s is just for hitting 3s and defending Davis, I believe Rox is satisfied with Tucker’s performance for that.

[Kobblehead]

Do you think our team has better depth, outside of the top 2 players of both teams?

Probably, but we have a lot of fake depth, IMO. Austin Rivers would be our best ball handler and he doesn't even play 20 a minutes a night for them. And Tucker and Covington would probably be our 3rd and 4th best starter behind Simmons/Embiid (given that Horford is a C).

[76ciology]

Do you think our team has better depth, outside of the top 2 players of both teams?

Probably, but we have a lot of fake depth, IMO. Austin Rivers would be our best ball handler and he doesn't even play 20 a minutes a night for them. And Tucker and Covington would probably be our 3rd and 4th best starter behind Simmons/Embiid (given that Horford is a C).

So you mean Rockets have more depth than us?

I think Burks, Milton and Jrich are all better than Rivers.

I can say if Tobi and Al are with the Rox, both guys are easily the third and fourth best players for them. A much stronger case than Tucker and Roco being the third and 4th best players for us.

[Kobblehead]

So you mean Rockets have more depth than us?

I think Burks, Milton and Jrich are all better than Rivers.

I can say if Tobi and Al are with the Rox, both guys are easily the third and fourth best players for them. A much stronger case than Tucker and Roco being the third and 4th best players for us.

I think Burks and Rivers are about a wash. Both can create off the dribble but are bad defenders. Some might prefer Burks for his size, some may prefer Rivers for his killer instinct and handle.

If I was using both teams to build a playoff rotation, I think it would be about even.

Embiid
Simmons
Covington
Harden
Westbrook
----------------
Tucker
Horford
Thybulle
-----------------
Rivers or Burks in a 10-15 minute role

[76ciology]

So you mean Rockets have more depth than us?

I think Burks, Milton and Jrich are all better than Rivers.

I can say if Tobi and Al are with the Rox, both guys are easily the third and fourth best players for them. A much stronger case than Tucker and Roco being the third and 4th best players for us.

I think Burks and Rivers are about a wash. Both can create off the dribble but are bad defenders. Some might prefer Burks for his size, some may prefer Rivers for his killer instinct and handle.

If I was using both teams to build a playoff rotation, I think it would be about even.

Embiid
Simmons
Covington
Harden
Westbrook
----------------
Tucker
Horford
Thybulle
-----------------
Rivers or Burks in a 10-15 minute role

Let’s say both teams exchange 3rd to last man on the roster for both teams I think it would be..

Rox:

Eric Gordon
Ben Simmons
Robert Covington
PJ Tucker
Embiid

Austin Rivers
Daniel House
Jeff Green

Sixers:
Russell Westbrook
James Harden
Thybulle
Tobias Harris
Al Horford

Josh Richardson
Shake Milton
Alex Burks

I think we have more talent 3rd to the last guy on the roster than the Rockets.

And I can understand it with both Harden and RW being ex MVP winner and MVP candidates needing less help than weak star in Ben and a star in Embiid.

[stormi]

The duo of Tatum and Brown is so mid.

Miami is being carried by a 30 year old with bad knees

Toronto is done. Giannis has his eyes set elsewhere

The east is still through Philadelphia, this is just an off year

[Kobblehead]

The duo of Tatum and Brown is so mid.

Miami is being carried by a 30 year old with bad knees

Toronto is done. Giannis has his eyes set elsewhere

The east is still through Philadelphia, this is just an off year

The Celtics and Raptors are just flatout better teams and organizations than us and the Nets are about to take the conference by storm next year. There's a very real possibility that we're a 4th place in our own division finish.

[stormi]

The duo of Tatum and Brown is so mid.

Miami is being carried by a 30 year old with bad knees

Toronto is done. Giannis has his eyes set elsewhere

The east is still through Philadelphia, this is just an off year

The Celtics and Raptors are just flatout better teams and organizations than us and the Nets are about to take the conference by storm next year. There's a very real possibility that we're a 4th place in our own division finish.

Def agree with the organizational part, those are all elite ran organizations, we are a tire fire.

Raps are a great regular season team, not a championship threat anymore with that current core, but I mean Masai.

Tatum and Brown are cool. That's not some dynasty or even close caliber duo.

Nets are a wildcard, but they should be really good. I still think KD is the best player in the world. He was throating the Raps and Kawhi last year in the brief finals appearance he made, even with his achilles wrapped around his ankle. We'll see how he's looking though.

Turn Horf into a point guard and get me a real shooter in the starting lineup with Embiid, Simmons and a new and impressive coach and we can hang with anybody. (sigh, Elton)

[76ciology]

How you view the team depends on how you view Biid and Ben. If they play like how they played this season where they need Al Horford and Tobias to carry them, then we’re just a 5th to 6th seed team.

If Biid and Ben lives up to their potential where Tobi and Al will be too good to be 3rd or 4th best player to the team, then we’re one of the top teams in the east.

[76ciology]

Microball wont work.

Lakers shot 50% from the field on 60TS% in 5 games during the Rox series.

[kriss73]

Lakers-Celtics finals the year we chocked.
Kill me, please

[M2J]

Microball wont work.

Lakers shot 50% from the field on 60TS% in 5 games during the Rox series.

Do you consider the Celtics as playing micro ball? I do with Theis and Williams at 6'8.

I think they have the fire power, specifically with Gordon to make it a legit thing.

I think MDA is an absolute horrid coach. Followed him in NYC. You can say he didn't have adjustments to make, which is true on this team with personnel. But he has a history of not adjusting. Though mid range shots could've been one, when a team is literally giving it to you. Getting back in transition, could've been another, getting more off ball action from Harden.... Full court press, and traps to create turnovers and generate quicker shots. Posting Westbrook and Harden more.

I think Boston's definitely going to the finals this year. When Gordon returns, they will always have 2 strong, all around scorers on the court all game long... Which hurry them vs Toronto. Also Gordon's cutting and ability to attack inside would've helped vs the box and 1 defense.

They're willing to score on all three levels unlike Houston... willing to play with more pace than Houston...has more reliable multi faceted scorers than Houston. Also play better defensively than Houston, and you can rely on that, even if they're struggling offensively. They also have a real coach that can adjust.

I honestly can't see them beating the Lakers or Clippers, but it's not crazy if they do. I think the ultimate factor wouldn't be their size, but the fact that Tatum or Brown isn't ready to carry them vs Lebron or Kawhi at this point.

[ProcessDoctor]

Lakers-Celtics finals the year we chocked.
Kill me, please

Clippers/Heat absolutely needs to happen. The amount of TV analyst salivation in a Lakers/Celtics series would be unbearable for anyone not a fan of those teams.

[ProcessDoctor]

Obviously very interested in seeing what comes of this Giannis situation. I.e. if he has a list of teams and how short it is.