ATL - Ham Slamwich to the Lakers

[raferfenix]

I'd do it, but I'm one of the few people who thinks this team gets better by moving Jrue to the 2-guard spot. Phoenix doesn't entertain this though.

Holiday maximizing his focus as a defensive specialist to flank Paul (or Dame) seems like it'd take a lot of pressure off him stretching as a facilitator and shot creator.

Suns would have to value BroLo as a short term Ayton replacement.

Even then though I imagine the Bucks would have to offer at least our first this season (which we can trade after we select it) and maybe the other future first we have available years from now -- which I'm very uncertain would be worth it for us.

Not sure what other offers Phoenix would have for Paul available. But if he wants to play next to Giannis I could see Sarver taking it as an excuse to just cut some costs.

[PG Graveyard]

Middlton/Hill for Paul/Crowder who says no?

[MartyConlonOnTheRun]

Middlton/Hill for Paul/Crowder who says no?

I don't think it works for either team. Suns already have great wings. We would then be really weak from a wing standpoint. Jrue was as a SG shooting 30% from 3 in the playoffs? No thanks.

Doubt suns would do it, but CP would be interesting. Aligns with Midds contract where we could at least quickly rebuild if we dont get it done in the next 2 years.

[BUCKnation]

I could honestly see Harden's mindset (if it is the case), where he was genuinely an iron man, while not really obsessing over his body like a lebron or chris paul or tom brady famously do. For 8 seasons, he played 36+ min a night and carried an extreme offensive load. He's clearly lost a step with his injuries the last 2 seasons, but without a mindset change, the old james harden will only be a fleeting experience.

[TroyD92]

Instead of Paul what about Khris for Ayton + Bridges

[Ron Swanson]

Instead of Paul what about Khris for Ayton + Bridges

Yuck, and I like Ayton more than most people.

[SupremeHustle]

Middleton and Jrue for LeBron and Anthony Davis works on the trade machine.

[Antinomy]

What about that Celtics series made some of you guys think “Oh yeah, we need MORE guys who have to be fed the ball to score”?

We. Need. Shot. Creators.

It’s very simple.

Mavs literally beat the Suns because they had 3 guys who could put the ball on the floor — 2 of them who are barely starter level.

Our team absolutely cratered without Khris because no one else could do anything off the dribble — he’s masked a lot of our problems over the years.

It’s the exact reason that I never *really* wanted Jrue — if we had a scoring guard, Giannis would be unstoppable.

[Prez]

4 creator model like the 2019 Bucks should be the goal imo. Giannis/Khris/Jrue and a guard who can shoot, handle, won’t get nuked defensively, and can credibly lead bench lineups as a ballhandler alongside one or two of the big 3 in staggered lineups.

Dinwiddie, Derrick White, Tyus Jones, etc. There’s gotta be someone out there who is available and can provide complementary ballhandling/playmaking.

Alternative plan would be if someone like Lillard became available for a discounted price. In that case, I’m okay with just 2-3 guys and filling out with defensive talent.

[sidney lanier]

It's the end of the big man I fear
The pivot's not pivotal here
The opera's been sung
Centerdämmerung
And it's curtains for those like Lanier

Bob Lanier, that is. Maybe it's best that he left us before he could see what has happened to his position in this year's playoffs: four teams remaining without a true big man among them.

[SupremeHustle]

Pat Bev talking on ESPN like he's in a barbershop.

[Milbucks96]

Seems like all the teams with traditional centers have gone fishin' already. Not just us with Brook, but now Ayton, the "unplayable" Gobert, and others. Even Jokic, despite his playmaking ability, has some entries on the liability side of the new NBA ledger.

I don't know if this is the new normal or not, but this year if you're a five and you can't switch, it's go fish.

I think the best option is to be able to do both decently, we’ve seen how effective having a giant traditional center is one series, then it being a liability the next. The last 4 champions have all been able to go big or small proficiently when the situation calls for it.

I think if you only have the ability to do one though, being able to switch 1-5 is the better option than going the Utah and Denver route of having to play a traditional center 38 minutes a game.

[tydett]

NBA has an existential crisis with the center position. Do you call every single bit of contact and let a guy like Shaq or Giannis shoot 40 free throws a night? Or do you let smaller guys flop and hack every single play, letting big guys get slammed so much that it ruins their ability to contribute? Seems the pendulum has swung too far towards the latter that now young bigs aren't even developing post games because it's much more impactful to just work on shooting. Tough solution to a tough problem.

[MartyConlonOnTheRun]

If the Suns trade Chris Paul, where do you want him to go? Russillo - “Milwaukee, he tried to get there earlier, but now they have Jrue, so that ship has probably sailed”

I'd be interested in knowing where people stand on a Brook/Grayson/Hill for Chris Paul and his contract that will pay him $30 million when he's 40 years old.

No way PHX considers it unless they just are blowing it up.

Would be a hell of a 2 year window:
Paul/tMLE
Jrue/Wes
Midds/Thanasty
Giannis/1st
Bobby
We would be extremely thin, and would lose at least one of Pat/Bobby. Would need some help with a Wall/westbrook type buy-out and you are really desperate if you are typing that out. I would absolutely do it and hope Paul is healthy going into the playoffs. Him as a 4th guy would be fine and add some much needed creativity to the offense

[MartyConlonOnTheRun]

NBA has an existential crisis with the center position. Do you call every single bit of contact and let a guy like Shaq or Giannis shoot 40 free throws a night? Or do you let smaller guys flop and hack every single play, letting big guys get slammed so much that it ruins their ability to contribute? Seems the pendulum has swung too far towards the latter that now young bigs aren't even developing post games because it's much more impactful to just work on shooting. Tough solution to a tough problem.

I think an easy way of looking at it to describe badly the low post is officiated is that Giannis is much better off having a big guard him down low. If there is a guard on him, the guard will instantly flop and it is 50/50 which way they call it. In what world does it make more sense to put a PG on Giannis down low?

[MickeyDavis]

Read on Twitter

[DingleJerry]

Side note, gotta give Smart credit for popping up and playing after smashing his face/head into the floor. And for once it was done while actually trying to play defense rather than flopping/diving. Reasonable chance if they had concussion protocol type things like the NFL that he wouldn't have been allowed to keep playing.

To the reffing/flopping while defending bigs. I don't know, sure it's not easy to fix or see in real time but if they simply stopped rewarding the falling down it wouldn't take long for the D to actually man up, bump, etc and play D. I think most Bucks fans understand Giannis is tough to ref because he's so physical, so we'd generally be ok with physicality back. But we'd just want the falling/flailing/diving under his legs etc that gets rewarded to be taken away.

[BUCKnation]

I think re-evaluating what a charge is would help too. Backing someone down and giving them a bump, not overly excessive or out of control, should not be a charge if the guy falls over.

[Profound23]

Middleton and Jrue for LeBron and Anthony Davis works on the trade machine.

Would be epic until AD gets hurt midseason and Lebron leaves for Cleveland via free agency....but how could any Bucks fan so no.

With that said, no way Lakers say yes even for one of those guys.

[Profound23]

I think re-evaluating what a charge is would help too. Backing someone down and giving them a bump, not overly excessive or out of control, should not be a charge if the guy falls over.

This was my point. Horford did this to Lopez, Giannis, and Bobby multiple times in the series. Yesterday, in the first quarter Horford bumped into Bobby in the post three times on the same possession. Bobby stood his ground, kept his arms up, and forced a miss.

Even when the player flops and there isn't a call they end up tripping Giannis which will eventually cause a serious injury. Tired of it....and if called correctly we are still in it.