Rumors, Random Thoughts, etc Version 20/20 We all got everything right...

[HadAnEffectHere]

Jazz start the season with a bad roster, but also a minutes and touches crunch.

Their five most important players are

Lauri Markkanen - Off-ball PF
Walker Kessler - Off-ball C
Ace Bailey - Off-ball SF/PF
Kyle Filipowski - Shot creating PF
Taylor Hendricks - Off-ball PF

Markksnen, Ace, and Hendricks are all high level shooters and dunkers who cannot dribble or pass currently. Markkanen and Hendricks used to be able to defend SFs but have lost athleticism recently, making it less plausible. Markkanen will have to play mostly at SF while Ace plays mostly at SG without more moves. Keyonte George will have to try to make up for the team starting a SG and SF who cannot dribble or pass so this could be a struggle for a while. We'll see if the team rebalances the roster by trading Markkanen (for hopefully a young PG if they do?).

(Ace hopefully learns how to dribble and pass in the future, but as of now, those are big weaknesses of his)

[Devilanche]

Jazz start the season with a bad roster, but also a minutes and touches crunch.

Their five most important players are

Lauri Markkanen - Off-ball PF
Walker Kessler - Off-ball C
Ace Bailey - Off-ball SF/PF
Kyle Filipowski - Shot creating PF
Taylor Hendricks - Off-ball PF

Either need a creator or a ball hog that misses so you guys can score off the rebounds.

[HornetJail]

Jazz start the season with a bad roster, but also a minutes and touches crunch.

Their five most important players are

Lauri Markkanen - Off-ball PF
Walker Kessler - Off-ball C
Ace Bailey - Off-ball SF/PF
Kyle Filipowski - Shot creating PF
Taylor Hendricks - Off-ball PF

Either need a creator or a ball hog that misses so you guys can score off the rebounds.

wondering if the plan is just give the ball to Ace as much as possible and see what he can do?

[HadAnEffectHere]

Jazz start the season with a bad roster, but also a minutes and touches crunch.

Their five most important players are

Lauri Markkanen - Off-ball PF
Walker Kessler - Off-ball C
Ace Bailey - Off-ball SF/PF
Kyle Filipowski - Shot creating PF
Taylor Hendricks - Off-ball PF

Either need a creator or a ball hog that misses so you guys can score off the rebounds.

wondering if the plan is just give the ball to Ace as much as possible and see what he can do?

Ehh, they had Ace play like Markkanen in the preseason, not like an iso scorer. We will obviously see as the season progresses, but Ace is not well suited to creating possessions right now. He needs to get stronger, more aware, better at passing, and better with ball handling. I would imagine he starts out the season almost fully off-ball before getting on-ball reps in the second half of the season.

[babyjax13]

Either need a creator or a ball hog that misses so you guys can score off the rebounds.

wondering if the plan is just give the ball to Ace as much as possible and see what he can do?

Ehh, they had Ace play like Markkanen in the preseason, not like an iso scorer. We will obviously see as the season progresses, but Ace is not well suited to creating possessions right now. He needs to get stronger, more aware, better at passing, and better with ball handling. I would imagine he starts out the season almost fully off-ball before getting on-ball reps in the second half of the season.

Agree with this. It actually looks like we are involving our centers a lot more as distributors. Nurkic is obviously good at this, Kessler looked interesting in this role in his preseason game but it remains to be seen what it looks like in the RS.

[SlimShady83]

If Rui continues to play like he did first game of the season, I might change my mind on the hole trading Rui for Monk trade talk, size or no size.

[Domejandro]

Feels like a bunch of teams fruitlessly chasing OKC tbh.

Not Minnesota! We committed to making zero roster adjustments which will make us competitive with OKC.

[Scoot McGroot]

OKC still relies overwhelmingly on SGA so their odds of a title are just the odds of SGA not getting a hamstring injury or worse in the postseason.

Without him, they have to rely on Topic or Cason Wallace to create massive amounts of offense and neither guy has literally ever done this against serious competition.

This is saying literally nothing. Every team is no longer a contender if you take their MVP player off the court.

Except it completely undermines "fruitlessly chasing OKC." Literally all these teams need is SGA to pull a hamstring and OKC is toast and then they can maybe win a title. The odds of SGA getting hurt are probably reasonably high this postseason considering the sheer amount of load and games he's had the last several years.

It doesn’t. When does he pull his hamstring? Or twist his ankle? Is he healthy by the postseason? Then they’re still in the drivers seat. That team, even without Shai, still makes the playoffs. And if Shai heals by the playoffs…?


But either way, that’s still being in the drivers seat. And teams chasing them. Unless Shai has a season ending, that’s where it feels like we’re at.

[tester551]

If Rui continues to play like he did first game of the season, I might change my mind on the hole trading Rui for Monk trade talk, size or no size.

I thought this was a fairly typical Rui performance. He's a mediocre player that can occasionally show up big...

So I'm a bit confused if you are saying this because you liked his play and as a Kings fan want to get him? Or if you're a Laker's fan who is disappointed in his play and want to trade him?

[gswhoops]

(going back to the well of irrational optimism yet again)

Kuminga looked good last night

[HadAnEffectHere]

This is saying literally nothing. Every team is no longer a contender if you take their MVP player off the court.

Except it completely undermines "fruitlessly chasing OKC." Literally all these teams need is SGA to pull a hamstring and OKC is toast and then they can maybe win a title. The odds of SGA getting hurt are probably reasonably high this postseason considering the sheer amount of load and games he's had the last several years.

It doesn’t. When does he pull his hamstring? Or twist his ankle? Is he healthy by the postseason? Then they’re still in the drivers seat. That team, even without Shai, still makes the playoffs. And if Shai heals by the playoffs…?


But either way, that’s still being in the drivers seat. And teams chasing them. Unless Shai has a season ending, that’s where it feels like we’re at.

Yes, they are clearly the favorites, but if SGA is hobbled or out in 2nd round or later, they probably lose and tons of shot creators get injured in the postseason.

[parsnips33]

(going back to the well of irrational optimism yet again)

Kuminga looked good last night

And I'm seeing here that Kawhi Leonard made his first all-star team in year 5...

[toooskies]

What is the big midseason star trade this year? Too soon for Devin Booker? What about Embiid?

I can't see Booker being dealt, but I suppose there's always a possibility. What's a scenario in which the Sixers try to move Embiid? If he continues to be injured as often as he has, Philly would have to attach a considerable amount of draft capital to entice another team to take on his albatross of a contract.

I'd keep my eye on the situation with San Antonio's backcourt. It will be interesting to see how Fox, Harper, and Castle coexist. Does Atlanta or Memphis consider moving Young or Morant?

The only real scenario of Embiid getting traded is if he looks great, but asks out or if the owners force a trade. Neither of these seem likely as there hasn't been the type of smoke you see from a Giannis, Butler, KD, etc.

If the Sixers want to trade Embiid then there's no way I'd want to acquire him.

Also looks like he's going to suit up for them, so the medical retirement clock is getting reset. (Not sure if that happened from the preseason game?)

[SlimShady83]

If Rui continues to play like he did first game of the season, I might change my mind on the hole trading Rui for Monk trade talk, size or no size.

I thought this was a fairly typical Rui performance. He's a mediocre player that can occasionally show up big...

So I'm a bit confused if you are saying this because you liked his play and as a Kings fan want to get him? Or if you're a Laker's fan who is disappointed in his play and want to trade him?

He should be giving us 15-18 points a game at least, I wanted to trade him last year for John Collins lots of people did, for some reason Lakers never did would rather much Collins then Rui

Elsewhere I said no Rui for Monk is not worth it because Rui Lakers lose size, can't afford that, but if not doing anything, at least get Monk who's consistent off the bench

[Scoot McGroot]

Except it completely undermines "fruitlessly chasing OKC." Literally all these teams need is SGA to pull a hamstring and OKC is toast and then they can maybe win a title. The odds of SGA getting hurt are probably reasonably high this postseason considering the sheer amount of load and games he's had the last several years.

It doesn’t. When does he pull his hamstring? Or twist his ankle? Is he healthy by the postseason? Then they’re still in the drivers seat. That team, even without Shai, still makes the playoffs. And if Shai heals by the playoffs…?


But either way, that’s still being in the drivers seat. And teams chasing them. Unless Shai has a season ending, that’s where it feels like we’re at.

Yes, they are clearly the favorites, but if SGA is hobbled or out in 2nd round or later, they probably lose and tons of shot creators get injured in the postseason.

So, “feels like everyone is fruitlessly chasing OKC? “ is probably fine? You just wanted to add “unless the absolute worst timing for an injury besets Shai?”

[MoneyTalks41890]

About time

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[bkohler]

Over reaction trade idea #1:

Embiid + 28/30/32 for Lauri/Nurkic

Jazz eat Embiids contract (medical retirement?), Sixers retool around their two young awesome guards.

[babyjax13]

10 minutes of watching the wolves hot take is they should trade Naz for a PG.

[Jojothewhale]

Over reaction trade idea #1:

Embiid + 28/30/32 for Lauri/Nurkic

Jazz eat Embiids contract (medical retirement?), Sixers retool around their two young awesome guards.

The Sixers can’t trade the ‘28 pick and maybe the ‘30 depending on results and lottery luck. There’s a protected pick owed to OKC and then Brooklyn.

Also it’s a hard no on the whole concept for the Sixers. But at least check pick availabilities and make it theoretically possible.

[SkyHook]

Over reaction trade idea #1:

Embiid + 28/30/32 for Lauri/Nurkic

Jazz eat Embiids contract (medical retirement?), Sixers retool around their two young awesome guards.

The Sixers can’t trade the ‘28 pick and maybe the ‘30 depending on results and lottery luck. There’s a protected pick owed to OKC and then Brooklyn.

Also it’s a hard no on the whole concept for the Sixers. But at least check pick availabilities and make it theoretically possible.

Even if all of those picks were available no team would do this. The Embiid extension is the worst unforced error by an NBA GM in the history of the league. No one is taking on $200MM in dead money that must stay on their cap per the CBA:

Only the Team with which the player was under Contract at the time his career-ending injury or illness became known or reasonably should have become known shall be permitted to apply to have the player’s Salary excluded from Team Salary...