I was impressed with the bit of Chris Chiozza I saw last night for the Wizards.
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What's your thoughts on Bender? I didn't catch the Magic game where he looks like he played OK, but otherwise definitely hasn't looked like a 3rd year guy from the games I did see. The Kings/Suns game a few days ago was hilariously bad re: entry passes. Both Ayton and Bagley would get decent position in the post only to have the entry pass thrown straight to the defender. Ayton has looked good, but it's hard to judge bigs with the lack of quality pick and roll play with the guards. Ayton looks like he has good touch around the hoop, but will be interesting to see during the regular season when there's some better spacing, although who are the Suns running at PG this year? |
Bender is a project, he's still just 20 (the second youngest guy on the team after Ayton). The hope is Igor can work with him and help him develop. He has a lot of the physical gifts, but hasn't put it all together yet. This is a big year for him, if he doesn't show improvement - he may be gone.
I don't think the organization has a ton of faith in Bender and Chriss. They've added Ariza, Josh Jackson, Bridges and resigned TJ Warren over the past two seasons. That tells me they think maybe one of the two will pan out. Personally, I think Chriss is useless and should be cut/traded now - but I think Bender has a chance to get it. At PG, they are putting a lot of hope into Brandon Knight. He's completely healthy (finally) and has been working with the team in Summer League. He only has two years left (and is still just 26), so I think their hope is either he gets back to a % of what he was in Milwaukee or completely flames out and they can move him as an expiring next year. Either way, I think he's just a placeholder until Okobo gets some experience - they seem to really love him. I also wouldn't be surprised if Shaq Harrison makes the roster and ends up getting some time there if Knight struggles. The hope is for the team to win 30-40 games and show some improvement this year. They will have around $42 mil in salary expiring after this season and should be able to sign 1 fairly big FA next offseason. So, 19/20 is when they expect to finally push for a playoff spot. |
Summer League is the best. The announcers have compared Mitchell Robinson to Marcus Camby, Hassan Whiteside (without the issues), and Anthony freaking Davis this quarter. Meanwhile the Knicks are down 16 to a Celtics team that started 6'7 Jarell Eddie at center since Robert Williams is still out.
Overall for the Celtics, quite frustrating how Williams start has gone. The coaches are saying some nice things which are being drowned out by the noise of him sleeping through calls & a flight, but it would've been nice to see him play more than 6 minutes before having a knee contusion so I could get super hyped. Semi Ojeleye showing enough offensive growth & confidence he deserves some rotation minutes, though he may not consistently get them to start the season (unless Marcus Smart signs an offer sheet elsewhere we don't match). Injuries always happen though, and he's got that positional versatility that helps. Jabari Bird looking good too, and I really hope they cut Abdel Nader & give Bird roster spot #14/15. Yabusele showing a little growth across the board too & has that big man 3&D skill set, but I still think he's (at least) a season away from being able to play minutes vs real NBA teams. Kadeem Allen was trash coming out of Arizona & has shown nothing to change my mind in 2 years of summer league/D-League action. |
Poor ole DeRozan, though he'd finally escape Playoff LeBron...
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Might be the greatest move of Pops career. Dump a guy for nearly full value and send him to probably the least desirable non Cleveland non Orlando destination.
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I'm not sure I follow what Toronto has done here - DeRozan might be a very flawed star, but he'd embraced playing in Toronto and even if you think he was overpaid he still surely had way more value in a trade than getting an unmotivated Kawhi Leonard for one year who wants to be on the west coast and is almost certain to leave for nothing next offseason.
Or put another way, Toronto is definitely more talented on paper, but does anyone think this is enough to get them out of the east this year? |
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Toronto had an inflection point coming up after next season when Kyle Lowry (who will be 33 then), and Serge Ibaka (who will be 30 then), will have their contracts expire and 30 year old Demar Derozan (who is actually a year older than Kawhi) has a player option he'll probably decline and look to sign a long term max deal. Why not swing for the fences instead of running back a team that probably peaks in the ECF or losing in the eastern semi's? Also, the Paul George example probably gives more hope to the Raptors that they can convince Kawhi to re-sign there. But really I just think you're massively underrating the difference between (healthy, motivated) Kawhi & Demar Derozan. Quote:
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Sure, but what are the chances Toronto ever sees healthy and motivated Kawhi? And even if they do, are they good enough to take advantage of it in the one season he's around?
PG13 is an interesting comp, but I don't remember him basically coming out and saying he'd only sign in LA and there was zero chance he would resign with his new team in the hours after the deal was announced. |
As a Raptors fan I'm not very happy with this move. We actually had a borderline star/perennial all-star want to stay in Toronto. Not only want to stay, but embrace the country and the team. I understand why for basketball reasons this trade was made. Your ceiling with Kawhi is higher, if he bolts, you clean up your cap earlier in a year where your young guys may be ready to step up. I get all that. But from a personal perspective this sucks. Winning championships are hard, only 1 of 30 teams will do so. This trade gives the Raptors a <5% chance at winning the finals? Maybe a 25% chance of getting there? Compared to a <1% chance of winning and maybe a 5% chance of getting there? I'd rather ride with the guy who wants to be here, committed to be here, even if we never make the finals, than take a shot at being great with a guy who doesn't seem to want to be here by giving up on one who does. Ringzzz aren't everything. It kinda feels like we broke up with our highschool sweetheart because a pretty lady smiled at us on the subway.
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In this case, the hooker didn't really smile at you, she just said a night with you was better than the asshole she was with AND said that tomorrow she gon' find herself a REAL man. |
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That's better than the analogy in my head where you saw a pretty girl on the subway, dumped your sweetheart and then it got too dark so, yes, your analogy is better. |
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In that vein, I think the Raptors were already considering moving on from the Lowry/DeRozan "core" and weren't looking forward to potentially giving 30 year old DeRozan a max contract in the summer of 2020 or an extension this upcoming one. Even for good players like Blake Griffin or John Wall those max extensions look like albatrosses. Quote:
If Kawhi keeps pulling the same BS he has in SA for the last year fans might still hate him, but even if he doesn't commit as long as he shows up and plays hard I think it'll be easy to root for him. He's an immensely likable player on the court - if Raptors fans think OG Anunoby or Kyle Lowry are exciting on ball perimeter defenders... |
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I think it's a bit different than moving on from IT because he was only there for 1 year. We saw DeMar grow from a raw but talented athlete into a top 20ish player in the league. The best players we had before him, Vince, whined his was out, TMac, same deal, Bosh, left first chance he could. DeMar is the first who stayed. Imagine if Parish left, then Bird left, then McHale left all at their first chance, then Pierce comes around, want to stay and you send him off for a Garnett or someone like that. (I get that your guys are way better than who the Raptors have lost but bare with me...). I have no doubt that if Leonard is engaged I'm going to love watching him play, I don't think it will change the way I feel. |
Good for the Raptors. Take a shot!!!
Can't believe a city like Toronto coming off 59 wins is referred to as one of the least desirable places in the NBA. Ignorance.... |
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We saw what a Derozan led team can do. Frankly, if that's good enough, then lets be losers all our lives. The Raptors are actually taking a shot to be more. Will it work, who knows, but good pn them for not being satisfied! |
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Isnt the effective income tax rate almost triple for Toronto players compared to any other NBA city? |
I'm not even sure Kawhi is ever pictured in a Raptors jersey, let alone plays a healthy/motivated year in Toronto.
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It has nothing to do with the city itself, Toronto is fine. Nobody really wants to play for the Padres, but San Diego is a fantastic place to live. I think even the southerners who would never leave the south for California, could manage some happiness there :) |
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Except you get paid in US dollars and a lot goods/services are pretty close in numeric value to the US. Except books, fuck whoever sets prices for books. |
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The exchange rate is only meaningful if you actually spend most of your time and (importantly) money there. I don't get the impression most pro athletes do either when they play in Canada (sure, there are exceptions). They likely rent (or buy-to-eventually-sell) fully-furnished places, lease cars for dirt cheap by doing ad spots for a dealership, shop for luxury items in destination cities while on the road (which is 50% of the time), live and vacation abroad in the offseason, etc. I'd be far more concerned about taxes than exchange rate if I was in their shoes. |
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Yes, but you're also pretty likely to be smarter than the average NBA player. |
Gotta love the "defense, we talking 'bout DEFENSE?" (paraphrasing) speech by Jabari Parker.
Have fun with that Chi-town, have fun with that. |
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Btw, speaking of restricted free agents, Marcus Smart re-signing with the Celtics for 4/$52 (no options). Some people think it's a small overpay, but I have no problem with it, especially when RFA's who don't play defense like Parker and Lavine just got $20m/y offers. I don't think all 3 of Smart/Kyrie/Rozier are on the Celtics after this coming season, and this gives them some certainty if Kyrie does want to sign elsewhere or Rozier gets a monster offer sheet in a much better market for RFA's, or a tradeable asset if Rozier wants to re-sign at a reasonable number or a superstar big man (a.k.a. AD) does become available. Good chance the Celtics will trade Marcus Morris now to avoid going into the luxury tax. Not that this years tax bill would matter, but pushing a potential repeater tax bill back a year to 2022 could save a ton of money down the road. Abdel Nader also should be (/needs to be!) gone by August 1, and after his summer league performance Jabari Bird is an interesting player. If I was the Hawks or the Kings I'd be willing to toss him a 3 year offer at $3-4m/y or so & dare the Celtics to go over the tax line and match, but I doubt those franchises are smart enough to do that. |
Melo traded to the Hawks with a 1st round pick in a paper move for Dennis Schroder (and some other flotsam involved.) Saves the Thunder like $100 million in salary/repeater tax & is better than them buying him out/stretching him. Hawks will do the buy out, sounds like Melo to the Rockets is most likely.
Thunder actually seem happy to get Dennis Schroder... I don't get it. It's Reggie Jackson 2.0 except he's also facing a felony assault & battery charge. I know the Thunder want another ballhandler next to Westbrook, but nothing I've seen from Schroder indicates he'll be happy playing second fiddle when it matters. |
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Indeed, his insistence on being "the guy" is what ultimately led to Jeff Teague being sent out (well, that & Teague's impending salary escalation at the time). I can't imagine him not being an issue in the OKC lockerroom before the season is done, a deadline flip wouldn't surprise me in the slightest (if anybody is willing to take on the contract) |
I can't understand why the Rockets (or anyone) are falling over themselves to get Melo once he's cut far more than I don't understand why the Thunder are willing to take a chance on Schroeder.
A guy who needed 15 shots a game to get 16 points last year and was a pretty significant negative on both ends of the floor. What could possibly go wrong with that> |
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Also don't understand it. Downgrade from Ariza at this stage - hell, I think Ennis should be starting over him, even. |
I understand the doubt from everyone including myself. That being said, I get the intrigue with Carmelo if I am the Rockets. I trust D'Antoni's offensive mind more than I trust Billy Donovan's. I trust Harden and Paul to get the ball to Melo in his spots more than I trust Westbrook and George. Fianlly, I like whatever Melo gives me in those circumstances at the salary I sign him to than I do the $27 mil he was getting in OKC. That last part is the key, especially if it is a one year deal.
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The Lakers offseason wheeling and dealing continues!
Shams is reporting that they have agreed to a deal with... MICHAEL BEASLEY! This news made me smile. |
Next signing feels like it might be Delonte West?
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The NBA has never needed a Hard Knocks-like show more than it does right now.
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Kevin Love adds four years and 120 million to his Cavs deal. I guess the Cavs don't believe they stink now.
But they do. |
Wade offered 8.3m per in China after taxes. Probably would be great for his Shoe deal as well(Chinese company)
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Cavs are only 1 player away from being a Finals team again. ;)
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LeBron’s mom already rode west. |
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Rumors out now that Kobe wants to come back to play with LeBron.
It's probably not true, but I really hope it's true. Entertainment TV at its finest. |
Hot take alert
Overseas Elite probably would not be the worst team in the NBA |
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I was always surprised Pargo didn't stick in the NBA, but I guess he was in that tier where he could earn 2/3 times more in Europe than what NBA teams were probably throwing at him. |
Centers are the new Running Backs. |
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Kind of tells a story in that the NBA is in need of a Bill James type to help these front offices locate value. Amazing how much wasted money in in them 2016 contracts. |
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It's an interesting bit of info, but to be fair how many of those deals looked like good ideas even when ink was put to paper? It also leaves out Capella who is a better indicator of where the league is going re: bigs - and even Cousins is an outlier of those included considering his injury. |
Bunch of rule changes. Shot clock reset to 14 secs after offensive rebounds sounds like a good change
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It’s a good rule. FIBA been doing it for awhile. |
I like the FIBA goaltending rule. Hopefully that makes it here.
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I really enjoyed reading Jackie MacMullan's series on mental health in the NBA. Hopefully the NBA and other leagues continues to make progress in helping the players who are suffering from mental health issues.
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Former Sacramento Kings executive Jeffrey David under federal investigation for alleged embezzlement
If you are like me and had no idea why David Stern appointed this guy to be the Kings' chief revenue officer, here is a local article. Sacramento Kings owners stunned by allegations against former exec | The Sacramento Bee |
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