The Official 2021-2022 NBA Season Thread

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

There's a tendency to overreact to the last game in a 7 game series. But this really feels like Boston's series to lose.

North Carolina is set to legalize sports gambling by this Fall. And I am going to lose so much money $50 at a time on things like my gut telling me that this is Boston's series to lose.

[stevew]

Seems like Golden State’s lack of big men should have been exploited. All they had was Looney and pocket lint. Looney didn’t score or anything but I do feel like he impacts the game in a favorable manner. The Warriors would be wise to get a Horford type guy for next season. Maybe Wiseman can be that guy. Who knows.

Damion Lee has to have the best job. Practice hard, and don’t f around on the best player’s sister.

Gary Payton II has had a crazy career arc. I’m glad all the years of bouncing around paid off for him. Too bad that guy isn’t 3-4 inches taller cause he’s almost a Swiss Army knife already.

The Warriors payroll is going to be absolutely staggering if they extend Wiggins and Poole. Wiggins really played well all series.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

North Carolina is set to legalize sports gambling by this Fall. And I am going to lose so much money $50 at a time on things like my gut telling me that this is Boston's series to lose.

Bet the over on the over/under 99.5 Jayson Tatum total playoff turnovers. It’s a lock!

[flere-imsaho]

Speaking as someone who has separated his shoulder, Tatum played as if he had separated his shoulder (and had it popped back in, obviously).

[stevew]

I feel like a few of these guys had Covid but the league was just ignoring it.

[BishopMVP]

I don't think you need Covid to be tired after playing 41 minutes a game for those physical 7 game wars vs Milwaukee and Miami. The failure to develop Romeo or Nesmith or get a buyout/trade for a cheap veteran wing who could play a few minutes hurt in the end.

Originally Posted by miami_fan

I think Tatum will be all right. He has the same flaw that most of the Mamba mentality acolytes have. They all remember the almost impossible shots that Kobe made. They don't remember the games especially early on where Kobe would just drive to the basket relentlessly because the man guarding could not stop him from doing so.

I get it the role of the three in today's game. However, there is no reason that 60% of Tatum's shot attempts should be taken outside of ten feet from the basket and 50% taken outside of 16 feet. These are Trae Young sort of percentages. Those percentages make sense for a guy that Trae Young's size, not so much for the guy 6-8, 210lb and Tatum's athleticism.

Tatum's shot selection was inconsistent but usually better this year. The playmaking also made a large jump, though obviously turnovers increased with it (albeit it seemed like 40% of those from both him & Jaylen were just lazy/mental errors). Overall a great season from him and the team, lost to a true dynasty. Should basically be able to bring the whole squad back, maybe we can add that veteran wing or Nesmith can earn Ime's trust, and hopefully the Jay's can keep growing, Rob can stay healthy & Al can maintain that level of play in next year's playoffs. Warriors will have that absurd payroll/luxury tax, may lose GP2 over it. Barring like a Spida to Miami trade or a very unexpected one it could be refreshing to go into a season with familiar teams as favorites (those 2, Milwaukee, Phoenix, Memphis, Miami, maybe LAC) instead of 4 new team up builds you really don't see play for real until the playoffs.

[miami_fan]

Definitely a great season for Tatum. It is a pet peeve of mine in sports. Players and teams who make adjustments to their game and/or game plan before their opponents have shown they could actually stop the original game/game plan. To use the old Simmons line, as an opposing fan, I am much happier watching Tatum launch tough twos or threes then attacking my team's basket. The time for transition to more threes will come.

Question for Celtics fans: Is Jaylen Brown capable of being a #1 option for Celtics or another NBA team? Not to replace Tatum or to use as a trade asset, but to take the lead from Tatum when needed. As I watched the series, I wondered I felt like they could run things through Brown more when Tatum is struggling like he did this series. Sort of like Kris Middleton being able to step up when Giannis was struggling.

[BishopMVP]

I'm not sure Brown has the handle to do it vs (good) defenses that key on him not Tatum. But he has improved his dribbling past where any of us thought he would his first couple years, so maybe he makes another jump there. He definitely puts the work in, though he seems like one of those robotic guys that has 6 moves he's worked on but no real feel if the defense throws a wrinkle at him.

[Danny]

Warriors got to extend Wiggins and Poole. They got a nice window here for another couple of years, got to take advantage

[miami_fan]

As much as I would like both of them to get as much money as they can, I think it is on Wiggins and Poole to make it possible for the Warriors to resign them. I am not saying they should play for the minimum but this is not they time for them to jump to say the Kings for an extra $2 million.

[BishopMVP]

The way Wiggins played that series and these playoffs I think the hope of a discount there has disappeared. Poole is an RFA at least after next year so they should at least be able to get him re-signed unless he's asking for the max. Otto Porter Jr. also deserves more than the minimum, we'll see if anyone comes offering him $10m/y or so - he and GP2 would need to take steep discounts, and that'd be tough for a guy like Payton who hasn't made any real NBA $$$ yet. Looney also an FA, but I don't think he's worth more than he was paid to other teams, that was just a great situation and matchup for him.

Warriors ownership has been willing to foot pretty crazy tax bills ($170m this year on top of the $176m payroll!), but I assume they don't want to go all the way up over $500m. The cold rational play would be to re-sign Poole/Wiggins then move Klay before those extensions kick in and he enters his last year after next season, but idk if that'd be too cold for them. Kuminga & Moody give them great options to extend the dynasty, but that doesn't solve the money issue from the old guys. (I think Wiseman is a bust, at least for their style, and they're better off moving him for a 1st or something at this point.)

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

(I think Wiseman is a bust, at least for their style, and they're better off moving him for a 1st or something at this point.)

The "what ifs" you can do with Lamelo on the W's...

[miami_fan]

It has been at least two or three years since I looked at any of the pre-draft player projections. It is good to see that every 1st round prospect is not projected to be the next Lebron, Durant or Steph Curry. For example, a couple of the mocks I have seen have the Heat selecting Kennedy Chandler out of Tennessee. The projections on ESPN include a range of Mike Conley on the high side and Will Blalock on the low side. Other sites compared him to Mario Chalmers and Anfernee Simons. I don't know if they are accurate but those comparison are at least reasonable for a guy projected to go in the last picks of the 1st round.

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

It has been at least two or three years since I looked at any of the pre-draft player projections. It is good to see that every 1st round prospect is not projected to be the next Lebron, Durant or Steph Curry.

There was a really funny few years where the mock draft comp for the best White Euro big man was always Dirk Nowitzki and then the comp for the second best White Euro first round big man was Pau Gasol.

[albionmoonlight]

dola:

I love NBA fan-based mocks more than any other sport, too. In other areas, people seem to have some need to stay grounded in reality. But NBA fans always float these laughably one-sided trade ideas out there and then try to make it look balanced by throwing in a second round pick from their team. You always see the second round pick.

[sterlingice]

There's also, more than any other sport, a "my mediocre trash is your crappy team's treasure" aspect to every trade.

It used to happen a lot in baseball (and probably still does in some corners) - "your crappy team could definitely use this old, broken player that's not good enough for my team in exchange for a better player". But with tanking being so prevalent, every bad team and their fans can realistically say "prospects or GTFO".

In the NBA, tho, the rosters are so small and trades are almost always 4 quarters for a dollar. But, really, they seem to universally feel like 2 quarters, a dime, and a future first that's decades away for a dollar. Of course, that means NBA fan trades are always something like two dimes, one rusty button, and a second round pick for a dollar. "We're going to center this trade proposal for your disgruntled superstar around this guy who couldn't even crack the 8-man of our team that missed the playoffs in a league where 2/3rds of the teams make the playoffs"

SI

[Lathum]

Former Purdue standout Caleb Swanigan was found dead of natural causes. He was 25...

[Kodos]

Ugh. Always hate these things. So young...

[stevew]

Looks like something crazy like undiagnosed diabetes or something. Guy literally gained 200# in a couple years.

[SirFozzie]

So, the rumors out there are that Kyrie's thinking about signing with the Heat, should he not re-sign with the nets. As a Celtics fan, I don't know what to root for more. Kyrie continuing to destroy the Nets, or Kyrie moving on to destroy a FOURTH team?

[Ksyrup]

Or him re-joining with LeBron and going for the daily double.

[BishopMVP]

Tough to destroy the Lakers on the court any more than Westbrook did last year.

[SirFozzie]

It'd certainly be must-watch tv. Either it works, and they have a redemption story, or it implodes psuedo-Jerry Springer style and we all have our popcorn at hand. I'm not saying the first can't happen, but I'm betting on the second.

Has any player killed FOUR championship caliber teams? (I would say Lebron, but he hasn't killed teams with bad chemistry, just by leaving.. and the Celtics were a fringe championship team when Kyrie was there at best, I know)

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

So, the rumors out there are that Kyrie's thinking about signing with the Heat, should he not re-sign with the nets. As a Celtics fan, I don't know what to root for more. Kyrie continuing to destroy the Nets, or Kyrie moving on to destroy a FOURTH team?

I would take a counter-intuitive position on Kyrie signing with the Heat. I feel like that contract that the Nets are reportedly trying to get him to sign including games played clauses and something like "You will not kill our season because of the vaccine" clause will be more of a standard in the next CBA. Not that money won't be the most important thing in negotiations, it will be. The owners however are going to do something to stop the behavior of the James Hardens and Kyries of the NBA.

[Atocep]

Out of the consensus top 3 for this draft, Banchero was the one I liked the least.

[stevew]

Yeah I’m not sure what the thought process is.

[bhlloy]

Feels like that is why the Magic have been the Magic post Shaq and Penny. I don’t like Holmgren at all but you can at least see a path to him being worth the #1.

[stevew]

Jaden Ivey was so happy not to be going to that Sacramento cluster-f

[Brian Swartz]

The Pistons know a thing or two about clusters themselves though.

[JPhillips]

I really like what San Antonio got. They are still star deficient, but given their picks, they maximized what they could get.

[miami_fan]

Almost 24 hours later, has anyone figured out what the hell the Knicks are trying to do? They are not doing all of this for Jalen Brunson. I refuse to believe it.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

Almost 24 hours later, has anyone figured out what the hell the Knicks are trying to do? They are not doing all of this for Jalen Brunson. I refuse to believe it.

Kyrie has them on his wish list so I'm guessing they make a play for him and if that fails then they're all in on Brunson.

[JPhillips]

Julius Randle and Kyrie? Good luck.

[Atocep]

Kyrie has officially requested a trade and is working with his agent on a sign and trade deal.

[sterlingice]

Those Nets picks and pick swaps are looking better and better.

SI

[miami_fan]

I was not aware of this so I am posting for others who may not have known either. In order for a sign and trade deal to be on the table, Kyrie has to decline the $36.5 million option for next year and become a free agent. If he opts in, a sign and trade deal is no longer an option. There are specific rules and restrictions for a sign and trade deal under the current CBA.

[Atocep]

According to reports this morning, the Lakers were the only team so far to express interest. Because of course they would.

I imagine if Kyrie leaves Durant will want out too, but I'm trying to imagine how many shots Durant could put up with Kyrie gone and Ben Simmons as the only other star on the roster.

[stevew]

I’m fine with banning Brooklyn from trading picks/swaps ever again. Seems like sending Durant to Houston for Wall and a shitload of their picks back would make the most sense I guess? Durant wouldn’t want that I’m sure.

Kyrie would likely be an opt in and trade I’d think? His deadline is basically weds to figure something out unless he wants to risk only getting the taxpayer mle

[RainMaker]

Does Durant have a no-trade? I feel like Miami and Denver makes the most sense for him. If he doesn't mind playing with younger players in a small market, maybe Cleveland or Charlotte.

[korme]

Originally Posted by stevew

I’m fine with banning Brooklyn from trading picks/swaps ever again. Seems like sending Durant to Houston for Wall and a shitload of their picks back would make the most sense I guess? Durant wouldn’t want that I’m sure.

Kyrie would likely be an opt in and trade I’d think? His deadline is basically weds to figure something out unless he wants to risk only getting the taxpayer mle

Wiggins plus Moody for Durant

SEND IT IN

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by stevew

I’m fine with banning Brooklyn from trading picks/swaps ever again. Seems like sending Durant to Houston for Wall and a shitload of their picks back would make the most sense I guess? Durant wouldn’t want that I’m sure.

Kyrie would likely be an opt in and trade I’d think? His deadline is basically weds to figure something out unless he wants to risk only getting the taxpayer mle

But we don't know for sure if Durant even wants out in a no-Kyrie scenario, right? It's suspected but not certain afaik.

And the Kyrie MLE thing is really only a limitation if he _only_ wants to go to the Lakers (or some other capped out team). I mean he could go wherever there was cap room otherwise.

[RainMaker]

Well he just opted in.

Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving is opting into his $37 million player option for the 2022-23 season, @TheAthletic @Stadium has learned. Irving is bypassing on multiple opt-in and trade scenarios to fulfill his four-year commitment to the Nets and Kevin Durant.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 27, 2022

[Atocep]

I guess the Lakers situation wasn't very appealing.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Does Durant have a no-trade? I feel like Miami and Denver makes the most sense for him. If he doesn't mind playing with younger players in a small market, maybe Cleveland or Charlotte.

There’s basically nobody on a no trade clause(formally) in the entire league.

[miami_fan]

John Wall accepts a $6.5 million pay cut from the Rockets to become a free agent to sign with the Clippers... for around the taxpayer mid level exception for around $6.3 million.

[sterlingice]

Farewell, tank commander. You did your duty!

SI

[stevew]

I think you gotta actually play to be a tank commander. Jalen Green, Josh Christopher and Kevin Porter Jr all played a ton of minutes and were around 500th overall in win shares per 48. That’s the 3 headed tank driver

[GrantDawg]

The Hawks getting Murray without giving up Collins is hot.

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[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

The Hawks getting Murray without giving up Collins is hot.

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It's that third (of three) #1s that makes this a riskier play I think.

[miami_fan]

Just look at that Spurs roster. Seems like they are now the front runners for Victor Wembanyama. Just looking at one description of the current top prospect of next's year draft.

The 7-foot-3 superstar from France is fluid and agile, equal parts Rudy Gobert and Kevin Durant. The 18-year-old might be the best draft prospect since Luka Dončić, or perhaps even Anthony Davis.