2023 Offseason Thread

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: 2023 Offseason Thread

Raptors allegedly took a page out of the Astros playbook....well, the Knicks playbook if we want to be technical/literal.

Stealing any information from the Knicks of all teams is hilarious but y’all do weird **** in Toronto sometimes lol

[dubcity]

Re: 2023 Offseason Thread

Stealing any information from the Knicks of all teams is hilarious but y’all do weird **** in Toronto sometimes lol

The Knicks are good, remember?

[Majingir]

Re: 2023 Offseason Thread

I don't think it's so much the fact that it's the Knicks, I think it was something like they hired someone who came from the Knicks and that person happened to have/share confidential info with the Raptors staff. Not that they hired him because he was sharing stuff with them.

I wonder what the punishment would be.

No doubt that guys gone from the Raptors, but do they do anything else outside of possibly fine the organization?

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: 2023 Offseason Thread

If I was on the Raptors’ staff, I would’ve been “Ehh thanks but no thanks. We don’t need nothing from *them*”

[ojandpizza]

Re: 2023 Offseason Thread

Vince Goodwill on NBA Radio said “that’s like robbing a boarded up house, ain’t nothing in there” [emoji23].

[phenom1990]

Re: 2023 Offseason Thread

I feel like there is something missing in here over what is the NBA etiquette when you move on. They could both be wrong, the Raptors be wrong or the Knicks being the Knicks.

I saw the Knicks cited in their suit that he took advanced scouting reports of the Nuggets and Pacers with him. Which seems more like of a why do you care as opposed to this is what the Knicks run/do.

[illwill10]

Re: 2023 Offseason Thread

'Restricted free agent F PJ Washington has agreed on a new three-year, $48 million contract to stay with the Charlotte Hornets, @LiftSportsMngmt agent Kevin Bradbury and Washington Sports Group’s Paul Washington Sr. tell ESPN."

Least that's done. I can see guys like Oubre to wait until the Dame and Harden is done to see which contender has minutes available

[illwill10]

Re: 2023 Offseason Thread

Lakers sign Christian Wood to a 2 year Vet Min deal(likely option).

Sixers sign Danny Green to a vet minimum


I mean, I guess so for the Sixers. I highly doubt he has anything in the tank left, especially after the injury in the 2022 playoffs. But, at the very least he was a good locker room guy

[ojandpizza]

Re: 2023 Offseason Thread

Lakers sign Christian Wood to a 2 year Vet Min deal(likely option).

If Wood works out or one of Hayes/Cam have a strong "breakout" year the Lakers did well. But I'm still not sold on Gabe Vincent and Taurean Prince being giant upgrades over Schroder, Lonnie, Troy Brown, and Beasley.

Obviously they did what they needed to do most, bring back DLo, Reaves, Rui but I'm not sure I believe Gabe is any better than Dennis, or even as good as Dennis.. But even if he is "better" that's lost chemistry and do people really believe Gabe is going to chase around guys like Steph for 30-40 minutes when needed?

Random rant but I just don't see where people are acting like the Lakers had this homerun of an off-season. It wasn't bad, they didn't go backwards, maybe even got slightly better.. But I think people are underselling what Dennis provided and how the team performed with him + healthy and maybe overrating the addition of Gabe because Miami made a run.

Regardless Christian Wood is the best backup plan they've had for if/when AD misses time in this entire Bro and AD era. Doesn't at all answer heir need for a true "big", and neither does Hayes, but they are both much better than trying to make it work with Gabriel.

[l3ulvl]

Re: 2023 Offseason Thread

Regardless Christian Wood is the best backup plan they've had for if/when AD misses time in this entire Bro and AD era. Doesn't at all answer heir need for a true "big", and neither does Hayes, but they are both much better than trying to make it work with Gabriel.

What do you consider a true big in today's game? Like, the archetype of a true big, not necessarily a player comp, just... idunno maybe a player comp lol, I'm just curious your thoughts


edit: I'll add I heard a stat that Drummond is the greatest rebounder of all time since stats were checked starting somewhere in the 70s, but if Drummond was added to the Lakers, it would be a meh move, but that's just me, your definition of a true big may be totally different

[ojandpizza]

Re: 2023 Offseason Thread

What do you consider a true big in today's game? Like, the archetype of a true big, not necessarily a player comp, just... idunno maybe a player comp lol, I'm just curious your thoughts


edit: I'll add I heard a stat that Drummond is the greatest rebounder of all time since stats were checked starting somewhere in the 70s, but if Drummond was added to the Lakers, it would be a meh move, but that's just me, your definition of a true big may be totally different

That's a fair question, I'm not sure there is really a true definition but a bigs role more so varies by team in today's NBA..

For the Lakers I'm looking more so specifically where they lack, and how AD looks when teams make him defend inside, keep them off the glass, and he isn't allowed to roam defensively, etc. He shies away from that a bit and they fill the void in time he misses with LeBron getting center minutes which also isn't great.

For them specifically they need a guy to bang around on players who want to play inside and let AD roam. Won it all with JaVale/Dwight, at one point had the best 5-man lineup in the league with Gasol, added Tristan Thompson before last years playoffs, etc..

Drummond likely does have minimal impact for them at full strength, but they also don't struggle to rebound. I feel like he could have decent impact in games AD were to miss. but still they need a big who's strengths are more so defense/energy but also don't clog the paint. Rim runners with size, or the forever hypothetical trade for Turner..

Wood spreads the floor, Hayes has a ton of energy, but I just don't see either of them really having much impact on guys like Joker, Adams, JV, even Looney, in the West. Not that it truly matters when AD gets 90% of his minutes at center come playoff time regardless, but if we are just looking at a few minutes a game against certain teams I think that's the one hole they still have as a team.

How much does that really matter? I'd say likely very little, but we are also talking about 14th/15th roster spots here. There is only so much impact to have when you're looking at those last spots. I'd still lean slightly more than normal in this specific case because you almost have to assume Bron and AD will both miss time. So at any given point they could be down two front court pieces.

A bit "yet to be determined" obviously, Hayes could always end up looking like a young JaVale next to that group, and anytime you can add a starting caliber big who hovers around 40% from 3 like Wood to pair with LeBron you're looking at a realllly low risk move. And who knows if Wood looks like a slightly better defender next to AD as well.

If I had to make a somewhat similar comparison it would be how the Grizzlies can struggle with certain matchups when Adams is out and JJJ has to fulfill those center minutes. Obviously he has plenty of size to be a "true big" in today's NBA but his natural style of wanting to play more like a 3/4 offensively and shy away from some of that extra contact has some similarities to AD. Both of them have a motor/aggressiveness that seems to wane from time to time which limits them from playing as "big" as they are capable of every night. I don't think the Lakers need a guy like Adams to start and play 30+ minutes every night, but both Wood and Hayes are of similar molds as players as AD in that regard. Obviously it's less of an issue overall for the Lakers because they don't struggle to rebound regardless, and four of DLo-Reaves-Bron-Rui-Vando next to any "big" is still a really big line-up across the board. I just feel like AD plays well when he can see some minutes at the 4 when he's struggling as a 5.

Regardless all that could just be random thoughts for no reason at all. There is always the chance they do stay healthy all year long, which might mean none of that matters. They played Denver closer than anybody (even though it was a sweep) and Bron didn't even look 100%, they had little chemistry getting thrown together at the deadline, and Wood/Hayes is still a giant upgrade over Gabriel as is.

[l3ulvl]

Re: 2023 Offseason Thread

a positional filler won't help if he's a weakness that gets taken advantage of, though, it's sorta like you want a league minimum version of David Robinson to keep AD from having to do too much so he doesn't get hurt, but when that guy gets minutes he's gonna get abused

[ojandpizza]

Re: 2023 Offseason Thread

a positional filler won't help if he's a weakness that gets taken advantage of, though, it's sorta like you want a league minimum version of David Robinson to keep AD from having to do too much so he doesn't get hurt, but when that guy gets minutes he's gonna get abused

In most cases this is absolutely true.. I want to be more clear though I wasn't saying the player I'm describing is out there and available, or that they should have taken the shot on some other random league minimum center rather than Wood. I think Wood is the right choice, he a starting caliber player signed at the league min. I was simply pointing out that Wood doesn't help them in instances where they need a big bodied defender for minutes against Joker/to slide AD to the 4 is all.

Basically I would sign Wood in this situation 10/10 times I just felt that after signing him they still have that same hole. Definitely not trying to make the argument that going after a guy like Biyombo or Dwight for the 4th time instead of Wood was the play, like you said these bottom tier guys aren't doing enough other things well enough to not be negatives.

[JazzMan]

Re: 2023 Offseason Thread

Doesn't matter, America in 4

[ATTACH]206475[/ATTACH]

This didn't age well lol

[J_Posse]

Re: 2023 Offseason Thread

Spurs waived Cameron Payne today. I think that trims the upcoming training camp roster to 20.

https://www.si.com/nba/suns/news/former-phoenix-suns-pg-cameron-payne-reportedly-waived-san-antonio-spurs

Cam will probably end up on a contender that needs PG depth or scoring. Maybe Milwaukee or heading back to Phoenix is in the cards?

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