Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

[trekfan]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

Season is progressing fantastically. Newman looks to be a bit of revelation. Definitely keeping Jennings seat warm.

Man, I've really been impressed with how Newman has performed. Really thought he'd struggle in the big leagues (his shot isn't great at this point), but he's so fast off the dribble, he gets inside and causes the defense to collapse on him -- dude's penetration just opens up my offense. Putting him back on the bench will be tough.

Now at the All-Star break, so we'll get a league recap on where everything is going, check in with Max to see what trade deadline deals might be happenings, and watch for (what I think) will be a very active deadline this season.

Stay tuned.

[trekfan]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

The NBA Second Trimester Report: The East

February 9th, 2017

By Vonny Lee


The NBA season has reached the All-Star break and the league is on the cusp of the last major changes of the regular season. Some teams have collapsed, others have excelled, and some players may be on the move. Here’s the NBA, in all its glory — let’s start with the East.







1. The Raptors

Have to be ecstatic that they’re still first in the conference, especially considering they’ve missed Kyle Lowry for a few weeks, and are now missing Patrick Patterson (out 2-4 weeks with a severe ankle sprain). The depth the Raptors have has saved them from going on extended losing streaks and, over the last ten games, they’ve gone 9-1.

Valanciunas continues to have a great year, averaging 14.0 PPG and 10.8 RPG, his play in the post everything the Raptors hoped it would be. Toronto is the mirror to Seattle out East — no true star, but plenty of good players — and they continue to withstand the best shots of their conference opponents.

2. The Bulls

Have been without Jimmy Butler for the last three weeks (he has another 2 weeks before he resumes play), but they’ve continued to chug along. They owe that mostly to Derrick Rose and Pau Gasol, the two veterans the Bulls don’t necessarily want to rely on.

Rose, especially, has been very good (he’s averaging over 19.3 PPG and 7.5 APG now on over 50 percent from the field and 40 percent from deep). Chicago is going to have a very tough time convincing its fans that Rose is done with this type of performance. Rose still wants to stay in Chicago according to sources and the Bulls, still, won’t commit. It seems like the franchise wants to bet on Butler and send Rose away, but that shouldn’t surprise anyone; this is the same organization that let Michael Jordan retire as a Wizard.

3. The Heat

Might be in trouble. On February 3rd, just three minutes into a game versus the Pacers, Dragic came down badly after a layup and was carried off the floor; he was diagnosed with a broken left ankle and he still has another 4-6 weeks before he can resume team activities.

The loss of Dragic puts backup PG Ronnie Price into the lineup. Price isn’t bad and he knows his role — distribute the ball, knock down jumpers — but he’s not nearly as dynamic and the Heat can’t rely on Wade, who’s averages continue to drop (now scoring only 13.5 PPG but still shooting 48 percent from the field). Luckily, Professor Al Jefferson is schooling the NBA in post play (16.6 PPG on 49 percent shooting, along with 10.2 RPG) and Chris Bosh is operating well as the stretch-4 (21.5 PPG on 49 percent from the field, 36 percent from deep, along with 9.9 RPG). The Heat’s post play and bench play has carried them the last three games since Dragic’s injury, but they could tumble down the standings if another injury strikes the squad.

4. The Cavs

Cleveland has finally gotten its act together — after an abysmal start to the season, the Cavs are now firmly in the 4th seed and are ascending rapidly up the standings thanks to LeBron James and the deep bench. Cleveland has sustained injuries to both Mosgov, Kyrie Irving (will return after the break), and Mario Chalmers (still out for another 4-6 weeks), and yet they managed to improve dramatically since we last saw them.

That’s mostly due to the Cavs bench coming through when called upon — guys like Alan Anderson, Josh Harris, and Greg Stiemsma — and those guys are performing well-above expectations. Cleveland’s bench looked, on paper, very underwhelming but the play of Sixth Man of the Year Candidate Josh Smith (10.7 PPG and 8.0 RPG) and the deep reserves have helped key off the Cavs run. Once they get healthy, they should be good for the stretch run … assuming they can stay healthy, which has been a problem almost every year since LeBron came back into town.

5. The Magic

Aren’t far behind Cleveland but have all the makings of a serious playoff contender. If they can get 42 wins, they’ll likely be in the playoffs out East and Orlando isn’t far from that goal. Their excellent play on defense has covered up their struggling offense, but they’re a young team and are only getting better.

Their offense continues to thrive with Super Mario Hezonja out on the floor (15.5 PPG on 45 percent from the field, 38 percent from deep) but are held back by the continued offensive deficiency of Elfrid Payton, who is shooting 39 percent from the field and 29 percent from deep. Payton is holding the offense back and the Magic seem to be putting out feelers for a potential trade to come in the summer.

6. The Grizzlies

Finally have a winning record. It’s only one game above .500, but the team will take it. Memphis has had a tough year and their year only got tougher when they lost Jeff Green to a shoulder injury (out for 4-6 weeks) in mid-January. Since then, they’ve had to throw out some funky lineups (Conley, Allen, MCW, Randolpg, and Gasol sometimes) but the team has responded with a big collective effort.

Conley’s scoring is up, as well as MCW’s and even Tony Allen’s. Gasol still appears a step slow and his points (14.8 PPG) and rebounds (7.5 RPG) are way down from last season — Gasol and Memphis both claim the big man is injury free, but the eye test says something is up with him. Whatever the case, Memphis is glad to have a breather and might look for some emergency help at the deadline.

7. The 76ers

Are still a playoff team, two-thirds of the way into the season. Philly has survived the extended absence of Jahill Okafor (who looks to return after the break) and is seeing better play from Oladipo and Tobias Harris.

If Philly can hang on for the stretch run, they’ll make the playoffs and sorta-justify all the losing they did for years to get here. Ben Simmons looks legit and the combo between him and Okafor is one of the most promising in the NBA.

8. The Pacers

Are just barely in it. The difference between the 6th, 7th, and 8th seed isn’t much and the Pacers have had a miserable last ten games, going 2-8. They have everyone back now, but the team looks a bit messy as they try to reintegrate everyone into the roles they were meant to be in at the beginning of the season.

Indiana should be pleased with the play of Myles Turner, who continues to impress, and Montiejunas, who looks good in this offense. The two stretch-bigs play well off one another and with PG13. Derrick Favors, the big acquisition at least year’s deadline, continues to struggle a bit, but he looks primed for a big presence in the final two months of the regular season.

9. The Wizards

Are struggling to keep their heads above water. Washington has lost four straight and that’s mostly due to the missing Bradley Beal (who went out with a twisted knee). Beal is going to be back after the break, which is good for the Wizards, who desperately need his shooting at the two-guard spot.

Brook Lopez and Thad Young continue to put up underwhelming numbers, and Otto Porter looks lost out there. Washington has a glut of SFs and only Steve Blake to back up Wall — expect them to be active at the deadline as they try to find players to get them over the hump.

10. The Hornets

Are suffering from another extended MKG absence due to injury. He’s missed the last month with a bad knee, but will be back after the break. The Hornets have continued to perform well on offense but without MKG, their defense falls apart.

Charlotte might looks at unloading someone on their deep bench — Hansbrough, McAdoo, Blatche — if they can find a willing taker, but that might be a tall order at this point. Hansbrough is the most useful of the bunch and has a decent contract, so he might find himself on a winning squad, but Jordan’s obsession with North Carolina players hasn’t done much for the team as a whole.

11. The Pistons

Still aren’t out of the playoff race, but surely seem to be lacking an identity. The Rondo trade has, predictably, backfired for everyone (we’ll get to Phoenix later) and the Pistons just can’t score. Rondo’s presence was supposed to free up Reggie Jackson to shoot some more, but Jackson hasn’t been lighting it up. He’s getting paid three times as much as Lance Stephenson, and producing far less than Stephenson.

SVG continues to have the faith of ownership, but next year will likely be the last that he’s given that faith. Detroit needs a point guard to run their offense who can shoot and pass, and so far they’re lacking that. If they can get their act together this year, they might sneak into the playoffs, but it’s a big maybe.

12. The Hawks

Atlanta is having a bad year at a really bad time. Unlike the Cavs, they can’t seem to right the ship at all. Tiago Splitter went out on Christmas day with a torn patella and he’s done for the season — since then, the Hawks have spiraled, their second-unit giving away leads that the starters built. It’s been disheartening for ATL and it could have major ramifications.

Paul Millsap and Jeff Teague are both looking like they’re going to test free agency. Teague has picked it up this year and his averages now look more like what he put up last year; Millsap is killing it and could fetch one last big contract this summer. That’s not even mentioning Kyle Korver, whose averages have fallen dramatically compared to two years ago. The Hawks may have to retool this summer if they can’t pull it together.

13. The Celtics

They look like a team that just doesn’t want to be together. Boogie’s arrival in Boston was supposed to galvanize the Cs and put them back on the map; instead, his arrival has tanked the team’s chemistry and guys are starting to get frustrated with one another.

“The locker room is tense,” said one source within the organization. “No full blown fights yet, but you can see stuff boiling under the surface … there will be changes before next October for this team.”

Danny Ainge might not make a move now at the deadline unless a good deal presents itself, but this summer will be the biggest summer in nearly ten years for the Cs.

14. The Knicks

Need a point guard and a better center. It’s as simple as that. New York is getting good play from both Melo and Porzingas, but the team is missing key pieces. Melo is pleased with everything and the Knicks consistently rely on him to score, but one has to wonder if this relationship is doomed to fail.

New York exists in the middle right now — not bad enough for a top-three pick, but not quite good enough for the playoffs — and that type of purgatory will drive a fanbase insane. Still, it’s nice to New York compete but expect Phil Jackson to look for help in the summer.

15. The Bucks

Are offensively awful. Kris Middelton looks like a major overpay and Greg Monroe looks equally as bad. The Bucks continue to see good play from the Greek Freak and rookie PG Jamal Murray. Jabari Parker has picked up his play of late and looks to be better as a stretch-four, albeit not quite as effective as you’d like.

The Bucks, as a whole, just don’t seem ready to make the leap and Milwaukee should sell off some of their young vets for picks or prospects this summer. Losing, right now, is fine, but next year they need to get back to their winning ways — the people of Milwaukee did not fund a new arena to watch a struggling team.

[trekfan]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

The NBA Second Trimester Report: The West

February 9th, 2017

By Vonny Lee


Things out West are a good bit clearer in some respects, but just as messy in others. Here's how things look in the NBA's more glamorous conference.



1. The Sonics

It shouldn't be any surprise to see Seattle sitting atop the conference at this point. The injury to Brandon Jennings was supposed to derail their season, but instead it's led Seattle to discover that their PG of the future, rookie Malik Newman, is quite solid as a starter right now. The Sonics experimented with both Lin and Crawford starting but realized that neither of those two players were good enough to work with their first unit.

Newman has been a revelation; since he took the starting job, he's averaged 11.4 PPG and 4.1 APG on 23 minutes a night. He's not shooting great (42 percent from the field, 19 percent from deep), but he's electric on the floor and that makes defenses pay attention. Seattle has another 2-4 weeks before Jennings returns, but when they do they'll have a decision to make on what to do about Newman -- he's clearly good enough to see 20 minutes a night, but where will he get those minutes?

2. The Clippers

Aren't far behind the Sonics and are, themselves, dominating their competition. The trio of Paul, Griffin, and Jordan aren't scoring quite as much as they used to (each is about two points lower than the previous year's averages) but that's led to better balance for the team as a whole. Luol Deng continues to impress with his timely shooting (scoring only 9.8 PPG, but his percentages are much better than last season with the Heat), and Paul Pierce is having a revival off the bench, shooting better percentages and shots than he was when he signed on with the Wizards.

Pierce has announced that this will be his last season and he's looking for a title, one more time, and this Clippers squad seems eager to give it to him. Unexpected bench performers in Sashs Vujacic (who still has something) and rookie Troy Williams (who is showing more than most thought he had) have helped buoy the Clippers. This team is still lacking depth (one injury and things could get very dicey) but it looks like Danny Ferry is going to keep rolling with the squad he has. The summer will get very interesting for everyone, as Paul and Griffin can both opt-out and hit free agency, but no one expects them to sign anywhere but LA.

3. The Thunder

Are still a show between Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant. They, like everyone else, are caught looking up at the Sonics and Clippers, and the team as a whole just seems to be off a little. The team is still too reliant on their two stars and when one, or both, are having an off night, the Thunder have no answers.

Westbrook's contract situation continues to dominate the headlines, but the Thunder are downplaying it; all contract talks have been put off till the end of the season, so don't expect much news there, but one has to wonder if OKC is willing to consider a trade at this point. Rumor has it that the Thunder are looking to make a move away from Kanter for someone who is more reliable in the post, who isn't a turnstile on defense, and are placing calls. Kanter's contract isn't pretty, so the team's going to have to work hard to find a taker (and maybe pair a pick with him) but the Thunder are investigating it.

4. The Rockets

Are playing good ball on the season, but have struggled of late. Houston is in the midst of trying to decide who should star at PG between Lawson and Beverly, as Lawson has declined a bit and Beverly has picked up a bit. They've seen their bench perk up of late and the return of Chris Kaman from injury is welcome news.

This team still goes as James Harden goes, and Dwight's impending free agency hangs over them like a dark cloud, but Houston's getting solid play from their younger pieces (Capela, KJ McDaniels) and looks prepared for the future, with or without Dwight. They'd like to add a title this year, but with how they seem to fold against the top dogs of the conference, the chances don't look good.

5. The Warriors

Golden State's bad injury luck continues. After getting on a bit of a roll, they've lost Klay Thompson to a broken ankle (out 4-6 weeks) and lost Andrew Bogut to a broken toe (1-2 weeks) in the last week. Golden State, now more than ever, is relying on Steph Curry to carry the team and he hasn't disappointed so far. Curry is firmly in the MVP talks (along with Durant, Westbrook, LeBron, Harden, and Paul) with the way he's carrying his squad.

The Warriors schedule after the break is not a difficult one -- a lot of East and West bottom dwellers -- but if they want to get a higher seed, they'll need some wins against these lesser teams and hope to grab some rest for their starters before more injuries derail their year.

6. The Pelicans

The addition of Noah and Joe Johnson has done wonders for Anthony Davis, who no longer has to carry the team himself. Jrue Holiday continues to have a great year and looks like a lock for a new contract from the Pelicans.

But Tyreke Evans continues to struggle from the field -- just 41 percent shooting, 27 percent from deep -- and the Pelicans are likely to let the playmaking two-guard walk in the offseason if they don't see some serious improvement (or a good playoff run). Right now, the Pelicans aren't being hurt too badly by Evans' struggles but you can bet other teams around the NBA are preparing to make them pay if they meet in the postseason.

7. The Spurs

No need to sound the alarm ... yet. The Spurs have recovered from their poor early season start and it's not because of Aldridge, Green, or Leonard. No, it's old man Tony Parker who's leading the team from the dregs of the bottom and, slowly but surely, through the West standings. Parker is having a fantastic shooting year, scoring 14.1 PPG on 51 percent from the field and 40 percent from deep. He's rediscovered his deep shot after a subpar year last season and defenses are respecting him from out there again.

The Spurs are benefiting greatly from that and the rest of their starters are finding it easier to score when Parker is on from beyond the arc. San Antonio looks to have weathered the storm and should continue to gather the wins up. They won't hit 50 wins this season (not unless they go 21-6 the rest of the way) but they look to be in good position to make the playoffs and make some noise as a lower seed.

8. The T'Wolves

Minny is watching Andrew Wiggins make people look silly on the court. Wiggins is still a bit too passive with the ball in his hands, but he's displaying a killer instinct now more than ever. The Wolves are getting good seasons from him and Rubio (putting together his best season with 12.5 PPG, 5.9 RPG, and 7.3 APG).

Kevin Martin and Pekovic continue to be valuable veterans on this squad, Pek's play in particular (11.3 PPG, 10.9 RPG) being a big reason why the T'Wolves are in the playoff hunt, despite losing their best big man in Antony-Towns.

9. The Blazers

Are at .500 and have a pulse. Portland has watched Gerald Green and Roy Hibbert, its two big FA signings, struggle but they've turned it around the last few weeks and Portland has benefited. Lillard continues to put on an offensive show (25.7 PPG, 10.1 APG on 46 percent shooting, 40 percent from deep) and the Blazers aren't in the hunt without him doing work.

Portland's bench has perked up as well, recently, though they still look a bit shaky, but the whole team is healthy and have won three games straight heading into the break; expect Portland to make a late season push for a playoff spot.

10. The Lakers

The Lakers have to be kicking themselves for letting their early season momentum leave, but the month of January was rough for them. Both Whiteside and Lou Williams missed a few weeks with injuries and the Lakers record took some Ls because of it.

Their return in February has helped the Lakers right the ship, as they've won 4 of their last 5 games and have looked good doing it. Russell, Brown, and Randle are a potent trio of players, but Jordan Clarkson looks to be a bit left out. His percentages and scoring are slightly down, but he's still operating well as an assist dishing SG. If the Lakers want to get back into the playoff race, getting Clarkson more involved definitely wouldn't hurt.

11. The Suns

So, remember that Rondo trade? Phoenix does. It was supposed to be the end of their woes and a new lease on the season. Well, turns out that didn't work (surprise!). The Suns have dipped a bit since Rondo's trade, despite Bledsoe and Knight seeing their scoring averages rise with Rondo's banishment to Detroit.

But Rondo's absence has made another moody player unhappy -- Markieff Morris. Morris, again, is expressing his displeasure with things and it's mostly due to him being benched as a starter. David West has taken the role of late and the Suns are playing .500 ball because of it. Morris and his agent are both unhappy about that, as one might expect, and Phoenix looks ready to move on from Morris after the season ends.

12. The Mavs

Dirk's last ride is a sad, sad movie for the greatest Maverick of them all. Dirk is still performing at good levels (19.1 PPG on 44 percent shooting, but only 31 percent from deep), but Dallas just doesn't have the athleticism to stay in most games. Deron Williams is slow, so is Dirk, and Wesley Matthews is good, but not that good. Parsons is still out and now Devin Harris is, too (4-6 weeks for them both).

The Mavericks have to be pleased with their younger players, though. Justin Anderson has thrived in the starting role, scoring 10.5 PPG on 44 percent shooting, 40 percent from deep. Embiid continues to gobble up boards, 10.8 RPG, and score decently on 9.2 PPG. Tyler Zeller is getting a cool 7.6 PPG and 7.7 RPG off the bench. Kris Dunn has been okay, but looks better than he did earlier in the season.

Bottom line: the Mavs desperately want to get their pick back and will try to play just poorly enough to do it, but they might miss at this rate. Still, the team has pieces for the future and that's a very good thing.

13. The Kings

George Karl is gone and the Kings are still a free-floating mess. The only bright spots on this squad are Willy Cauley-Stein and Brandon Ingram, but the rest of the team is likely gone, gone, gone come the summer.

Faried is having a good year (12.8 PPG, 11.9 RPG on 47 percent shooting), and the Manimal looks hungry to be on a winning squad at some point in the near future -- expect the Kings to blow it up this offseason and try, yet again, to find a sustainable direction for a franchise that has lacked one for over a decade.

14. The Nuggets

It's where you expected the Nuggets to be at the beginning of the season, and here they are. Denver is taking the long road to rebuilding, but they're seeing progress with Mudiay, who is scoring 13.1 PPG now and looks to have broken through his sophomore slump. Dragan Bender continues to impress as the stretch-four and the Nuggets don't have many tough decisions to make right now.

Except what to do with Gallinari. He's continuing to put up good numbers (16.7 PPG on 44 percent from the field, 40 percent from deep) and it's the best season of his career, without a doubt. Gallinari has a player-option, which he could decline, but he's agreed to pick it up if he's traded to a winning team. He might pick it up anyway, just because he enjoys Denver so much. Expect him to be shipped off at the deadline, though to where remains the question.

15. The Jazz

Rough days in Utah. They are the worst team in the NBA by two games and it doesn't look like it's gonna get much better. The Jazz are gonna be major sellers at the deadline and they are going to move on from Rudy Gobert.

Gobert has publicly demanded a trade after the Jazz fired Quinn Snyder, and the team is breaking apart at the seams. The younger players -- Exum, Labissiere, Lyles -- are untouchable at this point. Everyone else? For. Sale.

Utah is taking offers from anyone with picks or young prospects (with at least two years left on their rookie deals) back; it's a field day for some in the league and the Jazz are expected to be major players at the deadline. Don't expect them to trade for cap space, as Utah has never been a free agent destination, but do expect them to get back picks for sure.

Gordon Hayward won't be traded, though, as he's declared that he won't re-sign with any team he's traded to, so the Jazz are stuck with their disgruntled leader, but they'll fetch a pretty penny for Rudy Gobert.

[trekfan]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

NBA Deadline Deals

February 16th, 2017

By Vonny Lee


It was a seller's market this year for many teams as moves were made across the league, some surprising and others expected.




We'll start out East with the Wizards, who were involved in a big-three way trade between the Celtics and Hornets. The Wizards have been less than impressed with the play of Otto Porter, and that's been the case for what feels like years now. Porter has never shown he's ready to be the third-wheel to the Wall/Beal pairing and he was shipped out of town (with a couple of 2nd round picks) for Marcus Smart.

Smart brings a few things the Wizards lack in their second unit -- toughness and ball handling, primarily. Smart will the primary backup to both Wall and Beal, which means he'll get plenty of minutes off the bench. Smart isn't a great shooter, that much is sure, but his passing is usually pretty decent and the Wizards severe lack of ball handling behind John Wall was killing them.

For the Celtics, they get a young prospect in Porter who has never found a niche in his young pro career. He slots in as a SF/SG in their lineup and, upon the trade, he agreed to a one year extension of his deal (worth $7.3M), which will allow Boston to evaluate him as a potential starter. Porter brings a long-distance touch (he's shooting 43 percent from deep for the year) and that touch is something Boston has lacked with the slight regression of Jae Crowder.

The Celtics then went ahead and traded away PJ Tucker, their signing in FA this year, for Tyler Hansbrough and another 2nd round pick. Hanbrough has been relegated to the bench this season in Charlotte and now has a place where he can regularly contribute -- his passion and hustle make him an ideal bench man.

For the Hornets, they needed someone better than PJ Hairston as their backup SF and Tucker has proven himself a solid contributor in whatever role he's in. He'll bring instant toughness and defense off the Hornets bench -- he's a rental for one year, but Tucker's an above average three-point shooter and defender and worth a flyer and a 2nd round pick.



The Wizards weren't done, either. They finally moved on from Jared Dudley, trading the loved veteran (who has been unfairly glued to the bench) for Ezeli. The Wizards get a good rim protector in the deal and his bird rights as well -- Ezeli will be a free agent this summer and an unrestricted one at that, after betting on himself last summer by signing his qualifying offer. He wants to be a starter somewhere, but it remains to be seen if anyone believes he can be. In any case, Washington will have cap space in the summer and look to be preparing to make a run at someone ... but only the Wizards know who.

For the Warriors, they pick up a valuable swing man who can play the two, three, and four; that's positional versatility they value and Dudley's on a dirt cheap deal, which makes this an even better buy for the Warriors long-term.



Back to the Celtics, who decided they needed to move on from a slumping Kelly Olynk. They found a willing buyer in Denver and Olynk agreed to a contract extension (2yr/$13.8M with a team option) to facilitate the trade. Olynk instantly brings a large dose of shooting and offense off Denver's woeful bench, as the Nuggets increasingly look like they're trying to out run and out shoot all teams.

For the Celtics, they pick up Jokic and Harris, both prospects who are signed to cheap deals and have seen little time in Denver. Jokic is the key to this deal, as the Celtics see him as a potential franchise big down the line if they can develop him. As always, don't count out Danny Ainge -- this was a nice "sell-high" trade for him and everyone wins for now.



With Denver securing the services of Olynk, they moved on from Gallinari ... and the Magic were the winners. It took the league bu surprise to see Orlando willing to move Nic Batum and a future first (top-10 protected) for Gallo, but Batum has been massively underwhelming during his Orlando stint -- less than 38 percent from the field and 33 percent from deep. His season has been a struggle.

Gallinari hasn't had any problems with his shot and, as per his agreement, he picked up his option for the Magic, meaning they get two years of his sweet shooting. Orlando desperately needed some offense from their SF spot and have been succeeding in spite of poor shooting from anyone not named Hezonja or Vucevic. Gallo isn't much of a defender, but the Magic can cover for him if he can hit his shots. It's a bold move for the Magic's front office, but they believe they can get to the playoffs this season and make some noise -- they've double-downed on that belief now and there's a future 1st rounder riding on it.



The Jazz were expected to trade Rudy Gobert, but it wasn't expected that the Hawks, of all teams, would come calling. Atlanta is having a bad year and they have a losing record, but they traded away their 2017 1st rounder (only top-3 protected) and rookie big man Henry Ellenson to Utah for the Stifle Tower.

Gobert's presence instantly transforms Atlanta's lineup. The Hawks are planning to roll out Teague, Korver, Millsap, Horford, and Gobert as their starting five, a lineup with a nice mix of defense, offense, and shooting. Off the bench comes Wilson Chandler and the rest of the unit, and the Hawks have their big man of the future in Gobert no matter what -- they will match any offer made on him during his restricted free agency this summer, and teams will try to snag him away with big offers.

For Utah, they have grabbed a likely lottery pick for their big man, whom they took 27th overall in 2013, and grabbed Ellenson, a big man who can be a part of their future or a trade chip down the line, should they chose to develop him further. All and all, a good trade for both sides, albeit a potentially short-sighted one for Atlanta.

(Note: Utah followed up this trade by releasing Trey Burke, who they couldn't trade to save their life. Burke was promptly claimed off waivers by the Miami Heat, who are gonna take a flyer on the young point guard)



It wouldn't be a trade deadline without the 76ers, except this time they're making a trade to improve their team for the present. The Kings put out feelers for trading Faried or Gay, but no one called back -- instead, they moved the veteran big Koufos with a future 2nd rounder for Miles Plumlee. It's a trade for cap space for the Kings.

For the 76ers, they take on a bigger and longer contract, but do so for the veteran presence and experience of Koufos, who has been on multiple playoff teams over his career and been a solid contributor for the majority of them. It's a small "win-now" move for the 76ers, but with their team firmly in the playoff hunt (and with cap space to burn), this trade will help the team long-term, too.

[Teleo]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

Trekfan, I know that this is not the thread for this question and I have posted it in a more relatable thread (or so I thought), but have yet to receive a response. I am doing so in your thread because: 1, you actually do respond to questions and 2, you appear to have an extensive knowledge of the game.


I know that you play in MyLeague and my question pertains to MyGM, but maybe you have my answer: I would like to know what are the differences in being a GM of a team and then purchasing and being the owner of that same team? I look forward to your response.

[trekfan]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

Trekfan, I know that this is not the thread for this question and I have posted it in a more relatable thread (or so I thought), but have yet to receive a response. I am doing so in your thread because: 1, you actually do respond to questions and 2, you appear to have an extensive knowledge of the game.


I know that you play in MyLeague and my question pertains to MyGM, but maybe you have my answer: I would like to know what are the differences in being a GM of a team and then purchasing and being the owner of that same team? I look forward to your response.

I love answering questions, it's not a problem.

The difference is a big one. As just a GM of a team you are subject to the whims of the owner goals at the beginning of the season. So, say, you take control of the Knicks and the Knicks owner (stand in for James Dolan) sets a goal for you to make the playoffs AND get an extra 1st rounder in that year's draft ... well, that's a pretty tough goal. And if you fail it, you lose your owners confidence, don't get any money for completing the goal, and that makes it tougher to upgrade facilities/buy pitches/ect in MyGM.

If you're the owner, you have no owner goals. You're not beholden to crazy, unrealistic demands, and you can make whatever moves you want without fear of being fired or seeing a serious loss of owner confidence. Now, on the flipside, it does make it a bit more difficult to earn easy cash for completing goals, but the freedom you get as an owner/GM is well-worth that trade off.

Note, when you become owner of a team, you are the owner for JUST that team. You can't own more than one team in MyGM, so if you ever decide to resign (which I'm not sure you can do once you own a team), than you'll be just a regular GM again and have to earn enough VC to buy whatever other team you want ... theoretically.

Buying a team in MyGM is a serious move and not a cheap one at that (50,000 VC as I recall), so definitely think about your decision before you make it. You'll want a place that has long-term viability and a healthy fanbase (unless you're looking to move the team, in which case don't buy the Lakers -- go for a low-tier franchise, that way the move is cheaper and easier to get approval for from the NBA's board of Governors).

And that's about it.

[trekfan]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return



Their first game back from the All-Star break was a thriller. The Sonics now move to 45-10 after their back-and-forth, heart-wrenching win against the Suns. It was a game of scoring, beginning to end, and Seattle was the better scoring team this game.

Why? Their triples. Seattle was ON FIRE from behind the arc tonight, most of their triples coming in the second-half as Seattle struggled to put the Suns away. The story in the first-half was the Sonics outrunning and outgunning the Suns at every turn.

That only have them a precious small lead heading into halftime, but in the third quarter Seattle managed to push the lead to nine. Then the Suns came back, tied it, and Seattle tried to put them away again.

Big performances off the bench helped offset a very cold night for Marcin Gortat (who was abysmal from the field and had many of his shots rim out). Leading the way for the bench unit was Jamal Crawford, who missed only one shot all game and nailed big triples to deliver some right hooks across the Suns' jaws.

But Phoenix still managed to hang around enough to come back in the fourth. That quarter was all Lance Stephenson; in the span of a few minutes you saw everything that made you love and hate the man. He had two back-to-back drives that ended with him diving into the Suns defense as he barreled towards the rim, looking for a call, but only getting the ball rejected, which lead to four Suns fast-break points and a Phoenix lead.

On the next two possessions, Lance knocked down a wide open triple and a tough layup to give Seattle a four-point cushion again. His defense on Brandon Knight was non-existent for most of the night, but in the fourth he locked down on Knight and Knight struggled to shoot his way out of it.

Lance was the hero of the fourth, the game's hero was RHJ, who feasted on transition opportunities and sealed the game late with multiple clutch free-throws as the Suns tried to stretch the game with intentional fouls. They did manage to stretch it, but Seattle never gave up the lead and were confident enough to let the Suns have the easy shots -- they didn't overplay or foul back, so the clock was on Seattle's side.

The game represents many things for Seattle, but it will be best remembered for Jamal Crawford. Crawford announced in the post-game press conference that he would be retiring at year's end, a statement that caught almost everyone in the press off guard. JC hadn't even been hinting at retirement during the season and everyone assumed he'd re-sign with Seattle next year for another run.

That assumption looks to be wrong now. Crawford didn't go into a long spiel about why he made the decision, but he did state that he had accomplished everything he wanted to in the NBA; with last year's title, he had all he needed.

"I was Sixth Man twice, but all I ever wanted was a title," Crawford said. "I got that last year ... hopefully will get another this year, but I'm tired now. Time to make room for some of the younger guys in the league."

Crawford's announcement was a shock to the players, too. He only told them as they were dressing after the game.

"He was just putting on his suit, looked at me, and said, 'I'm retiring after the season,' like it was nothing," said Carl Landry. "I had to ask him to repeat it and he did so, louder, so everyone could hear, and we all just stood there for a second before gathering around him, and just reaching out to him. We had ourselves a sorta-group hug ... he's been our vet out there, even for me. And now we're on the last ride with him."

Owner Max Newman, attending the game (as per usual), was visibly taken aback after the announcement.

"It's his decision," said Newman. "I'll support him, obviously, but the fan in me feels like a hole's been punched through my chest."

Jamal Crawford joins a list of NBA veterans retiring at season's end that includes Paul Pierce and Dirk Nowitzki.

Lionel Hollins wasn't too surprised, though. "I saw some of it ... just in practice, just during the timeouts in games. He had that look, like he was memorizing where everything was ... I remember that look. I had that look, too, in my final year in the league. Things will never look the same and, once you make peace with that, you're ready. And I think he's made his peace with it."

Go Sonics.

[Teleo]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

I love answering questions, it's not a problem.

The difference is a big one. As just a GM of a team you are subject to the whims of the owner goals at the beginning of the season. So, say, you take control of the Knicks and the Knicks owner (stand in for James Dolan) sets a goal for you to make the playoffs AND get an extra 1st rounder in that year's draft ... well, that's a pretty tough goal. And if you fail it, you lose your owners confidence, don't get any money for completing the goal, and that makes it tougher to upgrade facilities/buy pitches/ect in MyGM.

If you're the owner, you have no owner goals. You're not beholden to crazy, unrealistic demands, and you can make whatever moves you want without fear of being fired or seeing a serious loss of owner confidence. Now, on the flipside, it does make it a bit more difficult to earn easy cash for completing goals, but the freedom you get as an owner/GM is well-worth that trade off.

Note, when you become owner of a team, you are the owner for JUST that team. You can't own more than one team in MyGM, so if you ever decide to resign (which I'm not sure you can do once you own a team), than you'll be just a regular GM again and have to earn enough VC to buy whatever other team you want ... theoretically.

Buying a team in MyGM is a serious move and not a cheap one at that (50,000 VC as I recall), so definitely think about your decision before you make it. You'll want a place that has long-term viability and a healthy fanbase (unless you're looking to move the team, in which case don't buy the Lakers -- go for a low-tier franchise, that way the move is cheaper and easier to get approval for from the NBA's board of Governors).

And that's about it.

Thank you so much for your response! It's amazing the type of questions that are answered in certain threads that ironically have no real point to the threads intentions.

Ironically, I am the GM of the Lakers (which went against every principle in my DNA since I am a Spurs fan), but I really enjoy seeing Kobe play out his last season as I incorporate CPU vs CPU gameplay (workaround coach mode). I have traded off a few pieces and was able to attain 3 1st round picks and 2 2nd round draft picks for 2016. Plus, I'm really looking forward to reeling in at least 1 dominant free agent to now be the face of the Lakers...time and $ will tell.

Thank you once again Trek and keep plugging away at your Supersonic dominance!

[trekfan]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return



February 19th, 2017

The clock in his office flashed the time but it didn't matter much to Max. He had been up all night at this point, there was no reason for him to try to sleep. He stood up and stretched his legs, but his mind was very much on one thing: Jamal Crawford.

The retirement announcement had floored him. He hadn't expected it, no one had, really. Jamal was still so effective and though he wasn't averaging a lot of points, he was doing good work nonetheless. He still had game, but the man was going to retire at season's end.

Which left the Sonics, as an organization, with a choice to make on where to go to replace him.

"Of course, he waited till after the deadline to tell us," he muttered to himself, a chuckle escaping him. There were a few deadline deals offered to him that, knowing what he knew now, he might have taken. Some team's were very interested in Malik, but Max wouldn't trade him for the world at this point -- the rookie was definitely proving himself and he had a role to play.

Other teams were interested in Bogdanovic, who was having a great year off the bench. Only getting 15 minutes a night, Bogdog (as he had been nicknamed by the fans) was scoring nearly nine points a game on 51 percent shooting, 42 percent from deep. He was having a better year than the year before, being ultra-efficient and playing the game very well.

Bogdog's shooting was a boon off the bench and there were a number of teams looking at him, but the most interested among those was Detroit. The Pistons, straight up, offered him Marcus Morris or Caldwell-Pope for Bogdanovic.

It was an enticing offer for a few reasons. Pope was younger and had room for development. Morris was a better defender than Bogdanvoic (when he was engaged) and had a much cheaper contract ... a cheaper one than Bogdanovic would likely command in free agency this summer.

Long-term, Pope was probably the better bet among the three, but Max wanted Morris for a different reason entirely -- not just for his improved defense, but also so he could bait the Suns into trading him Markieff, the better of the two brothers. Markieff was displeased and performing poorly.

But Phoenix wouldn't give him any sort of realistic offer for the moody stretch-four. They asked for various combinations of players that Max wasn't inclined to talk to them about -- they treated him like a rookie GM with no common sense. It was insulting, on a lot of levels, but if Ryan McDonough of the Suns wanted to treat him that way, that was fine. They parted on decent terms despite Max's urge to tear McDonough a new one.

Jamal's decision to retire would have changed the way he played the deadline, but that was in the past now, as much as he hated to admit it. He had to look ahead.

He got himself a fresh cup of coffee and sat back down in his chair, looking back at the list of potential free agents coming up in the summer. At the top were his big-wants and number one on that list was a very familiar name to him, and to all of Seattle at this point.

Russell Westbrook.

Few remember that Westbrook was selected, not by the Thunder, but as a Sonic in the 2008 draft. It was the last time the Sonics were represented by the NBA, the last official function of a franchise that was days away from being turned into the abomination that was the Thunder. Yes, Durant had actually worn the jersey for a year and still seemed to have a fondness for the Sonics, but he was firmly in OKC's camp; the man's contract extension (and the discount he took to stay) confirmed that.

But Westbrook looked to be ready to take the reigns of a franchise himself. Both he and Durant were superstar players, but Durant was the alpha-dog of that team and Russell would never win an MVP, never be recognized as better than Durant while sharing a locker next to him.

Max was betting Russell knew that, too, though NBA tampering rules prevented him from engaging with Westbrook at all until the man became a free agent. Westbrook, if he became a free agent, would be the best signing Max could make the Sonics in this free agency and it would solidify the point guard role for the next four years, easily. With Westbrook aboard, Malik wouldn't have to be rushed into a starter role and he could be the designated Sixth Man off the bench.

It would make the team guard heavy, which was a concern. Jamal was a good tweener, he could go between the two or the three, but he wouldn't be around next season and Lin was better off as a one or a two -- the man was too short to play the three.

If Westbrook didn't sign, there was still Jennings. But even with Brandon's year, he still wasn't the second-best option. The other guard Max was looking at was Derrick Rose. Chicago seemed hell-bent on letting the man go and Rose, if he was let go, would be hell-bent on proving them wrong. To be banished by his hometown team, the team he won an MVP with and gave his all? That would be the biggest chip on anyone's shoulder.

Rose would light up the league in their system, Max had no doubt of that, and he was wiser. He was taking better shots, not risking himself as much, but he was still a very good player and one that everybody had to respect. He would give the Sonics offense MVP-caliber leadership and with Malik backing him up, he wouldn't be a super-risky signing ... but a risky one nonetheless.

He rubbed his temple, took a swig of his coffee, and began typing out the potential scenarios at play for the summer for the point guard position.

There was a lot to get to.

[Trent Booty]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

Man, you got me of dreaming of Russell Westbrook in a Sonics jersey again!

[JazzMan]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

Gobert to Atlanta could save their season. Big change in the lineup for them.

If not, then Utah should have a good looking draft pick.

[trekfan]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

Man, you got me of dreaming of Russell Westbrook in a Sonics jersey again!

Absolutely. Westbrook as a Sonic has been my dream scenario and, thanks to OKC's cap situation (and the way they bowed out of the playoffs last season against us), I have a decent shot at that happening. If OKC doesn't make it to the conference finals, I think Westbrook bolts. Even if they do make it, I think a Finals appearance for the title is necessary.

And if the Sonics make it back to the Finals and OKC doesn't, it's a lock: Westbrook goes off to find greener pastures. I hope he looks at mine, but we'll see how the league shapes up. The Thunder can afford to lose him, truth be told -- Cameron Payne is legit and they need the money for better/younger players around Durant.

Gobert to Atlanta could save their season. Big change in the lineup for them.

If not, then Utah should have a good looking draft pick.

Yep, it's a good trade for both sides. Gobert will be the big man of the future for ATL -- dude can live the rest of his career there and be set. The Hawks will have to adjust to him, of course, but I think this version of their team is pretty much done. Millsap and Teague both seem ready to move on (Millsap, in particular) and Atlanta needs to really look at securing some long-term pieces in FA to get back to the top of the East.

They have two 1st round draft picks in 2018, so they can afford to make a bet this year and pray it pays off. If not, they'll be okay.

[trekfan]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return



February 20th, 2017

"Westbrook?" The question was as much a question as it was a statement of surprise. Lionel Hollins leaned back in his chair, eyes flashing skepticism. "I think he's out of our reach."

Max, sipping his coffee, offered a brief shake of his head. "I think he's just within our reach."

"I think you're both underestimating Brandon," Ray interrupted. iPad in hand, he read off Jennings' stats aloud for all to hear. "Nearly 22 points a game, over eight assists, nearly two steals, and shooting 44 percent from the field, 39 percent from deep." Ray looked at the two of them expectantly. "That kind of shooting and passing is hard to come by."

Max held up a finger. "And it comes with a caveat; this is his best season of his career, easily, and his career averages are all well-below those. Look at Jack out in Boston -- he's fallen back to around his career averages this season."

"He's also not getting as much use as he was here," Ray pointed out. "But, I concede the point, Brandon is having his best year. I don't think that necessarily means he can't have more of them with us."

"I think our esteemed owner's case is that the system is making the man." Lionel smirked. "And you want a man who can match or better the system, don't you?"

Max nodded. "We can't rely on the system making our point guards better all the time. But look at Westbrook's numbers, his worst seasons would match Jennings best, including this year."

"Russell has never been a consistent shooter." Ray activated the big screen on the wall with his iPad and displayed Westbrook's stats. "His deep touch has only developed marginally in the last few years; he's a career 31 percent shooter from there. Brandon, at his worst, is a 36 percent over his career."

Lionel stirred his coffee, adding in a bit of sugar, taking in the debate with a bit of amusement. "So, it comes down to determining how valuable that deep shot is to us."

Max leaned back against the edge of his desk. "The NBA is lover of that shot. But we did win a title with a point guard who couldn't hit a three to save his life."

"And a small forward. And a power forward. And a center." Lionel eyed Ray with grin. "But not a shooting guard."

Ray's face relaxed, just a little. Not a full grin, but the hints at one. "Well, a shooting guard's first job is to shoot. Guys forget that." Ray brought up a new page on the big screen. "Speaking of shooting guards, free agency has one in it that I think we should look at."

Max watched as a name came up on the screen he didn't expect. "Oladipo?"

"Victor hates the 76ers, make no mistake about it. I have a few players I know who have more than communicated that to me." Ray brought up the man's stats. "He's not performing well there, either."

Max shook his head. "I think we're set with Lance."

"I think Lance is better off the bench -- we'll need him off the bench with Jamal retiring." Ray circled Oladipo's second season. "This is the season where things clicked for him; then Skiles showed up."

Lionel sighed, the coach's mind clearly at work. "He's young and can improve some, I grant that. But he's ball-dominant."

"He's a better shooter than most give him credit for. He can drive it inside because it's easier to him, but if he gets guidance on his shot, he can be a lethal off-ball player," Ray stated with confidence. "Look, I worked with Lance some and he's improved, but Oladipo can be twice as good as Lance is now by the start of next season."

Max rubbed his chin, lost in thought. "Before we think about Westbrook or Oladipo or anyone else, we need to take a step back and figure out what we're doing at the four. I think Marcin is going to be our big off the bench next season ... he just looks a step slow."

Lionel frowned. "I'm forced to reluctantly agree; the move of Nerlens to center should be made next season if we can find a reliable starter next to him."

Max looked at his near empty cup and smiled. "Well, it seems like we're going to be here awhile. I'm getting a refill."

It was another two cups of coffee before they were done.

[Gensi2k]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

Seriously I don't know, really, Westbrook is certainly better but the inconstancy of his jump shot could really destroy your spacing ... as long as it works with Jennings, why switch?

[trekfan]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

Seriously I don't know, really, Westbrook is certainly better but the inconstancy of his jump shot could really destroy your spacing ... as long as it works with Jennings, why switch?

It work with Jennings to a point, but having Malik inserted into the lineup has vastly altered how I play -- he's an attacking point guard, bigger and faster than a lot of his opponents, who's just killing it. He stands 6'4" and it's just easier to pass/move with him than with Jennings (who's 6'1" and frequently gets blocked when I go inside).

Plus, Jennings' injury history in recent years really worries me that he misses a significant chunk of time if I sign him to a three year deal. I signed him for only one year to give myself a chance to go after help in free agency either at the PG, SG, or PF (or some combination there of). Lance has worked out wonderfully and I'm good with him there for the next few years.

Not sure about Jennings. I don't have bird rights on him anyway (and he has yet to make a decision on whether he'd like to re-sign with the Sonics), so I'm in the market for a PG on some level. But we'll see what happens in the playoffs -- that's where the ultimate destiny of many potential FAs will be decided.