The NBA Thread

Giddey eventually re-signs at the Bulls. Assuming they met at the middle and maybe there was word the market wouldn’t entirely be hot come next FA. But it was what I was expecting taking out of account Aus media bias..
Seems like it was a bit of an exercise to get away from a championship calibre team when he may have been on a bit less then what he was on now and stayed and still probably could have gotten a better deal down the road in a few years with a ring in hand
 
On one hand, overreacting to pre-season is foolish.

On the other, the Spurs are about to be the first team to ever go undefeated through a whole season.
 
I watch next to no preseason games most years.
Unless there’s a rookie worth watching
Summer League usually does the trick and garners that hype. This year there was Eurobasket (the junior finals were a good watch too) find it interesting a lot of youth coaches complain about all the zone they play and there was plenty of it, being played properly it’s a switching man and teaches to defend assignments as both an individual and a team.
Oh and despite the lesser talent the Asian cup final was a decent watch too.

Anyway that Durant contract makes it worth the trade alone, took a very generous discount and even if one of both years are a bit injury riddled it’s not ridiculous and doesn’t hamper the team either way.

The Kuminga deal makes it almost tradeable if they decide to blow it up or he cashes in once the older heads retire.

Portland did well to get Camara and Sharpe on not so ridiculous contracts and done early.

Keegan Murray, quite a big deal for a guy who isn’t a totally finished product offensively and not as known for playmaking, yes he’s a two way guy in a way but if he ups his shooting and grows in the trajectory others have it’ll be worth it. Plus the Kings don’t really have a choice atm but to sign their talent, it’s still an investment in ceiling and potential.
Worst case the player option is an anchor and his growth stalls. We’ll see

Still gonna be an interesting FA class next summer. One of those dominoes fall depending on whether Lebron goes around another year nor not. Maybe he will take a pay cut in his final year(s)
 
That Camara contract is one of the best in the league, at a team which already has one of the other best contacts (Deni Avdija).

Just too bad that they also have a few of the worst contracts + no true franchise centrepiece.
 
Season predictions:

Champion: Denver Nuggets
Losing finalist: New York Knicks
Finals MVP: Nikola Jokic (shocker)

MVP: I really want to say Victor Wembanyama now but this would be intellectually dishonest - I thought Luka Doncic two days ago and will stick with that.
DPOY: Victor Wembanyama
Rookie: Cooper Flagg
6th Man: Josh Hart
Most improved player: Bennedict Mathurin
Clutch player: Luka Doncic
Coach: Jamahl Mosley
 
It's already shaping up to be a cracking season if the opening games are anything to go by.
Since they preached so much about Shai and 68 wins It's going to be an uphill battle for someone like Luka playing without Lebron for a month. Maybe Lebron is still a bit sour about the Lakers 'moving on' without him that he's taking his time easing into this season without a care in world and reminding everyone of his value. Okay now to take off my tin foil conspiracy theory hat...

Wemby....Spurs playing the long game aka grown man strength catching up. I think Kidd pigeonholing Flagg into the 1 is concerning, unless he thinks he can get some Giannis early point years outta him, otherwise it's gonna be a mess.
And back to Wemby, just highlight after highlight. He's really cleaned up on some of his poorer tendencies with more efficient and deliberate movements, cross overs, lobs etc.
Before you could get a wing to guard him effectively by crowding the space, But he has already showed his passing skills when facing up in high post during Year 1. So maybe defenses will need to come double from his blind side. Most likely his next challenge. Actually I can see teams chopping him and not making them look like fouls, doubles etc. We'll see.
Really just gave AD a bath, not that you should expect AD to handle him one on one, at the Lakers Lebron, Dwight, Javale or other big men to cover him. Lively is not ready for that yet. Gafford can do more.
And lastly, the handles, for a big guy his size, just exceptional...he did show signs of it as a youth player in France that said.
 
Okay feeling better about my Luka Doncic MVP pick 😮 good gravy. Dude is on a mission and I think LeBron is going to miss a lot of games this year. He could average a 35 point triple double.
 
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3rd game rookie. I know +/- is flawed but I think it genuinely captures his impact on the result this morning. If the Spurs didn't get him in the draft this year they're 1 and 2 rather than 3 and 0.

Giving Harper to a team with Wemby on it is going to be like turning cheats on in 2K. He's so god damned good this kid. He looked like a generational rim pressure guy & playmaker in college and it's translating to the league instantly. Since LeBron the only better lead ball handler prospect on draft day since him has been Luka Doncic IMO. Better prospect than Cade, Kyrie, Ben Simmons, etc etc. You name any of them, and besides Luka I'm taking this kid. Special special talent.
 
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