Well, at least the Lakers looked bad too.Jesus Christ. 2017-2018 is not coming up Celtics so far.
Well, at least the Lakers looked bad too.Jesus Christ. 2017-2018 is not coming up Celtics so far.
The #1 scoring team in the NBA. Showing the GSW how to do it.If 76ers beat Toronto, we're talking about the FIRST PLACE Brooklyn Nets!
That is awesomehttp://bleacherreport.com/articles/2740859-lebron-james-on-nets-pick-from-kyrie-trade-it-might-not-even-be-that-good
Right about now the Cavs are starting to realize Ainge fleeced them. More importantly, LeBron is realizing it and is thinking about his 2018 options
Interesting speculation there about the Cavs trading the Nets pick and salary ballast (Frye and Shumpert) for Bledsoe (a Rich Paul client). Seems like an overpay, even given Brooklyn's feistiness this year, but if LeBron tells them they do the deal or he leaves, what do they do? Especially if indications are that IT's injury will really keep him from contributing this year.http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2740859-lebron-james-on-nets-pick-from-kyrie-trade-it-might-not-even-be-that-good
Right about now the Cavs are starting to realize Ainge fleeced them. More importantly, LeBron is realizing it and is thinking about his 2018 options
"We're running around here worrying about getting the Brooklyn pick, they might want our pick," Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said after the Nets earned a 112-107 win over the Cavs on Wednesday.
Except they left Dragan Bender on the table, who was rumoured to be part of the package for Irving.If the Nets pick goes to Phoenix for Bledsoe then the Cavaliers will have made the trade they probably should have done in the first place.
Leaving Bender on the table belongs in the "pro" column.Except they left Dragan Bender on the table, who was rumoured to be part of the package for Irving.
Which is the package I personally would have chosen, but that and $3.55 might get you a cup of chai these days.
This seems right to me. Ignoring returns for other teams, if the Cavs had been offered Jae, IT, and Bledsoe for Irving and contracts, people would've loved that trade for Cleveland. The Nets pick has become less valuable, but Bledsoe's cost seems suppressed too. Flipping a devalued asset for an undervalued one makes a lot of sense. The Cavs need talent for a title run, not a slight headstart on a likely long and painful rebuild.Yea, it seems weird, that the Nets pick sounds like way too much to give up. But if a trade of Kyrie Irving nets you Eric Bledsoe, Jae Crowder, a few months of IT, and you dump some bad salary, well that seems like a pretty good haul.
Ha Ha. I've not watched the games but from random internet chatter, it sounds like Bender is having some impact on games on the defensive side.Leaving Bender on the table belongs in the "pro" column.
It won't mean much if he can't shoot or pass as well as some anticipated, but this play shows why people were high on his defensive upside:Ha Ha. I've not watched the games but from random internet chatter, it sounds like Bender is having some impact on games on the defensive side.
Don't forget that Bender is still the 14th youngest player in the NBA. He's younger than Lonzo Ball by 21 days. He's older that Tatum but only by 79 days. He's one of only 15 nineteen year olds in the NBA and the only one with a year of experience.
He's shooting 1.00% on FTs so that should translate, right?It won't mean much if he can't shoot or pass as well as some anticipated, but this play shows why people were high on his defensive upside:
It was nice, but its also Joe Ingles.It won't mean much if he can't shoot or pass as well as some anticipated, but this play shows why people were high on his defensive upside:
It's also Rudy Gobert setting the screen he goes over. Maybe he merely contests the shot of most other swing men there, but the lateral quickness to recover is impressive nonetheless.It was nice, but its also Joe Ingles.
That's giving up on a player way too soon. As others have said, he's still 19 years old. Add in the fact he's 7'1, has a ton of defensive upside and a developing 3 point shot and it's hardly a "pro."Leaving Bender on the table belongs in the "pro" column.
Sure, run 'em out there with Rose, Wade and Calderon. Unstoppable!Can Eric Bledsoe and IT4 play together?
This trend extends to...the entire world.That's giving up on a player way too soon. As others have said, he's still 19 years old. Add in the fact he's 7'1, has a ton of defensive upside and a developing 3 point shot and it's hardly a "pro."
I've noticed that as a trend on the C's board though. Seems people on here sour on other team's young players far sooner than our own. I'm guessing because we see our own players develop with the ups and downs while other teams players we only see the downs. I'm guilty of this too, as I was trashing on Brandon Ingram a few weeks ago but he's looked considerably better so far this year and just turned 20. All these guys are so incredibly young we can't really judge any of them yet.
Sure, run 'em out there with Rose, Wade and Calderon. Unstoppable!
There is some truth to that but I think we do the exact opposite in baseball.This trend extends to...the entire world.
Does it matter? It seems iffy at best that IT4 returns this year, and even if he does, what are they expecting out of him?Can Eric Bledsoe and IT4 play together? I guess they have before, but I thought part of the reason IT4 was traded was because he wasn't a good fit alongside Bledsoe... of course the Suns also traded for Brandon Knight the same day who isn't exactly a fit either.
Besides that, is Eric Bledsoe even really that good? His contract gives him some added value but he seems like a run of the mill PG who puts up numbers on a bad team. He's an average shooter at best, somewhat turnover prone, and not all that great defensively. If the Nets pick is in the lower half of the lottery, it would be an ok trade. The only problem with that is the Nets pick could be considerably more valuable than a lower half lottery pick. That and if LeBron James does walk, what good is Eric Bledsoe to the Cavs next year when they are rebuilding?
Before Bledsoe put up numbers on a bad team, he was putting up numbers on good team. He also used to be pretty good defensively on the Clippers (wingspan!), back when he was carrying a lesser load on offense (which playing with LeBron, Love, and possibly IT would allow him to do). You're right he's not a transformational guy, but he seems to have a pretty versatile and valuable skillset. He seems like a good fit for almost any team trying to contend.Besides that, is Eric Bledsoe even really that good? His contract gives him some added value but he seems like a run of the mill PG who puts up numbers on a bad team. He's an average shooter at best, somewhat turnover prone, and not all that great defensively. If the Nets pick is in the lower half of the lottery, it would be an ok trade. The only problem with that is the Nets pick could be considerably more valuable than a lower half lottery pick. That and if LeBron James does walk, what good is Eric Bledsoe to the Cavs next year when they are rebuilding?
Bledsoe has been a good defender in years past, and when motivated he can even be a great defender; His defensive rating for his career is 107, and has consistently come out as a net positive for his career when it comes to DWS and DBPM. He's really strong for a PG and has good athleticism and hands. He's about a league average shooter but not much of a playmaker as a PG; which would be fine if he was going to a CLE/Milwaukee situation where the top distributor isn't the PG. The big question with him is his mentality and his health; he's injury prone and flaming out with Phoenix can't be seen as a positive.
Obviously, Phoenix hasn't been a great situation; so I think Bledsoe (and all Phoenix players) needs to be looked at with a grain of salt.
Yeah I definitely wouldn't trade the Brooklyn pick; it's tough because everyone figures at this point retaining Bledsoe isn't an option for Phoenix; plus through in concerns about his health/makeup and they don't have a ton of leverage.I think you'd have to be pretty down on the Nets pick to be happy with the player you described. The Cavs are in a pretty unique situation though so it would make sense to go for one last run. I just think they could get a better return for the pick, but maybe not at this point in the season. It's possible when things settle down, the Nets really are competing for the 8 seed and the pick loses a lot of value too but it's 5 games in. Russell has looked really good, though.
Bledsoe for Brogdon makes some sense but I don't think that's all that big of an upgrade. As you noted, he's not that big of a playmaker and that would be fine since that skill isn't really needed in Milwaukee... but if that skill isn't really needed, why are they rumored to be looking for a PG anyway? That's like the one advantage he has over Brogdon and it's not by that much.
Yes and you also must consider the lack of motivation for Bledsoe playing on awful teams in a situation that he clearly despised. Not exactly the type of situation to bring the best out of a player especially from a defensive/effort perspective. Bledsoe is a damn good player in this league.Before Bledsoe put up numbers on a bad team, he was putting up numbers on good team. He also used to be pretty good defensively on the Clippers (wingspan!), back when he was carrying a lesser load on offense (which playing with LeBron, Love, and possibly IT would allow him to do). You're right he's not a transformational guy, but he seems to have a pretty versatile and valuable skillset. He seems like a good fit for almost any team trying to contend.
Is it lack of motivation or all the injuries taking their toll? I didn't mean to sound like Bledsoe sucks, I just don't think he's worth the Nets pick atm in time. He's a starter in the NBA and on a cheap contract but he also plays at a stacked position. Of course, his value changes a lot if he's hitting 37% of his 3's instead of 33.Yes and you also must consider the lack of motivation for Bledsoe playing on awful teams in a situation that he clearly despised. Not exactly the type of situation to bring the best out of a player especially from a defensive/effort perspective. Bledsoe is a damn good player in this league.
Pretty tough schedule though. They blew the Portland game Friday and they should have beat Phoenix on Oct 31st but they’ve played tough in a number of games. Schedule lets up a bit next month. Wouldn’t be surprised in the least if they ended up with 2-3 more total wins than the lakers by the end of December.After starting 3-2, they are 3-10. 5th worst record in the league.
I like that from the angle of the Nets pick improving. They'll be better with the additions of Okafor, Stauskas, and a healthy Russell.Nets will be trading Trevor Booker for Nik Stauskas, Jahlil Okafor and a second round pick. I like that trade for both teams, although it is clear that Philly really blew the Okafor pick. For Brooklyn, you are just trying to garner assets that might turn into something due to the lack of first round picks, so I think a gamble on Okafor is the right move.
It's fringe, but I think this makes the Nets worse, not better. Booker is an NBA player. Neither Okafor nor Stauskas belong in the league presently.I like that from the angle of the Nets pick improving. They'll be better with the additions of Okafor, Stauskas, and a healthy Russell.
Yeah, this is clearly a gamble to see if they can get anything out of Stauskas and to pick up a #2 on the cheap, while from Philly’s perspective they pick up a useful player at the cost of a second round pick they have no room for anyway.It's fringe, but I think this makes the Nets worse, not better. Booker is an NBA player. Neither Okafor nor Stauskas belong in the league presently.
I think Okafor has outs to becoming a useful player still. In the short term however, I don't think he can help anyone's bench. Here in particular, he's mostly taking minutes that were otherwise going to a real NBA player in Trevor Booker.I think it's still a little too early to write off Okafor, who was clearly unhappy in Philly and they had no intention of really developing him this year or once they realized Embiid was a winning lottery ticket. He is only 22 and his rookie year he did average 17-8. I think thing ceiling is still there for him to turn into an Al Jefferson-like player if he stays healthy. He could help Brooklyn's bench.