This is where I am at. If KD leaves for the Knicks and Boogie gets paid, you don't have to be completely delusional to think that Lebron, a good but not great FA, and the existing roster could make some noise in the West.Agreed. Tougher. Getting through half of Lebron's four year deal with a couple of one and dones seems like worst case scenario imo. I'll believe that Magic turns down Kemba/Boogie to let it ride when I see it.
There is a lot of talent but there are also a lot of landing spots. It will be a fascinating game of musical chairs.This is where I am at. If KD leaves for the Knicks and Boogie gets paid, you don't have to be completely delusional to think that Lebron, a good but not great FA, and the existing roster could make some noise in the West.
There is a lot of talent available this summer. While the back of end of many of these deals make look bad, for years 1 and 2, all of these guys are all conceivable as the second option on a conference finals team, if option #1 is a healthy, engaged Lebron:
Kemba
Boogie
Butler
Klay
Gasol (rejuvenated Toronto version)
Middleton
Vucevic
Tobias Harris
Kawhi
Yeah, just got off a 15 hour flight...was trying to be funny or ironic and ended up neither.Dude.
I don't have the numbers handy but Klay has put up outrageous numbers in games when Curry was out and also had some huge numbers in lineups without Curry and Durant. He's actually underutilized by the Warriors for good reason of course.Oh I think that is absolutely possible and I agree its probably why Durant appears to be inching toward the exit. Thompson, on the other hand, seems pretty comfortable in his role on the Warriors and I strongly believe he (by virtue of his NBA pedigree) is well aware of how important comfort is to an NBA career.
As a side note, I love Thompson but I think he would be much less successful in another system and without Curry. I know people here dig his game but were he asked to do more other than catch-and-shoot and play defense, I think he would disappoint people. I also think he is aware of what a great fit he is along side Steph and that will weigh heavily in his decision.
Back to Davis, I do agree with others that injuries are a risk. But he is such a great talent that you take the risk of trading a player like Tatum for him anyway. More importantly, Ainge seems to be ok with Davis' health. And in Danny I trust...
This season, Thompson is plus 5.9 with a 47.6% shooting percentage and 41.2% from three with Curry on the court. With Curry off, he is minus 0.8 with 46.1% on FGs and he is hitting 37.7% from deep. This pattern is pretty consistent for the past few years.I don't have the numbers handy but Klay has put up outrageous numbers in games when Curry was out and also had some huge numbers in lineups without Curry and Durant. He's actually underutilized by the Warriors for good reason of course.
I don’t buy this thesis. The only guys on that list that strike me as good enough to pair with Lebron and be a serious threat to the Rockets or Warriors (I’m assuming that if KD leaves, Klay definitely stays) in a post-Warriors superteam world are Butler, Kawhi, and maybe Cousins. Everyone else is closer to Kevin Love caliber than Kyrie caliber, and Lebron needed Kyrie to compete with the pre-KD Warriors.This is where I am at. If KD leaves for the Knicks and Boogie gets paid, you don't have to be completely delusional to think that Lebron, a good but not great FA, and the existing roster could make some noise in the West.
There is a lot of talent available this summer. While the back of end of many of these deals make look bad, for years 1 and 2, all of these guys are all conceivable as the second option on a conference finals team, if option #1 is a healthy, engaged Lebron:
Kemba
Boogie
Butler
Klay
Gasol (rejuvenated Toronto version)
Middleton
Vucevic
Tobias Harris
Kawhi
So there a couple of reasons, I come out the other way. First and foremost, the Lakers have not made the playoffs since 2013. Regardless of their public pronouncements, Magic and Rob are not in championship or bust mode. If you could give them truth serum, my strong suspicion is that they would acknowledge being happy with the Lakers being in the conversation. A conference finals appearance in which they have a punchers chance would be a great outcome.I don’t buy this thesis. The only guys on that list that strike me as good enough to pair with Lebron and be a serious threat to the Rockets or Warriors (I’m assuming that if KD leaves, Klay definitely stays) in a post-Warriors superteam world are Butler, Kawhi, and maybe Cousins. Everyone else is closer to Kevin Love caliber than Kyrie caliber, and Lebron needed Kyrie to compete with the pre-KD Warriors.
Realistically, the Lakers need to someone like Butler and someone like Harris to have a real contender because they don’t have any other championship caliber talent on their roster right now (possible exception for Ball, but he’s not there yet).
This is where I am as well. There isn’t a whole lot you need to add to LeBron to make them a contender in the WC with Durant and Cousins out of GS. Aside from the max slot they still have trade assets which are extremely valuable around the league even if it may not be enough to convince Ferry to move AD within the conference. This was always a bridge year for the Lakers contending for a Championship but next year was almost certainly going to be a season where they contend to reach The Finals. Even without AD that seems to be the case.So there a couple of reasons, I come out the other way. First and foremost, the Lakers have not made the playoffs since 2013. Regardless of their public pronouncements, Magic and Rob are not in championship or bust mode. If you could give them truth serum, my strong suspicion is that they would acknowledge being happy with the Lakers being in the conversation. A conference finals appearance in which they have a punchers chance would be a great outcome.
With regard to the Warriors, it is possible that after KD leaves, Steph, Klay and Draymond go into FU mode and dominate the West once again. However, I think its more likely that the gap between them and the rest of the West's other elite teams, shrinks dramatically. Removing KD does not leave you with that 73 win team from 2015-2016. Setting aside the centers (who are fungible) they no longer have Barnes (who was 4th on the team in minutes) and Barbosa. Draymond is averaging 7pts a game on .233 shooting from 3, instead of 14 on .388 from beyond the arc. Iggy will be 36, Livingston 34. No one should be anointing the 2019-2020, KD-less Warriors as the prohibitive favorites.
Cousins needs to have someone to look up to that can provide him leadership. The Lakers sure would be an interesting landing spot for him.The Lakers could even kill two birds with one stone by signing a player that Davis enjoyed playing with, Cousins. Simultaneously weakening the Warriors and getting them some serious playoff run. It also allows them to continue to fill in with one year deals and leave themselves as a possible Davis landing spot in 2020.
Cousins is almost certainly gone from GS either way; and the Lakeshow makes some sense as a landing spot, since they'll likely whiff on KD and Kawhi, will have $$$ to throw around, and be desperate to land a big name free agent. But in hoops terms, it'd be hard to concoct a worse combo of three superstars in the modern NBA than LeBron-AD-Cousins. We're talking three slow-footed, mostly unswitchable big men (yeah, LeBron at 35 = a slow-footed big man) in the age of space of pace. I'm sure they could work out the offense, since they can all shoot and pass, but there's serious potential for defensive disaster, imo.The Lakers could even kill two birds with one stone by signing a player that Davis enjoyed playing with, Cousins. Simultaneously weakening the Warriors and getting them some serious playoff run. It also allows them to continue to fill in with one year deals and leave themselves as a possible Davis landing spot in 2020.
Neither Davis nor James are “slow-footed big men”. Leonard has shown no inclinations towards signing on with the Lakers (if anything the Clippers seem to have the inside track on KL if he leaves Toronto) and George is off the market. And I agree that LBJ/PG would have been a dream combo.Cousins is almost certainly gone from GS either way; and the Lakeshow makes some sense as a landing spot, since they'll likely whiff on KD and Kawhi, will have $$$ to throw around, and be desperate to land a big name free agent. But in hoops terms, it'd be hard to concoct a worse combo of three superstars in the modern NBA than LeBron-AD-Cousins. We're talking three slow-footed, mostly unswitchable big men (yeah, LeBron at 35 = a slow-footed big man) in the age of space of pace. I'm sure they could work out the offense, since they can all shoot and pass, but there's serious potential for defensive disaster, imo.
LeBron teaming with Kawhi and George — with LeBron moving to full-time 4, and 5 during crunchtime, and PG/Kawhi chasing the wings and smalls around the perimeter — was the ultimate hoops combo, imho, and one they should have pursued much more diligently. Kawhi and PG are also much better perimeter shooters than AD and Cousins, so much better offensive complements as well. LeBron at 35 + AD + Cousins (with all their young legs shipped off to acquired AD) is a huge step down from the Big 3 they should (could?) have had. Hard for me to envision that core contending for a championship in 2020 and beyond, given the minimal assets and $$$ they'd have left over to construct a credible group of guards, wings, and role players.
I've definitely seen him switch a bit — hence "mostly unswitchable." But he's obviously not Kawhi or George (or even Durant) on the perimeter. His rim and interior defense certainly passes the eye test, but somehow his teams are always mediocre or worse defensively.Is Anthony Davis really an unswitchable big man on defense?
The metrics for him defensively are extremely good; so I wouldn't say he is unswitchable. I would say that functionally LeBron is a PF at this point and isn't going to put a maximum amount of effort on defense during the regular season, so you would basically be hoping that Davis to guard the opposing 3's, which would become a problem if teams go small.I've definitely seen him switch a bit — hence "mostly unswitchable." But he's obviously not Kawhi or George (or even Durant) on the perimeter. His rim and interior defense certainly passes the eye test, but somehow his teams are always mediocre or worse defensively.
Basically, AD, Cousins, and 35 y.o. LeBron are all guys who I'd optimally want to play alongside four guys who are quicker and more switchable than they are. Two of those guys are sufficient to “play big” in a manner that would please Ben Hogan. All three seems like massive overkill and a poor expenditure of max salary slots.
If the Lakers are able to pull off an AD trade they're going to have to unload everything they have. Signing a big money third wheel will basically leave them mostly minimum salary guys, plus one guy on the room exception, to fill out the squad. I think rather than making the third highly paid guy yet another big they have to get a guard to have someone to guard Steph/Harden. I'd expect Klutch client Eric Bledsoe to be the target for third wheel if they can get AD.The Lakers could even kill two birds with one stone by signing a player that Davis enjoyed playing with, Cousins. Simultaneously weakening the Warriors and getting them some serious playoff run. It also allows them to continue to fill in with one year deals and leave themselves as a possible Davis landing spot in 2020.
I don't think he's going to need an enticement to sign there in 2020 if he's a free agent. If he's willing to leave money on the table from whatever team he plays next season with, he's likely going to the Lakers regardless of who else is on the roster with LeBron.My point is that they have zero chance at an AD trade, but by signing someone that he liked playing with they could help convince him to sign there in the summer of 2020.
Maybe, but we’ve seen this number before and it hasn’t ended well for the Lakers recently. Maglinka needs Davis a whole lot more than he needs the Lakers.I don't think he's going to need an enticement to sign there in 2020 if he's a free agent. If he's willing to leave money on the table from whatever team he plays next season with, he's likely going to the Lakers regardless of who else is on the roster with LeBron.
You think so? I’m guessing AD will be traded well before Kawhi makes a decision.Kahwi's choice of teams may have a major impact on the AD situation.
Is LeBron really a “slow footed big man?”Is Anthony Davis really an unswitchable big man on defense?
Perhaps. But I can't see AD being traded before draft night, and Kawhi may have decided by then, if not publicly then privately.You think so? I’m guessing AD will be traded well before Kawhi makes a decision.
I think it depends on who lands the top 2-3 picks. If it’s teams who aren’t in the AD chase, then I think the parameters of an AD trade could very well be in place before the draft.Perhaps. But I can't see AD being traded before draft night, and Kawhi may have decided by then, if not publicly then privately.
They don't have to send $25 mil in salary. The Celtics would just get a huge exception.NYK have almost nobody but rookie contract guys signed beyond next year. What is the 25 million in salary they are sending to BOS in this hypothetical?
It would not surprise me at all for DA to go hard after AD even if Kyrie announced he wasn't resigning with the Cs. DA is all about upgrading, and at this point, AD is the ultimate upgrading.The real variable here is Kyrie. Ainge really can’t do anything until he knows what Kyrie is thinking.
Imagine someone telling you 6 years ago during a game where you’re watching guys like Faverani play for the Celtics that Danny would be on the doorstep to adding Anthony Davis to Kyrie Irving. Sometimes I need to pinch myself.That's a good point on 2020, but player movement is so fluid and in transition now with a lot of players calling shots that it's difficult to forecast how the market is going to go from here. Danny's willingness to stay open for business on all fronts is a tremendous advantage. If the C's lose Kyrie and decide to stay put for a moment, then they have the chance to perhaps sell high on Brown down the road, for example, if he shows more with more playing time.
It's a gamble that Danny and Stevens have to manage, but again, they'll have a good-sized window to work in. You're correct that Tatum does have a long way to go too, but he also has a lot of time to get there (he'll be 21 in March). I realize a lot of the above boils down to In Danny I Trust, so I guess I do although it's pretty unsexy. I like how he constantly weighs and churns assets and that tendency is made for this new NBA. He's lucky too, but he has gotten us to the point where we actually could acquire AD and that looked impossible not long ago.
They’d be an amazing fit together, and Al’s regular season minutes will keep going down over time.Apologies if this has been mentioned before in this thread or elsewhere, but it seems like there is a lot of debate about Horford opting in or out, etc. But do people think that Al and AD would even be a good fit together? Wouldn't AD essentially replace Al?
I think they'd fit well. Brad loves to run the high pick-and-pop with a big who can shoot the 3, execute a DHO, or put in on the floor and drive to the hoop. Staggering both AD and Horford would allow him to do that for 48 minutes. It's also a defensively versatile core - when they need to go big, they can play Al at the 4 (and reduce his wear-and-tear), and when they want to go small, either can play the 5.Apologies if this has been mentioned before in this thread or elsewhere, but it seems like there is a lot of debate about Horford opting in or out, etc. But do people think that Al and AD would even be a good fit together? Wouldn't AD essentially replace Al?
Haven't you been paying attention? Chances seem more likely we have 0 of those 3 next year than 2 of them.AD/Kyrie/Hayward alone will cost around $95M or so next year. I don’t see how the Celtics could afford bringing Horford back in that scenario even if he came back on like a 3/60 or so extension.
Agreed (I was just talking about on-court fit). I could see Al staying if KD decides he wants to join Kyrie in Boston by opting in and forcing a S&T for Hayward, but I can't imagine they could afford all of Kyrie, GH, Al, and AD, even if they let Rozier/Morris/Theis walk and trade Tatum/Smart/Baynes in the AD deal.AD/Kyrie/Hayward alone will cost around $95M or so next year. I don’t see how the Celtics could afford bringing Horford back in that scenario even if he came back on like a 3/60 or so extension.
It would certainly fit in for Lebron's penchant for past-their-prime guysYahoo reporting that Draymond Green, who has one year remaining on his deal, is close to signing with Klutch.
It would certainly fit in for Lebron's penchant for past-their-prime guys
Kind of amazing Ball has a better career (albeit basically identical) 3 point % than Dunn, and this year too. 315 to .313 career and .329 to .328 this year. I never noticed how similar they were in rate %. Ball being the better rebounder and surprisingly, Dunn being the better distributor (at least if you ignore his rookie year).In all seriousness it absolutely would. I've beaten this like a dead horse......at every stop LeBron has had influence he has filled his roster with older veteran players and that the plan was always to move away from the Ball/Ingram/Kuzma/Zubac/Hart/Wagner brigade at this past deadline or by this summers draft.
The Ball situation is similar to Dunn in Chicago in its uniqueness being that they are best served to be lead guards in a league where most teams already have lead guards while they are stuck in a situation where the ball goes through another primary initiator in LeBron and LaVine.
He says he has no control over his clothes, as someone else lays out his clothes for him.