Very interesting interview, Vincent seemed like he was totally honest in his answers. Connectivity missing for the C's, especially on defense, was the biggest point of interest to me. Kevin Love getting some credit at the end for improving the Heat locker room was maybe the most surprising bit. Good for the vet.
There are a ton of really good point guards
so PAY WISE, I'd expect these 15 PGs to get paid more than Harden if they were UFA
You have Harden at 11 there which is in the same ballpark as me due to, as you said, there being a shit ton of real good PG's right now. Quick glance I'd consider every name in that top 15 a "star."There are a ton of really good point guards
I made a rough list a few months ago. I've dug it up, feel free to pan it
(I think we were discussing Fultz rank amongst PGs). You had Markelle right behind FVV ~ around 20/21
How would you rank them if your criteria was guys I want on my team if I'm trying to win a championship?There are a ton of really good point guards
I made a rough list a few months ago. I've dug it up, feel free to pan it
(I think we were discussing Fultz rank amongst PGs). You had Markelle right behind FVV ~ around 20/21
That's fair, did you think Houston would have been better off giving FVV's contract to James instead of Fred?
Derrick White #1, then the rest...JK.
This list, especially at the top, is way too driven by teammate quality. Murray is only in that second tier if Jokic is stapled to him. Same for Jrue and Giannis. I love Smart but he and White are way too high because they play with Tatum. Brogdon even more so. I don’t understand Brunson and FVV at all.
Meh, they both move the needle similarly with that team in what they bring. FVV is probably a better fit with a younger group even though I'm not a very big fan of his game.
lol I meant nicest way as in "this isn't ripping Marcus, he's a good player, he just isn't a PG for a serious team" there is a reason the team that spent assets to get him wants him to be backup PG and possibly start at the 2, that's the best role for him.
I had been saying this about Smart-the-PG since before everyone wanted to force him into that role. He's gotten to where he's fine in the regular season but gets exposed in the playoffs....much like Jaylen's handle. He defends wings/bigs much better than he does quicks on the perimeter.
What other MVP potential players just say “no, I’m happy to be a fringe all star”. This guy worked so hard to develop his offensive game and has just thrown in the towel at maximizing his potential. I’ve seen it with fighters but not NBA guys that I remember.
Obviously teammates and context matter, but I have a preference for guys who play D and for those who have shown they can win at the highest level. Luka and Lillard lost some points for me on both of those.
If Morey doesn't deal Harden it's going to be a season of sham injuries, fake maladies, & late nights at Spearmint Rhino (some things never change)
The issue is that he's still elite when healthy, but everyone saw how limited he was in the postseason when he didn't have a million days off to rest his Achilles.
If that basketball thing doesn't work out for Harden, the Eagles can always use a good tackle.
Murray is too low on this “want to win” list. When available, he shines in the biggest moments.
I wouldn't overthink this transaction. Phoenix is veteran-heavy contender that needs as much flexibility as possible - second round picks seem to be the most liquid trading vehicle under the new CBA so the way to read this whole trade is just the teams consolidating assets. That pick swap is likely more valuable to Orlando (who hopefully is in ascendancy in 2026) than it is to the Suns. In the end, Phoenix gets Bol and three seconds in exchange for Payne, a second, a pick swap and cash.
Phoenix already traded a swap to Washington in the Beal trade. So Orlando is really betting on being better than both Washington and the Suns during the 2025-2026 season.
I want that dude to be on the Celtics. Easy one to root for. Seems like a solid dude
So are many of those first generation offspring of NBA players. Something to be said for growing up around the game while having an NBA father as your mentor.
Steph goes even beyond that. A fan screamed in the middle of Mardy Fish's backswing on the 18th tee & Fish flubbed it. Curry felt awful & asked Mardy if he wanted to re-load (take another/do-over). Fish declined. That takes so much focus under the circumstances. Steph goes ahead & pipes his drive down the middle, sticks a long iron 10' away from the pin, & early celebrates a putt before it falls in for Eagle on 18. I can't ever remember a PGA Tour event where a player had an eagle on 18 to win by 1.
Something that's been bothering me: the new CBA says (I think) that teams that go over the second apron will pick last in the first round. Is Phoenix trading all of these swaps knowing that they are worthless?
There seems to be a trend in thinking that second-round picks are going to be more valuable to capped-out teams in the world of the new CBA. I guess just because they are cheaper and more flexible contracts
The second round picks exemption don't count towards the MLE, which allows teams to sign their second rounder picks longer than they used to. Previously, they could only sign them to two years contract, and to sign them longer meant using part of the MLE. A 2nd rounder can be signed to 4 years 7 million right now. (A huge bargain if you happen to hit on a 2nd round pick... Jordan Walsh is signed to one of those 2nd round exemptions contracts.)
They're a little more valuable, also for PHX it's just about having something, anything of value to add to their team. They're really short on ways to add talent, and it's just going to get worse.
None of the picks currently being traded are implicated. The new rules state that if a team is above the 2nd apron as of the end of the 2024-25 league year, then the 1st round pick 7 years out (the "Frozen Pick") can't be traded. Because of league rules, these picks cannot currently be traded and as I understand it, there's no possibility of a potential frozen pick being traded.
I was thinking the Walton role after the Tatum led Celt’s get a couple more rings.
Two good ball-handling combo guards and a great ball-handling forward is a nice problem to have. They'll have some usage kinks to work out, but it shouldn't matter much who initiates more. All three can pass and handle the ball just fine.
Booker played at least 12-20 minutes at point in a number of games over the last two years during Paul’s absences. I expect him to assume a larger role in this regard. He turns the ball over a fair amount and has a hard time guarding quicker point guards on defense. If he doesn’t work out, he’ll go back to the 3 and they’ll sign Kemba or Kyrie (s/). Ishbia has money to burn and he’s burning it, while his buddy Zeke Thomas whispers sweet nothings in his ear…
