(01-02-2023, 09:20 AM)Jason Terry Wrote: [ -> ]This year is starting to feel like the end of an era. Steph, Lebron, CP3, KD are on their last runs. Most of the other all stars from that era are non-factors or out of the league. There’s only 16 players in the league over age 34 and half of them shouldn’t be playing anymore. There’s a real youth movement happening and the league is so deep and talented. It makes me wonder what the best team building strategy would be going forward
I feel like it's a transition year too, which is odd given that basically every single one of the guys you mentioned save CP3 is having a career-esque year.
KD averaging 30ppg on 56% FG shooting mostly jumpers. Lebron still being Lebron at 38. Curry is still Curry. If these guys can still perform like this in their mid to late 30s then I think the youth movement is going to be stunted for a bit.
(01-02-2023, 03:51 PM)HoosierDaddyKid Wrote: [ -> ]Former Denver GM Tim Connelly deserves all the blame for this. It's amazing how he helped build Denver into a title contender, and then has a total brain fart when he gets to Minny. That Gobert trade is potentially going to set them back years, then they blow it up and start all over. Sad.
Gonna try and play devil's advocate here:
Perhaps Connelly believes and/or understands that KAT isn't a winning player. Wolves were nothing even after KAT got a bigger role early in his career. Any Wolves success has come from the addition of another star or reliance on role players.
Maybe he's trying to ship off KAT for a PG and retool around Edwards with Gobert manning the middle. The payment they get for KAT offsets the cost they paid for Gobert.
Now do I think this is a smart plan? Not really. I don't see the market for KAT, and I'm dubious on whether a team with Gobert can ever really win anything big while he's playing a substantial role.
But looking at it from this POV, I can kind of see where Connelly is coming from, and it's a very ballsy plan.
(01-02-2023, 03:51 PM)HoosierDaddyKid Wrote: [ -> ]That Gobert trade is potentially going to set them back years, then they blow it up and start all over.
Gobert trade was crazy in terms of the ransom they paid. But no way that wasn't signed off by the owners. They wanted an immediate splash and Gobert seemed like the best move (Mitchell would not fit with Edwards). I think they also already decided that Edwards is the one they build around, so KAT trade was probably always just a matter of time. Unless Gobert has really totally fallen off the cliff (which I doubt), Minny can still be just fine.
KAT will bring in a very nice haul on his own and I would look for a couple of useful rotation pieces that fit next to Edwards and Gobert. A floor general and good 3-D wing imho. For example Brooks and Jones from Memphis, Barret and Quickley from NY or VanVleet and Anunoby from Toronto (add draft capital in every move).
(01-02-2023, 04:02 PM)SleepingHero Wrote: [ -> ]Gonna try and play devil's advocate here:
Perhaps Connelly believes and/or understands that KAT isn't a winning player. Wolves were nothing even after KAT got a bigger role early in his career. Any Wolves success has come from the addition of another star or reliance on role players.
Maybe he's trying to ship off KAT for a PG and retool around Edwards with Gobert manning the middle. The payment they get for KAT offsets the cost they paid for Gobert.
Now do I think this is a smart plan? Not really. I don't see the market for KAT, and I'm dubious on whether a team with Gobert can ever really win anything big while he's playing a substantial role.
But looking at it from this POV, I can kind of see where Connelly is coming from, and it's a very ballsy plan.
Very good thoughts, imho. We can basically look at it as Gobert for KAT trade. Only happening in two separate deals with many other pieces involved. I totally agree also on your KAT and Gobert assessments. I think both are seriously flawed.
Knicks, Raptors, Thunder all make sense as KAT destinations
Dlo Russel for FVV, Lowry, Conley also makes sense right now
KAT can’t be traded until the summer
(01-02-2023, 10:14 PM)bodhisattva Wrote: [ -> ]Impressive. Was just thinking, these days, we see a lot of high scores. Somebody scores 40+ pretty much every night this season. I am expecting someone to break Kobes 83 in the next few years.
It was 81 not much difference though
(01-02-2023, 06:17 PM)omahen Wrote: [ -> ]Ok, are they serious??? A definition of empty stats and negative team impact is a leader for 6th man of the year??? On a team that doesn't look it can make even the play-in. It is not likely Wood will qualify for the award, that is why I think he is only 6th.
Yeah that's crazy to me. I don't see how Westbrook could get an award on a team vying for the 10-13th seed.
Lots of other better candidates.
(01-02-2023, 11:19 PM)Kammrath Wrote: [ -> ]https://twitter.com/TheNBACentral/status...2769308673
Now I need to watch that game. 71 is a crazy number.