(05-17-2021, 09:48 AM)HanspardsShowerVoice Wrote: [ -> ]They're on the opposite end of the bracket from the Lakers now. They won't have to face the Lakers until the Conference Finals. I also think they specifically wanted the Mavs and the Jazz in the first two rounds.
Might be too cute by half, and maybe doesn't send the best message to their players (they're basically admitting they're are terrified of the Lakers), but that's the reasoning imho.
Maybe I have missed something but if the Lakers lose the first play in game and win the second one they are back in the Clippers bracket.
(05-17-2021, 09:48 AM)HanspardsShowerVoice Wrote: [ -> ][The Clippers are] on the opposite end of the bracket from the Lakers now. They won't have to face the Lakers until the Conference Finals. I also think they specifically wanted the Mavs and the Jazz in the first two rounds.
Might be too cute by half, and maybe doesn't send the best message to their players (they're basically admitting they're are terrified of the Lakers), but that's the reasoning imho.
1. The Clippers will not necessarily be "on the opposite end of the bracket from the Lakers now." (Just ask the Golden State Warriors about that.)
2. I don't know why the Clippers would prefer (as opponents) the Mavs over the Blazers and/or the Jazz over the Suns. Of course, those are complex questions involving many factors, but here is a tidbit or two of recent history to consider:
December 27, 2020
Mavs 124
Clippers 73
March 15, 2021
Mavs 99
Clippers 109
March 17, 2021
Mavs 105
Clippers 89
.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.
December 30, 2020
Blazers 105
Clippers 128
April 6, 2021
Blazers 116
Clippers 133
April 20, 2021
Blazers 112
Clippers 113
~¿~·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·~¿~·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·~¿~·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·~¿~·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·~¿~·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·~¿~
January 1, 2021
Jazz 106
Clippers 100
February 17, 2021
Jazz 114
Clippers 96
February 19, 2021
Jazz 112
Clippers 116
.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.
January 3, 2021
Suns 107
Clippers 112
April 8, 2021
Suns 103
Clippers 113
April 28, 2021
Suns 109
Clippers 101
(05-17-2021, 10:27 AM)Hogmelon Wrote: [ -> ]I don't know why the Clippers would prefer (as opponents) the Mavs over the Blazers and/or the Jazz over the Suns. Of course, those are complex questions involving many factors, but here is a tidbit or two of recent history to consider:
Playoff basketball is just different. Kawhi/PG13 are going to be motivated every possession, which in the regular season doesn't happen.
Clips see a young team like the Mavs and are salivating over it.
(05-17-2021, 11:56 AM)SleepingHero Wrote: [ -> ]Playoff basketball is just different. Kawhi/PG13 are going to be motivated every possession, which in the regular season doesn't happen.
Clips see a young team like the Mavs and are salivating over it.
Yes, "playoff basketball is just different." And, yes, "Kawhi/PG13 are going to be motivated every possession, which in the regular season doesn't happen." And all of that would be just as true if the Clippers were facing the Blazers in the first round of the playoffs.
I'm not convinced that the Clippers really needed to tank hard against the Thunder, especially since there was no guarantee that tanking would achieve what-the-hell-ever their objective was.
The Thunder, on the other hand, had a crystal clear (and much more significant) reason to tank against the Clippers.
It's all good, though.
Moving right along ....
(05-17-2021, 11:56 AM)SleepingHero Wrote: [ -> ]Playoff basketball is just different. Kawhi/PG13 are going to be motivated every possession, which in the regular season doesn't happen.
Clips see a young team like the Mavs and are salivating over it.
That, and the blazers are playing very well right now.
(05-17-2021, 11:56 AM)SleepingHero Wrote: [ -> ]Playoff basketball is just different. Kawhi/PG13 are going to be motivated every possession, which in the regular season doesn't happen.
Clips see a young team like the Mavs and are salivating over it.
I wouldn't say that, they clearly just want to avoid the Lakers as long as possible and this puts them in a bracket where they wouldn't see them unless they make the WCF. The basketball Gods will probably punish them for it. The Mavs should feel disrespected all the same. I think the Clippers will look past the Mavs but the Mavs freaking hate the Clippers.
(05-17-2021, 08:49 PM)StepBackJay Wrote: [ -> ]I wouldn't say that, they clearly just want to avoid the Lakers as long as possible and this puts them in a bracket where they wouldn't see them unless they make the WCF.
Not if the Lakers lose to the Warriors and then win their second play-in game.
From Bobby Marks piece on Charlotte
According to ProFitX, Monk's starting salary in 2021-22 projects to be $8.4 million, a salary comparable to Philadelphia 76ers guard Seth Curry. If Monk comes in at that number, the Hornets could have the best of both worlds: their sixth man on a contract that is comparable to the midlevel exception and more than $13 million in cap space (plus their $4.9 million room midlevel exception) to use to sign a free agent like Sacramento Kings big man Richaun Holmes.
https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_...solid-base
(05-20-2021, 04:35 AM)omahen Wrote: [ -> ]From Bobby Marks piece on Charlotte
According to ProFitX, Monk's starting salary in 2021-22 projects to be $8.4 million, a salary comparable to Philadelphia 76ers guard Seth Curry. If Monk comes in at that number, the Hornets could have the best of both worlds: their sixth man on a contract that is comparable to the midlevel exception and more than $13 million in cap space (plus their $4.9 million room midlevel exception) to use to sign a free agent like Sacramento Kings big man Richaun Holmes.
https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_...solid-base
I think he's doing one of these per day. He's done SA, TOR and NO in addition to Charlotte.
Getting Monk and Holmes at just the right numbers seems optimistic. The more surprising thing in the article was that he projected Graham at $9.6mm (range is $8-$11). Something that would crush the Holmes + Monk plan would be someone inking Graham to an offer sheet before they can get the other stuff done. Since Graham's number is around the MLE and since he's no longer projected as a starter, almost any team could make that offer.
My presumption has been that Monk would be sacrificed in order to make a larger offer to someone like Holmes. But, as I said yesterday, if Dallas doesn't have interest in Holmes, the options outside of Charlotte dry up pretty quickly. So, $13mm might be a good number. Dallas got a brief mention in the SA write-up regarding DeRozan:
"The Spurs currently have an exclusive window to negotiate a new contract for DeRozan in the form of an extension. San Antonio can add an additional four seasons and up to $149.1 million in new money with a starting salary of $33.3 million in 2021-22.
If there is no agreement by Aug. 1, DeRozan would enter the offseason as an unrestricted free agent. The salary for DeRozan per ProFitX projects to start at $31 million next year (with a low of $24 million).
Supply and demand will be a big factor in determining what DeRozan's next contract will be. The teams outside of San Antonio who project to have cap space are Charlotte, Dallas, Miami and New York. Would the Knicks use their $55 million in room to target DeRozan and his former Toronto Raptors teammate Kyle Lowry? How about the Mavericks adding an established scorer to play alongside Luka Doncic?
If San Antonio decides the cost of re-signing DeRozan is too rich and the four-time All-Star wants to join a team that doesn't have cap space, a sign-and-trade would be an option. However, that would require the Spurs to take back salary into their cap space or redirect those contracts to a third team.
There are three big questions the Spurs will need to ask internally with regards to DeRozan:
- Does paying a 32-year-old player more than $30 million fit the timeline of the current roster?
- Where would DeRozan rank on our free-agent board if he were not on our roster, and would he be a player that we would target with cap space?
- Do we sign DeRozan and utilize him as a trade asset down the road and if so, where would his value be in the second year of the contract?
If the Spurs can answer "yes" to any of the above questions, then there is a deal to be made."
(05-20-2021, 07:06 AM)DanSchwartzgan Wrote: [ -> ]I think he's doing one of these per day. He's done SA, TOR and NO in addition to Charlotte.
Getting Monk and Holmes at just the right numbers seems optimistic. The more surprising thing in the article was that he projected Graham at $9.6mm (range is $8-$11). Something that would crush the Holmes + Monk plan would be someone inking Graham to an offer sheet before they can get the other stuff done. Since Graham's number is around the MLE and since he's no longer projected as a starter, almost any team could make that offer.
My presumption has been that Monk would be sacrificed in order to make a larger offer to someone like Holmes. But, as I said yesterday, if Dallas doesn't have interest in Holmes, the options outside of Charlotte dry up pretty quickly. So, $13mm might be a good number. Dallas got a brief mention in the SA write-up regarding DeRozan:
"The Spurs currently have an exclusive window to negotiate a new contract for DeRozan in the form of an extension. San Antonio can add an additional four seasons and up to $149.1 million in new money with a starting salary of $33.3 million in 2021-22.
If there is no agreement by Aug. 1, DeRozan would enter the offseason as an unrestricted free agent. The salary for DeRozan per ProFitX projects to start at $31 million next year (with a low of $24 million).
Supply and demand will be a big factor in determining what DeRozan's next contract will be. The teams outside of San Antonio who project to have cap space are Charlotte, Dallas, Miami and New York. Would the Knicks use their $55 million in room to target DeRozan and his former Toronto Raptors teammate Kyle Lowry? How about the Mavericks adding an established scorer to play alongside Luka Doncic?
If San Antonio decides the cost of re-signing DeRozan is too rich and the four-time All-Star wants to join a team that doesn't have cap space, a sign-and-trade would be an option. However, that would require the Spurs to take back salary into their cap space or redirect those contracts to a third team.
There are three big questions the Spurs will need to ask internally with regards to DeRozan:
- Does paying a 32-year-old player more than $30 million fit the timeline of the current roster?
- Where would DeRozan rank on our free-agent board if he were not on our roster, and would he be a player that we would target with cap space?
- Do we sign DeRozan and utilize him as a trade asset down the road and if so, where would his value be in the second year of the contract?
If the Spurs can answer "yes" to any of the above questions, then there is a deal to be made."
That is a lot of money for Derozan, who doesn't have a ton of fans in the advanced metrics world. I have been using the Hollinger number from earlier this year. It looks like I may need to reevaluate. I really like Derozan, but I do have concerns on fit. But at that salary, that would probably be too rich for me.
(05-20-2021, 07:06 AM)DanSchwartzgan Wrote: [ -> ]Dallas got a brief mention
I was surprised he didn't mention Dallas as potential suitor for Ball. He estimates Ball at 85/4 with 19 mil in year one. Based on this - a good offseason for Mavs would be Collins + Ball
You would need to SnT 11 mil out (Kleber + Burke or Green) to sign Ball for 19 and Collins for 25. Now go figure the awards for NO and Atlanta so they don't match
(05-20-2021, 08:04 AM)omahen Wrote: [ -> ]I was surprised he didn't mention Dallas as potential suitor for Ball. He estimates Ball at 85/4 with 19 mil in year one. Based on this - a good offseason for Mavs would be Collins + Ball You would need to SnT 11 mil out (Kleber + Burke or Green) to sign Ball for 19 and Collins for 25. Now go figure the awards for NO and Atlanta so they don't match
If we can make it work, I really like this lineup.
Ball/Brunson/TT
Luka/Green/*
DFS/*/Bey
Collins/*/*
KP/Powell/Boban
4 positions to solve with vet min, rMLE and BA. Could get Melli back to fill the 2nd or 3rd string PF spot if wanted as one of those vet min deals. Maybe Batum for one of the higher salary slots at that 3 spot?
I assume Green would be backing up DFS in that situation, with Brunson trading off with both Ball and Luka (with the occasional Burke sighting).
(05-20-2021, 04:35 AM)omahen Wrote: [ -> ]From Bobby Marks piece on Charlotte
According to ProFitX, Monk's starting salary in 2021-22 projects to be $8.4 million, a salary comparable to Philadelphia 76ers guard Seth Curry. If Monk comes in at that number, the Hornets could have the best of both worlds: their sixth man on a contract that is comparable to the midlevel exception and more than $13 million in cap space (plus their $4.9 million room midlevel exception) to use to sign a free agent like Sacramento Kings big man Richaun Holmes.
https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_...solid-base
I get the feeling that Monk will get a bigger number than $8.3. A 23 year old former lottery pick who's career path is on the upswing will draw more interest on the market than Seth did, imho. I could see the Knicks go overpay because of the Kentucky connections and a ton of cap space to spend (and he fills a huge need). They were reportedly trying to nab him at the trade deadline.
(05-20-2021, 08:43 AM)ItsGoTime Wrote: [ -> ]If we can make it work, I really like this lineup.
Ball/Brunson/TT
Luka/Green/*
DFS/*/Bey
Collins/*/*
KP/Powell/Boban
4 positions to solve with vet min, rMLE and BA. Could get Melli back to fill the 2nd or 3rd string PF spot if wanted as one of those vet min deals. Maybe Batum for one of the higher salary slots at that 3 spot?
The Mavs getting not one, but two blue chip, youthful free agents in a single offseason? Seems extremely naive to hope for. Would be the best Mavs offseason in the past 35 years outside of 1998 and 2018.