Lonzo is my favorit for MIP this year. The media and his dad can focusing on Lamelo is the exactly what he needs.
Him running the pick and roll or fastbreaks with Zion will be fun to watch.
From Marc Stein's newsletter:
Quote:James Harden will be traded no later than Jan. 25 — two full months before this season’s trade deadline.
The initial rumblings, at the start of Harden’s standoff with the Houston Rockets, suggested that a trade was unlikely to materialize until closer to the March 25 deadline. The Rockets were determined to first see if they could repair their relationship with Harden, then to leverage the two guaranteed seasons left on his contract on the trade market.
More current rumblings indicate that tension within the Rockets is mounting each day Harden goes untraded. The Athletic illuminated some of that tension with a report Tuesday that Harden recently threw a ball in practice at Jae’Sean Tate, his new rookie teammate. Both sides now want to move on as quickly as possible. It’s time.
I still regard Philadelphia as the most likely landing spot for Harden, largely because Ben Simmons most closely fits the description of the sort of building-block player Houston is holding out for in return. I’m also told that the familiarity between Daryl Morey and his Rockets successor, Rafael Stone, will outweigh any lingering ill feelings from Morey’s move to Philadelphia as president of basketball operations less than two weeks after he walked away from his Houston contract. I know Morey has said that Simmons is going nowhere. I also know Morey made similar statements about Chris Paul before he traded Paul to Oklahoma City for Russell Westbrook.
The Heat let it be known this week that they are not actively pursuing Harden, which is a blow for the Rockets because Miami is one of those fearless teams with the oft-proven gumption to embrace an enigma like Harden in spite of the various red flags. The Sixers and the Nets, though, may not be the only other options: In recent days, it has become known that Toronto, Boston and Denver have also had exploratory talks with Houston.
(12-22-2020, 05:23 PM)Kammrath Wrote: [ -> ]Another Stein nugget:
If Lavine is trade anywhere else, I better not look at the trade and think that the Mavs could have matched that.
Lavine + Allen would be my dream scenario. Would likely cost us Green, Terry, Bey, Kleber, Brunson and 1-2 picks, but the options to go nuclear offensively and defensively would be there
Luka
Lavine
Richardson
DFS
Porzingis
Luka
Richardson
DFS
Allen
Porzingis
That would EASILY be the second best Mavs roster of the Carlisle era. They should win at least two games against any team in a play-off series.
(12-22-2020, 03:45 PM)SleepingHero Wrote: [ -> ]I'm just saying it now, watch Portland trade for Harden.
CJ McCollum+Collins+Simons+2022 FRP, 23 pickswap, 2024, FRP, and 2025 pickswap
Makes too much sense not to. Harden is locked up for 3 years. Lillard has always been a better scorer than distributor, and Harden has showed with CP3 it can be a lethal duo.
Stotts high tempo motion offense also stops Harden from ball hogging. Watch it happen.
Can you reroute CJ here, please?
(12-22-2020, 04:42 PM)BoulderMFFL Wrote: [ -> ]A guard who cannot shoot is not a fit in RC's system. I like his passing and defense, but hate his shooting and his dad.
Cool, I said Lonzo and not Melo or Gelo.
Quote:
At least three of the following five players will be traded this season in addition to Harden: LaMarcus Aldridge, Aaron Gordon, Buddy Hield, Zach LaVine and Kevin Love. Maybe even all five.
NO to Aldridge. Time has past him by. Aaron Gordon YES, Buddy YES, LaVine YES, Love NO assuming they aren't just giving him away which would be highly unlikely.
I definitely want defense but I think you can live with one of these offensive-only guys (Buddy, LaVine) to help take some of the scoring load off of Luka.
I actually think J Rich + THJ as a package can do that pretty well for now but I worry a bit in the playoffs when the pressure is much higher.
Mercy me, now watching the Nets/Warriors game on TNT. Wow, the Nets are going to be trouble, have scored 23 points in less than six minutes!
The good news is that the Warriors won't be.
God I cannot believe I once considered taking on Wiggins
That has to be one of the worst 5 contracts in the league
He is a complete non factor in a game where he should be the legit 2nd scoring option
Where is Draymond?
That Warriors team looks ugly. Two volume shooters with bad defense numbers in the starting five next to Curry. Wouldn´t surprise me, if they "tank" another season to secure their own and the Wolves lottery pick. Combined with Wiseman those are superstar level trade assets. Not sure who they trade for, but that´s a crazy package.
(12-22-2020, 07:46 PM)Mavs2019 Wrote: [ -> ]Curry.
Curry has 24,000 regular season and 4,000 playoff minutes on his small guard body....I anticipate that he will never be as good as he was. It might be a steep decline too.
(12-22-2020, 07:55 PM)Kammrath Wrote: [ -> ]Curry has 24,000 regular season and 4,000 playoff minutes on his small guard body....I anticipate that he will never be as good as he was. It might be a steep decline too.
I disagree
He is still Curry but has to do more given the talent on the team
They will have to figure out how to play together and get the most out of the roster
I see them being totally different after about 20 games
(12-22-2020, 08:01 PM)Omega_Supreme Wrote: [ -> ]I disagree
So in his last full season Curry had a 24.4 PER (career high was 31.8).
I will take the friendly bet that he does NOT match that this season nor ever again in his career. We'll see if I am correct or not.
(12-22-2020, 08:10 PM)Kammrath Wrote: [ -> ]So in his last full season Curry had a 24.4 PER (career high was 31.8).
I will take the friendly bet that he does NOT match that this season nor ever again in his career. We'll see if I am correct or not.
Judging Curry's production without the full offensive threats around him does him a disservice.
If you remove Klay and Durant form any lineup its going to have a negative impact.
He didn't have to work as hard with those guys on the wing creating space
I just disagree, I think he is still great they just need to change their offense
(12-22-2020, 05:23 PM)Kammrath Wrote: [ -> ]Another Stein nugget:
Quote:
At least three of the following five players will be traded this season in addition to Harden: LaMarcus Aldridge, Aaron Gordon, Buddy Hield, Zach LaVine and Kevin Love. Maybe even all five.
Keeping my fingers crossed we find a way to land Aaron Gordon.
Luka-JRich-DFS-Gordon-KP could be lockdown on defense while still dominant offensively if Dorian can keep up his 3pt% while increasing his volume. If you have to include DFS to get him, then THJ in there would still be great.
Hard no to Aldridge and Love, and very unexcited about LaVine and Hield. LaVine would give us an elite option as a secondary playmaker which is sorely needed, but man I worry about that defense.
Now if Donnie could land LaVine and Gordon...
(12-22-2020, 08:10 PM)Kammrath Wrote: [ -> ]So in his last full season Curry had a 24.4 PER (career high was 31.8).
I will take the friendly bet that he does NOT match that this season nor ever again in his career. We'll see if I am correct or not.
That was like the greatest season ever. Not really going out on a limb there.
The question is whether he's just an all-star level player or still first team all nba type. Hard to judge him without Klay and Draymond around.
Just from watching this first half both Wiggins and Oubre look terrible.
(12-22-2020, 07:35 PM)Omega_Supreme Wrote: [ -> ]God I cannot believe I once considered taking on Wiggins
That has to be one of the worst 5 contracts in the league
He is a complete non factor in a game where he should be the legit 2nd scoring option
At least he’s not ruining your fantasy season on opening night.