AROUND the NBA:

[Smitty]

I said "a" foundation piece at guard, not "the". Nemby is clearly awesome. He really does feel like Brunson 2.0.

I see a mix of Barea and CP3. Not that he'll ever be as good as either of those guys, just his play style. Barea and his finishing on drives, then the midrange style of CP3. Long way to go and many games to prove he can reach even half of those guys level, but I don't see much Brunson in his game like others do for some reason.

[Tyler]

By Brunson, I mainly mean a winning college PG who wasn't a 1st round pick solely because of his stature. He just knows how to play. But I'm totally open to wherever he lands on the spectrum between JJB and CP3.

[KillerLeft]

Flagg is our Giannis. It's just a matter of time. So my priority with an AD trade would be to get a young guard foundation piece to grow alongside him.

Agreed. 

Giannis would be a much worse fit with Flagg than AD. It's easy to envision AD playing the 5 and Flagg playing the 4, and now we've seen how quickly that can look good with very little time to build chemistry. In addition to not solving the timeline or financial issues, Giannis would make the positional overlap even worse. Pointless. 

Guards only, please. Maybe a SF, if he's good enough with the ball.

[Winter]

Agreed. 

Giannis would be a much worse fit with Flagg than AD. It's easy to envision AD playing the 5 and Flagg playing the 4, and now we've seen how quickly that can look good with very little time to build chemistry. In addition to not solving the timeline or financial issues, Giannis would make the positional overlap even worse. Pointless. 

Guards only, please. Maybe a SF, if he's good enough with the ball.

I'm afraid this might be true. Giannis does nothing for our lousy perimeter shooting and playmaking. I could see a few improvements though on the style of play and our transition game.

Still, I'm not sure Giannis really moves the needle enough for this team. I'm on the guards-only bandwagon.

[KillerLeft]

I'm afraid this might be true. Giannis does nothing for our lousy perimeter shooting and playmaking. I could see a few improvements though on the style of play and our transition game.

Still, I'm not sure Giannis really moves the needle enough for this team. I'm on the guards-only bandwagon.

Yeah, he’d undoubtedly make them even more lethal in transition, but that’s hardly the weakness that needs addressing. This team is in dire, desperate need of exactly one thing: a player who can consistently and reliably create scoring advantages against good, set defenses in half court situations. The overwhelming majority of players who fit that description in the current NBA are guards.

If the guard they find is a pick and roll handler, the rest of the roster has a chance to gel with little other reshuffling. All the better.

If the guard they find can fit on a career timeline similar to Flagg’s, that’s the dream.

[F Gump]

There is no scenario in which I would even halfway consider turning down Giannis for AD. He's about as good as you can possibly get (perennial MVP candidate), and he and Flagg would be a great fit. Every other alternative would be a MASSIVE step down in quality of player. To me there's nothing else that really matters.

You can always do other trades to finish out the roster, if you feel the need.

But if you have a chance to get Giannis, you do it. Don't look back.

[cow]

Not wanting Giannis on your team is crazy talk y'all. CRAZY talk.

[Nowitzki Way]

Not wanting Giannis on your team is crazy talk y'all.  CRAZY talk.

Extremely crazy.  Especially if we're talking some sort of swap of AD for Giannis without much else involved. 

A year ago none of us would have believed a Luka trade was possible. BUT.....BUT if the conversation was you HAD to trade Luka for one player straight up. Take out contract. Etc.  Who would it be? 

Giannis is at the top of that list.  Jokic would be 1b.  With maybe only a few others even up for consideration. Shai? Ant Edwards? Tatum pre-injury?

Now almost a year later knowing we traded Luka for half his value, i'd do Davis for Giannis in a heartbeat. I'd feel slightly better about trading Luka.

[mvossman]

Extremely crazy.  Especially if we're talking some sort of swap of AD for Giannis without much else involved. 

A year ago none of us would have believed a Luka trade was possible. BUT.....BUT if the conversation was you HAD to trade Luka for one player straight up. Take out contract. Etc.  Who would it be? 

Giannis is at the top of that list.  Jokic would be 1b.  With maybe only a few others even up for consideration. Shai? Ant Edwards? Tatum pre-injury?

Now almost a year later knowing we traded Luka for half his value, i'd do Davis for Giannis in a heartbeat. I'd feel slightly better about trading Luka.

Are you ignoring age as well?  There are a lot of guys ahead of Gannis (who is about to turn 31) if you are looking at age.  I would put Jokic ahead of him regardless.

But this is pointless discussion.  There is absolutely no reason for Bucks to want AD, and a three team trade seems far fetched unless Giannis is specifically asking to come here (which seems unlikely considering how this organization treated its last European star).

[KillerLeft]

Not wanting Giannis on your team is crazy talk y'all.  CRAZY talk.

I guess I’m crazy, then. I’m pretty uninterested in him. I think he plays a very similar role to the one I believe Flagg will grow into, so I’m more interested in complementary pieces.

[DanSchwartzgan]

This team is in dire, desperate need of exactly one thing: a player who can consistently and reliably create scoring advantages against good, set defenses in half court situations. The overwhelming majority of players who fit that description in the current NBA are guards.

If the guard they find is a pick and roll handler, the rest of the roster has a chance to gel with little other reshuffling. All the better.

If the guard they find can fit on a career timeline similar to Flagg’s, that’s the dream.

In a world where AD stays, would you consider Gafford/Pick for Mathurin.  Indy could certainly draft a center and pay Mathurin next summer, but that would start to get expensive.  Might they instead take the locked in cost for Gafford and draft the BPA with their early lottery pick?

Maybe the Laker's 29 is too much.  Maybe you send that unprotected and take back a protected pick from Indy (2027?).  Bottom line, Mathurin is the kind of player you are describing and there is some thought he might be available.  Could be now or could be S&T in the summer, but we'd have to cut some serious salary between now and then.

[KillerLeft]

In a world where AD stays, would you consider Gafford/Pick for Mathurin.  Indy could certainly draft a center and pay Mathurin next summer, but that would start to get expensive.  Might they instead take the locked in cost for Gafford and draft the BPA with their early lottery pick?

Maybe the Laker's 29 is too much.  Maybe you send that unprotected and take back a protected pick from Indy (2027?).  Bottom line, Mathurin is the kind of player you are describing and there is some thought he might be available.  Could be now or could be S&T in the summer, but we'd have to cut some serious salary between now and then.

Not sure. I like the idea of it, but lost track of Mathurin after his rookie year. He has seemed pretty up and down since then, so I'd have to take a deep dive into his game.

Would you do the deal?

[cow]

I guess I’m crazy, then. I’m pretty uninterested in him. I think he plays a very similar role to the one I believe Flagg will grow into, so I’m more interested in complementary pieces.

This is a similar thinking that led to Sam Bowie getting selected ahead of Jordan.  Give me two Giannis types on any team and day of the week and twice on Sunday.

[KillerLeft]

This is a similar thinking that led to Sam Bowie getting selected ahead of Jordan.  Give me two Giannis types on any team and day of the week and twice on Sunday.

Yeah, I can see that POV. For me, the age factor nudges it in the opposite direction.

The original scenario suggested that got us started down this path included Dylan Harper. I'd JUMP at the chance to add him, if it were even possible. What makes me not feel silly about this take is that I don't believe Harper would be possible, as I believe he's the least available of the three players involved (Giannis and AD). So, I think it's a little weird to suggest the Mavs would be getting fleeced by helping SA get Giannis in a scenario that brought Harper here, personally.

[Nowitzki Way]

Are you ignoring age as well?  There are a lot of guys ahead of Gannis (who is about to turn 31) if you are looking at age.  I would put Jokic ahead of him regardless.

But this is pointless discussion.  There is absolutely no reason for Bucks to want AD, and a three team trade seems far fetched unless Giannis is specifically asking to come here (which seems unlikely considering how this organization treated its last European star).

For this extremely hypothetical exercise I'm slightly ignoring age.  I'm looking at in hindsight knowing that Luka was already traded. You asked me a year ago i wouldn't have traded Luka for ANYONE straight up. Not the older guys in the 28-30 range like Giannis, Jokic, Booker, Tatum or the mid twenties guys like Shai, Maxey, Edwards.   Not even a 21 year old Wemby.

But knowing what we know now, i'd rather have all of those guys over AD.  I think i'd take Giannis over Jokic because watching 80+ games of Jokic with that sloppy body lumbering down the court would kill me. I'd rather see Giannis run like a gazelle up and down the court and dominate the way he does. Just aesthetic thing when it comes to picking between those two.

And to the pointless part.  From my point of view, agreed, no way they would want AD. But Nico shouldnt have wanted him for Luka either.  If you really break it down. What if the Bucks see it the way Nico did. Get a star player for star player vs a boatload of picks. I doubt it. But thats the only way.  The salary is literally identical. 

But the Bucks have to be smarter right?  They put Giannis on the block and trade to the highest bid. I feel like teams would trade multiple young players plus multiple 1sts for Giannis.

i'd be afraid that OKC would be willing to throw all their picks at Milwakukee and create a Dynasty for next half decade

[Winter]

The question as stated in the original context above is really not just about Giannis. It's about Giannis on the current Mavs roster.

Those two things are different. Every player fits a certain way on different teams. AD is really not a good fit at that position on the Mavs. Giannis would be better, but certain problems remain unanswered if the trade is one-for-one.

So I don't like the mavs a whole lot more with Giannis unless the trade comes with some good guard play.

[Nowitzki Way]

The question as stated in the original context above is really not just about Giannis. It's about Giannis on the current Mavs roster.

Those two things are different. Every player fits a certain way on different teams. AD is really not a good fit at that position on the Mavs. Giannis would be better, but certain problems remain unanswered if the trade is one-for-one.

So I don't like the mavs a whole lot more with Giannis unless the trade comes with some good guard play.

The fit is not there for either when you look at the current roster construct. But i think i'd get Giannis first and figure out how to build shooters and ball handlers around him and Flagg.

A team with Kyrie, Flagg, Giannis is better to me than Kyrie, Flagg,  limited games of AD.

[mvossman]

For this extremely hypothetical exercise I'm slightly ignoring age.  I'm looking at in hindsight knowing that Luka was already traded. You asked me a year ago i wouldn't have traded Luka for ANYONE straight up. Not the older guys in the 28-30 range like Giannis, Jokic, Booker, Tatum or the mid twenties guys like Shai, Maxey, Edwards.   Not even a 21 year old Wemby.

But knowing what we know now, i'd rather have all of those guys over AD.  I think i'd take Giannis over Jokic because watching 80+ games of Jokic with that sloppy body lumbering down the court would kill me. I'd rather see Giannis run like a gazelle up and down the court and dominate the way he does. Just aesthetic thing when it comes to picking between those two.

And to the pointless part.  From my point of view, agreed, no way they would want AD. But Nico shouldnt have wanted him for Luka either.  If you really break it down. What if the Bucks see it the way Nico did. Get a star player for star player vs a boatload of picks. I doubt it. But thats the only way.  The salary is literally identical. 

But the Bucks have to be smarter right?  They put Giannis on the block and trade to the highest bid. I feel like teams would trade multiple young players plus multiple 1sts for Giannis.

i'd be afraid that OKC would be willing to throw all their picks at Milwakukee and create a Dynasty for next half decade

I get the aesthetic view, but even from a fit perspective I think Jokic makes more sense next to Flagg.

I try not to spend much time on trades that depend on the other GM being stupid (especially anywhere near as stupid as Nico).  I can stretch it a little, like Chicago going after an elite hometown player even though the timeline is not right, but that's about as far as I go.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

[Charania] New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson will miss extended time with a right adductor injury, sources tell ESPN. He will be re-evaluated in three weeks.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

[Charania] New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson will miss extended time with a right adductor injury, sources tell ESPN. He will be re-evaluated in three weeks.

So what else is new? Dude can't stay on the floor to save his life.