2019 NBA Season

[scratchswinger]

Anyone else think it’s strange the Raptors could have had George and Kawhi but didn’t want to part with Siakam? I mean at his best isn’t Siakam PG?

[MtlJeff]

Woj reported the Raps weren't really in contention for PG only. They couldn't come close to matching the picks the clippers offered . Apparently they did offer siakam or would have

 

I think presti tried to get the Raptors to take Westbrook AND George so he could clean his books, but the Raptors weren't interested because Kawhi hadn't told them he would 100% come back if they did that

[MtlJeff]

Mark Stein also said he thought Masai may have been more active in the bidding with OKC to drive up the price that the clippers had to pay....because Masai hates the clippers, after how aggressively they went after Kawhi this season (showing up at games with clippers sweaters on etc). So it was a bit of an F U to them

[scratchswinger]

I am surprised he couldn’t get the Clippers to take Westbrook

[scratchswinger]

What’s crazy to me is how much the narrative of Kawhi changes based off KDs injury. If KD is healthy GS wins 4-0 or 4-1 in my opinion. Kawhi is a great / amazing player but if that happens it’s a different outlook. Also I feel like a lot of people already forgot about the greatness of AD at 26 years old.

[HoosierHacker89]

The narrative on westbrook surely has changed over the past few years. Guy averages a triple double for three straight years, and now he is a "bad contract". I do love Russ, but I tend to agree that once his athleticism starts to go its not going to be a pretty fall from grace. I envision Iverson or Kobe during the bad years. Just putting up lots of garbage shots without the physical excellence to make up for his mistakes.

[cdnglf]

> @HoosierHacker89 said:

> The narrative on westbrook surely has changed over the past few years. Guy averages a triple double for three straight years, and now he is a "bad contract". I do love Russ, but I tend to agree that once his athleticism starts to go its not going to be a pretty fall from grace. I envision Iverson or Kobe during the bad years. Just putting up lots of garbage shots without the physical excellence to make up for his mistakes.

 

Supermax contracts almost always end poorly.

[scratchswinger]

> @cdnglf said:

> > @HoosierHacker89 said:

> > The narrative on westbrook surely has changed over the past few years. Guy averages a triple double for three straight years, and now he is a "bad contract". I do love Russ, but I tend to agree that once his athleticism starts to go its not going to be a pretty fall from grace. I envision Iverson or Kobe during the bad years. Just putting up lots of garbage shots without the physical excellence to make up for his mistakes.

>

> Supermax contracts almost always end poorly.

 

John Wall would disagree

 

[bubbagump]

> @scratchswinger said:

> Anyone else think it’s strange the Raptors could have had George and Kawhi but didn’t want to part with Siakam? I mean at his best isn’t Siakam PG?

 

When I saw this proposed deal, or nixed, whatever it was......I was scratching my head. Siakam other than a span of a month or so, has been a nobody......but saying no to PG13 and RW because you dont want to move him? ...ok lol

 

But I guess we wont really know how serious or close that deal was either, so who knows.

[MtlJeff]

> @cdnglf said:

> > @HoosierHacker89 said:

> > The narrative on westbrook surely has changed over the past few years. Guy averages a triple double for three straight years, and now he is a "bad contract". I do love Russ, but I tend to agree that once his athleticism starts to go its not going to be a pretty fall from grace. I envision Iverson or Kobe during the bad years. Just putting up lots of garbage shots without the physical excellence to make up for his mistakes.

>

> Supermax contracts almost always end poorly.

 

I'm probably one of the biggest Russ fans but there's no way you can pay him 47m when he's 33-34 given what the cap is and not have it be a disaster

 

That being said his terrible shooting last year was a bit of an aberration. He is usually bad but not that bad. If he returns to normal Russ he is still one of the top 10-15 players in the league probably for 2 more years or so. In the right situation you can quasi contend if he's one of your top 2 players. Not really win, but quasi contend

 

 

[MtlJeff]

I wonder why Dallas isn't mentioned as a russ destination yet (Miami mostly)....that would be a Dallas move. They never get free agents, they don't have to pay luka for a few years....they have an aggressive owner etc

[bubbagump]

Russ has always been an odd player to me. At his peak, easily a top 20 dude.....but hes almost as big a detriment to his team and kind of cancels himself out. Fills the sheet up and all, but at the same time I would pick so many more people to start a team with.

[cdnglf]

> @MtlJeff said:

> I wonder why Dallas isn't mentioned as a russ destination yet (Miami mostly)....that would be a Dallas move. They never get free agents, they don't have to pay luka for a few years....they have an aggressive owner etc

 

There is a story on espn that Houston is interested, and that Chris Paul wouldn’t necessarily have to be part of the deal (ie somehow The Rockets could keep all 3). Every sports talking head in America wants this.

[MtlJeff]

That team would be like watching a car wreck, except over 82 nights

[MtlJeff]

> @bubbagump said:

> Russ has always been an odd player to me. At his peak, easily a top 20 dude.....but hes almost as big a detriment to his team and kind of cancels himself out. Fills the sheet up and all, but at the same time I would pick so many more people to start a team with.

 

In 2019 and beyond, it's tough to imagine any team winning a title without a dominant wing player. 6'7 to 6'9 guys who can handle the ball and get their shot off are the real kings of the league. The only real outlier to me is Steph Curry who is the greatest shooter in the history of basketball. Even Harden has really struggled in the playoffs, Russ is an abomination some games when the shots get tougher

 

Kawhi, KD, Lebron, these are the guys that can always get their shot off. Look at how quickly Jimmy butler became the guy in philly when it counted

 

This is why its borderline treasonous that a center , a power forward and a point guard got chosen over Luka Doncic last year. In 10 years people will wonder if those teams were all on crack

[pendodave]

Can't get my head around Russ. Seems to be the epitome of the cult of the individual. If you have any hope of contending, he won't be any help. If you haven't, spend your time and money developing young players and dealing well.

I realise it sounds ridiculous, but I'd hate to play with him. I get the feeling I may not be alone in this.

On the other hand, I guess getting him out of OKC to somewhere where he can't just do what he wants might give him some sort of renaissance.

[MtlJeff]

I think Russ will end up being the most unfairly maligned player of our generation. He is not without flaws for sure but he was blamed early in his career for holding back kevin Durant (we later found out Durant didn't want to shoot 25 times a game) and is blamed now for perverting basketball and chasing triple doubles. He averaged 30-10-10 for a 48 win team that would've won 20 games without him. If he had just averaged 30-11-9 somehow we'd look at him more favorably.

 

His shooting has always been bad but it was only really a tragedy last year.

 

I don't think Russ is a top 10 player anymore, the league has changed too much. At one point he was top 6-7. Now he's maybe 15th, 16th....but he's not a detriment to a team. Making the playoffs in the West every year is not some terrible thing just because you don't win a title. How many playoff wins does Kemba Walker have? How many does karl Towns have? Were the Pelicans gonna make the playoffs last year with Anthony Davis? Making the playoffs every year is hard.

 

Being like 15th best player in the league , a former MVP etc, it's not some bad thing

 

Now would I want his contract at 30yrs old....maybe not. but that's a different thing

 

 

[cdnglf]

Kawhi signs for 2+1.

 

[MtlJeff]

Kawhi , paul george, Anthony Davis , 38yr old Lebron , and Lebron Jr will be Lakers starting 5 in 2023

 

 

[scratchswinger]

I wish we could start the season on Monday.

[MtlJeff]

Sam Presti is a warlock. They have roughly 7000 first round picks now

 

Also, I guess I'm a rockets fan now.

 

Want to see russ succeed. Go Houston

[cdnglf]

Next in Presti’s quest to own the worst contract in the game: Paul to the Wizards for Wall, 2 first rounders, and 2 swaps.

[MtlJeff]

> @cdnglf said:

> Next in Presti’s quest to own the worst contract in the game: Paul to the Wizards for Wall, 2 first rounders, and 2 swaps.

 

If it gets them more picks....i mean, i guess they probably SHOULD do it. It's kind of amazing what they have been able to do. It might actually make sense. Paul and Beal plus their team could make the playoffs in the East and make some playoff money

 

Between 2020 and 2025 which is 6 years the Thunder have something like 13-14 first rounds picks and 4 pick swaps already. Even if they can get 1 first rounder for Wall, they would also improve the value of their own first rounders since they'd be tanking

[pinhigh27]

> @bubbagump said:

> > @scratchswinger said:

> > Anyone else think it’s strange the Raptors could have had George and Kawhi but didn’t want to part with Siakam? I mean at his best isn’t Siakam PG?

>

> When I saw this proposed deal, or nixed, whatever it was......I was scratching my head. Siakam other than a span of a month or so, has been a nobody......but saying no to PG13 and RW because you dont want to move him? ...ok lol

>

> But I guess we wont really know how serious or close that deal was either, so who knows.

 

It's not like it would have been siakim for pg straight up. It would require multiple additional picks too.

 

I still don't understand logistically how a pg plus westbrook trade to raptors would have worked. Do you say I'll give you 8 years of draft picks?

[MtlJeff]

> @pinhigh27 said:

> > @bubbagump said:

> > > @scratchswinger said:

> > > Anyone else think it’s strange the Raptors could have had George and Kawhi but didn’t want to part with Siakam? I mean at his best isn’t Siakam PG?

> >

> > When I saw this proposed deal, or nixed, whatever it was......I was scratching my head. Siakam other than a span of a month or so, has been a nobody......but saying no to PG13 and RW because you dont want to move him? ...ok lol

> >

> > But I guess we wont really know how serious or close that deal was either, so who knows.

>

> It's not like it would have been siakim for pg straight up. It would require multiple additional picks too.

>

> I still don't understand logistically how a pg plus westbrook trade to raptors would have worked. Do you say I'll give you 8 years of draft picks?

 

Not sure it was ever real. May just have been Masai and Presti (who both hate the clippers) posturing to get a bigger package out of LA

[pinhigh27]

Fun time to be a basketball fan, lots of new combos to see how they gel!

[scratchswinger]

Chris Paul for Russ.... OKC has a ton of picks lol

[HoosierHacker89]

This is crazy! Cp3 and Steven Adams gonna be nasty in that pick and roll

[scratchswinger]

Houston is going to be a train wreck.

[pinhigh27]

Ya the Houston move is a head scratcher. Are they really going to be better? If anything I don't think westbrook and harden will mesh.