Well then another lottery selection wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing for the club, but would need to sneak in top 5 to keep that pick.
NBA 2018-2019
- Thread starter altodevil
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Even less chance of that happening, imo. They'll be trying to win this year. And they actually want that pick to go next year, I think. I expect them to be around 10th in the West, if all goes well.
Edit: That might be optimistic. I can't name 5 teams that are worst than them, currently.
A lot will change in that roster before season starts. They will have a ton of money in free agency and will build around Smith and Doncic. They will go after every decent center available, might get Capela or Boogie. If they don’t get a good center they aren’t winning more than 35 games anyway so may as well tank to keep the pick. There’ll be lots of great wings in the next draft. It’s interesting how the three consecutive drafts will produce different players - 2017 produced guards, 2018 produced bigs and 2019 will produce wings.
Also, everybody can shoot these days. This year literally 28 out of 30 players selected in the first round this year are decent or good shooters.
Also, everybody can shoot these days. This year literally 28 out of 30 players selected in the first round this year are decent or good shooters.
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Listening to Olshey’s interviews I think Portland will go all in this Summer. We have two TPEs, $13M from Crabbe trade and $3.5M from Vonleh trade, and can use full MLE if Nurkic takes qualifying offer which he’s apparently willing to do or accepts something around $10M a year.
I think Courtney Lee and Thaddeus Young will be the targets with TPE and Tyreke Evans should be the target with MLE. Trouble with Young is they’d need to take him before July 1 as after that he earns $13.5M and if you do that then you don’t have full MLE available anymore. That’s why it might be easier to get him via trade, and take Lee with TPE.
I have no clue about $3.5M TPE. Maybe Kelly Oubre. I would actually take Oubre and Morris from Washington and give them a 2020 protected pick plus send someone their way. They will want to avoid luxury tax and can’t pay Oubre next year anyway.
Lillard
McCollum
Evans
Young or Morris
Nurkic
Is a strong line up with some experience. Should be good for 50+ wins.
I think Courtney Lee and Thaddeus Young will be the targets with TPE and Tyreke Evans should be the target with MLE. Trouble with Young is they’d need to take him before July 1 as after that he earns $13.5M and if you do that then you don’t have full MLE available anymore. That’s why it might be easier to get him via trade, and take Lee with TPE.
I have no clue about $3.5M TPE. Maybe Kelly Oubre. I would actually take Oubre and Morris from Washington and give them a 2020 protected pick plus send someone their way. They will want to avoid luxury tax and can’t pay Oubre next year anyway.
Lillard
McCollum
Evans
Young or Morris
Nurkic
Is a strong line up with some experience. Should be good for 50+ wins.
This is such a poor narrative. Spouted by people who have no real understanding of context.
I'm a fan of Courtney Lee. He'd be a great fit for Portland.
One website predicted Evans will sign with Golden State. I posted it one of the NBA threads, might have been a CBS Sports article.
Pleased that Harden finally got his MVP. Had to endure being the runner-up a few times despite his seasons being just as deserving of the award as the winners. Impressive that Sam Presti managed to draft three MVPs back-to-back-to-back. Only Durant at that point was an 'obvious' selection, too.
I agree. Is he worth $30M or so in luxury taxes though? I doubt he is.
Paul Allen is crazy rich though and may give it a nod. He doesn’t really seem like the type that likes to waste money though so Olshey will have to give him a good pitch and convince him that this team would get into the WCF at least (not talking about contending because that’s impossible). It’ll be tough because Warriors and Rockets are light years ahead and it seems like Lakers are basically going to eclipse both of them this year too with their new super team.
I kind of dig what Atlanta have done despite it being a bad move. I think it was bad move to move Doncic for Trae Young and the pick and it will come back to haunt them but they'll sure be fun to watch next season with Young and Huerter in the backcourt plus Prince and Collins. It's definitely a Schlenk move, he was there when Warriors built their team and he sees Curry in Young and Thompson in Huerter. Of course it's very likely that neither of them will get close to that level but that team should be fun already next season, and have a ton of assets going forward - their pick next year should be top 5 (they will be proper bad despite being fun), Dallas should be a bottom 10 team but might not be a bottom 5 to keep their pick and on top of that they also have Cleveland pick which is top 10 protected. If LeBron leaves it could potentially end up being a low lottery pick (unless they also move Love, then Atlanta lose that pick as it will be a top 10 pick). They could potentiall get Barrett or Reddish next year, and maybe another big (Reid, Bol, Fernando).
I'll watch a few of their games next season for sure.
I'll watch a few of their games next season for sure.
After watching the awards show last night I've got to conclude that it could possibly be some of the worst television I've ever seen. Even the "Inside the NBA" crew were struggling. I think it was possibly even worse than the crap that UEFA put on before they draw the Group Stage of the Champions League - another absolutely forgettable event. Please get rid now and go back to the way it was.
Actually, to make matters even worse the show was bad enough, but when you know the outcome of every award it just makes it even more excruciating (if that is possible). No more!
Actually, to make matters even worse the show was bad enough, but when you know the outcome of every award it just makes it even more excruciating (if that is possible). No more!
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I just realized Reddish, Barrett and Williamson have all chosen Duke (late to the party). That’s either going to be an awesome or a very underwhelming team.
Bold prediction but they could also end up in the same NBA team actually (Atlanta I am talking about you).
Bold prediction but they could also end up in the same NBA team actually (Atlanta I am talking about you).
Don't understand it from their point of view. Surely harder to stand-out and improve draft stock (look at Duval this year). I'd rather be the best player on a mid-tier program.
To be fair I don’t know why Duval didn’t work out. He had Carter and Bagley to target in a pick and roll which should have been good, Allen and Trent next to him as pure shooters made total sense too as he can’t shoot.
I thought he was going to get selected in early second but the amount of solid point guards both in this draft and currently in the league made it tough. Guys who can shoot like Milton, Shamet and Holiday just had it much, much easier. Melton can’t shoot either but he brings other qualities and can play at least two positions.
First super trade confirmed. Austin Rivers to Wizards in exchange for Gortat.
RJ Barrett is the clear favorite for the #1 pick next year. And will see how he does at Duke but, I really do not get the hype about Zion Williamson a 6'6 guy without much of a perimeter game does not seem very appealing for the modern NBA.
Yeah I think Williamson will fall during the year. He’s absolutely massive and can dunk but lack of shot will come back to haunt him unless he develops it. However if he gets his shot right he could be a proper monster at almost 300 lbs.
RJ Barrett hasn’t fully developed his shot yet either, though it looks much more serviceable.
For the past two years the top prospects before the NCAA season started ended up falling heavily because of injuries - Giles to 20 last year and Porter to 14 now. Hope it doesn’t happen again this year.
Deandre out confirmed?
I think so but Clippers needed a back up center anyway. Gortat is expiring next year.
I don’t get what this means for Washington though. Surely they aren’t going to play Morris or Mahinmi at center permanently. Maybe they will try to get Cousins too (sign-and-trade for Porter).
Barrett's jumper needs work but, he can get to the rim at will and can create which makes not having a jumpshot yet much less of an issue.
Yeah but the same could potentially be said about Williamson. He seems fine passing the ball and has the strength to basically overpower everybody and dunk or lay it up.
Not the same level of ball handling or agility.
But more power. I'm not saying he's going to be as good, just pointing out that if one can get by without a shot then the other might too. I actually think Barrett will end up a good shooter at the NBA level, he's still early into his development so naturally has gaps in his game that needs addressing but his form seems fairly okay.
Reddish will be the best shooter of them three though, by a fair margin.
My early view is that Barrett goes top 3, Reddish falls to 6-10 range and Zion goes in late lottery. I base this on absolutely nothing.
Nick Wright is such a LeBron ass kissing toad. He and Chris Carter along with Chris Broussard spent most of the last 20 minutes of their show this morning discussing James going to Houston. Broussard and Carter both said it's very unlikely to happen giving such rationale as Harden doesn't seem to want him there or the salary situation would make it difficult, or the Rockets were really close last season without him, or it would gut their roster etc... Instead of listening to common sense from someone in the know Wright spent the whole time telling us how this would make them a super team, how Harden should be willing to be the number 2 for the next couple of years so LeBron can win a title or that Chris Paul could take less money to make it all work etc.... After Broussard shot all of his arguments down, Nick in his petulant reply came up with "well LeBron said he doesn't like Houston anyway and wouldn't want to go there." Tool!
Knowing their front office, probably Dwight.
LeBron is going to inform Cleveland whether he’s going to opt in into his final year or not. Big day.
Opt In: Houston, very slight possibility for others (Boston, SAS)
Opt Out: LAL, Cleveland, slight chance for Philly
Stolen from Cavs subreddit.
Opt Out: LAL, Cleveland, slight chance for Philly
Stolen from Cavs subreddit.
I think he is going to the Lakers. Never actually thought he would up until the last few weeks, but the momentum is there now.
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Aka, It's LA
Like I said 
Will be interested to see if this is the case if Paul George stays with OKC and the Lakers can't do a deal for Kawhi. LeBron for the last few years has tried to cherry pick both his team and his roster. This current Lakers team without upgrades I'm sure is not what he was looking for.
Zach Lowe and others are saying Lebron doesn't really care this time. Wonder if he just wants to chill in LA.
Is it by choice though? James Harden has said he doesn't want him in Houston, Kyrie Irving ran away from him, Paul George a year ago wanted to be a Laker but now seems to be hedging his bets, KD according to reports had no interest at all in playing with him when contacted, Isaiah Thomas lasted 15 games. All these guys are either superstars or at some point in their careers have been considered close to it and they've all said "no" (or are at least on the fence). The so called "Summer of LeBron" might turn out to be exactly that - just him and then no one else in Los Angeles.
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Would be sooo Griezmannish if PG13 stayed in OKC after all these vids: (Actually, he'd have out-Griezmanned Griezmann)
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He never contacted KD, that’s a nonsense speculation and you are totally speculating about Harden not wanting him or George giving up on Lakers because of him. Also, IT is crap.
First of all it is being reported that LeBron and/or his folks contacted KD to see if he was interested in possibly going to the Lakers. Whether you choose to believe that report or not is up to you but it is out there.
Secondly James Harden when questioned about James coming to Houston said the following; “I don’t think there’s a piece we need to bring in or take away. We’re great with what we have...." If that's not exactly saying he doesn't want him there it's pretty darn close.
Thirdly, last year it was reported that Paul George wanted to go the Lakers in 2018. Once again whether you choose to believe that report or not is up to you, but it is also out there now that he appears to be on the fence. Whether that is due to LeBron possibly going to Los Angeles who knows, but if George decides to stay in OKC its one more player who it looks like could have joined James in L.A. (if he chooses to go there) but chose not to.
Fourth, Kyrie Irving did run away - no arguments there.
Lastly Isaiah Thomas may be considered "crap" now but there were plenty of people a year ago when he was traded to Cleveland for Kyrie who thought it was a decent deal.
Him contacting Durant was reported by Smith and nobody else. He’s not reliable at all and has reported so much crap that I would definitely not give it any attention at all.
Harden quote is basically just him saying he’s fine with the team as it is. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind playing with the best player in the league if given a chance but Rockets never had a chance because of salary cap implications.
There is no indication that George won’t go to Lakers because of LeBron. Some reports that he may consider taking OKC deal because of that fifth year but nothing to suggest he just thought ‘oh crap LeBron is going there, I hate that guy, I won’t go there’ like you are trying to imply. I think it’s very likely he will sign with Lakers anyway.
It wasn’t IT who didn’t want to play with LeBron anyway. He did not perform and they got rid of him, that’s all.
You are basically trying to put a story together on how players are trying to avoid playing with LeBron at all cost when the only one you mentioned for whom there is any evidence of that is Kyrie.
KD - other people are now coming in and saying that they have heard similar things behind the scenes but chose to keep quiet - Max Kellerman and Nick Wright for instance. The latter then claimed of course that LeBron was just doing his due diligence and it was actually a good thing for them to get together.
Harden - since the original question was about Lebron coming to Houston and his response was that he was happy with the current team that is not exactly a ringing endorsement for James to come there. To be honest, I can't blame him. If the Rockets win next year and James is in L.A. Harden gets the majority of the credit. If LeBron is in Houston he would then be the one who put them over the top.
PG13 - You're probably right on this. I think he will go to L.A. as well.
IT - Quote from Chris Broussard "I was talking to somebody yesterday close to Isaiah, and they said, 'Isaiah Thomas has absolutely no love at all for LeBron... He felt like LeBron talked down to him when he was there." Not exactly bosom buddies.
Kyrie - enough said.