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NBA Free agency 2018: Where's the King landing?


Red Tiger

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11 hours ago, briantw said:

I hope Howard does go there.  He's a career locker room asshole and teams always are ready to get rid of him when his contract is up.  Go there and sow some discord you magnificent bastard.

As for the second bit, not sure it matters now that Durant is there.  I think I feel like basically every fan of any team that's not Golden State when I express that these titles don't matter to anyone's legacy.  They certainly don't improve Curry's legacy, and they make Durant look like a fucking punk.

 You could easily turn that around and say LeBron’s titles with the Heat don’t add to his legacy, especially if he didn’t win a third one in Cleveland.

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2 hours ago, chiKanery et al. said:

 You could easily turn that around and say LeBron’s titles with the Heat don’t add to his legacy, especially if he didn’t win a third one in Cleveland.

I think he always needed one regardless, but the one in Cleveland bumped him up an appreciable notch.

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4 hours ago, chiKanery et al. said:

 You could easily turn that around and say LeBron’s titles with the Heat don’t add to his legacy, especially if he didn’t win a third one in Cleveland.

I guess you could, but that, in my mind, was a different situation than what Durant did.  As I've mentioned numerous times, the key difference is that Durant joined a team that had a 73 win season, and a team that had recently won a title without him.  It was also the team that just beat him, largely because he underperformed in a couple of closeout games.  The Thunder could have beaten the Warriors, but instead of staying there to do it, Durant tucked his tail between his legs and joined the team that just bounced him.

LeBron, on the other hand, joined up with two other stars, but on an unproven team that hadn't won a title without him.  I know the Heat did win a title, but that team was long gone by the time LeBron and Bosh joined.  The Heat were a treadmill of mediocrity team in 2010.  Most of the flack LeBron took was due (rightfully) to the sheer arrogance of The Decision, along with that ridiculous special the Heat did where they promised like 27 rings.

If Durant had teamed up with another star or two in a different city, I don't think the reaction would have been anywhere near as bad as it was for him.  Like, if he goes to San Antonio, no one cares.  In fact, people probably celebrate it.  

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If Durant had shocked the world and retired instead of going to GSW, the Warriors still would have been the favorites to win in 2017.  That alone says all you need to know about how much "credit" Durant deserves for his titles with the Warriors. 

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Just now, Maithanet der Mannschaft said:

If Durant had shocked the world and retired instead of going to GSW, the Warriors still would have been the favorites to win in 2017.  That alone says all you need to know about how much "credit" Durant deserves for his titles with the Warriors. 

I think it's also hurt Curry's legacy a lot, because he went from best player on a title team to just along for the ride.  Dude's probably never getting that feather in the cap Finals MVP now.

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1 hour ago, briantw said:

I think it's also hurt Curry's legacy a lot, because he went from best player on a title team to just along for the ride.  Dude's probably never getting that feather in the cap Finals MVP now.

If nothing happens this off-season he'll get it in 2019.

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42 minutes ago, briantw said:

https://twitter.com/billoram/status/1011681586171932672

Sounds like a man that knows he's about to strike out in free agency.

What do the Lakers have to offer?

As we’ve pointed out, you don’t have to be in LA or New York to be a star anymore.  So what’s the draw?

If they already had someone, I could see it; but they don’t.  So why go where you might be languishing alone?

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12 hours ago, DMBouazizi said:

find it almost farcical that people are still whining about the Warriors.  Both Durant and Thompson are done after next year - and Green (plus Iggy and Livingston) the next.  This is not sustainable.  Even if it was, bringing up Bill Russell is particularly rich.  Dude won 11 titles in 13 years because his team was unfairly loaded.  Imagine the bitching then if the internet happened

I, for one, wanst whining. But, I don't think many of MJ's title teams beat this Dub's squad, their loaded(purely hypothetical, I know). But, yes, its not sustainable. I do think Steph and KD will be around for the long haul and I see Dray Dray taking less to stay, maybe even Thompson(who I think care for nothing but winning. Its in the realm of possibility that they could make it happen.

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5 hours ago, Rhom said:

I think he always needed one regardless, but the one in Cleveland bumped him up an appreciable notch.

That ring is worth three because, well,

 

3 hours ago, briantw said:

I think it's also hurt Curry's legacy a lot, because he went from best player on a title team to just along for the ride.  Dude's probably never getting that feather in the cap Finals MVP now.

.First, I largely agree with the thrust of your other post, I was just playing devil's advocate to show you can make the same argument about LeBron.

As far as Curry's legacy goes, no it would affect it at all. ESPN put together a list of the game's 25 most influential players, and Curry is already at 10. A few more rings, one of which seems certain, will only raise his standing. He'll be remember as a mutli-time champion who changed the way basketball was played. That's what his legacy already is and nothing is going to change that on the court (off the court stuff could, though). Plus, as we've joked about before, Steph gets a pass on damn never everything. I don't see that changing anytime soon. 

3 hours ago, Red Tiger said:

If nothing happens this off-season he'll get it in 2019.

He should have gotten it this year TBH. 

1 hour ago, Rhom said:

What do the Lakers have to offer?

As we’ve pointed out, you don’t have to be in LA or New York to be a star anymore.  So what’s the draw?

If they already had someone, I could see it; but they don’t.  So why go where you might be languishing alone?

You don't have to be in a big market to be a star, but it helps. And there's more access to endorsement deals and the like. And as far as their on the court product goes, the Lakers off a chance for two stars to team up with a young, cap friendly team that also has a lot of movable parts. What the Lakers need is multiple stars who are willing to pair up. Honestly, reading that comment, I get the picture that Magic thinks a lot of the big fish in this FA class are going to sign 1+1 deals, opting to opt out next year, which will be one of the craziest FA classes ever. If I'm the Lakers, I skip going after LeBron and try and get Kawhi and Durant next year. 

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3 minutes ago, Relic said:

It has begun!

 

https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1011752172814589953

 

I don't really get this trade for either team, but i guess Deandre is out of LA.

For the Clippers it's just giving them a warm body at center for the year.

No idea why the Wizards do this.  Sounds like they already have locker room issues and now they bring in Austin Rivers?

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I first read Relics post without reading the tweet and assumed that Jordan was traded and then read brian’s Post and figured Jordan and Rivers were traded somehow... then I read the tweet and it’s Austin Rivers for Gortaf?!!?  :dunno:  Huh???

The Wiz have a backcourt... and I don’t know that they need depth.  I don’t know what Rivers’ contract looks like.  Can they waive him and recoup some cap space?

On the Clippers side, they just drafted a new Point and a new SG.  So I knew Rivers was on the way out.

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1 hour ago, Rhom said:

I first read Relics post without reading the tweet and assumed that Jordan was traded and then read brian’s Post and figured Jordan and Rivers were traded somehow... then I read the tweet and it’s Austin Rivers for Gortaf?!!?  :dunno:  Huh???

The Wiz have a backcourt... and I don’t know that they need depth.  I don’t know what Rivers’ contract looks like.  Can they waive him and recoup some cap space?

On the Clippers side, they just drafted a new Point and a new SG.  So I knew Rivers was on the way out.

The Wizards backcourt needed depth more than anything else on the team. They played Ty Lawson serious minutes during the playoffs after signing him from China and this after dabbling with Ramon Sessions and Tim Frazier and worse. 

It's expiring contract for expiring contract. I know Austin Rivers is a punchline at this point but I don't mind this deal at all. Trading a center in clear decline for another ball handler/3 pt shooter, sign me up. 

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9 hours ago, Jaimstoyevesky said:

The Wizards backcourt needed depth more than anything else on the team. They played Ty Lawson serious minutes during the playoffs after signing him from China and this after dabbling with Ramon Sessions and Tim Frazier and worse. 

It's expiring contract for expiring contract. I know Austin Rivers is a punchline at this point but I don't mind this deal at all. Trading a center in clear decline for another ball handler/3 pt shooter, sign me up. 

Agreed, it's not going to move the needle much, but Gortat needed to go, picking up some backcourt depth is good.  I doubt Rivers is going to make much trouble in Washington, he's clearly the backup so I don't know why anybody would listen to him. 

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Just wanted to see the opinions of the board, which i respect the overall knowledge here. I do believe Be in will stay in Cleveland. But, if the Lakers could shop a package for Leonard, I think they have a real chance of getting James and George too. And, I think they would fit well together. James needs a lock down defender in Kawhi to beat the Dubs, George is no slouch either. I just hate that Kuzma would likely be part of any package for Kawhi. Kuzma would blossom under Bron, and he's the type of guy he needs on his teams. Ball is a decent defender also. That's a team that could compete right away, I believe. And, from Lowe's article yesterday its doable. Interested to see what happens. Because, the Spurs know Kawhi is bolting, and I dont see the Spurs letting him walk away without getting anything. 

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2 minutes ago, Esmenet said:

Just wanted to see the opinions of the board, which i respect the overall knowledge here. I do believe Be in will stay in Cleveland. But, if the Lakers could shop a package for Leonard, I think they have a real chance of getting James and George too. And, I think they would fit well together. James needs a lock down defender in Kawhi to beat the Dubs, George is no slouch either. I just hate that Kuzma would likely be part of any package for Kawhi. Kuzma would blossom under Bron, and he's the type of guy he needs on his teams. Ball is a decent defender also. That's a team that could compete right away, I believe. And, from Lowe's article yesterday its doable. Interested to see what happens. Because, the Spurs know Kawhi is bolting, and I dont see the Spurs letting him walk away without getting anything. 

Not sure there's a way for the Lakers to get all three of those guys this offseason, because there's zero chance the Spurs are taking back Deng in a deal for Kawhi, and it will likely take all the Lakers' other assets to get Kawhi, meaning they'd probably be unable to offload Deng.

If that was their plan, their best bet would be to get George to commit and then do a trade/S&T for LeBron.  The Cavs would certainly be open to taking back Deng if some assets were attached, at least I believe they would.  A similar trade where they took on Baron Davis' contract is how they ended up with Kyrie Irving, and Gilbert has never been shy about spending.  This would then leave LA with the cap space to sign Kawhi next summer.

This is also why I don't think this is gonna happen, though.  It's too many moving parts and banking on an uncertain future commitment from Kawhi.  But I think it's really the only feasible way they could get all three.

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16 minutes ago, briantw said:

This is also why I don't think this is gonna happen, though.  It's too many moving parts and banking on an uncertain future commitment from Kawhi.  But I think it's really the only feasible way they could get all three.

Me either, tbh. But, Lowe had an article a few days ago where it could happen. Problem is, they would be gutted of their role players and have tontake a bunch of league minimum vets.

@briantw, in your opinion who and what dobthe Cavs need to do, to 1)Get a star to play with him and Love and who will that star be, in your opinion. 2) What 3 and D guys are out there to get to play with Bron?

Also, Bronny Jr. at 13 is a 1/4 inch from throwing down. I dont think he'll be the player his daddy was, but I think he'll have a good NBA career.

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I'm not sure the price of Leonard is necessarily that high.  All signs are that he's not going to commit to a long term deal at whoever trades for him.  So how much do you think teams are willing to spend on a one year rental of Leonard, plus the inside track on resigning him next offseason?  That's worth something, obviously, but it's not worth selling the farm over.  I'm not sure that Philly would part with more than Fultz and a first round pick.  Which is still a good price, but far less than Leonard is worth. 

I'm sure the Spurs are loath to send Leonard to the Lakers.  But the Lakers have something that other trading partners don't, which is Leonard's word that he wants to play there.  The chances are good that if he gets sent over to LAL that he'll resign there.  So it makes sense that the Lakers would be willing to make a better offer for the Spurs than anybody else would.

So the options for San Antonio are:

1.  Keep Leonard, hope they can patch things up with him and he'll resign.

2.  Trade Leonard to the East (almost assuredly Boston or Philly) for far less than he's worth.

3.  Trade Leonard to the Lakers for less than he's worth, but definitely more than anyone else is offering.

I see any of those as being possibilities.

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