NBA - What the hell is going on?

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

47 minutes ago, BigFatCoward said:

3v3 at the olympics, if NBA players were playing, who would you pick? 

By country?

[Wilbur]

20 hours ago, BigFatCoward said:

3v3 at the olympics, if NBA players were playing, who would you pick? 

My 3v3 team of current NBA players would be:

Russ

Giannis

Booker

Luka or Chris Paul, whichever one was fit.

 

My historical 3v3 team would include:

Bill Russell

George Gervin

Bobby Jones

Bernard King

 

3v3 has departed sufficiently from traditional basketball that fitness, endurance, mobility and a willingness to stay focused is paramount.

 

[BigFatCoward]

19 hours ago, Tywin et al. said:

By country?

Yes, have any other countries got more than 4 top players where there would be a discussion? 

[DireWolfSpirit]

21 minutes ago, Wilbur said:

My 3v3 team of current NBA players would be:

Russ

Giannis

Booker

Luka or Chris Paul, whichever one was fit.

 

My historical 3v3 team would include:

Bill Russell

George Gervin

Bobby Jones

Bernard King

 

3v3 has departed sufficiently from traditional basketball that fitness, endurance, mobility and a willingness to stay focused is paramount.

 

Loving the Gervin love!

[Rhom]

2 hours ago, Wilbur said:

My 3v3 team of current NBA players would be:

Russ

Giannis

Booker

Luka or Chris Paul, whichever one was fit.

 

My historical 3v3 team would include:

Bill Russell

George Gervin

Bobby Jones

Bernard King

 

3v3 has departed sufficiently from traditional basketball that fitness, endurance, mobility and a willingness to stay focused is paramount.

 

Luka and Giannis wouldn’t be on Team USA if that’s what we’re going for.

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

Lebron, KD and Kawhi. Don't overthink it.

[Rhom]

Given our performance in the team competition… maybe we should have just gone with a 3v3.

[DMC]

After Luka's 48, perhaps an interesting question is what US players would you choose to take on an international team of Luka, Giannis, Embiid, and Jokic?

[Slurktan]

2 hours ago, DMC said:

After Luka's 48, perhaps an interesting question is what US players would you choose to take on an international team of Luka, Giannis, Embiid, and Jokic?

Throw in Jamal Murray and SGA off the bench.

[DMC]

7 minutes ago, Slurktan said:

Throw in Jamal Murray and SGA off the bench.

Well, I stopped at 4 for the 3 on 3 thing.  You could also throw in Gobert, Siakam, Simmons, etc.  Actually, thinking about the elite international players, hard to name any that are shorter than, like, 6'6".

[Wilbur]

3v3 is different from NBA game play in some key areas, and as a result, some very good traditional basketball players are not as effective in 3v3.

First, games are very short.  But second, you have to stay focused the entire time.  And third, you cannot let up on your effort at all while the clock operates - there is no jog back to play defense.  And finally, the effort you have to expend on defense is much higher than in traditional basketball, constantly turned on, playing man and help defense and closing out and immediately changing gears to offense...

As a result, the 3v3 game rewards high-intensity players who can maintain focus.  A lot of winning 3v3 teams have "high motor" players, and not every successful NBA star has that capacity.

[DMC]

Well, 3-on-3 is more of a sprint obviously, but I don't think the difference is that significant.  The emphasis on "high intensity," or even just endurance is a little much.  Playing to 21 is simply a lot easier than an actual game.  I suppose it requires more "focus," but this seems like overstating the differences.

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

Of the players listed I think Jokic would be the most diminished by the change of format.

[DireWolfSpirit]

Pistons holding onto that number one pick firmly.

https://nba.nbcsports.com/2021/07/27/rumor-thunder-offered-gilgeous-alexander-no-6-for-no-1-pick-pistons-shot-it-down/

From the fan comments I've been reading, Weaver (our GM), will need personal security for years if he trades out of that chance at Cade. Most Piston fans are definitely not on any Jalen(s) or Evans train rides and want Cade in town.

[Rhom]

8 minutes ago, DireWolfSpirit said:

Pistons holding onto that number one pick firmly.

https://nba.nbcsports.com/2021/07/27/rumor-thunder-offered-gilgeous-alexander-no-6-for-no-1-pick-pistons-shot-it-down/

From the fan comments I've been reading, Weaver (our GM), will need personal security for years if he trades out of that chance at Cade. Most Piston fans are definitely not on any Jalen(s) or Evans train rides and want Cade in town.

I do love me some SGA, but Cade Cunningham is the real deal.  If the offer was SGA and the #3 pick; I think it’s a workable offer.  But the drop off after those three is steep.  #6 isn’t going to get it done.

I also agree with the fan consensus that it’s Cade then a big drop to Green/Mobley.  They are both good, but Cunningham is exactly what you build around in today’s NBA.

[DMC]

10 minutes ago, Rhom said:

I also agree with the fan consensus that it’s Cade then a big drop to Green/Mobley.  They are both good, but Cunningham is exactly what you build around in today’s NBA.

Me too, except I'd put Suggs in with Green and Mobley.  So it's Cade >> Green/Mobley/Suggs >>>> ?.  Which is why it's just GREAT the Magic have the 5th pick.  And the 8th.  Kuminga seems to be dropping but I'd still probably take him over Scottie Barnes at 5.

[Proudfeet]

It does make one wonder about the future of some previously hyped point guards (SGA, Sexton, Fox). The competition is already fierce and if teams are willing to trade  them for players coming out of the draft, could they end up just average in a more guard friendly climate? Its Cade and Suggs this year, maybe there isn't another next year, but what about the next couple of years? It has to be a concern particularly with the longevity of the current crop of players over thirty (Curry, Lillard, Harden) who don't seem to be slowing down and having peers (Mitchell, Doncic) who have already stood out.

*There are a lot more players in the mix, but I don't want to go through the effort of an exhaustive list.

[Maithanet]

The NBA's deepest position, talent wise, has been point guard for a while.  There are plenty of guys who are clearly competent and in the right system can be very effective (like say 2018 All-Star Goran Dragic) but who get kind of lost in the mix because they aren't perennial all-stars. 

However, I'd note that several of the guys you listed are actually shooting guards (elite SGs always do some ball handling/distribution). 

[Proudfeet]

3 hours ago, Maithanet said:

The NBA's deepest position, talent wise, has been point guard for a while.  There are plenty of guys who are clearly competent and in the right system can be very effective (like say 2018 All-Star Goran Dragic) but who get kind of lost in the mix because they aren't perennial all-stars. 

However, I'd note that several of the guys you listed are actually shooting guards (elite SGs always do some ball handling/distribution). 

I guess so. Its just that I had the impression that they weren't just above average starting level, but players that could potentially succeed this current batch of thirty year olds before the next generation. Instead, it seems like they are going to be passed over entirely. And if that is due to the way the game is shifting, I wonder if they won't just top out as average as more players come up.

Anyway, I'm not sure on Sexton, but I'm pretty sure everyone else are point guards. I know that Mitchell isn't listed as one, but he and the Jazz are almost Parker and the Spurs before the Spurs turned into the Kobe Kawhi show. It's quite unfortunate that Gobert is so far from Duncan offensively and Boban isn't Kawhi defensively. Or that Ingles isn't Diaw and Clarkson isn't Ginobili. But they do seem to have a similar structure even if they aren't all that individually.

[Maithanet]

11 minutes ago, Proudfeet said:

I guess so. Its just that I had the impression that they weren't just above average starting level, but players that could potentially succeed this current batch of thirty year olds before the next generation. Instead, it seems like they are going to be passed over entirely. And if that is due to the way the game is shifting, I wonder if they won't just top out as average as more players come up.

I think that the three guys you named will be in the league a long time, but might be occupying the role of filler starters as teams either look for the next guy or have someone recovering from injury.  I don't think they're about to be sent to the bench, but signs are not good that they are on the way to becoming the Next Big Thing.