AROUND the NBA:

[HoosierDaddyKid]

https://www.hoopshype.com/story/sports/n...180234007/


KD is 86 pts away from passing MJ, on 2,200 fewer shots, and missed the 19-20 season with a torn Achilles.
That's remarkable.

[cow]

https://www.hoopshype.com/story/sports/n...180234007/


KD is 86 pts away from passing MJ, on 2,200 fewer shots, and missed the 19-20 season with a torn Achilles.
That's remarkable.

I think KD has north of 4000 more 3 point attempts than Jordan.

[michaeltex]

https://bsky.app/profile/nbastat.bsky.so...7zh22h2226


Jalen Johnson has the 2nd most T/Ds by a forward ever.

Atlanta might be a problem in the playoffs. They've won 10 straight.

They have touchdowns in basketball now?

Man, I gotta work harder on keeping up with rule changes...

[F Gump]

Atlanta might be a problem in the playoffs. They've won 10 straight.

Impressive on its face, but deceptive. They have played 9 of the 10 games at home. In addition, it was against the dregs of the league, many in full tank mode.

BKN
WAS
WAS
POR
MIL 
PHI
DAL
BKN
MIL 
ORL

Orlando (last night) is the only playoff team in the bunch.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Impressive on its face, but deceptive. They have played 9 of the 10 games at home. In addition, it was against the dregs of the league, many in full tank mode.

BKN
WAS
WAS
POR
MIL 
PHI
DAL
BKN
MIL 
ORL

Orlando (last night) is the only playoff team in the bunch.

Fair enough, but 10 in a row is 10 in a row, no matter the competition. You can lose to anybody.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

They have touchdowns in basketball now?

Man, I gotta work harder on keeping up with rule changes...

acronym for triple-double. 

[Chicagojk]

Seems like after the normal slog of a regular season for a defending champion, OKC is back in a groove.  Won 9 straight.   With that being said, Amazingly SA is still only 3 games behind them.  Both teams look like long term forces in the West.  Will anyone be able to challenge either for the foreseeable future?  Things change fast in the NBA, but both look like they positioned for domination moving forward.

[mvossman]

Seems like after the normal slog of a regular season for a defending champion, OKC is back in a groove.  Won 9 straight.   With that being said, Amazingly SA is still only 3 games behind them.  Both teams look like long term forces in the West.  Will anyone be able to challenge either for the foreseeable future?  Things change fast in the NBA, but both look like they positioned for domination moving forward.

Mavs land a top 4 pick and their future will look just as bright.  They could be starting the season with 2 eventual superstars under the age of 20.  Doubt that has ever happened before.

[F Gump]

Not sure about the ages, but SEA/OKC picked Durant, Westbrook, Harden in consecutive drafts, and all became superstars.

[mvossman]

Not sure about the ages, but SEA/OKC picked Durant, Westbrook, Harden in consecutive drafts, and all became superstars.

Good example.  They were 20 at most in the first year they were all together (I kind of had this group in my mind when I typed that, but I didn't realize they all got drafted so close together).  Kind of crazy they never won a chip together.  The year they went to the finals those guys and Ibaka (who was their 4th best player) were all 23 and under.

[michaeltex]

Not sure about the ages, but SEA/OKC picked Durant, Westbrook, Harden in consecutive drafts, and all became superstars.

IIRC, Durant (2007 #2) and Westbrook (2008 #4) were both starters and Harden (2009 #3) was first off the bench.

But OKC didn't want to pay starter level $$ to a non-starter, so they traded Harden to HOU in 2012. I often wonder what might have been if they kept the team together. There probably weren't enough basketballs to go around with all three on the court though.

KD was born in 1988, as was RW. KD only played one year at TX while RW played two at UCLA. Hardin was a year younger and played two years at AZ. So KD was drafted at 18 but turned 19 before the season started. RW was drafted at 19 and turned 20 that November, while Hardin was also drafted at 19, but turned 20 before training camp opened.

So the potential is there to have a couple of sub-20 core players to build around. A little luck later in the 1st round and maybe there's another solid role player to be had.

As mentioned elsewhere, this all presumes there is a vision and direction to talent acquisition, which in turn presumes the MBT is led by someone with a competent track record in team building.

[Scott41theMavs]

Not sure about the ages, but SEA/OKC picked Durant, Westbrook, Harden in consecutive drafts, and all became superstars.

I see the other thing you did there. And I approve.

[DanSchwartzgan]

I see the other thing you did there. And I approve.

The resume of the guy who did that (starting in 2007) was a brand new GM with virtually the same resume as  Riccardi’s is today.

[Scott41theMavs]

The resume of the guy who did that (starting in 2007) was a brand new GM with virtually the same resume as  Riccardi’s is today.

Relevance, your honor? 

We don't know that Riccardi is a Presti. Why should we roll the dice on the most important scouting decision to be made over the next five years? I will break things nearly to the extent that I did with the Luka trade itself if we go into that draft without a proven, blue-chip GM. After his work building the team around Luka, I would consider Lindsay a viable candidate. Not in a million years Riccardi.

[F Gump]

The resume of the guy who did that (starting in 2007) was a brand new GM with virtually the same resume as Riccardi’s is today.

Yes, and now he's a PROVEN expert.

I want a PROVEN expert, rather than someone with no skins on the wall whatsoever. We've had this conversation before about whether it's a good solution to try to luck into a good GM by giving the job to the never-a-GM guy (see Harrison, N) and let him figure it out as he goes. I was not convinced then, and I'm still not. 

Riccardi is a smart guy with some good ideas, presumably. Of course. Hopefully he's doing some good things. But I don't want yet anther round of some newb learning in the big seat, and getting pantsed by other GMs who already have been on the job and figured it out. In addition, I see that on Riccardi's watch the Luka and Martin trades were both done and the franchise took a major turn down the toilet. Those negotiations were some of the worst in NBA history (and the Mavs gave up extra picks in both trades!) and showed an utter lack of how to extract full value and how to assess assets. I don't want anyone who has the stink on them of EITHER of those deals. 

Get me the PROVEN EXPERT at evaluating, negotiating, drafting, roster-building. (Presti, please.)

[michaeltex]

I'm not as engaged as some here, but it feels like a total new blackout on any potential GM moves. Or am I just missing clues?

The current co-GMs did clean out the slop bucket and hose down the decks after Nico walked the plank. They did bring in a couple of possible keepers in Middleton and Bagley, depending on the price tags. And they did commit to having a crappy season just to make sure everyone has a chance to get healthy by October. Hopefully, in shape and ready to put new skills to the test.

Doesn't mean I'm ready to give them the keys to the Lambo though.

[ThisIStheYear]

Nico is just an astonishing idiot.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

IIRC, Durant (2007 #2) and Westbrook (2008 #4) were both starters and Harden (2009 #3) was first off the bench.

But OKC didn't want to pay starter level $$ to a non-starter, so they traded Harden to HOU in 2012. I often wonder what might have been if they kept the team together. There probably weren't enough basketballs to go around with all three on the court though.

KD was born in 1988, as was RW. KD only played one year at TX while RW played two at UCLA. Hardin was a year younger and played two years at AZ. So KD was drafted at 18 but turned 19 before the season started. RW was drafted at 19 and turned 20 that November, while Hardin was also drafted at 19, but turned 20 before training camp opened.

So the potential is there to have a couple of sub-20 core players to build around. A little luck later in the 1st round and maybe there's another solid role player to be had.

As mentioned elsewhere, this all presumes there is a vision and direction to talent acquisition, which in turn presumes the MBT is led by someone with a competent track record in team building.

Your last paragraph is the key. Competent drafting and roster building.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

The Lakers are rolling, 7 straight wins. They put another nail in Houston's coffin. KD is becoming a turnover machine when getting double-teamed. LeBron has been remarkable during the streak, like him or not. How many 41-year-olds can you say are still getting it done?

[HoosierDaddyKid]

https://www.hoopshype.com/story/sports/n...085604007/


Projecting the NBA's best players in five years.