AROUND the NBA:

[Smitty]

Having Coop is a great start to build around, but everything is contingent on who's in charge of roster construction and whether they make the right moves in trades and drafting. Mavs don't even know yet who their GM is going to be. A few bad decisions can set a franchise back years, so I think it's safe to say that OKC and SA are currently the class of the West and have set themselves up for future success, barring any catastrophic injuries in the ultra-competitive Western Conference.

Sure, but my point remains. This time last year, Luka had been traded for an injured Davis. The lottery draw had not happened yet, and the Mavs future was alllll doom. Now, 12 months later, it has changed considerably. Let's see what the outlook is another 12 months from now. Nobody knows anything for certain...

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

Jonathan Kuminga fan club still around?

[Chicagojk]

From the Athletic:

So, how can the Nuggets create some room to pursue players outside of the bargain bin? That’s where it gets tricky, because the Nuggets’ tradeable assets are undesirable.
The two most likely, but uncomfortable, options are trading either Johnson and/or Gordon.
Some relief can be created by offloading forward Zeke Nnaji, but the demand is low to non-existent for a guy who made $8 million while playing 12 minutes a game this season.
That leads to the uncomfortable conversation of trading the beloved Gordon, who is nicknamed Mr. Nugget. Gordon has three years and $103 million left on his deal, and while it’s hard to imagine Gordon playing anywhere else, it’s getting harder to justify keeping him on the roster if he is continually unable to perform when it matters most.

******************
A poster brought up Braun and how bad that contract looks.   I actually didn't realize he has struggled and also signed a hefty contract this offseason.  21 million, 23 million, 25 million, 26 million, 28 million.  That is the contract.   It seems like these are the type of contracts that just kill you if you miss.   Even if he is a solid starter it is a really tough pill to swallow.

Is anyone taking Cam Johnson for air?  That seems doubtful.   Aaron Gordon has 31 million, 34 million and 37 million.  Well in line for his talent.   Not if he can't stay on the court though.

Murray has 50 million, 53 million and 57 million coming to him.

From what I understand they will need to move salaries to afford Peyton Watson.  although does it make sense to pay him 25-30 million?

They really don't have any young player of interest.  Daron Holmes tore his Achilles as a rookie and has not played much.  They are also out draft capital.   They really have to lean in that Jokic can elevate C's to B's and B's to A's.   

I don't know much about their young coach, but he looked over his head.   Finding a new coach would be my #1 move.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

Nuggets are done. Jokic will spend his days there like Dirk did with the Mavs after the title run.

[Chicagojk]

Jonathan Kuminga fan club still around?

It will be interesting to see what ATL does this offseason.  They will have another top 10 pick.    The odds probably say it is a guard.   

Kuminga has another year left on his deal if they want to pick it up?  Sounds like the trade market will not be strong for him.   If they keep him, I assume he plays.   If he plays, the minutes disappear pretty quick for Rishacher.   He really needs a place where he gets minutes.  Tough to see him developing if his is out of the every game rotation.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

 If he plays, the minutes disappear pretty quick for Rishacher.   

Risacher is done in Atlanta.  Bro could barely get on the floor in round 1 of the playoffs. He will probably get salary dumped.

I remember when I was excited about getting him back in an AD trade. Whoops

[mvossman]

Risacher is done in Atlanta.  Bro could barely get on the floor in round 1 of the playoffs.  He will probably get salary dumped. 

I remember when I was excited about getting him back in an AD trade.  Whoops

I would take that salary on.  He just turned 21 and still projects to be a quality 3&D small forward which this team could really use.

[dirkfansince1998]

Let's face it, Minnesota is Denver's kryptonite.

Denver has no real offense when Jokic isn't forcing the opposing defense to double him and the Wolves have one of the few bigs in the league that can at least contain him 1v1. Everyone else is just playing off Jokic. Murray isn't nearly as good of an creator when the two-man game with Jokic isn't creating space for him and the rest of the team is even more limited.

[michaeltex]

Denver has no real offense when Jokic isn't forcing the opposing defense to double him and the Wolves have one of the few bigs in the league that can at least contain him 1v1. Everyone else is just playing off Jokic. Murray isn't nearly as good of an creator when the two-man game with Jokic isn't creating space for him and the rest of the team is even more limited.

Does this validate the acquisition of Gobert by MIN? I mean, not for nothin' did he get 4 DPOY.

[Mavs2021]

Nuggets are done.  Jokic will spend his days there like Dirk did with the Mavs after the title run.

Do we still have to pretend that Jokic is the greatest European basketball player of all-time?

Dirk has 11 wins over 50 win teams in the play-offs. Jokic has one. Jokic won the title against teams with an average of 43.5 wins. With 43.5 wins during Dirk´s prime in the West you were hoping to win the lottery.

[KillerLeft]

Risacher is done in Atlanta.  Bro could barely get on the floor in round 1 of the playoffs.  He will probably get salary dumped. 

I remember when I was excited about getting him back in an AD trade.  Whoops

I'd still be SUPER excited to get him on this team.

[dirkfansince1998]

Does this validate the acquisition of Gobert by MIN? I mean, not for nothin' did he get 4 DPOY.

Don't think so. Against more perimeter orientated teams with multiple ballhandlers and good spacing he turns into a defensive liablity. Just need to look at recent Mavs history. In the Luka era Mavs faced him twice in the playoffs and both times he looked really bad. Outplayed by Kleber and Powell. Same story against OKC last year.

[KillerLeft]

Don't think so. Against more perimeter orientated teams with multiple ballhandlers and good spacing he turns into a defensive liablity. Just need to look at recent Mavs history. In the Luka era Mavs faced him twice in the playoffs and both times he looked really bad. Outplayed by Kleber and Powell. Same story against OKC last year.

Yes, this. 

I understand that we're all susceptible to become prisoners of the moment - to accept trends as the "only" way things can work. I also understand that size has been, is and always will be a major factor at the highest level of this, particular sport. I think there was a time when Gobert was a game-changing presence on the court and would've fit for almost any team. 

However, current trend, passing fad...whatever you want to call it...I really don't think the sport is ever going to return to a style wherein you can have a single player on the court who can't hold up, defensively, on the perimeter, at least to an acceptable extent. Guys like Gobert (who in his prime was magnitudes past guys like Gafford in that regard) kind of force you to design defenses that allow for them to be left in the paint, only that thinking inevitably leaves something open. In Kidd's defenses, they tend to concede corner 3's, which is the single most desirable shot in all of basketball, I think. In the finals against BOS, one team's entire goal was to prevent corner 3's and the other team conceded them. It was not a particularly close series, as we all remember. 

I think guys like Gobert will always have a place in the NBA, but not at high salaries. They need to be cheaper, to the point where it's not headline, click-bait news when they don't start or even play in every game. That's how I see it, anyway. And, if you do pay a big like that, you'd better hope you're out from under the weight of the contract before he starts to slow down, imho. 

Give me a guy with less than ideal size but who can move his feet over a big statue any day of the week, personally.

[dirkfansince1998]

Yes, this. 

I understand that we're all susceptible to become prisoners of the moment - to accept trends as the "only" way things can work. I also understand that size has been, is and always will be a major factor at the highest level of this, particular sport. I think there was a time when Gobert was a game-changing presence on the court and would've fit for almost any team. 

However, current trend, passing fad...whatever you want to call it...I really don't think the sport is ever going to return to a style wherein you can have a single player on the court who can't hold up, defensively, on the perimeter, at least to an acceptable extent. Guys like Gobert (who in his prime was magnitudes past guys like Gafford in that regard) kind of force you to design defenses that allow for them to be left in the paint, only that thinking inevitably leaves something open. In Kidd's defenses, they tend to concede corner 3's, which is the single most desirable shot in all of basketball, I think. In the finals against BOS, one team's entire goal was to prevent corner 3's and the other team conceded them. It was not a particularly close series, as we all remember. 

I think guys like Gobert will always have a place in the NBA, but not at high salaries. They need to be cheaper, to the point where it's not headline, click-bait news when they don't start or even play in every game. That's how I see it, anyway. And, if you do pay a big like that, you'd better hope you're out from under the weight of the contract before he starts to slow down, imho. 

Give me a guy with less than ideal size but who can move his feet over a big statue any day of the week, personally.

Another example would be Jalen Duren. Eligible for a 5/240 extension. And based on the reports I saw it was almost a given that the Pistons would offer him a max deal. Not sure if that is still the case.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Another example would be Jalen Duren. Eligible for a 5/240 extension. And based on the reports I saw it was almost a given that the Pistons would offer him a max deal. Not sure if that is still the case.

The way he's played in the playoffs, I don't think that's longer the case. He played great when Cade was out with a collapsed lung, with double-doubles, and 30 pt games, and the Pistons kept winning. But he's been outplayed by Wendall Freakin Carter so far. So I think he may have played his way out of a max deal.

[Chicagojk]

6 minutes left in the 4th in Detroit vs Orlando game.  Orlando has 12 points….in the second half.

https://x.com/espnbet/status/2050385192116683196?s=61

[Mavs2021]

Mosley is definitely getting fired after this, even if they somehow win game 7. 19 points in a half, blowing a 22 pt HT lead at home.

If AI is correct this was the lowest scoring half in shot clock play-off history (since 1954) and equally the all-time record for any game. Only 2nd time a team failed to score 20 in a half.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Mosley is definitely getting fired after this, even if they somehow win game 7. 19 points in a half, blowing a 22 pt HT lead at home.

If AI is correct this was the lowest scoring half in shot clock play-off history (since 1954) and equally the all-time record for any game. Only 2nd time a team failed to score 20 in a half.

Detroit would have to play their worse game of the year to lose at home Sunday. And Cade won't let them.

[Scott41theMavs]

Paolo Banchero is a phony and is stealing tens of millions of dollars from the Magic. That is all.

[dirkfansince1998]

Something about that rim in Toronto. Even more ridiculous bounce than Kawhi in 2019.