AROUND the NBA:

[Scott41theMavs]

@ShamsCharania
Multiple sources with knowledge of Thursday's GM meeting as well as a late January Competition Committee meeting told ESPN that the following concepts have been discussed to curb tanking:

•First-round picks can be protected only top-4 or top-14+
•Lottery odds freeze at the trade deadline or a later date
•No longer allowing a team to pick top 4 in consecutive years and/or after consecutive bottom-3 finishes
•Teams can’t pick top-4 the year after making conference finals
•Lottery odds allocated based on two-year records
•Lottery extended to include all play-in teams
•Flatten odds for all lottery teams

I like all of those except the last one.

[cow]

•Teams can’t pick top-4 the year after making conference finals

Doesn't that throw a potential wrench into a team with an acquired pick?

[Scott41theMavs]

Doesn't that throw a potential wrench into a team with an acquired pick?

Moreover, that would become known as "the Cooper Flagg rule." 

[loki]

@ShamsCharania
Multiple sources with knowledge of Thursday's GM meeting as well as a late January Competition Committee meeting told ESPN that the following concepts have been discussed to curb tanking:

•First-round picks can be protected only top-4 or top-14+
•Lottery odds freeze at the trade deadline or a later date
•No longer allowing a team to pick top 4 in consecutive years and/or after consecutive bottom-3 finishes
•Teams can’t pick top-4 the year after making conference finals
•Lottery odds allocated based on two-year records
•Lottery extended to include all play-in teams
•Flatten odds for all lottery teams

No thank you to #2, #6, and #7. I think the rest are enough to make a huge difference. Once that's done it would be counterproductive to make it harder for bad teams to get high picks. That only results in them trying again the next year.

[cow]

Moreover, that would become known as "the Cooper Flagg rule." 

We could lovingly refer to it as the "FU got mine rule".

[HoosierDaddyKid]

https://x.com/Farbod_E/status/2024731088929849457


Looks like Ben Mathurin will fit in well.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

https://bsky.app/profile/omarisankofa.bs...b4xgrj7k2g


Motorcade takes over MSG.

[omahen]

https://x.com/Farbod_E/status/2024731088929849457


Looks like Ben Mathurin will fit in well.

Clippers had a sneaky good TDL. It was obvious that their core is not title level good, despite their awesome play in the second third of the season (mainly due to Kawhi playing at MVP level). So they replaced Harden with younger Garland and Zubac with younger Mathurin plus some quality picks. If they manage to survive the Kawhi side deals, they could make a very efficient rebuild.

[Chicagojk]

Clippers had a sneaky good TDL. It was obvious that their core is not title level good, despite their awesome play in the second third of the season (mainly due to Kawhi playing at MVP level). So they replaced Harden with younger Garland and Zubac with younger Mathurin plus some quality picks. If they manage to survive the Kawhi side deals, they could make a very efficient rebuild.

I liked their moves as well.  Clippers playing really well (is a Leonard suspension coming?). but they were not a contender.   They were focusing on cap room in the future, so they got ahead of the Harden extension talks.    Mathurin is an interesting gamble.    Garland probably isn't as good as Harden, but could be in the next year or so (health permitting).   

Getting a 29 first and a potential lottery pick in 26 (or unprotected first in 31) for Zubac was real nice asset accumulation.   

It will be interesting to see what they do with Leonard and how they plan to use their cap room in the next two years.

[michaeltex]

@ShamsCharania
Multiple sources with knowledge of Thursday's GM meeting as well as a late January Competition Committee meeting told ESPN that the following concepts have been discussed to curb tanking:

•First-round picks can be protected only top-4 or top-14+
•Lottery odds freeze at the trade deadline or a later date
•No longer allowing a team to pick top 4 in consecutive years and/or after consecutive bottom-3 finishes
•Teams can’t pick top-4 the year after making conference finals
•Lottery odds allocated based on two-year records
•Lottery extended to include all play-in teams
•Flatten odds for all lottery teams

This might work if everyone was starting with the same draft assets, but how does this work with good teams like SAS and OKC having a mound of picks they acquired by tanking? How does it affect pick swaps?

Also makes zero allowance for the effect of injuries. DAL was a Finals team one year and just missed a top 8 spot last year (thx to MEM), due to injuries. IND was a finals team last year and a lottery team this year, also due to injuries. 

DAL decided late in season a few back to quit trying and ended up getting Lively (and a big fine for Cuban's mouth).

Tanking is an ugly reality and some teams have been too blatant about it (Jazz) so now Silver feels like he has to do something to appease the gambling sector. But any serious bettor paying attention would know who is playing to win and who is playing for lottery balls. So if they choose to bet with that knowledge, it's the chance they take.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

Jaden Ivey got a DNP coaches decision yesterday for the Pistons.

Postgame interview from Jaden Ivey, who thinks tonight was his first DNP of his career. Said it doesn’t change his character and that he’s here to “do his job, glorify God.” Asked if he thought this was a possibility, he says “going into it, you gotta look at who’s on the roster. … getting traded, that’s what happens in the NBA.” Says he’ll be ready when his name is called.

Ivey was asked for clarification if he was indicating that there are more steps to take, health wise, before returning to his old athletic self.

“I’ve been dealing with knee soreness in my knee. I’m sure people can call it out — I’m not the same player I used to be. That’s why. I’m not the J.I. I used to be. The old J.I. is dead. I’m alive in Christ no matter what the basketball setting is. … no matter how many DNPs, how many points I score, those things are a temporary thing. Jesus is eternal.”

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Jaden Ivey got a DNP coaches decision yesterday for the Pistons.

Postgame interview from Jaden Ivey, who thinks tonight was his first DNP of his career. Said it doesn’t change his character and that he’s here to “do his job, glorify God.” Asked if he thought this was a possibility, he says “going into it, you gotta look at who’s on the roster. … getting traded, that’s what happens in the NBA.” Says he’ll be ready when his name is called.

Ivey was asked for clarification if he was indicating that there are more steps to take, health wise, before returning to his old athletic self.

“I’ve been dealing with knee soreness in my knee. I’m sure people can call it out — I’m not the same player I used to be. That’s why. I’m not the J.I. I used to be. The old J.I. is dead. I’m alive in Christ no matter what the basketball setting is. … no matter how many DNPs, how many points I score, those things are a temporary thing. Jesus is eternal.”

Only correction is he was traded to the Bulls for Kevin Huerter. Ivey sounds like he's suffering from depression on how his career has turned out. I hope it works out for him as he’s a good kid and talented as well. I also don't understand why the Bulls have so many guards on their roster? Sexton, Ivey, Jones, Simons, Giddey, Dillingham, and Kawamura. What is their end game?

[Smitty]

@ChrisBHaynes
BREAKING: Sacramento Kings forward De’Andre Hunter will undergo season-ending eye surgery, league sources tell @TheSteinLine and me.

[DanSchwartzgan]

I also don't understand why the Bulls have so many guards on their roster?  Sexton, Ivey, Jones, Simons, Giddey, Dillingham, and  Kawamura. What is their end game?

To sign and trade one of them to Dallas for Gafford?

[Mavs2021]

If I ran an NBA franchise, I´d go after the player development staff of Memphis. It´s not there drafting ability alone. It´s their player development, too. They can basically turn everybody into an useful NBA player. That Memphis game will be so huge. If the Mavs lose that game, they still be tied with Memphis, even if they win the other three.

[KillerLeft]

To sign and trade one of them to Dallas for Gafford?

It's a great idea, and feels pretty plausible. I wish I liked any of the current guards as much as I liked Coby White this past summer. Oh, well.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

https://x.com/ChrisBHaynes/status/2024978189618135532

DeAndre Hunter is the next Kings casualty. Nightmare franchise.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

https://x.com/LegionHoops/status/2025018804934508580


Kon Knueppel surpassed Donovan Mitchell for 2nd
on the NBA's all-time rookie 3pt made list.

[Smitty]

@ShamsCharania
Phoenix Suns guard Dillon Brooks has sustained a broken left hand and will be sidelined, sources tell ESPN. Doctors will meet to determine a timetable. Brooks is a key part to the playoff-contending Suns, averaging 21+ points and 3+ rebounds this season. Difficult injury blow.

[Scott41theMavs]

Brooklyn beating the Hawks around halfway through the fourth quarter.

The Nets aren't one of the teams we're going to catch, but it's still nice to see a bottom-feeder win.