Trade & FA 2023-24: OKC The Favorite For Nic Claxton Should He Leave BRK

[Chicagojk]

Not excited if that is the route to get off Timmy.  I'm skeptical that Detroit does it, but Bojan is 34 and he has the look of a guy that is starting to fall of a cliff.  I'm guessing in a year Timmy's contract will look better.

Regarding Hardaway it will be interesting to see what happens with him.  I was thinking Hardy would be our sixth man this year....and be good in that role.  If Hardaway and Curry are both here, I will probably need to change that opinion.   I do think SF is a worry.   Not that I don't hope Green will take another step this year, but do you feel confident in him in a playoff series against Paul George or Lebron?   I am not sure if it is wise to count on that for him yet.  

Taking salary length and size out of it, I wonder who you choose over the following:

Hardaway or Gordon Hayward
Hardaway or Bojan
Hardaway or DFS
Hardaway or Royce O'neal
Hardaway or Jonathan Isaac

I am not sure Hardaway gets any of those (probably with the exception of Isaac), but I wonder if you think any are a better fit (salary aside)

[F Gump]

Orlando Robinson a center I think I suggested taking a look at before free agency started is now officially a mistake we made this offseason by not trying to take him away from Miami when they left him open to our getting him as they made him an unrestricted free agent.

Robinson has remained under full MIA control ever since he signed a 2-way with them in Dec 2022. They gave him a qualifying offer in June, making him RFA, then converted that to a standard NBA deal (with limited guarantees) in July. He's part of the MIA development pipeline.

Yurtseven is a UFA, however. Not sure why MIA did not give him a QO , but they didn't.

While we can wish for the Mavs to benefit from MIA leftovers and castaways (if there are any), you make a great point that the better solution would be to create a DAL development pipeline. Hopefully they are working on that, as the Mavs work in that area has been anemic for years.

[Mavs2021]

I think there’s zero chance the Mavs organization doesn’t think they’re “contenders” with 2 of the best 10 players in the league.

The idea that Kyrie is a top 10 player is pretty wild.

[mvossman]

Regarding Hardaway it will be interesting to see what happens with him.  I was thinking Hardy would be our sixth man this year....and be good in that role.  If Hardaway and Curry are both here, I will probably need to change that opinion.   I do think SF is a worry.   Not that I don't hope Green will take another step this year, but do you feel confident in him in a playoff series against Paul George or Lebron?   I am not sure if it is wise to count on that for him yet.  

Taking salary length and size out of it, I wonder who you choose over the following:

Hardaway or Gordon Hayward
Hardaway or Bojan
Hardaway or DFS
Hardaway or Royce O'neal
Hardaway or Jonathan Isaac

I am not sure Hardaway gets any of those (probably with the exception of Isaac), but I wonder if you think any are a better fit (salary aside)

It would be a PF guarding Lebron (probably Williams with some Omax).  I think your concerns is why we tried to get Thybulle.  He would provide another point of attack defender and somebody that could guard George.  If we had managed that, it would make sense to try to send Timmy out.  As it is right now, I think we would be stretched a little thin if we ship out Timmy for a non-wing.  If we are replacing Tim, you could make an argument for DFS or O'neal.  Isaac is a different conversation.  If you ended up trading Tim for a center, then I think you go get Derrick Jones Jr.

[mvossman]

The idea that Kyrie is a top 10 player is pretty wild.

10 might be pushing it, but probably 15 or 20 at the worst.

[ItsGoTime]

The idea that Kyrie is a top 10 player is pretty wild.

Wild is a bit of an overstatement, I went team by team and counted roughly 12 that are probably better (I put Tatum over him because I know I’m biased against Tatum). To me he lands in the Mitchell/Harden/Booker range around top 15, but there are a lot of younger guys right on the older guys heels.

[mvossman]

Especially when you see teams that are trying to upgrade the center position and how they are doing it.  The MBT simply ignore that need as if we are somehow okay because we got the right people. 

We just resigned a bum like Powell and did so while we have no real starter in place but somehow a guy who has not been given any meaningful minutes at center in years is somehow a find that we should look forward to letting play the 5 for us and he is only 6'8. 

This teams ownership is mentally defective in very obvious ways.

Azabuike Robinson Yurtseven Huff and many others with legit size are and where there for us to take a look at in free agency for next to nothing. 

Robinson was a free agent and he was resigned by his old team so they left him open and probably thought that they would resign him later but hey they probably feel it would be safe to leave him unrestricted for a week or so because they know that most owners in this league see someone getting made an unrestricted free agent and right away they assume that the player is probably crap and not worth being looked at since why else would they make them unrestricted.

LOL I think it is hilarious that the Heat just trolled the entire league and showed how totally clueless they all are.

I don't disagree that we should put more effort in the pipeline route, but the rest of this post is confusing.

Didn't we just spend our lottery pick on a center?

Who is the 6'8 guy you are talking about?

I find myself a little triggered reading about Powell being referred to as a bum.  He is a class guy, works his ass off, and his deficiencies have been way over exaggerated.  By any metric you can look at, this team is better because he is on it and we are spending 1 mil over the min to keep him.  I still don't understand how folks are complaining about that.

[KillerLeft]

Wild is a bit of an overstatement, I went team by team and counted roughly 12 that are probably better (I put Tatum over him because I know I’m biased against Tatum). To me he lands in the Mitchell/Harden/Booker range around top 15, but there are a lot of younger guys right on the older guys heels.

I think Booker took a step over the past couple of years that has him clearly a level above Kyrie, but those other two are good comps, imo.

[Mavs2021]

Wild is a bit of an overstatement, I went team by team and counted roughly 12 that are probably better (I put Tatum over him because I know I’m biased against Tatum). To me he lands in the Mitchell/Harden/Booker range around top 15, but there are a lot of younger guys right on the older guys heels.

See that´s what I mean. Booker just up 34/7/5/2/1 on nearly 60/50/90 shooting in the play-offs, and people still have a hard time to accept that he´s alot closer to Luka than Irving. There is a reason the Suns have lost to the eventual champions in the two of the last three play-offs and it´s not CP3 or Durant, while Kyrie´s teams never got to two wins in the 2nd round.

Players better than Kyrie

Jokic
Embiid
Giannis
Doncic
Curry
Booker
Edwards
Tatum
Butler
Leonard
Lillard
Davis
LeBron
Durant

arguably

Morant
Mitchell
Brunson
Fox
Sabonis
Murray
Bridges
 
...and a few other depending how much emphasis you want to put on defense (Adebayo/Brown).

One thing is unquestionable. If they want any chance to make it into and out of the 1st round, Kyrie better play like a top 20 player next season.

[KillerLeft]

Players better than Kyrie

Jokic
Embiid
Giannis
Doncic
Curry
Booker
Edwards
Tatum
Butler
Leonard
Lillard
Davis
LeBron
Durant

arguably

Morant
Mitchell
Brunson
Fox
Sabonis
Murray
Bridges

I think I'd have all the emboldened names above him, personally. I guess that means I would have Kyrie ranked #17, currently. 

Unlike some guys on that list, Kyrie hasn't really played a full, effective season for quite some time, for a variety of reasons. It's cool that he's here, but it's not a guarantee of success.

[Jakeospikez]

Getting into these types of discussions is pretty dumb but you can't definitively say Lillard is better than Kyrie. Kyrie is a better ball handler and finisher at the rim. Has a higher career EFG%. Lillard hits tougher jump shots but Kyrie is great at that too. I don't see what would make anyone say Lillard is definitely better than Kyrie other than a person being biased against Kyrie and/or off the court stuff.

[mvossman]

See that´s what I mean. Booker just up 34/7/5/2/1 on nearly 60/50/90 shooting in the play-offs, and people still have a hard time to accept that he´s alot closer to Luka than Irving. There is a reason the Suns have lost to the eventual champions in the two of the last three play-offs and it´s not CP3 or Durant, while Kyrie´s teams never got to two wins in the 2nd round.

Players better than Kyrie

Jokic
Embiid
Giannis
Doncic
Curry
Booker
Edwards
Tatum
Butler
Leonard
Lillard
Davis
LeBron
Durant

arguably

Morant
Mitchell
Brunson
Fox
Sabonis
Murray
Bridges
 
...and a few other depending how much emphasis you want to put on defense (Adebayo/Brown).

One thing is unquestionable. If they want any chance to make it into and out of the 1st round, Kyrie better play like a top 20 player next season.

This looks about right except Edwards does not belong in that list yet.  I would take Kyrie over everyone in that second list, although Mitchel is close.  I guess that means I have Kyrie at 14.

[DallasMaverick]

Azabuike Robinson Yurtseven Huff and many others with legit size are and where there for us to take a look at in free agency for next to nothing. 

Satnam Singh had legit size.

[ItsGoTime]

I think Booker took a step over the past couple of years that has him clearly a level above Kyrie, but those other two are good comps, imo.

I waffled on him as well as Tatum, I put one in and one out, but I am biased against both. I just don’t think either has “it”. It’s not unreasonable to me to put both ahead either.

[Mavs2021]

Satnam Singh had legit size.

Moved like a glacier, too.

Glacial motion can be fast (up to 30 metres per day (98 ft/d) or slow (0.5 metres per year (20 in/year). 

[KillerLeft]

I waffled on him as well as Tatum, I put one in and one out, but I am biased against both. I just don’t think either has “it”. It’s not unreasonable to me to put both ahead either.

Oh man, you must be biased against Tatum if that's even a thought. I mean, I get what you don't like about him, but he's the focal point of a team that feels like it's in either the finals or the ECF every year. 

He's gonna have a rough time this season, however, now that they're getting Porzingis'd.

---

Moved like a glacier, too.

Glacial motion can be fast (up to 30 metres per day (98 ft/d) or slow (0.5 metres per year (20 in/year). 

Wow, so juuuuuuuust a little faster than Boban. That IS slow!

[Mavs2021]

Oh man, you must be biased against Tatum if that's even a thought. I mean, I get what you don't like about him, but he's the focal point of a team that feels like it's in either the finals or the ECF every year. 

He's gonna have a rough time this season, however, now that they're getting Porzingis'd.

---

Wow, so juuuuuuuust a little faster than Boban. That IS slow!

My money would be on Boban, but AEW should definitely put that on TV. Since they are on TNT, maybe add Sir Charles and make it a triple threat.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

Getting into these types of discussions is pretty dumb but you can't definitively say Lillard is better than Kyrie. Kyrie is a better ball handler and finisher at the rim. Has a higher career EFG%. Lillard hits tougher jump shots but Kyrie is great at that too. I don't see what would make anyone say Lillard is definitely better than Kyrie other than a person being biased against Kyrie and/or off the court stuff.

It’s not just about numbers. Kyrie has never had to carry a franchise. Couldn’t be the man in Cleveland. Couldn’t handle the pressure in Boston. Basically had multiple meltdowns in Brooklyn. There’s no way Kyrie is in my NBA top 20. Look at what he got traded for. You can’t separate the issues from the player.

[KillerLeft]

It’s not just about numbers. Kyrie has never had to carry a franchise. Couldn’t be the man in Cleveland. Couldn’t handle the pressure in Boston. Basically had multiple meltdowns in Brooklyn. There’s no way Kyrie is in my NBA top 20. Look at what he got traded for. You can’t separate the issues from the player.

That's interesting. I'm as worried about the personality shoe dropping as the next guy, but this seems extreme to me. 

I do think you can definitively say he's not in the top 10 though.

[ItsGoTime]

Oh man, you must be biased against Tatum if that's even a thought. I mean, I get what you don't like about him, but he's the focal point of a team that feels like it's in either the finals or the ECF every year. 

He's gonna have a rough time this season, however, now that they're getting Porzingis'd.

---

Wow, so juuuuuuuust a little faster than Boban. That IS slow!

Ya, that team is stacked too. When I think about him, all I can think is, if he’s so great, why haven’t they won it all or at the very least, made it to the finals the past 2 seasons. He no longer has the “young” and new to playoffs tag to fall back on. I understand this may be irrational, I just can’t shake it.