AROUND the NBA: ATL Jumps from #10 to #1 in Lotto| Pistons Mull Firing GM

[SleepingHero]

Love me some Brunson but between him and Embiid the foul baiting in the series was on another level. Brunson almost looks like Harden when he attacks the rim. Not a single drive where he doesn't snap his head back.

He gets rewarded for it. It's so unfortunate

[The Jom]

He gets rewarded for it. It's so unfortunate

Hasn’t yet made up for all the times he got bum rushed while driving to the rim for Dallas. Will take a couple more years of this for me to call it even.

[HoosierDaddyKidd]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/4007...ources-say


Lakers fire Darvin Ham.

[Chicagojk]

Lakers checking off all the boxes to bring back Lebron.

1) say they would be willing to draft his son
2) fire coach
3) Say they will be aggressive with the three available firsts plus players to upgrade the roster

Tough order to count on a 40 year old. One who is still a stud but still.

They have a good roster, just tough to count on Lebron with is age and AD with his injury. They have had some questionable moves. Trading KCP, Kuzma and a first for Russ. Then letting Caruso walk. This past draft is way to early to make a conclusion but they passed on 3 players who can play right now. The Wood gamble for the minimum. We will see. Most players want to play in LA though and most of those would want to be a Laker.

[Scott41theMavs]

https://www.theringer.com/nba/2024/5/3/2...fs-preview


The T-Wolves were built to beat the Nuggets.

We'd better hope not from where I'm sitting. I understand that the Nuggets have championship experience. So did the 2011 Lakers. The Minnesota roster is far more terrifying for me as a Mavs fan, because they're built to completely shut down two backcourt offensive nukes and have Edwards to put them over the top offensively. None of which has anything to do with KAT, btw. They're dangerous with or without him.

[omahen]

Lakers checking off all the boxes to bring back Lebron.

1) say they would be willing to draft his son
2) fire coach
3) Say they will be aggressive with the three available firsts plus players to upgrade the roster

Tough order to count on a 40 year old.  One who is still a stud but still.

They have a good roster, just tough to count on Lebron with is age and AD with his injury.  They have had some questionable moves.  Trading KCP, Kuzma and a first for Russ.  Then letting Caruso walk.  This past draft is way to early to make a conclusion but they passed on 3 players who can play right now.  The Wood gamble for the minimum.  We will see.  Most players want to play in LA though and most of those would want to be a Laker.

I think you have to have a top 5 player in the league to win it all at the end of the day. Detroit in 2004 was perhaps the only exception from this (went back to last Chicago titles). LeBron at this stage is not top5 anymore and neither is Davis.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

They're dangerous because Connelly when he became GM, implored Finch to keep Gobert on the floor, instead of taking him out when teams go small. They also don't have Rudy playing drop coverage as much, and he has actually learned how to move his feet and guard on switches. That's been the difference. Most thought playing two bigs wouldn't work, and they did struggle at first. But they have found they're groove and it's paid off as the best defense in the NBA in efficiency. Add in Kat who plays in the post more, and a potentially generational talent in Ant Edwards, McDaniels, Reid, Alexander and Conley, and you have a potential title contender.

[HoosierDaddyKidd]

https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status...3293807036


Candidates for Lakers HC.

[HoosierDaddyKidd]

https://twitter.com/NBACobwebs/status/17...4374822963


Here's a blast from the past, 2001 Mavs vs Jazz 1st-round playoffs.

[DallasMaverick]

https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status...3293807036


Candidates for Lakers HC.

Explains why the Clips are re-upping Lue.

[The Jom]

Perfect timing for a Lue distraction

[khaled1987]

We'll never know. But I think Brunson would have worked. I also don't know if he stays if Cuban extended him. Kyrie and Brunson both are tough shot makers and takers. But Brunson didn't want to be the second fiddle here. He wanted to run his own team, and he's blown up big since he left. Kyrie doesn't want or need to be the headliner. He's fine being the second option wherever he's played, Cleveland,  Boston, Brooklyn, etc.  Pacers won't be a walk in the park. They won the season series 3-1, but it doesn't matter now, it's the playoffs. It won't be a EASY series as you suggest. They are hard to play because of their style of play, pace, and shot making ability. Pacers must keep the Knicks off the boards, especially offensively. Knicks are one of the best teams in rebounding. This could be a 6-7 game series.

Did he? NY were negotiating a trade with Utah for Mitchel in the same summer and everyone was assuming they will get it done. He was expected to be 2nd fiddle to to Mitchel just like he was with Mavs. At minimum it was a known possibility. 
Cleveland then entered the conversation and JB maximized the opportunity.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Did he? NY were negotiating a trade with Utah for Mitchel in the same summer and everyone was assuming they will get it done. He was expected to be 2nd fiddle to to Mitchel just like he was with Mavs. At minimum it was a known possibility. 
Cleveland then entered the conversation and JB maximized the opportunity.

Brunson signed with NY as a FA on July 12th 2022. Mitchell was traded to Cleveland September 1st, 2022. Brunson signed almost 3 months before. It was all talk and speculation about Mitchell. They went with Brunson instead.

[khaled1987]

Brunson signed with NY as a FA on July 12th 2022. Mitchell was traded to Cleveland September 1st, 2022. Brunson signed almost 3 months before. It was all talk and speculation about Mitchell. They went with Brunson instead.

That's the point, you aren't going to a team who was actively trying to trade for superstar, because you want to be the man.

[Chicagojk]

Now that the first round is almost over, we can get to the important matters. Like who will be the next Lakers coach.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

That's the point, you aren't going to a team who was actively trying to trade for superstar, because you want to be the man.

Huh??

[The Jom]

Now that the first round is almost over, we can get to the important matters. Like who will be the next Lakers coach.

Jason Kidd

[omahen]

Its all water under the bridge, but I just have to say it again, because I think statements about Brunson leaving because he didn't want to be "seccond fiddle" are just wrong. I think this was reported to be wrong and he said it himself on numerous occassions.

Brunson left because he was not respected by Dallas. He was happy in Dallas. Dallas didn't believe he is worth throwing big money at because they didn't believe Luka and him can be a contending backcourt duo. They always saw just a trade chip. That is why Mavs didn't offer him a contract extension when there was time for it, they were not aggresive offering him a contract after the season ended. They never even made an offer, just waiting for an opportunity to match NY offer. Even I could easily calculate what was the salary cap limit the Knicks could offer him, such a stupid excuse they made. Mavs didn't have any limitations to discuss with their own free agent and throw offers at him, try to convince him to stay. They chose not to! I think it is pretty logical that Brunson at the end chose where he wants to play instead of waiting to be traded to wherever.

[mvossman]

Its all water under the bridge, but I just have to say it again, because I think statements about Brunson leaving because he didn't want to be "seccond fiddle" are just wrong. I think this was reported to be wrong and he said it himself on numerous occassions.

Brunson left because he was not respected by Dallas. He was happy in Dallas. Dallas didn't believe he is worth throwing big money at because they didn't believe Luka and him can be a contending backcourt duo. They always saw just a trade chip. That is why Mavs didn't offer him a contract extension when there was time for it, they were not aggresive offering him a contract after the season ended. They never even made an offer, just waiting for an opportunity to match NY offer. Even I could easily calculate what was the salary cap limit the Knicks could offer him, such a stupid excuse they made. Mavs didn't have any limitations to discuss with their own free agent and throw offers at him, try to convince him to stay. They chose not to! I think it is pretty logical that Brunson at the end chose where he wants to play instead of waiting to be traded to wherever.

We will never really know what Brunson's true thoughts were on this, but there is one way we could have known.  If he really didn't want to be second fiddle he could have turned down the max extension the prior year.  But we never offered it!  That was the true failure on the FO part.  What a terrible offseason that was.  Our last chance with actual cap space and we decide to run it back with Timmy at 18 and leave Brunson hanging.

Its interesting to think about how many teams refused Brunson in a trade down in that draft when Mavs were trying to get Haliburton.  So many teams would have been so much better off either taking the trade or taking Haliburton (including NY).

Regardless I think Brunson is better off where he is now.  I don't think there is much chance folks are talking about him as potential top 10 player in NBA if he is still on Mavs.  Not sure how things would have played out if that Mitchell trade happens.  In my more bitter moments I kind of wish that had happened.

[Scott41theMavs]

We will never really know what Brunson's true thoughts were on this, but there is one way we could have known.  If he really didn't want to be second fiddle he could have turned down the max extension the prior year.  But we never offered it!  That was the true failure on the FO part.  What a terrible offseason that was.  Our last chance with actual cap space and we decide to run it back with Timmy at 18 and leave Brunson hanging.

Its interesting to think about how many teams refused Brunson in a trade down in that draft when Mavs were trying to get Haliburton.  So many teams would have been so much better off either taking the trade or taking Haliburton (including NY).

Regardless I think Brunson is better off where he is now.  I don't think there is much chance folks are talking about him as potential top 10 player in NBA if he is still on Mavs.  Not sure how things would have played out if that Mitchell trade happens.  In my more bitter moments I kind of wish that had happened.

So much pain for Mavs fans beginning with the Porzingis trade in 2019 and ending with the Kyrie trade in early 2023. And of course many were distraught and despondent about the Kyrie trade. Cuban and Nico made a huge bet on Kyrie as a human being, against all outside observers, and won big time. Then there's Lively, OMax, DJJ, Exum, Gafford, PJ... Only major screwup was GW, and they rectified that in spades.