2024-2025 Around the NBA Thread

[Phrazbit]

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[Chaplin]

True, but so far they are more right than wrong.

Considering how hard it is to get a championship, the odds were always in their favor for it to turn out negative.

 

[Ronin]

Shams Charania

@ShamsCharania


Former No. 3 pick Jahlil Okafor has agreed to a training camp deal with the Indiana Pacers, agent Daniel Hazan of Hazan Sports Management told @TheAthletic. Okafor, first team All-Rookie with 76ers, last played in NBA in 2021 and is working toward comeback with the East finalist

 

[Mainstreet]

Shams Charania
@ShamsCharania


Former No. 3 pick Jahlil Okafor has agreed to a training camp deal with the Indiana Pacers, agent Daniel Hazan of Hazan Sports Management told @TheAthletic. Okafor, first team All-Rookie with 76ers, last played in NBA in 2021 and is working toward comeback with the East finalist

The Suns traded Jahlil Okafor for 33-year-old David Stockon, so there.

I’m not sure what gives, but the Suns are probably playing chess while I play checkers.

 

[Mainstreet]

Two candidates have emerged to replace Adrian Wojnarowski at ESPN: Shams Charania and Jeff Passan.

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[SirStefan32]

The Suns traded Jahlil Okafor for 33-year-old David Stockon, so there.

I’m not sure what gives, but the Suns are probably playing chess while I play checkers.

My guess it that the proper etiquette is to trade or release a G-League player if they have an opportunity to get into a better situation.

 

[Phrazbit]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this Wolves/Knicks trade, it's one of the most interesting transactions in a long time.

Two, star caliber bigs, around the same age, both with kinda up and down careers, swapped for each other, by two teams who both think they're title contenders.

Minnesota, breaking up their most successful team ever, and trading a #1 pick they drafted and who never asked out of that hellscape of a franchise, for a dude who has a real checkered history and who's team played better after he went down, I know, their record didn't improve but their starting front became far more imposing, the lack of depth was an issue though, they traded a lot to get OG and OG promptly got hurt.

Then you've got the Knicks, I don't think they valued Randle much, the fans were certainly over him, but DeVincenzo was their best shooter... Towns is a really good shooter, so he fills some of that void. But this team was looking like a defensive dynamo, a bunch of hustle guys, who play smart basketball and fight for each possession, and if there is a "star" who is the antithesis of that play style, it's Towns. He and Thibs didn't exactly click either during their previous stint.

A real wacky trade.

I feel pretty strong that the Wolves got worse, but their motivation was different, Towns is going to be making 60 mil in a couple years and they wanted out of that deal, but if this goes badly for them it will make keeping Edwards happy difficult "Hey! You almost made the finals, but being good is expensive, sorry! Want to re-up with our cheap franchise?!"

The Knicks though, this could be an all time Dolan KNICKS style move, chasing the flash and the name instead of being patient and letting this thing they're building marinate.

The timing of the deal is strange as well. Right before training camp? I know we've seen some moves made late in the off season before, but it's usually a trade that had been festering for a while, some disgruntled star, this was out of the blue. Maybe Mitchell Robinson's injury problems are a lot worse than they're letting on and they were looking at starting the season without a center at all.

EDIT: Final thought. The potential downside for the Knicks is really bad. If Towns doesn't work there, they won't have a way out. He will be what Zach Lavine is for the Bulls, this unmoveable albatross who has finally made it clear how empty his contributions are, they will have to ride that dead contract into the ground. They've got this scrappy group of talented players, they had a fair amount of flexibility to add or alter that group, but now with Towns, that is out the window, they're locked into this roster for the next several years.

Also, the Wolves might just not care about playing Randle much, I certainly don't see him closing games, maybe they look to move him ASAP, giving Naz Reid and McDaniels those Towns minutes, along with Devincenzo as another wing shooter and defender, there are some scary looks they can throw out there. I think Randle is an awful awful awful fit there, but they have some good replacements already on the roster.

 

[Mainstreet]

Brian Windhorst of ESPN writes about some of the reasons for the trade.

It sounds like the Knicks had question marks at center and couldn't reach a contract extension agreement with Randle while the Wolves couldn't pay everyone. Of course, it's more complicated than that, but Windhorst does a good job of explaining the reasons behind the trade.

How the Knicks' and Wolves' unique problems led to this unlikely trade

A hole at center and a lack of ownership clarity led these two teams with championship aspirations to work with each other to bolster their hopes of getting to June.

www.espn.com

 

[Hoop Head]

I have to think Ant ok'd the deal or maybe even asked for KAT to be dealt. Outside of that, it doesn't make sense for Minnesota. New York was surely the ones who opened up the talks.

I also disagree with @Phrazbit idea Towns is at risk of becoming a Zack Lavine type of albatross. He's a 7 footer who is in the 52/40/84, which is insane. He's not as good as Dirk overall but the shooting numbers are comparable. In fact KAT has better career averages than Dirk across the board. I know stats aren't everything but he's also a 4 time All-Star and 2 time All NBA player. He's not Lavine. He'll remain tradeable simply due his efficiency and size are unique. Lavine is a chucker and a SG in a league overflowing with talented wings.

Stat comparison...

Karl-Anthony Towns vs. Dirk Nowitzki: Head-to-Head Stats Comparison | Stathead.com

Compare Players: Check out the head-to-head stats of Karl-Anthony Towns and Dirk Nowitzki including their awards, honors, championships, playoff and regular season stats, and much more on Stathead.com

stathead.com

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[leclerc]

Booker and Siakam or Booker abd markenaan aren’t contenders either.

But did we have to give up Durant value for those two?

 

[GatorAZ]

The Knicks first guards off the bench are Payne and Shamet. Oof!

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

But did we have to give up Durant value for those two?

Likely no. But what’s the point? 45 and fade?

 

[Hoop Head]

Likely no. But what’s the point? 45 and fade?

How is that result different from the last year and a half with KD?

 

[Phrazbit]

Likely no. But what’s the point? 45 and fade?

This is the kind of post that gets me fired up for debating this to death for another few days.

And, to be fair, you don't do them often Ouchie.

I could write a lot, but put plainly....

Any of those players mentioned leaves the Suns just as good as they are now, with more assets to improve, in a better cap position, and (most importantly) a tremendously longer window of contention... and our current window even being open at all is highly debatable.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

This is the kind of post that gets me fired up for debating this to death for another few days.

And, to be fair, you don't do them often Ouchie.

I could write a lot, but put plainly....

Any of those players mentioned leaves the Suns just as good as they are now, with more assets to improve, in a better cap position, and (most importantly) a tremendously longer window of contention... and our current window even being open at all is highly debatable.

We are going to just agree to disagree here. I don’t think Siakam makes this team just as good as they are now. But that’s just a point of differing opinion.

 

[elindholm]

We are going to just agree to disagree here. I don’t think Siakam makes this team just as good as they are now. But that’s just a point of differing opinion.

Are we talking just swapping out Durant for Siakam right now? I think it definitely makes the Suns better. Durant is still a better player, but he's a poor fit on this team. Siakam would be better for chemistry, is healthier, fills more of a need, and would give this team the breathing room to find itself. The Suns' "now or never" vibe is only adding to their problems. If it's Siakam plus picks instead of Durant, then the decision is even clearer.

 

[Hoop Head]

Damn.... RIP Mount Mutombo

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[Ronin]

Evan Sidery

@esidery
·
26m

Giannis Antetokounmpo told reporters today that he did not workout once with Damian Lillard this offseason.Antetokounmpo and Lillard talked often on the phone, but zero on-court work for Milwaukee’s star duo.

 

[Hoop Head]

Found this interesting. Yahoo Sports listed #1, #2, #3, #4, and #5 options across the league.

Jokic is the #1 of #1's and I don't think that's up for debate.

Here's a link to the #2's article, listing the best second options across the league. Booker made it #2 on the #2's behind Anthony Davis.

In other Suns references, KD was #10 on the first option list. I think Booker should have been considered the #1 since the Suns are his team but given his run in the Olympics fresh on everyone's mind,, where he was the ultimate role player, I can see why he's on the second option list. It does detail why they made Book #2 to KD also, even questioning whether KD should play off Booker rather than the other way around.

Beal is ranked #14 of 3rd options. You can find a link to the other lists in the article below. I'm not posting all of them.

Ranking the NBA's No. 2 options: Lakers, Celtics boast the league's best co-stars

Within all 30 teams is a hierarchy. Here's a look at each franchise's second go-to player.

sports.yahoo.com

 

[Hoop Head]

Tyus Jones is listed as #15 of the 4th options and Nurkic #16 of the 5th.

i got a laugh out of Ayton being listed as a 5th option behind Anfernee Simons, Jerami Grant, Deni Avida, and Scoot as #1-4 in Portland, respectively. He was their highest rated at #13, so 3 ahead of Nurkic on the 5th options.

The rest of the Blazers were low.

Suns were 10th overall, #6 in the West based on starters.

Good read. Some fun little bits to find like the Ayton being considered a 5th option.

The NBA Starting Lineup Power Rankings: Can Knicks' new-look lineup compete with Celtics?

Within all 30 teams is a hierarchy. Here's a look at each franchise's starting lineup.

sports.yahoo.com

 

[Mainstreet]

Damn.... RIP Mount Mutombo

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This is so sad to hear. He was only 58. I will always remember the smile and the finger wag.

Rest in Peace Dikembe Mutombo.

 

[leclerc]

Ugh, Towns to the Knicks. I was sort of enjoying watching the Knicks last year after the Suns choked big. "Now is the time!" "Just chillin'" 0-4... But the moves they (Knicks) made I am not sold on. Hopefully Phoenix makes the playoffs and make a deep run so I don't need to watch other teams.

 

[Proximo]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this Wolves/Knicks trade, it's one of the most interesting transactions in a long time.

Two, star caliber bigs, around the same age, both with kinda up and down careers, swapped for each other, by two teams who both think they're title contenders.

Minnesota, breaking up their most successful team ever, and trading a #1 pick they drafted and who never asked out of that hellscape of a franchise, for a dude who has a real checkered history and who's team played better after he went down, I know, their record didn't improve but their starting front became far more imposing, the lack of depth was an issue though, they traded a lot to get OG and OG promptly got hurt.

Then you've got the Knicks, I don't think they valued Randle much, the fans were certainly over him, but DeVincenzo was their best shooter... Towns is a really good shooter, so he fills some of that void. But this team was looking like a defensive dynamo, a bunch of hustle guys, who play smart basketball and fight for each possession, and if there is a "star" who is the antithesis of that play style, it's Towns. He and Thibs didn't exactly click either during their previous stint.

A real wacky trade.

I feel pretty strong that the Wolves got worse, but their motivation was different, Towns is going to be making 60 mil in a couple years and they wanted out of that deal, but if this goes badly for them it will make keeping Edwards happy difficult "Hey! You almost made the finals, but being good is expensive, sorry! Want to re-up with our cheap franchise?!"

The Knicks though, this could be an all time Dolan KNICKS style move, chasing the flash and the name instead of being patient and letting this thing they're building marinate.

The timing of the deal is strange as well. Right before training camp? I know we've seen some moves made late in the off season before, but it's usually a trade that had been festering for a while, some disgruntled star, this was out of the blue. Maybe Mitchell Robinson's injury problems are a lot worse than they're letting on and they were looking at starting the season without a center at all.

EDIT: Final thought. The potential downside for the Knicks is really bad. If Towns doesn't work there, they won't have a way out. He will be what Zach Lavine is for the Bulls, this unmoveable albatross who has finally made it clear how empty his contributions are, they will have to ride that dead contract into the ground. They've got this scrappy group of talented players, they had a fair amount of flexibility to add or alter that group, but now with Towns, that is out the window, they're locked into this roster for the next several years.

Also, the Wolves might just not care about playing Randle much, I certainly don't see him closing games, maybe they look to move him ASAP, giving Naz Reid and McDaniels those Towns minutes, along with Devincenzo as another wing shooter and defender, there are some scary looks they can throw out there. I think Randle is an awful awful awful fit there, but they have some good replacements already on the roster.

I think my conclusion is all that happened is one problem child got traded for another and it is likely neither team will improve.

KAT is actually a better team player and better overall player, but DeVincenzo pretty much evens it out.

Overall I think the Twolves win in the long run because it will keep them under the 2nd apron, and that flexibility is probably better than having either Randle or Kat.

 

[Hoop Head]

Dont take the meme portion serious. I just wanted to share this because it's crazy how big Wemby is next to CP3. The top of Paul's head isn't even to Wemby's shoulder.

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[Ronin]

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