2016-17 Around the NBA

[Ronin]

RealGM‏ @RealGM
DeMarcus Cousins Plans To Remain With Kings, Sign Long-Term Extension:
DeMarcus Cousins can sign a five-year extension with the Sacramento Kings this summer worth $219 million over five seasons. Cousins wants his "legacy to end in Sacramento" and his "jersey to be in the rafters in Sacramento."

Cousins considers Sacramento to be home now that he's seven years into his career.

"I'm very happy," Cousins said. "It's where I want to be."
http://basketball.realgm.com/wireta...To-Remain-With-Kings-Sign-Long-Term-Extension

 

[Mainstreet]

RealGM‏ @RealGM
DeMarcus Cousins Plans To Remain With Kings, Sign Long-Term Extension:
DeMarcus Cousins can sign a five-year extension with the Sacramento Kings this summer worth $219 million over five seasons. Cousins wants his "legacy to end in Sacramento" and his "jersey to be in the rafters in Sacramento."

Cousins considers Sacramento to be home now that he's seven years into his career.

"I'm very happy," Cousins said. "It's where I want to be."
http://basketball.realgm.com/wireta...To-Remain-With-Kings-Sign-Long-Term-Extension

IMO, this is good news. I was afraid the Suns might be chasing after him. Now, I hope the Suns do not chase a player like Kevin Love who I understand wants to stay in Cleveland.

 

[AzStevenCal]

IMO, this is good news. I was afraid the Suns might be chasing after him. Now, I hope the Suns do not chase a player like Kevin Love who I understand wants to stay in Cleveland.

Yeah, IF we make a play it will likely be for someone like Drummond which I wouldn't mind at all. I'd even be okay trading for Okafor if the price was right but like Knight, he needs to be moved at a discount. Not as big of a discount as Knight but he just isn't worth what it cost to drive him off the draft lot.

 

[GatorAZ]

Wouldnt trade for Drummond. Too much money for a limited player.

Anytime a player who lives in the paint needs 12 shots to get somewhere around 14 pts it's a bad sign. Not to mention he doesn't pass from the post and makes Shaq look like a quality FT shooter.

 

[Mainstreet]

Yeah, IF we make a play it will likely be for someone like Drummond which I wouldn't mind at all. I'd even be okay trading for Okafor if the price was right but like Knight, he needs to be moved at a discount. Not as big of a discount as Knight but he just isn't worth what it cost to drive him off the draft lot.

I'd move Knight for Okafor especially if the Suns are not going to match Len. Drummond is an interesting player to go after as well. I'm not sure what the Suns are looking for in a trade.

I've been trying to think of some other players the Suns might want to go after in a trade but I'm drawing a blank.

How about Bobby Portis?

 

[Mainstreet]

Wouldnt trade for Drummond. Too much money for a limited player.

Anytime a player who lives in the paint needs 12 shots to get somewhere around 14 pts it's a bad sign. Not to mention he doesn't pass from the post and makes Shaq look like a quality FT shooter.

Point well taken. I haven't watched Drummond much.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Wouldnt trade for Drummond. Too much money for a limited player.

Anytime a player who lives in the paint needs 12 shots to get somewhere around 14 pts it's a bad sign. Not to mention he doesn't pass from the post and makes Shaq look like a quality FT shooter.

But you're talking about shortcomings that didn't exist before psycho SV Gundy got there. Look at his shooting percentage pre-Gundy and post Gundy. That man could drive any player to the edge of insanity. Put together a good offer for Drummond and Stanley, hire a shrink and watch them both blossom.

The free throws scare me, I can live with the rest of it.

 

[Ronin]

Alex Kennedy ‏@AlexKennedyNBA 2m2 minutes ago
Here are some All-Star/Dunk Contest prop bets from http://SportsBettingDime.com. I always find it funny that people actually bet on this stuff.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Ronin]

Jeremias Engelmann‏@JerryEngelmann
Hornets are
22 - 17 with Zeller
2 - 15 without

 

[JCSunsfan]

But you're talking about shortcomings that didn't exist before psycho SV Gundy got there. Look at his shooting percentage pre-Gundy and post Gundy. That man could drive any player to the edge of insanity. Put together a good offer for Drummond and Stanley, hire a shrink and watch them both blossom.

The free throws scare me, I can live with the rest of it.

His shooting percentage dropped 10% in 2014-15. He is still over 53% though.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/drumman01.html

 

[AzStevenCal]

His shooting percentage dropped 10% in 2014-15. He is still over 53% though.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/drumman01.html

Yeah, he's shooting 61 and then 62% pre-Gundy and it drops to 51 and then 52% under Stan's guidance. That's a pretty significant drop.

 

[Ronin]

Al Iannazzone ‏@Al_Iannazzone 28s29 seconds ago
Carmelo Anthony has been excused from All-Star Media Day, a league official said

 

[Ronin]

Marc Stein ‏@ESPNSteinLine 15m15 minutes ago
The Pistons and Magic have discussed a trade that would send Reggie Jackson to Orlando for D.J. Augustin and Jeff Green, league sources say.

 

[Ronin]

Gerald Bourguet ‏@GeraldBourguet 7m7 minutes ago
BTW, a Reggie Jackson for Jeff Green and D.J. Augustin swap doesn’t work straight up. Pistons would have to send about $3.45M more in salary

 

[Ronin]

Gerald Bourguet ‏@GeraldBourguet 57m57 minutes ago
Huh. Forgot that if the #Lakers convey this year’s 1st rounder to Philly, they ALSO send a 2019 1st rounder to Orlando. They NEED this pick

 

[AzStevenCal]

Gerald Bourguet ‏@GeraldBourguet 57m57 minutes ago
Huh. Forgot that if the #Lakers convey this year’s 1st rounder to Philly, they ALSO send a 2019 1st rounder to Orlando. They NEED this pick

And even more importantly, by keeping their pick this season they'll no longer even owe Orlando another first rounder - just two seconds which beats the heck out of a first round pick. It's one of the reasons I've been so confident that we won't be able to compete with the Lakers for that second worst spot.

 

[Ronin]

And even more importantly, by keeping their pick this season they'll no longer even owe Orlando another first rounder - just two seconds which beats the heck out of a first round pick. It's one of the reasons I've been so confident that we won't be able to compete with the Lakers for that second worst spot.

Good info. I wasn't aware of all this information about the Lakers and their pick(s).

 

[Ronin]

Joel Embiid (knee) said he thinks he can "probably" play in the first game after the All-Star break.

In case you missed it, he had suffered a minor tear to his meniscus late last month. He said as long as the practices go well and he's not dealing with swelling or soreness, he expects to be out there against the Wizards on Feb. 24. Embiid said he's been getting through some workouts about every other day to help get him going, as well. This is encouraging news for The Process and perhaps he can get back out there, but obviously the training staff and front office will have their say on this matter.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nba/2288/joel-embiid

 

[Ronin]

Jeff Zillgitt ‏@JeffZillgitt 1m1 minute ago
From the NBA's Last Two-Minute Report: ref correctly called Marcus Smart for a foul on Jimmy Butler. "Smart makes contact with Butler's arm"

 

[AzStevenCal]

Jeff Zillgitt ‏@JeffZillgitt 1m1 minute ago
From the NBA's Last Two-Minute Report: ref correctly called Marcus Smart for a foul on Jimmy Butler. "Smart makes contact with Butler's arm"

Yeah, I don't know what the big deal was about that call. He clearly touched him on the shot, Thomas makes a killing with that call, strange that he'd rail so much against it.

 

[Ronin]

Jeff Zillgitt ‏@JeffZillgitt 1m1 minute ago
Pau Gasol replaces Steve Blake on NBPA's executive committee comprised of players.

 

[Ronin]

But a report from Ric Bucher of Bleacher Report suggests the Kings offered Cousins to the Orlando Magic earlier this season.

"Multiple league sources say the Magic turned down the chance to deal Nikola Vucevic and either Evan Fournier or draft picks to the Kings for the contemptuous All-Star center earlier this season," said Bucher. "Hennigan apparently was concerned about both his ability to re-sign Cousins this summer and building the franchise around yet another high maintenence big man.

"Cousins, meanwhile, has made it clear that he wants to stay in Sacramento but one league source says owner Vivek Ranadive, a staunch Boogie supporter, is still uncertain about handing him a max $200 million extension.

http://basketball.realgm.com/wireta...ins-Uncertain-About-DeMarcus-Cousins-Supermax

 

[Ronin]

Chris Haynes‏ @ChrisBHaynes
ESPN Sources: Indiana has made first-round pick available to secure help for Paul George.

 

[Finito]

Chris Haynes‏ @ChrisBHaynes
ESPN Sources: Indiana has made first-round pick available to secure help for Paul George.

Would you trade Bledsoe for a 1? In this draft I think I would

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

Not for Indiana's pick. Imho there are 10-13 high-level prospects in this draft. After that, it's really not much better than an average draft.

1. Lonzo Ball
2. Markelle Fultz
3. Josh Jackson
4. Dennis Smith Jr.
5. Jayson Tatum
6. Jonathan Isaac
7. Malik Monk
8. Lauri Markkanen
9. Frank Ntilikina
10. Miles Bridges
11. De'Aaron Fox
12. Robert Williams
13. Justin Patton


After that, you're looking at low-upside guys (like Ivan Rabb) or high-potential guys who have shown very little in college (like Harry Giles).

I would argue that even if you factor in injury concerns, age, style-of-play and upcoming contract, swapping any pick after the top seven or eight for Bledsoe is a huge gamble.

I really like Bridges, but I'm not sure he's got the small forward skills to fit in perfectly with our team.

Fox is great, but I'm concerned about his jump shot and Ntilikina is a pretty big wild card. I think if either developed into as good a player as Bledsoe, it would be considered a success for them.

Williams and Patton are intriguing, but are not worth giving up our most productive player.

Even Monk and Markkanen, who I think will both be fantastic players, are questionable fits with our current group of prospects.

Now, if you could get a top six pick for Bledsoe, I'm all in. However, I have doubts that anyone would give up a top six pick in this draft.