2024-2025 Around the NBA Thread

[Phrazbit]

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That would be a bummer. I really want him to end up in LA, he'd be a horrendous fit there.

 

[Ronin]

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[Chaplin]

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Uh oh, engines revving for a Kyle Kuzma for Zach Lavine swap.

 

[Covert Rain]

They won the title but are due to pay a huge tax bill. He's getting out at the top.

Also selling high.

 

[nashman]

I kind of like that move, albeit not the salary. Klay will fit there as a better version of Tim Hardaway Jr, who was damn near unplayable in the playoffs. He provides some shooting in a lineup with Luka, Kyrie, Washington, and Kleber.

But they have lost Green, DJJ, Hardaway lol those guys were all big for them and Klay hardly replaces all of them lol

 

[Hoop Head]

But they have lost Green, DJJ, Hardaway lol those guys were all big for them and Klay hardly replaces all of them lol

Green didn't do much. Hardaway Jr fell off badly. DJJ couldn't shoot after the OKC series. Klay definitely replaced Hardaway and Green. Naji Marshall is replacing Derrick Jones Jr.

I'd call it a lateral move at worst but a small upgrade overall, with potential for big gains.

 

[nashman]

Green didn't do much. Hardaway Jr fell off badly. DJJ couldn't shoot after the OKC series. Klay definitely replaced Hardaway and Green. Naji Marshall is replacing Derrick Jones Jr.

I'd call it a lateral move at worst but a small upgrade overall, with potential for big gains.

Ehh Hardaway was streaky for sure but he was big for them most of the time not at the end. DJJ was a beast for them in the playoffs and Green was a knock down shooter they don’t go to the finals without those guys. It’s lateral at best but Klay disappears often and his D sucks nowadays. Just watch and see they will miss those guys, not too much depth now…

 

[Covert Rain]

But they have lost Green, DJJ, Hardaway lol those guys were all big for them and Klay hardly replaces all of them lol

I am not convinced Klay isn't a shell of his former self. If that is the case? Definitely not an upgrade. Maybe Klay just needed a change of scenery.

 

[Mainstreet]

Ehh Hardaway was streaky for sure but he was big for them most of the time not at the end. DJJ was a beast for them in the playoffs and Green was a knock down shooter they don’t go to the finals without those guys. It’s lateral at best but Klay disappears often and his D sucks nowadays. Just watch and see they will miss those guys, not too much depth now…

The Mavericks will miss those guys, but they are still a deep team.

If Klay returns to form, they have a star caliber player. I'm not saying it will happen, but for them, it's a risk worth taking.

 

[Ronin]

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[Lorenzo]

Ehh Hardaway was streaky for sure but he was big for them most of the time not at the end. DJJ was a beast for them in the playoffs and Green was a knock down shooter they don’t go to the finals without those guys. It’s lateral at best but Klay disappears often and his D sucks nowadays. Just watch and see they will miss those guys, not too much depth now…

their depth is better now. Hardaway averaged less than 3 points per game in the playoffs and less than 10 per game in the last 3 months of the season. something was off with Hardaway. not sure if the trades affected his confidence, but he tanked badly. it was obvious in the finals that dallas needed to trade Hardaway and needed a legit third scorer to take pressure off of the rest of the team. Klay easily replaces those 3 guys combined offensively, particularly as someone who won't shrink if he has an open shot. the question for me is whether or not Klay can average 15 points per game or not on a team that will get him open looks. Jones Jr. will be missed on the defensive end, but I wouldn't say that they had to keep him given the amount that he wanted to be paid.

 

[nashman]

their depth is better now. Hardaway averaged less than 3 points per game in the playoffs and less than 10 per game in the last 3 months of the season. something was off with Hardaway. not sure if the trades affected his confidence, but he tanked badly. it was obvious in the finals that dallas needed to trade Hardaway and needed a legit third scorer to take pressure off of the rest of the team. Klay easily replaces those 3 guys combined offensively, particularly as someone who won't shrink if he has an open shot. the question for me is whether or not Klay can average 15 points per game or not on a team that will get him open looks. Jones Jr. will be missed on the defensive end, but I wouldn't say that they had to keep him given the amount that he wanted to be paid.

Yeah sure you won’t miss Greens and DJJ’s athleticism and defense. Sorry bro Klay ain’t bringing that and due is a shell of his younger self not a consistent scorer anymore imo. He is now just a streak shooter, and he’s basically Hardaway lol… But Dallas won in the playoffs with athleticism, put backs, dunks, defense they didn’t normally play and all three of those guys were a big part of that! Klay ain’t filling all those shoes NO WAY!!!

 

[Lorenzo]

Yeah sure you won’t miss Greens and DJJ’s athleticism and defense. Sorry bro Klay ain’t bringing that and due is a shell of his younger self not a consistent scorer anymore imo. He is now just a streak shooter, and he’s basically Hardaway lol… But Dallas won in the playoffs with athleticism, put backs, dunks, defense they didn’t normally play and all three of those guys were a big part of that! Klay ain’t filling all those shoes NO WAY!!!

He is not basically Hardaway Jr. but ok. Hardaway Jr. went approx. a month with 0 points in the playoffs.

you were the one that said Dallas got pushed by the refs past OKC. now you are praising their role players that got exposed in the finals. I don't expect you to really know what you are talking about regarding the mavericks. many of the other posters on here have fair takes.

 

[Lorenzo]

Green didn't do much. Hardaway Jr fell off badly. DJJ couldn't shoot after the OKC series. Klay definitely replaced Hardaway and Green. Naji Marshall is replacing Derrick Jones Jr.

I'd call it a lateral move at worst but a small upgrade overall, with potential for big gains.

fair take. there is give and take with the trade. the trade was a good deal for both sides considering that Klay was leaving GS. Dallas let Jones Jr. walk because they can't afford to pay both he and Klay. Hardaway Jr. was always leaving. Kidd lost complete confidence in him. so I don't see Klay as a replacement straight up for green/jones jr/hardaway jr. it's just a signal that dallas needed to improve offensively, even if it is a slight improvement. losing jones jr. will be a question mark for their defense. he was a great player for them on that end considering they had him on a 3M one year contract.

 

[Lorenzo]

@nashman I do agree with you that Klay is not his former self. and I don't expect a lot from him on the defensive end, which is a concern for me with dallas next year. I'm not certain what their identity will be. It seemed like last year they were all in on the offensive side in the first half, then second half and playoffs they were all in on defense and struggled at times offensively. my guess is this is an effort for them to balance things out a bit. my fault for saying that you don't know what you are talking about regarding the mavericks. that was unnecessary. you do make some fair points.

 

[Hoop Head]

One move not getting enough attention is KCP to Orlando. I like what Orlando is doing but Denver letting him walk is a real blow. He was a staple of their team the last few years as a 3 & D guard who always brought it. They're hoping Braun can fill his shoes but he's not the defender KCP is and he also fell off last season after a solid rookie campaign. Denver has no means to replace KCP either as a taxpayer. That MPJ extension has basically cost them Bruce Brown and KCP. They lost Jeff Green also after their title run but I don't fault them for not paying him what Houston did. Their window is closing even with Jokic in his prime because they're not going to be able to keep a full team around him and of all the stars in the league, Jokic needs good players to surround him because he elevates them with his playmaking rather than his scoring winning for them. It's almost a Nash effect as a big.

 

[clyde2tw]

Klay has the true star mentality in his vein, as long as his conditioning sustains it. Rotation players contribution can more easily found with substitutes and replaced, such as Marshall and Exum can replace DJJ's if not even better so. Mavs gains big time with Klay acquisition, ex ante.

 

[Lorenzo]

Klay has the true star mentality in his vein, as long as his conditioning sustains it. Rotation players contribution can more easily found with substitutes and replaced, such as Marshall and Exum can replace DJJ's if not even better so. Mavs gains big time with Klay acquisition, ex ante.

one mavs expert that I trust, mark followill who is the mavs play by play commentator, made a good point that Jason Kidd maybe had too much of a hook on Exum in the playoffs. Exum had a great season for the mavs and did hit some clutch shots. but Exum was often on a short leash in the playoffs. Exum came to life in the last 2 finals games, particularly before the games were already decided. I do think that he and J. Hardy can be more relied upon next season. Hardy is more of a defensive liability than green but can score more than green.

 

[Mainstreet]

The Warriors look to be pursuing Buddy Hield perhaps to help replace Klay Thompson.

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[Lorenzo]

The Mavericks will miss those guys, but they are still a deep team.

If Klay returns to form, they have a star caliber player. I'm not saying it will happen, but for them, it's a risk worth taking.

I think dallas need Klay to be who he is now. if he can score 15-17 per game like he did last year, that fits exactly to what dallas needs right now. plus he has championship pedigree and will step into open looks. His time at GS is viewed differently because of the titles and the big time numbers that he put up. We all view Klay as being a liability there now because he is somewhat inadequate to what he once was. Dallas is not the same situation. he walks into dallas where he can be the third scorer behind doncic and Irving. then you have many other mavericks players who can still hit double figures.

 

[Mainstreet]

Lebron will sign a two-year contract with the Lakers which includes a no trade clause.

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[Mainstreet]

And Bronny James gets his contract done as well. It's for 4 years, $7.9 million.

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[Lorenzo]

Lebron will sign a two-year contract with the Lakers which includes a no trade clause.

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interesting that he signed at the max. I was wondering if he would take less money to help get other players there. but I think some of the people he wanted to come there did not want to be there.

 

[Mainstreet]

interesting that he signed at the max. I was wondering if he would take less money to help get other players there. but I think some of the people he wanted to come there did not want to be there.

Lebron might still help the Lakers save a few million dollars to sign someone, but since they apparently are not going to land any big fish, he wants near max money.

 

[Covert Rain]

The Nets are trying to continue the fire sale. Reports are that they have been trying to desperately move Ben Simmons but nobody is biting.