2024-2025 Around the NBA Thread

[Chaplin]

Sorry Burns and Gambo. Didn't sound like speculation to me. That's also why I said "posturing". It could be the team is leaking that to him on purpose.

Almost certainly, although who in the org has the brains to do that?

 

[Russ Smith]

Overlooked in the loss to the Clips and the playin game was that the Warriors didn't play Kuminga at all despite him being completely healthy. Insiders including Tim Kawakami report that while players still love JK, there's not really any push in the lockerroom to defend him or say he should have played. In the last few games Kuminga has been notably out of sorts, taking way too many 3's and appearing selfish.

Kerr politely said it was a fit decision, that Butler, Kuminga and Draymond together don't "fit" because they need more spacing. Which is true but interesting because what it means is Kuminga can only play when either Butler or Draymond is sitting.

Will be interesting to watch, I'm still a fan but his game of late was not good, he's under 20% from 3 since he came back from injury and he's shooting way too many 3's.

Kerr said it doesn't mean he won't play going forward including against Memphis but lots of people seem to think it is probably a bad sign for Kuminga's future with the team

 

[Cheesebeef]

It’s kind of crazy to think it has to be Grizz or GSW. They are both superior to Mavs and Kings.

What do you mean? Both the Grizz and GSW can still get in. Whoever loses that game plays the winner or Mavs/Kings.

 

[leclerc]

I for one am going to watch some playoff games. Anything to make the time pass until a new GM is announced.

 

[95pro]

What do you mean? Both the Grizz and GSW can still get in. Whoever loses that game plays the winner or Mavs/Kings.

Grizz or Warriors for the 7/8 game. Loser of 7/8 matchup could still lose out to the 9/10. Grizz or warriors should be in over the Mavs and Kings, this could be where we see the play-in hurts one of the better teams of the 7,8,9,10 spots.

 

[Ronin]

NBA Hall of Famer Joe Dumars finalizing deal to become Pelicans president of basketball operations: Report

One day after the New Orleans Pelicans fired David Griffin, the team is reportedly finalizing a deal to hire Joe Dumars as its new president of basketball operations, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.

sports.yahoo.com

 

[Cheesebeef]

Grizz or Warriors for the 7/8 game. Loser of 7/8 matchup could still lose out to the 9/10. Grizz or warriors should be in over the Mavs and Kings, this could be where we see the play-in hurts one of the better teams of the 7,8,9,10 spots.

Ah… misunderstood your post.

 

[95pro]

Ah… misunderstood your post.

I get caught up while working, and sometimes type things out without being clear. LOL

 

[Suns_fan69]

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[Ronin]

Milwaukee Bucks' Damian Lillard to miss start of NBA playoffs as he deals with blood clots: Report

Lillard has been out since March 18 after being diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right calf.

sports.yahoo.com

 

[Ronin]

Joe Dumars officially hired to head New Orleans basketball operations; does he trade Zion Williamson?

Dumars, Williamson to have "very candid conversations" according to report.

sports.yahoo.com

 

[GatorAZ]

Amen is going to be a rich man’s Marion:
.

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[Covert Rain]

Amen is going to be a rich man’s Marion:
.

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I think it's the opposite....for now (poor mans Marion). Amazing athlete but teams don't respect him on the perimeter because he can't shoot the 3 to save his life. He needs to develop that first. He can do it. Marion didn't really consistently shoot over 30% with the Suns until year 3. Then he could at least keep teams honest. Seems really important in today's 3 point shooting league. I LOVE his athleticism though. It's off the charts. I would take him here in a heartbeat.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I think it's the opposite....for now (poor mans Marion). Amazing athlete but teams don't respect him on the perimeter because he can't shoot the 3 to save his life. He needs to develop that first. He can do it. Marion didn't really consistently shoot over 30% with the Suns until year 3. Then he could at least keep teams honest. Seems really important in today's 3 point shooting league. I LOVE his athleticism though. It's off the charts. I would take him here in a heartbeat.

He’s already blazed a path past Marion as a shot creator, handles and passer and is a legit lock down defender. It’s only a matter of time before he dwarfs him as a shooter.

 

[Covert Rain]

He’s already blazed a path past Marion as a shot creator, handles and passer and is a legit lock down defender. It’s only a matter of time before he dwarfs him as a shooter.

I believe he can totally develop the outside shot (at least enough to keep teams honest). Some of his moves around the bucket are beyond sick.

 

[leclerc]

Will be some good matchups in the playoffs. Hope the Rockets can get some early wins vs GS.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Go Lakers !!

 

[BirdGangThing]

no riots in dallas tonight?

 

[GatorAZ]

Crazy that this was 18 years ago and he’s still a top-10 player.
.

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[Russ Smith]

I think it's the opposite....for now (poor mans Marion). Amazing athlete but teams don't respect him on the perimeter because he can't shoot the 3 to save his life. He needs to develop that first. He can do it. Marion didn't really consistently shoot over 30% with the Suns until year 3. Then he could at least keep teams honest. Seems really important in today's 3 point shooting league. I LOVE his athleticism though. It's off the charts. I would take him here in a heartbeat.

That's the whole issue with Kuminga. Since the Butler trade, Kuminga is the only guy in the regular rotation with a negative plus minus and for the year his plus minus is the lowest of the regulars. You can't play Draymond, Butler and him together because of the outside shooting and that's in a year where Draymond shot a career high from 3. Draymond is the key to the defense, Butler is a star so Kuminga is the odd man out and not playing anymore.

 

[Phrazbit]

That's the whole issue with Kuminga. Since the Butler trade, Kuminga is the only guy in the regular rotation with a negative plus minus and for the year his plus minus is the lowest of the regulars. You can't play Draymond, Butler and him together because of the outside shooting and that's in a year where Draymond shot a career high from 3. Draymond is the key to the defense, Butler is a star so Kuminga is the odd man out and not playing anymore.

The accumulation of on court off court stats that people laugh off but I think it is very telling, if there is one guy who is either way above or way below the metric of the team, IMO, it says a lot.

A player who can average 20 points a game but his team gets murdered on the court and thrives when removed, that is something that happens a ton, and often those players get rewarded with big contracts, despite their flagrantly negative impact. So many NBA teams not figuring out this basic metric is one of the most confusing things in sports. Baseball is an old school game but in the last 30 years teams have developed a pretty good grasp on what stats are worthless and what are not, but the NBA still has teams make horrendous mistakes in judging a players worth.

I know I've beaten him up recently, but Kyle Kuzma is a player that is so terrible he shouldn't even be in the league, but the Bucks are out there, so blind to his putrid play that they not only feature him, but traded away a far better player to acquire him. And this is something that happens over and over.

 

[Russ Smith]

The accumulation of on court off court stats that people laugh off but I think it is very telling, if there is one guy who is either way above or way below the metric of the team, IMO, it says a lot.

A player who can average 20 points a game but his team gets murdered on the court and thrives when removed, that is something that happens a ton, and often those players get rewarded with big contracts, despite their flagrantly negative impact. So many NBA teams not figuring out this basic metric is one of the most confusing things in sports. Baseball is an old school game but in the last 30 years teams have developed a pretty good grasp on what stats are worthless and what are not, but the NBA still has teams make horrendous mistakes in judging a players worth.

I know I've beaten him up recently, but Kyle Kuzma is a player that is so terrible he shouldn't even be in the league, but the Bucks are out there, so blind to his putrid play that they not only feature him, but traded away a far better player to acquire him. And this is something that happens over and over.

Kuzma is one of those guys who puts up stats on a bad team and then when goes to a good team got exposed.

I don't think Kuminga is to that level, but I think he just no longer fits the Warriors since Butler got acquired. Kuminga was largely playing the 4 with Wiggins at the 3. Since the trade Butler is the 4 and Moody is the 3. So you have 2 guys in Draymond and Butler that teams dare to shoot 3's, Moody not a great shooter but can make em, Podz has been shooting much better from 3 until the last few games, and then Curry. There's only 2 guys in that lineup Kuminga can replace, Draymond or Butler. He's simply not as good as either one of them so his minutes fell.

There's an article out there about Gary Huckabay who was one of the guys who really started the whole baseball with stats movement. I'm old enough to have been on Usenet on rec.sportbaseball and the "statheads" used to talk about RBI's are overrated and sac bunt is an intentional out and I thought they were nuts but over time it became obvious they were right and MLB teams figured it out.

In basketball it was the 3, it just no longer made sense to take long 2's the game became much more about 3's and layups just off percentages and it's changed the game. I know lots of people hate it now too many 3's but it's really just math.

 

[Yuma]

Pelicans expected to hire Joe Dumars to run basketball operations after firing David Griffin

The Pelicans appear set to hire former Detroit Pistons executive Joe Dumars to run basketball operations.

sports.yahoo.com

I like Dumars as a player. I haven't followed him as an executive.

 

[Ronin]

NBA announces award finalists: Antetokounmpo, Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic top three for MVP

There were no surprise names on the list, although that is not going to keep some players from feeling snubbed.

sports.yahoo.com

 

[Ronin]

Atlanta Hawks fire general manager Landry Fields after three seasons, promote Onsi Saleh into position

Landry Fields had a .470 winning percentage in three seasons with the Hawks.

sports.yahoo.com