The 2017-2018 Around the NBA thread

[Hoop Head]

Pacers have declined Lance Stephenson's $4.3 million option for next season. He's an odd sort of player, has a ton of talent but can't seem to get his head right. I think Indiana is making a mistake though. That's a cheap contract to keep him around for another year. I doubt they spend the money better than they would have had they kept him.

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[95pro]

Pacers have declined Lance Stephenson's $4.3 million option for next season. He's an odd sort of player, has a ton of talent but can't seem to get his head right. I think Indiana is making a mistake though. That's a cheap contract to keep him around for another year. I doubt they spend the money better than they would have had they kept him.

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I agree. He’s a good fit with the pacers. And 4.3 million is cheap these days.

 

[Hoop Head]

Looks like the awards have finally been handed out for the season.

MVP - Harden - Rockets
Rookie of the Year - Ben Simmons - Sixers
Most Improved Player - Oladipo - Pacers
Defensive Player - Rudy Gobert - Jazz
Sixth Man - Lou Williams - Clippers
Coach of the Year - Dwane Casey with the Raptors (Who was fired and is now the Pistons head coach)

Lou Williams doesn't make a lot of sense as Sixth Man since the Clippers missed the postseason. Casey winning Coach of the Year is kind of funny since he got fired. I think Mitchell should have been Rookie of the Year. Co-Rookie of the Year would have been best though.

Link for breakdown of awards.
Here are the All-NBA Teams also, apparently these were named earlier.

Russ averaged another triple double and couldn't make 1st team this year, in favor of Lillard, which I think is odd. Aldridge making 2nd team is a little odd but the Spurs did well with him as their only star. Butler making the 3rd team is a stretch, IMO.

With the Defensive teams I'm shocked Jrue Holiday made the 1st team, totally didn't see that coming at all.


All-NBA First Team
James Harden - Rockets
Damien Lillard - Blazers
Anthony Davis - Pelicans
Lebron James - Cavs
Kevin Durant - Warriors

All-NBA Second Team
LaMarcus Aldridge - Spurs
Giannis Antetokounmpo - Bucks
DeMar DeRozan - Raptors
Joel Embiid - 76ers
Russell Westbrook - Thunder

All-NBA Third Team
Jimmy Butler - Wolves
Stephen Curry - Warriors
Paul George - Thunder
Victor Oladipo - Pacers
Karl-Anthony Towns - Wolves


All-NBA Defensive First Team
Robert Covington - 76ers
Anthony Davis - Pelicans
Rudy Gobert - Jazz
Victor Oladipo - Pacers
Jrue Holiday - Pelicans

All-NBA Defensive Second Team
Jimmy Butler - Wolves
Draymond Green - Warriors
Joel Embiid - 76ers
Dejounte Murray - Spurs
Al Horford - Celtics


All-NBA Rookie First Team
Kyle Kuzma - Lakers
Jason Tatum - Celtics
Ben Simmons - 76ers
Donovan Mitchell - Jazz
Lauri Markkanen - Bulls

All-NBA Rookie Second Team
Lonzo Ball - Lakers
Bogdan Bogdanovic - Kings
John Collins - Hawks
Josh Jackson - Suns
Dennis Smith Jr - Mavericks

 

[Chaplin]

What a bore. But at least JJ made it on the 2nd team.

 

[TJ]

An argument can be made that Harden wasn't even the MVP of his team's backcourt.

Take LeBron off the Cavs and Cleveland is likely picks Ayton at #1

 

[Hoop Head]

An argument can be made that Harden wasn't even the MVP of his team's backcourt.

Take LeBron off the Cavs and Cleveland is likely picks Ayton at #1

I wasn't a fan of Lebron receiving it in some previous years, can't point to any off the top of my head but this year he was deserving, for sure. More than Harden. He led an awful team to the finals and even without the playoffs, he dealt with half of his changing at the deadline and he helped them get better. Harden still doesn't play defense yet wins the MVP. Nash didn't play defense either but he tried, Harden rarely even tries. I guess this will appease Rockets fans now. Hopefully next year the race is more open, not limiting it to a makeup year for Harden and ignoring Lebron.

 

[Chaplin]

Let the yuck trades begin! Clippers trade Austin Rivers to Wizards for Marvin Gortat.

 

[Phrazbit]

Let the yuck trades begin! Clippers trade Austin Rivers to Wizards for Marvin Gortat.

Traded by his own father... ouch.

 

[Cheesebeef]

man... last year's crop of rookies was a REALLY strong class.

 

[Krangodnzr]

man... last year's crop of rookies was a REALLY strong class.

And according to many GMs and scouts, this class is supposed to be A LOT better.

 

[Hoop Head]

Traded by his own father... ouch.

Doc isn't their GM anymore. He was removed from that role last season at some point. I can't recall if it was before or after the Blake Griffin trade though. As soon as Doc lost control though Austin was a goner. His dad played him more than any other team would and also paid him more than any other team would be willing.

 

[Finito]

These last two drafts look about as strong as it gets and I think we hit home runs in both

 

[GatorAZ]

Traded by his own father... ouch.

Just like Alex Avila.

 

[leclerc]

Let the yuck trades begin! Clippers trade Austin Rivers to Wizards for Marvin Gortat.

Marvin. That's great.

 

[JCSunsfan]

And according to many GMs and scouts, this class is supposed to be A LOT better.

Ok. Who says that? I haven’t heard that and I read a lot of b-ball stuff.

 

[Hoop Head]

Ok. Who says that? I haven’t heard that and I read a lot of b-ball stuff.

Could be wrong but I believe they were referring to the 2018 draft class, which was really strong and was touted as being a very strong draft class for a year, at least. I'd be shocked if you hadn't heard that.

I'm basing that on what he was responding to, Cheese saying this previous class being deep as in the 2017 class, which ended up being a lot better than some people thought it would be after the season actually played out and we saw a number of rookies making impacts across the league. Jackson barely made the All-Rookie Second Team, which speaks to the strength of it, IMO. I know he started slow but there was no denying how well he played from January through the end.

 

[Mainstreet]

Here comes the Mavericks.

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[Finito]

Here comes the Mavericks.

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Not one of those names impress me

 

[Mainstreet]

Not one of those names impress me

It's more about who plays with them: Dennis Smith, Doncic and Harrison Barnes. And of course Mark Cuban is the owner.

 

[Finito]

It's more about who plays with them: Dennis Smith, Doncic and Harrison Barnes. And of course Mark Cuban is the owner.

Still means nothing. Can any of those players be the best player on a championship team? What about second?

Cousins is a monster but he's a question mark other than that I see role players

 

[Mainstreet]

Still means nothing. Can any of those players be the best player on a championship team? What about second?

Cousins is a monster but he's a question mark other than that I see role players

I guess we will find out.

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

Still means nothing. Can any of those players be the best player on a championship team? What about second?

Cousins is a monster but he's a question mark other than that I see role players

Interesting debate...I wonder what people on this board think about Doncic...Let's have a vigorous discussion, followed by our collective thoughts on different players' hairstyles and Bender vs. Chriss.

 

[Mainstreet]

Interesting debate...I wonder what people on this board think about Doncic...Let's have a vigorous discussion, followed by our collective thoughts on different players' hairstyles and Bender vs. Chriss.

If the Suns sign Milos Teodosic let's include him in the hair discussion.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Interesting debate...I wonder what people on this board think about Doncic...Let's have a vigorous discussion, followed by our collective thoughts on different players' hairstyles and Bender vs. Chriss.

Doncic, the name sounds familiar. I think it's short for Don Ciccio from Sicily?

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

If the Suns sign Milos Teodosic let's include him in the hair discussion.

I was watching a highlight video of Teodosic on the Clippers and halfway through it you can hear the commentator of the game say "it's amazing he can see that well with all that hair in his face". or something like that. Not sure I could handle another point guard hair discussion.