The 2018-2019 Around the NBA thread

[AzStevenCal]

Been watching the Clippers and Lakers. Both teams will be a problem for us. They are the opposite of us. Lots of veterans and strong players who like to go low post. As much as we would like to make fun of the Lakers, they will be a tough game for us.

Nah. I think the Kings will be a tough game for us. We're just out of our league with the Lakers. I'm not sure what we'll see from the Clippers but in this league, with very few exceptions, veterans have a solid edge over youth. And we don't just have youth, we have a lot of youth.

 

[Yuma]

Lance Stephenson is breaking ankles in this game. Dude still has wicked handles.

 

[Hoop Head]

Been watching the Clippers and Lakers. Both teams will be a problem for us. They are the opposite of us. Lots of veterans and strong players who like to go low post. As much as we would like to make fun of the Lakers, they will be a tough game for us.

I doubt the Clippers will cause many problems for us, or the Lakers. I expect both teams will be better than us but not by a lot. I think the Lakers will be a playoff team but probably a bottom tier team and the Clippers don't stand a chance at the playoffs. The West will be odd this season, almost every team that missed the playoffs got better but most playoff teams got a little worse. The Warriors improved but were the only playoff team that did. The Blazers and Jazz stood their ground. The Rockets, Thunder, Pelicans, San Antonio, and Minnesota all lost starters. In Minnesota's case they will whenever Butler is dealt. The Lakers added Lebron, the Nuggets added IT, the Grizzlies get Conley back, the Mavericks added DeAndre Jordan and Doncic, the Suns added Ayton, Ariza, and Anderson. The Kings will probably be the worst in the West but that's the only thing I would bet on.

It's hard to predict with any certainty how things will play out though. I think the case for a 1-16 seed playoff format will be made stronger this year because of how much the West improved in the middle though.

Last year the seeding was
#1 Rockets
#2 Warriors
#3 Blazers
#4 Thunder
#5 Jazz
#6 Pelicans
#7 San Antonio
#8 Minnesota

Minnesota is the only team I think will definitely miss the playoffs. The Nuggets and Lakers make strong cases for being playoff teams this year though but I don't know the 2nd team that gets knocked out.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I doubt the Clippers will cause many problems for us, or the Lakers. I expect both teams will be better than us but not by a lot. I think the Lakers will be a playoff team but probably a bottom tier team and the Clippers don't stand a chance at the playoffs. The West will be odd this season, almost every team that missed the playoffs got better but most playoff teams got a little worse. The Warriors improved but were the only playoff team that did. The Blazers and Jazz stood their ground. The Rockets, Thunder, Pelicans, San Antonio, and Minnesota all lost starters. In Minnesota's case they will whenever Butler is dealt. The Lakers added Lebron, the Nuggets added IT, the Grizzlies get Conley back, the Mavericks added DeAndre Jordan and Doncic, the Suns added Ayton, Ariza, and Anderson. The Kings will probably be the worst in the West but that's the only thing I would bet on.

It's hard to predict with any certainty how things will play out though. I think the case for a 1-16 seed playoff format will be made stronger this year because of how much the West improved in the middle though.

Last year the seeding was
#1 Rockets
#2 Warriors
#3 Blazers
#4 Thunder
#5 Jazz
#6 Pelicans
#7 San Antonio
#8 Minnesota

Minnesota is the only team I think will definitely miss the playoffs. The Nuggets and Lakers make strong cases for being playoff teams this year though but I don't know the 2nd team that gets knocked out.

That surprises me. As is, I believe the Lakers are at least 15 wins better than us and I wouldn't be surprised to find them 25 better.

I put us down for 35 wins but at the time, I was expecting major improvement from Jackson. Today, I'd put 30 wins as our ceiling barring significant change. I am hoping JJ will come around once Booker is back but his play so far really worries me.

 

[Mainstreet]

It looks like the Butler trade has fallen apart between Minnesota and Miami.

Minnesota and Miami had been discussing deals that included a third team to take on salary, as well as doing a direct trade between the Timberwolves and Heat, league sources said. Miami had softened on including guard Josh Richardson in versions of a possible deal for Butler, only to recoil once Minnesota pushed late for a sweeter return on the four-time All-Star forward, league sources said.

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/24920173/timberwolves-trade-jimmy-butler-heat-falls-apart

 

[Phrazbit]

Len with 5 fouls in 5 minutes today.

Impressive.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Len with 5 fouls in 5 minutes today.

Impressive.

Yeah, he's always been a stats collector.

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/24924164/dejounte-murray-san-antonio-spurs-goes-right-knee-injury

Dejounte Murray goes down with a knee injury in today's preseason game. If it's serious, the point guard market just got tougher.

 

[Mainstreet]

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/24924164/dejounte-murray-san-antonio-spurs-goes-right-knee-injury

Dejounte Murray goes down with a knee injury in today's preseason game. If it's serious, the point guard market just got tougher.

Yes. And the Spurs will be missing Lonnie Walker for awhile as well.

 

[Carolinacacti]

Len with 5 fouls in 5 minutes today.

Impressive.

Well he got 18 points in those 15 min and only one turnover.

 

[Mainstreet]

Well he got 18 points in those 15 min and only one turnover.

Good for Alex Len.

 

[Hoop Head]

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/24924164/dejounte-murray-san-antonio-spurs-goes-right-knee-injury

Dejounte Murray goes down with a knee injury in today's preseason game. If it's serious, the point guard market just got tougher.

I would not be surprised to see them make a trade to bring Tony Parker back. It was surprising they let him go and that he would sign in Charlotte of all places. Now it looks like they need him. I can't see Pop settling for scraps like the Suns.

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

I would not be surprised to see them make a trade to bring Tony Parker back. It was surprising they let him go and that he would sign in Charlotte of all places. Now it looks like they need him. I can't see Pop settling for scraps like the Suns.

Their backup, Patty Mills, would be our starter for sure.

 

[Hoop Head]

He’s added a 3pt shot to his game as well.

That's odd. When I heard he was shooting 3's in Atlanta it reminded me of a few years back when Hornacek called a Len 3 for the final shot but Goodwin went rogue but still managed to hit the game winner so not all that much was made of it. A lot of people here backed Goodwin calling an audible because a Len 3 seemed absurd at that time.

Perhaps he'll have a Channing Frye sort of resurrection. Frye was on his way out of the league before coming to Phoenix as a stretch big, which he was not at all in New York or Portland before being a Sun.

 

[SirStefan32]

I wish him the best, as I do with almost all ex-Suns.

 

[95pro]

That's odd. When I heard he was shooting 3's in Atlanta it reminded me of a few years back when Hornacek called a Len 3 for the final shot but Goodwin went rogue but still managed to hit the game winner so not all that much was made of it. A lot of people here backed Goodwin calling an audible because a Len 3 seemed absurd at that time.

Perhaps he'll have a Channing Frye sort of resurrection. Frye was on his way out of the league before coming to Phoenix as a stretch big, which he was not at all in New York or Portland before being a Sun.

I think Frye had range all that time but NY thought otherwise and tried to make him bang down low.

 

[Mainstreet]

Their backup, Patty Mills, would be our starter for sure.

Speaking of small point guards Ulis is starting to look better.

 

[Finito]

Would be interesting if he’s brought back now that McD is gone.

It certainly ruffled some feathers among few Suns players when he was released iirc.

Yeah cause this team needs another young below average PG

 

[Mainstreet]

Would be interesting if he’s brought back now that McD is gone.

It certainly ruffled some feathers among few Suns players when he was released iirc.

I doubt if it would happen as the Suns have moved on.

However, if Ulis were still on the roster, he would have as good a chance or better to run the team as the other four point guards.

I guess this says a lot about how bad the Suns PG situation is.

 

[Hoop Head]

I doubt if it would happen as the Suns have moved on.

However, if Ulis were still on the roster, he would have as good a chance or better to run the team as the other four point guards.

I guess this says a lot about how bad the Suns PG situation is.

Knowing Ulis would be our starting PG without question says a lot about our current crop of PG's. I think Okobo can be better than him but it will take time. He'll be a better player with time but I'm not sure if he'll be a better PG. As for Melton, Canaan, and Harrison, I don't have a lot of faith in them. Canaan is a backup that would probably push Ulis some but I think it's odd how Harrison hasn't been getting a lot of talk recently. In all of the McD firing stuff there is mention of our PG's but when they are named it seems Harrison has been absent.

 

[1Sun]

Knowing Ulis would be our starting PG without question says a lot about our current crop of PG's. I think Okobo can be better than him but it will take time. He'll be a better player with time but I'm not sure if he'll be a better PG. As for Melton, Canaan, and Harrison, I don't have a lot of faith in them. Canaan is a backup that would probably push Ulis some but I think it's odd how Harrison hasn't been getting a lot of talk recently. In all of the McD firing stuff there is mention of our PG's but when they are named it seems Harrison has been absent.

As it should be. Okobo and Melton have a long way to go to develop into NBA caliber players, and Canaan is a fringe NBA player who should be a third stringer, but Harrison really has no business being anywhere near the NBA.

 

[Mainstreet]

Knowing Ulis would be our starting PG without question says a lot about our current crop of PG's. I think Okobo can be better than him but it will take time. He'll be a better player with time but I'm not sure if he'll be a better PG. As for Melton, Canaan, and Harrison, I don't have a lot of faith in them. Canaan is a backup that would probably push Ulis some but I think it's odd how Harrison hasn't been getting a lot of talk recently. In all of the McD firing stuff there is mention of our PG's but when they are named it seems Harrison has been absent.

I like the Suns rookie point guards but it will take time for them to be ready to start. It would be ideal if the Suns had a starting point guard with Okobo, Melton and one of Canaan or Harrison as backups. The Suns definitely need a starter. I don't know if Harrison is on the way out or there are more questions about the other point guards.

 

[Phrazbit]

Well he got 18 points in those 15 min and only one turnover.

Good for Alex Len.

It was 5 fouls in 5 minutes early.

When he came back into the game with his team trailing by nearly 40... yes, he did manage to avoid fouling and hit few shots. But, thanks largely to his early incompetence, the game was a joke at that point.

 

[Ronin]

Adrian Wojnarowski

✔@wojespn
https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1050095382766731266

Jimmy Butler practiced with the Timberwolves today, league sources tell ESPN.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Adrian Wojnarowski

✔@wojespn

Jimmy Butler practiced with the Timberwolves today, league sources tell ESPN.

Hey, I'm old enough to remember when a healthy player practiced with his team and it wasn't reported like it was breaking news.