The 2018-2019 Around the NBA thread

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Here's a question.
A number of us in here wanted Adams but who would have the huevos to reach for him at 5? I thought about it but I don't think I advocated it in here - I did propose trades we could make with OKC to get the pick they used to nab him.

A related question: does anyone, right now, have to huevos to claim they'd have picked Adams at 5 if it had been their decision.

No one stumped for him with our top pick in my recollection.

 

[Mainstreet]

Here's a question.
A number of us in here wanted Adams but who would have the huevos to reach for him at 5? I thought about it but I don't think I advocated it in here - I did propose trades we could make with OKC to get the pick they used to nab him.

A related question: does anyone, right now, have to huevos to claim they'd have picked Adams at 5 if it had been their decision.

IIRC, @SunsTzu liked Adams a lot. Perhaps enough to draft him at #5.

I would have taken Len at #5 but he had me excited about Adams.

 

[Mainstreet]

Steven Adams is the scariest beast in the NBA. I would hate to see that dude doing a Haka.

I think I would avoid this as well.

 

[Mainstreet]

I wanted Adams but we didn't have a pick in that range.

This is where teams often get in trouble in the draft. They are afraid to pass on potential and end up drafting the wrong player. Len might have been one of those players.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Ah ok. The way your post was worded made it seem like you thought Beasley was still a free agent.

Carmelo maturing with age and accepting a lesser role? Yeah, not gonna happen. The Rockets made a big mistake here.

agreed.

 

[SunsTzu]

IIRC, @SunsTzu liked Adams a lot. Perhaps enough to draft him at #5.

I would have taken Len at #5 but he had me excited about Adams.

I liked him at 5 but knew it wouldn't happen. I could have been talked into any of the top picks that year as long as it wasn't Bennett or Noel.

For the record I was also really high on Goodwin and had Gobert with Bennett and Noel as a guy I wanted nothing to do with.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I don't remember exactly why but I'm pretty sure I was not on the Adams bandwagon back then. I think it had to do with a supposedly questionable work ethic? Not that I felt strongly about him, I tend to avoid forming much of an opinion on the international players.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I don't remember exactly why but I'm pretty sure I was not on the Adams bandwagon back then. I think it had to do with a supposedly questionable work ethic? Not that I felt strongly about him, I tend to avoid forming much of an opinion on the international players.

Didn’t he play at Pitt?

 

[AzStevenCal]

Didn’t he play at Pitt?

I guess he did, I hadn't remembered that.

 

[SunsTzu]

I don't remember exactly why but I'm pretty sure I was not on the Adams bandwagon back then. I think it had to do with a supposedly questionable work ethic? Not that I felt strongly about him, I tend to avoid forming much of an opinion on the international players.

Didn’t he play at Pitt?

Yes and he spent a Year in HS before that. I watched most of his games at Pitt which is why I was so high on him.

 

[Phrazbit]

I think I had Adams and Len as the players I most wanted to avoid.

 

[Hoop Head]

This is the first offseason that both Carmelo and Lebron have been free agents in. They've had options and extensions before that kept them from hitting the open market at the same time. They didn't hit the market at the same time but they were both still free agents for a period of time this offseason. At Lebron's age he could still get a max deal from any team that he wanted to sign with. Meanwhile Melo was basically paid to stay away from a playoff team in OKC and a lottery team in Atlanta. He ended up needing to settle for a league minimum deal with the Rockets for 1 year. Even at the league minimum, I don't think he could have picked any team in the league to go to either.

I remember during their rookie seasons there was a debate about which them deserved Rookie of the Year more. Carmelo took the Nuggets to the playoffs that year and Lebron missed out on the Cavaliers. Statistically they were fairly similar that year also. Lebron didn't have a year in college like Melo did but they were closer in talent throughout their first 2 or 3 years in the league before they started realizing their potential a bit more. Lebron was always more of a playmaker and it took a little while for Cleveland to add players around him so he could show that as well. He had to do a lot more in his first and second year in the league. His longevity is definitely uncommon, he's 34 and still worth a max deal, but it's odd to think how far Carmelo has fallen just in comparison to Lebron because they were compared so often early on. I don't think Melo could have gotten a max deal from any team he wanted just 2 or 3 seasons ago but Lebron has never been in a position where he couldn't choose his own destination and that other team would say no to it.

 

[GatorAZ]

Pretty simple. Melo was a iso-scorer that never played defense or made players around him better.

Had Detroit drafted him he would’ve been perfect given his skills on that team being surrounded by defenders. Their championship window would’ve been 4-5 years.

 

[Hoop Head]

Pretty simple. Melo was a iso-scorer that never played defense or made players around him better.

Had Detroit drafted him he would’ve been perfect given his skills on that team being surrounded by defenders. Their championship window would’ve been 4-5 years.

That's a possibility but Larry Brown didn't like rookies or young players in general. He was the coach of the 2004 Olympic team that got the Bronze that had Melo, Lebron, and Amare. The younger guys were basically glued to the bench. Lebron averaged 5.4 ppg, Melo 2.4 ppg, and Amare had 2.8 ppg. Brown did not play them much, at all. Emeka Okafor was there also and only saw time in 2 games but didn't score at all. Melo only played in 7 of the 8 games. Everyone else played in all 8 games but I can't find the minutes they played, their scoring says how little though.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/olympics/teams/USA/2004

 

[GatorAZ]

That's a possibility but Larry Brown didn't like rookies or young players in general. He was the coach of the 2004 Olympic team that got the Bronze that had Melo, Lebron, and Amare. The younger guys were basically glued to the bench. Lebron averaged 5.4 ppg, Melo 2.4 ppg, and Amare had 2.8 ppg. Brown did not play them much, at all. Emeka Okafor was there also and only saw time in 2 games but didn't score at all. Melo only played in 7 of the 8 games. Everyone else played in all 8 games but I can't find the minutes they played, their scoring says how little though.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/olympics/teams/USA/2004

He would’ve been the Microwave for those Detroit teams. They really had no bench whatsoever after title year. Imagine had they taken Wade. Three straight championships guaranteed. How does Joe D sleep at night?

 

[Hoop Head]

He would’ve been the Microwave for those Detroit teams. They really had no bench whatsoever after title year. Imagine had they taken Wade. Three straight championships guaranteed. How does Joe D sleep at night?

Wade is more likely, I think. He spent 2 years at Marquette and was more mature when he entered the league than Melo. Bosh is another possibility. Anyone other than Darko could have helped them get another title. That Pistons/Spurs series the next year was quality basketball but it was ugly also. As a basketball fan, I didn't care 2 defensive teams met in the finals but I know ratings dipped quite a bit. Seeing Pop coach against Brown and those 2 teams going at it made for a great chess match of sorts though.

 

[Phrazbit]

He would’ve been the Microwave for those Detroit teams. They really had no bench whatsoever after title year. Imagine had they taken Wade. Three straight championships guaranteed. How does Joe D sleep at night?

On a pile of money with 3 championship rings.

But yeah, he probably does regret that one.

 

[Ronin]

MyNBAUpdate‏@MyNBAUpdate 40m40 minutes ago
The Hawks are expected to waive Carmelo Anthony today, per @ShamsCharania.

 

[Ronin]

Tim Reynolds‏Verified account@ByTimReynolds 59m59 minutes ago
Tim Reynolds Retweeted Shams Charania

Carmelo will finish his Hawks career last in all-time scoring (0) and first in average salary ($28 million).

 

[Hoop Head]

Tim Reynolds‏Verified account@ByTimReynolds 59m59 minutes ago
Tim Reynolds Retweeted Shams Charania

Carmelo will finish his Hawks career last in all-time scoring (0) and first in average salary ($28 million).

That's actually a fairly interesting useless stat. I'm not a fan of the buyout idea in the NBA. I'm not sure why it became the thing to do or what it was that really started it but it's hurt the competitive of the league while also helping it in a weird way. Vet's get bought out by bad teams and join contenders and so long as they don't join the favorite for the title it helps boost another team's chance of competing. I definitely think it hurts more than helps though. I believe it started around the same time that the league got the players association to go along with the amnesty clause. That allowed players to get paid without doing anything and then they'd sign elsewhere. That's when you started to see buyouts come about more often.

 

[Mainstreet]

That's actually a fairly interesting useless stat. I'm not a fan of the buyout idea in the NBA. I'm not sure why it became the thing to do or what it was that really started it but it's hurt the competitive of the league while also helping it in a weird way. Vet's get bought out by bad teams and join contenders and so long as they don't join the favorite for the title it helps boost another team's chance of competing. I definitely think it hurts more than helps though. I believe it started around the same time that the league got the players association to go along with the amnesty clause. That allowed players to get paid without doing anything and then they'd sign elsewhere. That's when you started to see buyouts come about more often.

After a player is bought out I think they should have to submit to claims by the worst teams first, sort of like the waiver process. Although I'm doubtful this happens, it would help cure these shenanigans.

 

[Mainstreet]

Jerry Colangelo's position as special adviser to the 76ers will expire at the end of the season finishing that journey.

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/250869/76ers-Will-Let-Jerry-Colangelos-Contract-Expire

 

[Hoop Head]

After a player is bought out I think they should have to submit to claims by the worst teams first, sort of like the waiver process. Although I'm doubtful this happens, it would help cure these shenanigans.

I'd be ok with that but I can see the players association throwing a fit. I think the only way they might let that happen is if only teams currently in the top 8 in each conference could submit claims or maybe teams with records above 500. That would solve the problem of teams who are talent rich from getting richer. A player shouldn't have a problem going to a team that is playoff bound. Ring chasing would need to be done in the offseason and not if they're on a team where things aren't working out.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I wonder if the NBA could do a compensatory pick thing like the NFL does for teams that lose major free agents.

If they want to even things out, they could take first round picks away from teams over the luxury tax, and award extra picks to teams who lose high value free agents.

 

[Mainstreet]

I'd be ok with that but I can see the players association throwing a fit. I think the only way they might let that happen is if only teams currently in the top 8 in each conference could submit claims or maybe teams with records above 500. That would solve the problem of teams who are talent rich from getting richer. A player shouldn't have a problem going to a team that is playoff bound. Ring chasing would need to be done in the offseason and not if they're on a team where things aren't working out.

I wonder if the NBA could do a compensatory pick thing like the NFL does for teams that lose major free agents.

If they want to even things out, they could take first round picks away from teams over the luxury tax, and award extra picks to teams who lose high value free agents.

I like these ideas. Too bad we need the players and owners to agree to this.

Adding a cost element (draft picks) for those teams who skim talent would be nice.