The 2019-2020 Around the NBA thread

Phrazbit

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Some of these reports of Zion learning to walk and run differently...?

YIKES

Seriously.

It sucks but... the guy's athletic freakness is likely too far on the freak side. Tendons and muscles are not made to propel 300 pounds nearly 4 feet vertically... and land.

What he needs to do is get rid of a LOT of that bulk, which may cut down on his effectiveness, but if the guy cannot stay, perhaps even not GET healthy at his weight, then it is better than a lost career.
 

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Some of these reports of Zion learning to walk and run differently...?

YIKES

Reminds me of the stuff that was put out about Fultz during his rookie year. I'm a little more optimistic about Zion recovering because he seems to be more of a competitor than Fultz was/is. No one has questioned Zion's heart, while that was a knock against Fultz entering that draft. At this point though I'll be surprised if Zion plays this season.
 

Phrazbit

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Reminds me of the stuff that was put out about Fultz during his rookie year. I'm a little more optimistic about Zion recovering because he seems to be more of a competitor than Fultz was/is. No one has questioned Zion's heart, while that was a knock against Fultz entering that draft. At this point though I'll be surprised if Zion plays this season.

Fultz got the yips. His problems were in his head. Zion's are not. No amount of mental will can make your tendons stronger. IMO, it is impossible for someone to play that high flying style at his size and weight.
 

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Fultz got the yips. His problems were in his head. Zion's are not. No amount of mental will can make your tendons stronger. IMO, it is impossible for someone to play that high flying style at his size and weight.

Fultz ended up with the yips but there was similar talk of how he had to completely change his shooting mechanics after his shoulder surgery. It was a little while after that when things got out of control with the yips. Those seemed to derail his second season more than his first. His first year was about getting strength back in his shoulder and reworking his mechanics to try to get back sooner than he should have.

That's what I was referring to with the "Zion is learning how to walk and run differently" because the headlines then were "Fultz is learning how to shoot all over again".
 

Phrazbit

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Fultz ended up with the yips but there was similar talk of how he had to completely change his shooting mechanics after his shoulder surgery. It was a little while after that when things got out of control with the yips. Those seemed to derail his second season more than his first. His first year was about getting strength back in his shoulder and reworking his mechanics to try to get back sooner than he should have.

That's what I was referring to with the "Zion is learning how to walk and run differently" because the headlines then were "Fultz is learning how to shoot all over again".

I get what your saying, but I gotta disagree with the theme. Fultz's "relearning to shoot" stuff came after he played some games and, clearly, no longer had any confidence or any idea of how to form a shooting motion, he had this massive hitch in his shooting motion that never previously existed. To me, that is the yips.

You don't get the yips about walking and running. Zion's problems are not in his head. The Pelicans are trying to figure out a way to reduce the stress his playing style creates on his legs. But, IMO, unless they get him to drop 40+ pounds... it simply isn't possible. The difficult part stems from Zion is not over weight, there is not flab on his frame. The guy is a muscular monster, but the body's muscles and tendons have limits. The guy has a 280-300lb frame, a very muscular one, and he uses that frame to jump out the gym and run like a madman but there were worries about the sustain-ability when he first appeared in college ball... and that was 2 knee injuries ago, in less than 12 months.

I do think, that for the brief periods that he is healthy, he will look like an MVP caliber player.
 

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Rockets Might Be Open to Trading Russell Westbrook
Less than six months ago, the Houston Rockets acquired Russell Westbrook in a deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Chris Paul and several draft picks. Now, rumors have already begun to circulate about the Rockets' willingness to entertain the possibility of trading Westbrook.

"I think Westbrook is available," The Ringer's Ryen Russillo said, per Pro Basketball Talk. "We can talk about semantics. Of course, Daryl Morey would trade anyone if he thought it made his team better. Of course, he would trade Westbrook if he could get off of that long-term money, if he thought the assets, the sum of the parts was better than having somebody that’s considered a top-10 player."

The long-term max contract money attached to Westbrook is similar to the problem that they faced with Paul. However, CP3 has three years remaining on his current deal while Westbrook has four. The Rockets may not have been worried about taking such a huge financial burden if it came at the expense of making their franchise player, James Harden, happy.
https://www.complex.com/sports/2019...tstw&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com
 

hcsilla

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My guess anyone on the Knicks roster is available except RJ Barrett.

I think that Mitchell Robinson is also a keeper.

Bobby Portis might be a trade target, he is a long and athletic bench scorer, but I'm not sure that I would offer more for him than a protected 2nd rounder.
 

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If Dennis Smith Jr didn't already pout his way out of Dallas he might have been interesting as a 6th man scoring guard. He won't start anywhere but New York so he might not want out.

Randle probably has the most value of anyone the Knicks have and their asking price is likely too high for the Suns.

Taj Gibson might be a decent backup big for the remainder of the year. That would keep Kaminsky on the bench and give us a strong rebounder to play in the frontcourt.
 
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Mainstreet

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I think that Mitchell Robinson is also a keeper.

Bobby Portis might be a trade target, he is a long and athletic bench scorer, but I'm not sure that I would offer more for him than a protected 2nd rounder.

Mitchell is worth keeping for sure especially at his salary.

I'm not sure what the Suns could offer for Portis other than Tyler Johnson and taking back another contract.

Maybe a future second. The Suns have traded away their second round picks for 2020 and 2021.
 

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Apparently the league is considering awarding the winner of the in season tournament an extra 1st round pick. Had a feeling draft compensation would end up being used as a prize. I could see giving that team an extra 1st if it was pick #31 but anywhere else and it could really screw a bunch of other teams over.


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Mainstreet

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Apparently the league is considering awarding the winner of the in season tournament an extra 1st round pick. Had a feeling draft compensation would end up being used as a prize. I could see giving that team an extra 1st if it was pick #31 but anywhere else and it could really screw a bunch of other teams over.


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I think the first round pick would have to come at the end of the first round (31) as well. It would be sort of like a compensatory pick in the NFL.

Mark Cuban is not a fan of the idea.

https://sports.yahoo.com/report-nba...nning-inseason-tournament-team-192957460.html
 

Hoop Head

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I think the first round pick would have to come at the end of the first round (31) as well. It would be sort of like a compensatory pick in the NFL.

Mark Cuban is not a fan of the idea.

https://sports.yahoo.com/report-nba...nning-inseason-tournament-team-192957460.html

If it's at the end of the first, I have no problem with it. It's basically a 2nd rounder then and giving them an advantage to select the best of the rest isn't that big but still could help a team.

Perhaps giving the winner priority in the waiver wire? That actually could work. Teams need to quit buying out players and I think we're already seeing that to a certain extent with situations like Iggy in Memphis, they won't buy him out and have made it clear he's only available for a pick of some sort.

If there is an early season tournament then the odds of a veteran being bought out early in the season would be reduced because teams would be trying to win that.

Maybe doing an early season divisional tournament would be better. That gives them 6 winners but the prize for divisional winners can be cash and only give the real winner more. I don't know, there are a lot of ways it could be done but a mid round 1st shouldn't be considered.
 
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Mainstreet

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If it's at the end of the first, I have no problem with it. It's basically a 2nd rounder then and giving them an advantage to select the best of the rest isn't that big but still could help a team.

Perhaps giving the winner priority in the waiver wire? That actually could work. Teams need to quit buying out players and I think we're already seeing that to a certain extent with situations like Iggy in Memphis, they won't buy him out and have made it clear he's only available for a pick of some sort.

If there is an early season tournament then the odds of a veteran being bought out early in the season would be reduced because teams would be trying to win that.

Maybe doing an early season divisional tournament would be better. That gives them 6 winners but the prize for divisional winners can be cash and only give the real winner more. I don't know, there are a lot of ways it could be done but a mid round 1st shouldn't be considered.

I'm not a fan of the NBA tournament proposal as I understand it.

Forgetting the tournament for a moment, maybe the NBA should consider giving comp picks for players claimed off waiver wire that meet certain criteria. This might work in regard to a player like Iggy.
 
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hcsilla

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If Dennis Smith Jr didn't already pout his way out of Dallas he might have been interesting as a 6th man scoring guard. He won't start anywhere but New York so he might not want out.

Randle probably has the most value of anyone the Knicks have. Taj Gibson might be a decent backup big for the remainder of the year. That would keep Kaminsky on the bench and give us a strong rebounder to play in the frontcourt.

I don't see anything in Dennis Smith.

Randle is the Knicks' best player, but he is not a good fit to Ayton and has a longer contract.

Gibson seems to be out of gas. Last season's version of him would be a blessing for the Suns, but I'm not sure he can help anyone anymore.
 
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