NBA Post Bubble - Draft & Offseason

[adkindo]

Supposedly they need to clear $9M to fit him under the cap. Don't know if that's coming in a move with the Celtics or a separate move. Meanwhile, if Danny Ainge had Myles Turner on the hook and let him wriggle off, that's going to cause some serious consternation among Celtics fans.

Mitch still smacking the Celtics around for fun

[Bourgeois Zee]

Hayward, LaMelo Ball, Nick Richards, Vernon Carey-- that's some decent talent added to Charlotte.

Not that it'll matter all that much, but at least they're not going to be a G League team.

[RichRed]

Robin Lopez’s reaction after signing with the Wizards and subsequently learning John Wall wants out:

https://twitter.com/rolopez42/status...937309186?s=21

[M2]

Hayward, LaMelo Ball, Nick Richards, Vernon Carey-- that's some decent talent added to Charlotte.

Not that it'll matter all that much, but at least they're not going to be a G League team.

I'm not so sure that's good. The learning curve with Ball is going to be brutal. They're going to need to put a blindfold on MJ for at least a couple of seasons while they deal with Ball's high usage, bad decisions style of play. And Hayward as your #1 option is not a good plan. I like him, but he hasn't been an ace since his leg snapped. Looks like an Island of Misfit Toys to me.

[Bourgeois Zee]

I'm not so sure that's good. The learning curve with Ball is going to brutal. They're going to need to put a blindfold on MJ for at least a couple of seasons while they deal with Ball's high usage, bad decisions style of play. And Hayward as your #1 option is not a good plan. I like him, but he hasn't been an ace since his leg snapped. Looks like an Island of Misfit Toys to me.

Put Rozier and Graham in the starting lineup, and Ball gets to play third guard while learning his craft. (Or, conversely, deal Rozier to the Clips for talent and put Malik Monk in that 2G spot to see what's there.) Let LeMelo be ready when he is. Hayward and Graham can be 20 pt. guys. PJ Washington is a solid stretch four who'll end up around 15/8.

They're not going to be good, but they'll be improved. That may be enough as LeMelo improves.

[Kingspoint]

One piece left needed to add to be ready for a Championship run..
a quality backup PG to drastically reduce Dame and C.J.'s minutes and responsibilities during the regular season. Everything else is a perfect fit.

[M2]

Put Rozier and Graham in the starting lineup, and Ball gets to play third guard while learning his craft. (Or, conversely, deal Rozier to the Clips for talent and put Malik Monk in that 2G spot to see what's there.) Let LeMelo be ready when he is. Hayward and Graham can be 20 pt. guys. PJ Washington is a solid stretch four who'll end up around 15/8.

They're not going to be good, but they'll be improved. That may be enough as LeMelo improves.

I like Washington. I agree Rozier and Graham are probably their two best guards, but I suspect they won't be leading the backcourt in minutes. Monk might have to go in order to fit Hayward's salary. I also question how much Hayward scores (or at least how efficiently) if he's getting the primary attention. He's going to get a steady diet of every other team's best wing defender. They look to me like a team that needs a surprise, maybe Cody Zeller has a career year as he heads into free agency.

[M2]

The Bucks grabbed D.J. Augustin and Bobby Portis.

[Betterread]

I don’t understand the choice Jerami Grant made in taking equal money to go to Detroit. I think it hurts Denver, who was going to have Grant and Michael Porter jr hold down the forward positions. Now it is MPJ, jamychal Green and Paul Millsap.

[M2]

I don’t understand the choice Jeremiah Grant made in taking equal money to go to Detroit. I think it hurts Denver, who was going to have Grant and Michael Porter jr hold down the forward positions. Now it is MPJ, jamychal Green and Paul Millsap.

The Pistons did a hell of a sales job on him, but it does look like he took a pass on team with title aspirations. Might regret that when he's older.

[M2]

Tristan Thompson and Jeff Teague go to the Celtics. Ainge has always coveted Thompson, so it's not a shocker he signed the guy.

And just read that the Hornets fit the Hayward contract under their cap by using the stretch provision on Nic Batum's remaining $27M. So, instead of being done with him after this season, he'll be a $9M hit on their cap through 2022-23. I'm familiar with this in the world of hockey where it's generally bad practice to use the stretch provision unless it helps put you in immediate contention.

[Kingspoint]

Clippers get Serge Ibaka for the same amount the Heat paid for Meyers Leonard.

[Betterread]

Clippers get Serge Ibaka for the same amount the Heat paid for Meyers Leonard.

I would rather have Ibaka. On top of that, the Heat signed Leonard, but let Jae Crowder leave to sign with Phoenix. I don’t understand that.

[Revering4Blue]

Tristan Thompson and Jeff Teague go to the Celtics. Ainge has always coveted Thompson, so it's not a shocker he signed the guy.

TT, with his ability to switch out on the perimeter, will help immensely against mobile centers like Bam.

Though I would have gone with Malachi Flynn at #26, Pritchard is a baller, but likely not ready to assume backup PG duties. Hence, the signing of Teague.

And just read that the Hornets fit the Hayward contract under their cap by using the stretch provision on Nic Batum's remaining $27M. So, instead of being done with him after this season, he'll be a $9M hit on their cap through 2022-23. I'm familiar with this in the world of hockey where it's generally bad practice to use the stretch provision unless it helps put you in immediate contention.

That's just it.

To a certain extent, I get the signing of Hayward as an attempt to make the team more 'watchable'. But this signing reeks of the '13 Charlotte signing of Al Jefferson. Your ceiling, assuming almost everything falls into place, is now the dreaded treadmill, in which you, if you're lucky, land the 7th or 8th playoff spot, only to be clubbed in the first round. All the while, your draft position isn't high enough to land cornerstone players, and you're in the position that you were in with Kemba Walker.

The lesson is simple for MJ and Charlotte: Acquire enough talented low-cast players through the draft and otherwise and you will not be placed in a position of overpaying for free agents. In a market the size of Charlotte, it doesn't work the other way around.

[Kingspoint]

The Bucks grabbed D.J. Augustin and Bobby Portis.

There are some monster teams in the East and some really good ones besides those.