NBA Post Bubble - Draft & Offseason

[M2]

An All-Time great player, yes. If he was a forward, had some height, played great Defense, too? Then, maybe. But, he's only an all-time great player on Offense. Most "all-time great players" are great on both sides of the ball, not one. That's just not going to get it done in the East or the West. I think the Top-6 in the West that I mentioned are equal to the Top-6 in the East. That's not near enough, nor is there near enough around him.

You are so petty about PGs. I'm sorry Steph is better than Dame. Him winning three titles and two MVPs with the signature team of his generation wasn't designed to be a personal slight to you. However, he seems to be 100% healthy, and that guy at 100% is a problem for everyone else.

[M2]

From what I understand, Wood had no interest in a rebuilding situation. So a return to Detroit wasn’t happening. Still....

He's got to be deeply bummed about Harden wanting to fly the coop.

[adkindo]

He's got to be deeply bummed about Harden wanting to fly the coop.

IDK, if they can pull off Simmons in a return, he may like that much more. If I was Wood, I would prefer to play with Simmons because I know he would help my offensive numbers.

[texasdave]

Christian Wood is ready for the season. 16 points and 8 boards in 14 first-half minutes.

[M2]

Just saw Gordon Hayward has a broken finger on his shooting hand. Oh Charlotte, this is not going to go well.

[Rojo Rijo]

IDK, if they can pull off Simmons in a return, he may like that much more. If I was Wood, I would prefer to play with Simmons because I know he would help my offensive numbers.

Every time I see the Simmons for Harden talks I can't help but wonder how anyone thinks Ben Simmons and John Wall would compliment each other offensively.

[KoryMac5]

Every time I see the Simmons for Harden talks I can't help but wonder how anyone thinks Ben Simmons and John Wall would compliment each other offensively.

I think Houston needs to take a strong look at the Nets offer...only because I think it will be awesome entertainment to see a team with KD, Kyrie, and Harden trying to fit on a court together.

[adkindo]

Just saw Gordon Hayward has a broken finger on his shooting hand. Oh Charlotte, this is not going to go well.

when fans are allowed, they may have hit a HR with LaMelo Ball. He may not win them many games, but he will sell tickets.

[adkindo]

Every time I see the Simmons for Harden talks I can't help but wonder how anyone thinks Ben Simmons and John Wall would compliment each other offensively.

Not sure it is really about that as much as building a team around Simmons the correct way. I know Simmons is only under contract for 1 more year than Wall, but the plan would be to move Wall over the next 2 years when a reasonable deal presents itself. If Wood (25 years old) is what we think he can be, then you just start trying to add young shooters and defenders around him and Simmons (24 years old) over the next couple years via trades, drafting and free agency. Simmons with a rim running big that also has skills, surrounded by shooters and defenders is the right formula for big success in their prime years in my opinion.

[Bourgeois Zee]

Not sure it is really about that as much as building a team around Simmons the correct way. I know Simmons is only under contract for 1 more year than Wall, but the plan would be to move Wall over the next 2 years when a reasonable deal presents itself. If Wood (25 years old) is what we think he can be, then you just start trying to add young shooters and defenders around him and Simmons (24 years old) over the next couple years via trades, drafting and free agency. Simmons with a rim running big that also has skills, surrounded by shooters and defenders is the right formula for big success in their prime years in my opinion.

I like the Nets' would-be offer of LeVert, Dinwiddie, Prince, and draft picks better than Simmons.

But I've always been low-man on Simmons.

Would-be playmakers who won't shoot and can't make free throws leave me cold.

As a PF, he's a better fit. But he often doesn't play PF.

[M2]

Quick thoughts on every team.

EAST

MIL - Jrue Holiday is a massive upgrade. The Bucks could have three All-Stars. Still the team to beat for 1st in the East.

TOR - Most of the crew is back for one more job. Surprised other contenders weren't coming after Kyle Lowry.

BOS - Their ultimate fate hinges on Kemba's knee, but it's still a team that's getting better as it matures.

IND - Overlooked team. If Dipo can accept being the #3 option, they could be the surprise team in the conference. Bullish on Sabonis.

MIA - Might keep Dragic wrapped in cotton until the playoffs. Still the leading contender to pull off a big trade.

PHI - Finally added some spacing. Watch for Tobias Harris to have a big season. Also, don't undersell the impact of the coaching change.

BRK - People keep saying it's going to be easy for them, but I think it's going to be drama.

ORL - Sometimes continuity is bad. I expect they blow it up before the deadline.

WAS - They can crack .500 and grab a play-in slot. Going to be the most lit game on the schedule on any given night.

CHA - Hayward's already doing his Mr. Glass imitation. Seems like this season is all about LaMelo's learning curve.

CHI - On paper, they should be better. Yet they don't seem to work on the court. Plan A might be to get in on KAT if/when he hits the market.

DET - Blake, Rose and Grant is a decent core if they stay healthy. Certainly enough to put them in the chase for 10th place.

ATL - They'll be better, but somewhere short of good. Don't have enough guys who play offense and defense. Good bet for a play-in slot.

NYK - New management, same terrible team. No reason for Barrett not to keep hoisting up bad shots.

CLE - Their upside is a dead cat bounce. Maybe Okoro being a potential defensive pest marks a culture change for them.

WEST

LAL - Won a title and then they got better. Don't expect much help after this, but they might not need it. LeBron still dominates.

LAC - Should be kicking themselves over not getting Schroder. Still very dangerous in theory. In practice seems like they need a better lead distributor.

DEN - This is the team with the potential to upend the apple cart. If Murray's playoff form extends into the season, then they're elite.

OKC - They blew it up. Now it's SGA and a cloud of "what?"

HOU - What if Harden stays? Christian Wood seems ready to take a giant leap. Could be a fascinating team.

UTA - Spida needs running mates. Bojan is the most likely candidate. Probably in a dog fight to make the top 6.

DAL - They've got a star who can make everyone around him better. Not sure if there's quite enough around him, especially with Kristaps out.

POR - Getting forwards was a good idea. Maybe they'll play some defense this year. Do Dame and CJ have one more gear or is their peak second-tier contenders?

PHO - CP3 and Jae Crowder bring some grit. Wil Booker and Ayton respond well to veteran supervision?

MEM - How good can Ja and JJJ be, and how fast can they get there? There's a version of this team that can finish top 6.

SAC - Preseason is a terrible way to judge a team this year, but I can't unsee what I've seen and they don't look good.

NOP - Another team that could have multiple versions. There's the Zion-conquers-all version and there's the Lonzo-is-the-worst-4th-quarter-PG-alive version.

SAS - Some contender is going to acquire DeRo and be very happy about it. Don't know who, but congratulations to them in advance.

MIN - They've got a team that can at least try to go for it. Being admirable in their failure would be progress, though KAT might develop a wandering eye.

GSW - I never got to see underdog Steph, so this is going to be a treat. When do they get Dray and Wiseman?

[Betterread]

2019 draftees are going from rookie to sophomore and this is often a year where talent emerges.
Jah looks very impressive to me, someone who lifts ordinary teammates like Luka. I have not seen Zion play yet, but I am curious to see if he has shown similar improvement.
Then there is Garland, Hunter, Culver, Hachimura, Herro and Coby White. How will they improve in 2021?
I can speak to Jarred Culver. He is the most improved Twolf. He is a legitimate two way wing, with improved handle, jumper and ambition. He deserves more minutes (from 20 to 27-30) and if he gets them i see 15 ppg 4 rpg 4 asp with 4 stocks as well.

[Bourgeois Zee]

2019 draftees are going from rookie to sophomore and this is often a year where talent emerges.
Jah looks very impressive to me, someone who lifts ordinary teammates like Luka. I have not seen Zion play yet, but I am curious to see if he has shown similar improvement.
Then there is Garland, Hunter, Culver, Hachimura, Herro and Coby White. How will they improve in 2021?
I can speak to Jarred Culver. He is the most improved Twolf. He is a legitimate two way wing, with improved handle, jumper and ambition. He deserves more minutes (from 20 to 27-30) and if he gets them i see 15 ppg 4 rpg 4 asp with 4 stocks as well.

That class is a good one. It'll be fun to see where everyone is after five years or so.

[Kingspoint]

2. Gary Trent looked very good. Good jumper and excellent defense on Fox. He looked way better than CJ, who displayed a bad handle, shot an air ball and got stuffed (not just blocked). If Trent got more of CJs minutes, Portland might gain a few more wins.

It would be a major mistake if they let Gary Trent Jr. walk and kept C.J. in his place.

Trent is banking on himself that he's going to get a good RFA offer this Summer. While there was only one two weeks ago (ATL made it and SAC didn't match), there's more money next FA period and supposedly an average or below draft class. No reason to think that someone won't offer Trent 4/$68M. Match that and move C.J. (and get a real PG on the team for goodness sakes to run the 2nd Unit...Olshey can be really stubborn. He should have added Ferrell, who just signed yesterday/today). C.J. and Dame proved last season, that a rim-protector behind them won't make them better and Defensive Wings (see Aminu, one of the very best, and Harkless) won't make them better (James Jones, Jr hasn't displayed enough Defense so far to come close to matching what Harkless did, but is already far superior Offensively to anything Harkless did).

Blazers were very bad against Denver Wednesday, with nobody worse than Lillard. Dame was absolutely atrocious Defensively, fully living up to his reputation as a terrible Defensive player. Supposedly, it's the #1 thing he and C.J. were supposed to be working on, so it's disappointing Dame isn't playing tonight. He needs the practice. It was always said around here that if Dame and C.J. could get a rim-protector behind them, they could be decent Defensively, but last year proved that they are both just bad Defensively as they had Whiteside all year behind them and it didn't help them one bit.

POR apparently learned nothing watching the film session of their getting destroyed by DEN on Wed, as they are getting equally destroyed tonight, with C.J. looking as horrible as Dame looked Wednesday. Defense is always about effort, and Dame and C.J. just don't give a damn Defensively now or throughout their entire careers. C.J. running the 2nd Unit is a joke. He has no semblance of what it means to play point.

They've only had three practices this season. They'll have three after this game before the season starts, so they'll have plenty to work on. Stott's teams notoriously start out slowly on the season, sometimes without any excuses other than he doesn't have them mentally prepared. They never fail to have strong second halfs of the season, but it burns them out in the second half leaving them injury-prone and exhausted in March through May. That's a terrible formula. Add to that fact that Stotts uses Dame and C.J. way too much in the regular season and it further causes them to be lazy on Defense all season and burns them out for the playoffs to where they shoot inefficiently and make poor mental decisions, in addition to not having the energy to put the effort in on Defense which is necessary by everyone in the playoffs. Dame and C.J. have always been bad Defenders, so it's amplified in the playoffs. It's why they've had some horrible playoff series against teams (New Orleans, Golden State multiple times, San Antonio and the Lakers).

[Kingspoint]

Really have to thank Denver for taking Portland to the Woodshed on back-to-back games. So much film to embarrass the players about...all of them. Stotts is pissed. As mad as you'll ever see him. He called a timeout after a Jokic dunk, and got into Nurk's face. Blazers responded with C.J. three, Nurk steal and DJJ three.

Malone gets mad all the time. He called timeout and Harris committee an Offensive foul immediately, followed by a Tech on Harris for whining.