NBA Post Bubble - Draft & Offseason

[Bourgeois Zee]

I honestly do not mind the Fultz and Isaac extensions. I am not saying I would bet on it working out, just that it is a gamble that could pay off if their evaluators are correct. I speculate that the FO will work to move contracts and rebuild over the next two years around Anthony, Fultz, Isaac, Okeke and maybe Bamba.

That team would have been really good-- before the three point era. (Nah. They can't dribble either.)

As a $16+M guy, Fultz is being paid like a first division starter. He's thisclose to Michael Carter-Williams. No, check that. He's been worse than MCW his entire career. 27% 3-point shooting. He also doesn't rebound well and, as a PG, he's an average passer at best. All that and poor defensive numbers to boot. His VORP is 0.0. That's replacement level. He's the Paul Janish of the NBA. Even if he improves, he's never going to be a great shooter and likely won't even be a good shooter. Orlando is a worse team with him on the court too. But hey, he's a name guy. So he's got that going for him.

Isaac is a bit more understandable in a vacuum, but it's just remarkably stupid for that particular team. He's got talent-- when he's on the court. But Isaac's not going to play this year at all and hasn't been able to stay healthy in his entire career. He plays PF, the most plentiful position in the league. If that were the only issue, I could see the upside gamble for health. (Maybe. Taking a massive gamble on big men's health is what gets GMs fired.) But it's an incredibly poor fit for the team as well. He's getting paid the exact same as... Aaron Gordon, another Orlando PF. So the Magic have allocated $40M for one position. Now, Isaac can play center too. He could play there, but the Magic have $25M man Vucevic there, not to mention another long-limbed maybe baby unicorn in Mo Bamba. And it's not like Isaac's going to blow up this season-- he's got a torn ACL.

Why not let these two go to RFA? If they blow up before then, you can bite the bullet and sign them. Or, if their feelings were hurt by your doubt, you could pull a sign-and-trade and acquire picks and bloated contracts of players who'd likely be just as good if not better than either player. Orlando just poleaxed their upside and maneuvering ability while guaranteeing they wouldn't be in on any free agents or big contract players looking for a fresh start in one fell swoop.

[Revering4Blue]

Lots and questionable extensions handed out today.

I'm not sure I understand Derrick White for four years and $73M. I definitely don't understand Markelle Fultz for three years and $20M, and I'm pretty certain I'd say no to a four year, $80M deal for Jonathan Isaac as well. (Orlando's nearly capped out as a .500 team?) Kennard for four years and $64M? Ooookay.

Don't forget four years and $72 million for O.G Anunoby. This isn't just IU bias here, but that contract makes at least makes a hell of a lot more sense the others listed . Though, like adkindo, I don't mind the Orlando extensions that much. IMHO, Issac has a chance to be scary good before long, not that he's worth more than O.G. Kennard? He hasn't proven he can stay healthy.

Tying this in with an earlier post about KIngs' draft day miscues, the '17 draft day deal that sent the rights to Zach Collins to Portland would have looked much better had Divac instructed Olshey to select Anunoby instead of Justin Jackson. Other than Tar Heel/ACC fans, who really expected more from Jackson than Anunoby? And with Anunoby in tow instead of Justin Jackson, the trade for Barnes, and the dreadful extension that followed, wouldn't have been necessary.

[M2]

Adam Silver, best of the sports commissioners by a significant margin, discussed, among other things, expansion. The NBA hasn't added a new team since 2004 (the Hornets/ Bobcats). Seattle obviously gets one bid.

What city/ state gets the other?

What I would like is a moon shot where they expand six teams into Europe - London, Paris, Amsterdam, Madrid, Rome, Berlin/Munich. Won't happen, but I'd like to see them make a big international plunge.

They'll probably target Seattle and somewhere east of the Mississippi. One place that's always kind of interested is the Virginia Beach area. It's bigger than a number of NBA markets, has no other pro sports teams, is a basketball-crazed region of the country and it can draw from Richmond too.

[Revering4Blue]

Adam Silver, best of the sports commissioners by a significant margin, discussed, among other things, expansion. The NBA hasn't added a new team since 2004 (the Hornets/ Bobcats). Seattle obviously gets one bid.

What city/ state gets the other?

Well, Seattle is #15 in metropolitan market size with obviously no NBA franchise. So San Diego at #17 gets the nod, especially with concrete (no pun intended) plans in place for a new arena. https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/lo...0-3fa843a2439f

Sure, there are arguments for others, such as Vegas, St.Louis, Kansas City and Louisville, but I'm not going to take the time right now to refute them.

But -- and this is an important point -- given the far increased infrastructure of basketball globally, as opposed to the last expansion booms, the league could (I'm not saying that they will) conceivably add four teams without diminishing the quality of play - unlike '95 and "04, respectively, when the Raptors, Grizzlies and Bobcats were added.

[Bourgeois Zee]

What I would like is a moon shot where they expand six teams into Europe - London, Paris, Amsterdam, Madrid, Rome, Berlin/Munich. Won't happen, but I'd like to see them make a big international plunge.

They'll probably target Seattle and somewhere east of the Mississippi. One place that's always kind of interested is the Virginia Beach area. It's bigger than a number of NBA markets, has no other pro sports teams, is a basketball-crazed region of the country and it can draw from Richmond too.

Wouldn't DC argue that's its territory?

[Revering4Blue]

It was hit-yourself-in-the-head-with-a-shovel day in the NBA. Also, Rudy Gobert is going to be getting $40M a year. That's insane.

And it also makes the Jazz's first round selection of Azubuke all the more curious. But, man, did I miss read the tea leaves there. I figured Azubuke was drafted to enable the Jazz to move Gobert for more wing help.

Anyway, your main point still stands. It's just nuts what traditional bigs that don't stretch the floor are getting. 1 year at 5 million for Nerlens Noel by the Knicks seems like the bargain of the century.

[Revering4Blue]

Charlotte could dangle one of their PGs, but what would they want back? Zubac would give them five centers. Lower 20's draft picks?

And, really, how big of a bump would Terry Rozier have on the Clips?

I can't make a deal work, honestly.

Does DeMar DeRozan for Beverley, Sweet Lou, and Zubac make any sense? Does Williams and a pick for George Hill?

The Clips are basically locked out of trading firsts for awhile, and have precious few 2nds to deal. In any case, Presti will assuredly want players fitting their timeline in return, so that may rule out the Clips, who really, at the very least, should have signed Jeff Teague.

[Revering4Blue]

Wouldn't DC argue that's its territory?

That's a good question.

Virginia Beach is over 3 hours away from D.C if memory serves me correctly. RichRed would know for sure...

But the Richmond market, of which a Virginia Beach team would draw from, could be considered part of D.C's territory, as it's less than two hours away from D.C.

[M2]

I honestly do not mind the Fultz and Isaac extensions. I am not saying I would bet on it working out, just that it is a gamble that could pay off if their evaluators are correct. I speculate that the FO will work to move contracts and rebuild over the next two years around Anthony, Fultz, Isaac, Okeke and maybe Bamba.

I think that's where they're headed, but when you say it out loud it sounds brutal. Bamba might be useless. As BZ noted, Fultz is not good. Maybe they mine something out of Okeke and Anthony. Isaac's gone for the year.

Maybe keep Vuce so he and Isaac can give them two modern bigs. Then hope that Fultz contract can help leverage some better guards. Otherwise it's potentially a long wait for a hot streak in the lottery.

[Rojo Rijo]

I like the deals for Fultz and Isaac. While both may be questionable this is more about building for the future. We’re likely a 8-16th pick again this year, Isaac isn’t going to play, we’re getting Coles feet wet, and we’ll likely deal Fournier. We aren’t signing any star free agents any time soon so any true steps forward towards contending is going to have to come from within. This is building the new core (at reasonable prices) for when Fournier, Ross, and Vucevic (and maybe Gordon) are gone after 3 more years.

[M2]

Wouldn't DC argue that's its territory?

Maybe, though DC is closer to Philly. It's about the same distance as Boston to NYC. That area has more than doubled in population over the past 40 years. I suspect it's going to keep that pace and grow into a major metro area.

[adkindo]

Maybe, though DC is closer to Philly. It's about the same distance as Boston to NYC. That area has more than doubled in population over the past 40 years. I suspect it's going to keep that pace and grow into a major metro area.

I would think Nashville would be up there in regards to cities east of the Mississippi. In the west, everyone points to Seattle, but what about Vegas?

[Revering4Blue]

I would think Nashville would be up there in regards to cities east of the Mississippi. In the west, everyone points to Seattle, but what about Vegas?

With MLS on the way, that’s three major league franchises in Nashville already. It simply isn’t a large enough market with a large enough corporate base to support a fourth. It’s the same issue that would plague Kansas City.

The demographics just are not there to justify Vegas jumping ahead of Seattle and San Diego, as they would be hard-pressed to support a third major league franchise at this point. But I can envision Vegas landing a summer sport major league franchise (MLB or MLS) in the future.

[M2]

I would think Nashville would be up there in regards to cities east of the Mississippi. In the west, everyone points to Seattle, but what about Vegas?

Nashville and Vegas are great options. I would note that Nashville is the 36th biggest metro area in the U.S. VA Beach is 37th. That place is way more populous than many people realize and it can draw from Richmond (the #44 MSA). Though we probably ought to recognize that the Raptors might be putting Tampa Bay at the front of the expansion pack by playing there this season. I've got deep misgivings about the commitment of fans in Florida, but it's got absolutely every other asset you'd want for an expansion market. Much as the Lightning have tried and delivered, that's a not a hockey market if they've got an NBA team.

[Revering4Blue]

Warriors are starting Wiseman tonight.