NBA 2021 Part IV: Does anyone want this title?

[BillDoran]

Exactly, this is why their only hope is to find a player/team situation like Boston/Kemba with a fractured relationship and a discounted cost. LA would need to send Boston a package along the lines of Kuzma (13 mil), KCP (13 mil), Horton-Tucker (2 mil) , and Luol Dengs last year of his stretch (5 mil) along with a 2026 lightly protected 1st to make it work.

This is what a Kemba package would look like, but it's debatable whether it's worthwhile for the Celtics. Kuzma and KCP (what a ghastly contract; great job, Rich Paul!) are both on the books for two more years. So, you're not even getting much in the way of cap relief.

I know the news cycle from yesterday made it sound like Kemba's played his last game in a C's uniform, but Stevens is going to have to be awfully motivated, because the return is going to be slight. That said, Russell Westbrook and his contract have been traded twice in the past two offseasons. So, who the hell knows?

[adkindo]

Exactly, this is why their only hope is to find a player/team situation like Boston/Kemba with a fractured relationship and a discounted cost. LA would need to send Boston a package along the lines of Kuzma (13 mil), KCP (13 mil), Horton-Tucker (2 mil) , and Luol Dengs last year of his stretch (5 mil) along with a 2026 lightly protected 1st to make it work.

THT will not be in any deal for someone like Kemba. Btw, I think there is less than a 2% chance the Lakers would entertain taking on Kemba's deal because he is often injured, aging and small. Small guards notoriously age poorly in the NBA, especially if they are injury prone. Now if the Celtics had any interest in a packing involving a S&T with Schroder, then maybe the odds increase....but I do not see the Celtics having interest in Schroder. I reserve the 2% because they may feel they need to make a risky move, and Kemba's contract aligns with Lebron's deal....allowing them to have large amount of cap space for the 2023 FA class which is expected to be the next major class with Jokic, Durant, Kyrie, Harden, Beal, Embiid, etc.

If it was my call, THT would be the starting PG next season....and I would live with the growing pains hoping he has came into form by the playoffs. Ton of upside, but still very mistake prone.

[adkindo]

Why did guys have to prevent PJ Tucker from ripping Durant's head off tonight.....just why?!?!?!

[Mutaman]

I guess if your going to play your worst two offensive games of the year back to back, your only hope is to play some tough defense. Lopez was outstanding down the stretch.

[Stray]

Looked like Suns vs 6ers/Nets a while ago, and nothing has changed imo. ECF is gonna be fun to watch. There isn't a man on this planet that can check Embiid when he's right.

[Rojo Rijo]

Watching Bruce Brown lose that game was painful. Bucks were locked in tight on Kyrie and KD but Brown missed what, 3 floaters in the last 3 minutes and he wasn’t even close on a layup with :06 left in the game. Buddy got way too confident from playing well.

Series should be good, Bucks need Middleton to play like that but if Harden comes back it’s over real quick.

[Rojo Rijo]

Looked like Suns vs 6ers/Nets a while ago, and nothing has changed imo. ECF is gonna be fun to watch. There isn't a man on this planet that can check Embiid when he's right.

This is what I was expecting from him this postseason, an elevation to a playoff dominance by a big we’ve maybe not seen since LA Shaq. With all due respect to TD.

[adkindo]

This is what I was expecting from him this postseason, an elevation to a playoff dominance by a big we’ve maybe not seen since LA Shaq. With all due respect to TD.

One of the things that made Duncan great was that he would welcome a team to overplay him to diminish his production....he was more than happy to allow his teammates to beat a team because they used too many resources on stopping him.

[BuckeyeRed27]

Looked like Suns vs 6ers/Nets a while ago, and nothing has changed imo. ECF is gonna be fun to watch. There isn't a man on this planet that can check Embiid when he's right.

I’m a bit of a homer on it, but I still like the Jazz over the Suns. Particularly if they can get anything from Conley, who hopefully will be back in game 3 or 4 in LA.

[Rojo Rijo]

I’m a bit of a homer on it, but I still like the Jazz over the Suns. Particularly if they can get anything from Conley, who hopefully will be back in game 3 or 4 in LA.

I'm loving the Suns right now but if Mitchell continues to be this good they should beat Phoenix.

[Rojo Rijo]

One of the things that made Duncan great was that he would welcome a team to overplay him to diminish his production....he was more than happy to allow his teammates to beat a team because they used too many resources on stopping him.

Duncan came to mind immediately when I was considering playoff dominant bigs between Shaq and now and I immediately thought I didnt remember him ever going nuclear stat wise but I knew it was more of he, Parker, and Manu combined almost every game. I'm sure he had a handful of nice games statistically but it feels like it was almost always a combination effort of those 3.

[adkindo]

Aaron Gordon...the most inconsistent player in the NBA?

[Stray]

Aaron Gordon...the most inconsistent player in the NBA?

I would just say he's not all that good. He can have good games, but yeah I've never been impressed.

[adkindo]

I would just say he's not all that good. He can have good games, but yeah I've never been impressed.

I have seen him take over games for the Magic....have back to back monster games.....then be in single digits for the next two weeks.

[Stray]

Jokic is great, but the Nuggets are otherwise getting outclassed. This isn't close at all.