NBA 2021-22: Giannis Domini

[Mutaman]

"Loyalty hasn’t disappeared quite yet

Less than two weeks after winning the 2021 NBA title, the celebrations inside Fiserv Forum and along the parade route a couple days later still ringing in their heads, the Bucks faced an abrupt dismantling of their group. Sure enough, Tucker – a pivotal March move by GM Jon Horst – was gone almost instantly, headed to the rival Heat. Then there was Bobby Portis, whose shooting, toughness and embrace by the Milwaukee fans seemed certain to end too soon …

Except it didn’t. The legend lives on. Portis accepted a two-year, $9 million deal that clearly is below his market value in order to run it back with the Bucks and their/his fans. He’s 26, a six-year veteran and he reportedly passed on bigger, better offers. But he also has earned approximately $25.5 million in his NBA career, talks about being smart with his money and lives a modest offseason lifestyle back home in Arkansas. (There also are some contractual advantages in this move for him, ESPN’s Bobby Marks pointed out, such as establishing his early-Bird rights with Milwaukee and an opt-out next summer.)"

https://www.nba.com/news/5-takeaways...ba-free-agency

[adkindo]

Reports are Kemba going to Knicks after OKC buyout.

[BuckeyeRed27]

Reports are Kemba going to Knicks after OKC buyout.

He had $75M left on his contract. That’s a massive buyout.

[BuckeyeRed27]

Thought that was a solid signing. Wonder if he steals some (or all) of Joe Ingles's minutes, as a more dynamic big wing.

This is a pretty big put-up or shut-up season for the Jazz. Essentially running it back, as they should, after the disappointing playoff performance. Brings to mind the Bucks of a few years ago--where everybody said Bud was too stubborn for the playoffs and Giannis too easy to stop in the playoffs--and now you don't hear from those people anymore. Snyder's a good coach. It's a really good, well-rounded roster. Keep competing and hope some luck breaks your way.

Jazz also picked up Hassan Whiteside for the vet minimum to basically replace Favors. Solid pick up for the money and defensively at least is probably an upgrade.

[Bourgeois Zee]

Reports are Kemba going to Knicks after OKC buyout.

Well, that makes the Knicks really interesting:

PG Kemba Walker/ Derrick Rose
SG Evan Fournier/ Immanuel Quickley
SF RJ Barrett/ Alec Burks
PF Julius Randle/ Obi Toppin
C Mitchell Robinson/ Nerlens Noel

If Randle's transformation into a legitimate All-Star level point forward is legitimate (and Rose and Walker can stay relatively healthy), they're in that 4/5/6/7 mix with Indiana (if healthy), Boston, and Atlanta. That's below the top tier, IMO, of Milwaukee, Miami, and Philadelphia. Charlotte and maybe Chicago might also be interesting in a wait-and-see way. Detroit's a year away-- unless Cunningham's precociously talented.

The East has suddenly become stacked.

[adkindo]

Well, that makes the Knicks really interesting:

PG Kemba Walker/ Derrick Rose
SG Evan Fournier/ Immanuel Quickley
SF RJ Barrett/ Alec Burks
PF Julius Randle/ Obi Toppin
C Mitchell Robinson/ Nerlens Noel

If Randle's transformation into a legitimate All-Star level point forward is legitimate (and Rose and Walker can stay relatively healthy), they're in that 4/5/6/7 mix with Indiana (if healthy), Boston, and Atlanta. That's below the top tier, IMO, of Milwaukee, Miami, and Philadelphia. Charlotte and maybe Chicago might also be interesting in a wait-and-see way. Detroit's a year away-- unless Cunningham's precociously talented.

The East has suddenly become stacked.

uhh, you forgot someone in your Knicks depth chart!

[RichRed]

I keep reading headlines about how Wiz and Capitals owner Ted Leonsis "BLASTED" Russell Westbrook. Here's what he said:

We had a superstar player with the Wizards, he had an opportunity and wanted to be traded to the Lakers,” Leonsis said, via ESPN. “And I was dealing with that as we were announcing Alex [Ovechkin]. I couldn’t help but self-reflect on what a difference it is. Here’s a great player in Russell Westbrook, played in OKC, wanted to be traded, went to Houston, wanted to be traded, came to D.C., wanted to be traded and is now in L.A. He’s an unbelievably great person and an unbelievably great player. But that’s the difference between the NBA and the NHL, I suppose.

I kind of wish he hadn't said anything but if that's a "blast", the resulting shrapnel is soft as a marshmallow.

[adkindo]

It is an old joke at this point....but I laughed when I first saw it yesterday.....

The Lakers lost a Pope (KCP), but added a Monk and Nunn.

[Revering4Blue]

Soo...

I'm hearing Georges Niang and Andre Drummond to Philly.

Oh, this should be fun...

And Danny Green is returning. I must admit that I fully expected both he and Furkan to be signed away elsewhere.

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[Revering4Blue]

uhh, you forgot someone in your Knicks depth chart!

Grimes, too.

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[adkindo]

And Danny Green is returning. I must admit that I fully expected both he and Furkan to be signed away elsewhere.

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I am surprised at the money Green got.

[RichRed]

The Wizards acquired Spencer Dinwiddie to cap off a labyrinthine 5-team trade:

To WASH
Kuzma
KCP
Harrell
Dinwiddie
A. Holiday
Rights to I. Todd (#31)

To LAL
Westbook

To BKN
2024 2nd
2025 2nd (right to swap with GSW or WAS)
$11.5M Trade Exception

To IND
Rights to I. Jackson (#22)

To SAS
C. Hutchison
2022 2nd (WAS)

[BillDoran]

I think the Wiz have moved themself squarely into the second tier of the East. A lot will ride on the unproven Wes Unseld Jr.

Dinwiddie / A. Holiday
Beal / Caldwell-Pope
Kuzma / Avdija / Kispert
Hachimura / Harrell / Bertans
Gafford / Harrell / Bryant

The pieces don't really make a lot of sense as a team right now, but that's 13 legitimate rotation or young promising guys (give or take Bryant).

I really like the direction Tommy Sheppard has them going in, especially when you think of how hopeless it looked two offseasons ago.

[M2]

Draymond Green did like half a dozen heady things at the end of the Olympic gold medal game to seal the deal. The best was him clearing a free throw off of the rim. He took every extra liberty international basketball allows.

[Mutaman]

Two weeks ago these guys couldn't beat Nigeria. Then Jrue Holiday showed up.
Guess Popovich, Wright, and Kerr aren't such bad coaches after all.