NBA 2022-23 Part 3: Big Buck Hunters

[dubc47834]

Since that team never got together, we'll never know.

I guess...but you already know what excuses are like.....

[KoryMac5]

Doncic's pass last night to Jaden Hardy while trapped in the corner was just unreal...like maybe less than a .05% probability of actually completing it.

Dallas finally gets a win...I did like some of the young players for the Pacers Nwora and Mathurin both stood out to me in last nights game as did Nemhard. If they draft well and sign a key FA this offseason they could set themselves up for a bit.

[M2]

I guess...but you already know what excuses are like.....

Milwaukee has had Giannis and Khris Middleton start together exactly twice this season. Boston's had its starting five from last season start four times this season. Yet somehow they have the best records in the NBA. I suppose if their teams "got together" they'd be close to undefeated.

[M2]

I did like some of the young players for the Pacers Nwora and Mathurin both stood out to me in last nights game as did Nemhard. If they draft well and sign a key FA this offseason they could set themselves up for a bit.

The Pacers confuse me a bit. They had it working for the first half of the season, then Halliburton got injured and they completely lost it, then he returned and it looked like they might get it back, but now they're in full lottery mode. So I'm trying to figure how real the 23-18 Pacers were. They need forwards. Good news is this draft is loaded with forwards. They also have salary cap room, though I don't see a forward on whom I'd splash a lot of money. Even the RFA market is sort of meh. I suppose they could throw medium money at Grant Williams, but that's not a terribly sexy move.

I'm excited to see how Haliburton and Mathurin progress. I think they're going to be a big and nasty backcourt. I'm hoping they come into next season with a chip on their shoulder and playing like they've got something to prove (which they do).

[dubc47834]

Milwaukee has had Giannis and Khris Middleton start together exactly twice this season. Boston's had its starting five from last season start four times this season. Yet somehow they have the best records in the NBA. I suppose if their teams "got together" they'd be close to undefeated.

It's that darned coach and the terrible officiating. Just trying to hold Dame back, it's a conspiracy I tell ya!!!

[KoryMac5]

The Pacers confuse me a bit. They had it working for the first half of the season, then Halliburton got injured and they completely lost it, then he returned and it looked like they might get it back, but now they're in full lottery mode. So I'm trying to figure how real the 23-18 Pacers were. They need forwards. Good news is this draft is loaded with forwards. They also have salary cap room, though I don't see a forward on whom I'd splash a lot of money. Even the RFA market is sort of meh. I suppose they could throw medium money at Grant Williams, but that's not a terribly sexy move.

I'm excited to see how Haliburton and Mathurin progress. I think they're going to be a big and nasty backcourt. I'm hoping they come into next season with a chip on their shoulder and playing like they've got something to prove (which they do).

I think when healthy they can be competitive...this year is tough to grade based on injuries and them going full tank mode second half of the season...signing a key veteran or 2 would help guide things a long for sure.

[M2]

It's that darned coach and the terrible officiating. Just trying to hold Dame back, it's a conspiracy I tell ya!!!

I still think Miami will be knocking on the door with Tyler Herro and draft picks and asking about Dame. The Heat strike me as a tough club for a player to pass on - endless summer + great organization.

[dubc47834]

I still think Miami will be knocking on the door with Tyler Herro and draft picks and asking about Dame. The Heat strike me as a tough club for a player to pass on - endless summer + great organization.

Him and Miami definitely would be a great fit. I don't know if he would be willing to leave Portland. I know I bust KP's balls a lot about his homerism, but that is one thing that I give Dame a ton of credit on, he loves Portland.

[Revering4Blue]

So much denial. I'll leave it at if Portland brings back essentially the same crew then nothing is getting better, and that they'd have to attach a draft pick to Jusuf Nurkic to give him away.

I'd be much more concerned about the next cycling of assets phase - including possibly overpaying for the likes of Reddish; what to do with Keon Johnson etc.. - than Nurkic, whose only glaring fault is that he cannot stay healthy.

Even so, with both Nukic and Eubanks in tow, I still say they should have been in on James Wiseman when they decided to trade away GP's son. If the idea was to avoid the tax, then why not (at the time) accept Wiseman and deal Keon Johnson to, say, Detroit, as Weaver loves taking on young reclamation projects. And the Blazers still undoubtedly would have received several 2nd round picks in the deal.

As an aside, while I totally get moving on from Wiseman from the Warriors angle, sending him away along with several 2nds for only Gary Payton II amounts to borderline (strong statement alert) Hornets level buffoonery. Prove me wrong, Bob Meyers.

[M2]

I'd be much more concerned about the next cycling of assets phase - including possibly overpaying for the likes of Reddish; what to do with Keon Johnson etc.. - than Nurkic, whose only glaring fault is that he cannot stay healthy.

Even so, with both Nukic and Eubanks in tow, I still say they should have been in on James Wiseman when they decided to trade away GP's son. If the idea was to avoid the tax, then why not (at the time) accept Wiseman and deal Keon Johnson to, say, Detroit, as Weaver loves taking on young reclamation projects. And the Blazers still undoubtedly would have received several 2nd round picks in the deal.

As an aside, while I totally get moving on from Wiseman from the Warriors angle, sending him away along with several 2nds for only Gary Payton II amounts to borderline (strong statement alert) Hornets level buffoonery. Prove me wrong, Bob Meyers.

Nurkic gets taken out on the perimeter and drowned on a nightly basis (or sometimes he plays more of a zone to prevent that and the Blazers get bombed by open shooters). He's swiftly trending toward Enes Freedom.

Totally agreed about the peril of paying Reddish/Johnson/Knox real money to stick around. Portland was in this boat with Nurkic and Simons last summer. I get paying to keep the asset, but then they've got to be an asset you can move (Nurkic isn't and Reddish won't be, but there's a market for Simons).

Seems like the challenge for GS is can it upgrade at center? Wiseman and his salary slot probably would have helped more than the Mitten.

[Revering4Blue]

The Pacers confuse me a bit. They had it working for the first half of the season, then Halliburton got injured and they completely lost it, then he returned and it looked like they might get it back, but now they're in full lottery mode. So I'm trying to figure how real the 23-18 Pacers were. They need forwards. Good news is this draft is loaded with forwards. They also have salary cap room, though I don't see a forward on whom I'd splash a lot of money. Even the RFA market is sort of meh. I suppose they could throw medium money at Grant Williams, but that's not a terribly sexy move.

I'm excited to see how Haliburton and Mathurin progress. I think they're going to be a big and nasty backcourt. I'm hoping they come into next season with a chip on their shoulder and playing like they've got something to prove (which they do).

I think when healthy they can be competitive...this year is tough to grade based on injuries and them going full tank mode second half of the season...signing a key veteran or 2 would help guide things a long for sure.

The Pacers' current lottery/tank mode is not, IMO, by design. They just cannot stay healthy. Couple that regressions by Duarte and Jalen Smith (although he's played better as of late) and inconsistent usage of Jackson (about my only Carlisle criticism) and we are where we are.

IMHO, the lack of veterans is overblown: Hill, Hield, Turner, McConnell, that's enough for now. I'd feel differently with a stronger FA/RFA market.

As for the draft, no matter the team, I still 100 per cent believe in the following principles in this era of relative position less basketball:

1)Draft BPA first. Worry about where the player fits in later.

Reaching for need over and over at the expense of BPA takes you down the path of the Jordan owned Hornets.

2)Utilize trades and FA to fill needs.

3)If the object is to win now - If you are beyond the just make the playoffs mode with a 10 per cent chance to advance, which Indiana isn't - trade the pick for a veteran. But DO NOT reach for need.

4)The Joel Embiid principle: Never, ever bypass superior talent just because said talent isn't available to suit up right away.

Luckily, as M2 pointed out, this draft is loaded with quality forwards, so drafting for BPA and need simultaneously more than likely dovetails here for the Pacers.

This franchise needs to stay the course and actually build a team with an actual realistic chance of advancing. Read: Enter the playoffs with a 6th or higher seed.

[Revering4Blue]

Wow!

https://from-way-downtown.com/2022/0...er-giant-1979/

In 1979, the well-heeled Dr. Jerry Buss, now of NBA legend, came oh-so close to buying the Pacers. “The discussions reportedly are down to the fine print wording and the sale should happen . . . within the next two weeks,” wrote the Indianapolis News in March 1979. The talks stretched through April, and, just before the NBA Board of Governors gave its approval for the sale of the Pacers on May 5, Buss backed out to the deal to purchase his hometown Lakers instead. And the rest is NBA history.

[M2]

The Pacers' current lottery/tank mode is not, IMO, by design. They just cannot stay healthy. Couple that regressions by Duarte and Jalen Smith (although he's played better as of late) and inconsistent usage of Jackson (about my only Carlisle criticism) and we are where we are.

The most critical flaw that got exposed this year what how Halliburton-reliant they are. I expect Mathurin to be on a bit of Jaylen Brown path where he's taking leaps every summer (because he seems exceptionally driven). That will help, and then it's all about those forwards.

IMHO, the lack of veterans is overblown: Hill, Hield, Turner, McConnell, that's enough for now. I'd feel differently with a stronger FA/RFA market.

Agreed on the vets. That's a pretty solid crew (maybe not Hill so much because he's on the verge of retirement, but the other three are good guys to have on a basketball team). They'll probably add a couple of vets this summer just because they have plenty of cap space. I'd say long guys with high dawg factors would be good fits. A forward who can shoot from 3 wouldn't be a bad thing.

[KoryMac5]

The most critical flaw that got exposed this year what how Halliburton-reliant they are. I expect Mathurin to be on a bit of Jaylen Brown path where he's taking leaps every summer (because he seems exceptionally driven). That will help, and then it's all about those forwards.



Agreed on the vets. That's a pretty solid crew (maybe not Hill so much because he's on the verge of retirement, but the other three are good guys to have on a basketball team). They'll probably add a couple of vets this summer just because they have plenty of cap space. I'd say long guys with high dawg factors would be good fits. A forward who can shoot from 3 wouldn't be a bad thing.

They structured Turners contract really well too as it decreases significantly in value next season creating more cap room. Not sure what they do with Buddy, Carlisle approached him about a bench role recently and that's a lot of cake to have relegated to a 6th or 7th man role. Does he stay willing to do what's best for the team through next season.

[Mutaman]

Query: Are the Sixers and the Celtics intentionally tanking for reasons I can’t figure out? Is it possible that the Sixers are gonna fall to the fourth seed and for all their hard work in trying to load manage and get the number one seed at the same time, the Bucks are still going to have to face the Sixers in Round Two? Where Embiid will beat the heck out of Giannis and never get called for anything?
It’s all very confusing right now. Maybe the season's just too long. Maybe this post is going to really come back to haunt me.