2024-25 NBA Thread: New Pope shocks world in opening statement by asking why Bulls gave Patrick Williams all that money (101 Viewers)

[msudaisy26]

How funny would it be if the 76ers, the kings of the tank, mess this up and end up getting pick 8.

 

[Major]

It is still beyond me that Embiid played in the Olympics. They should shut him and George down and let them get all the surgeries and recovery possible. They need to make sure they keep their pick this year in the top 6. Sucks for Maxey who was a major all-star snub.

As it stands right now as the 6th worst record, they have less than a 50% chance of keeping their pick. If they get to the 5th worst record, it's significantly better at roughly 64% chance to keep it. They would nearly have to lose out to get into the 4th worst record - Hornets at 14-41, Jazz at 14-42, Pels at 14-43 PLUS they would have to Raptors who are 2.5 games behind the 76ers at 20-36... nobody is catching the 9-47 Wizards.

Shut down Maxey too!

and most importantly dont forget to Trust The Process!

 

[msudaisy26]

I predict a Booker for Jabari Smith, Jalen Green, and PHX's 27 & 29 picks trade this offseason.

The way the rosters are now, the Rockets couldn't take on that much salary. Trade Machine says HOU would need to trim $25M in salary out of the deal . . . which I'm not sure could happen. A Booker for VanVleet deal would work on the accounting side of things.

Green's contract jumps to 30-whatever a year once the league year changes on July 1st. ESPN's trade machine is worthless from the trade deadline to the start of the new league year.

Yea the money gets real close in the summer. Booker is at 53 million, Green and Smith are at 46 million. They can figure something out

The money works with just that, I think, as the Rockets can stay below the 1st Apron pretty easily. The Rocket's cap looks a little full next year but Landale and Zeller are non-guaranteed and Holiday and VanVleet have team options. FVV is not worth anywhere near his $45m contract for next season, so I bet they work out either an extension and make the 26-27 and 27-28 seasons really low, or they just decline and give him 3 new years. I bet he gets some sort of new contract where the next three years total something like $60-75m. If he would hit the open market, I think his only options would be either to take the MLE ($14m-ish) or sign with the Pistons who will have somewhere in the neighborhood of $20m in cap space.

I don't think the Pistons would go after FVV, they are already guard heavy, but they have made dumb decisions before.

Hypothetically, he would be a good fit next to Cade, Ivey, Thompson, and Holland. Good enough defender, doesn't need the ball, reputation as a good leader. I think it's a non-issue though, as he'll be with Houston next year.

I agree in theory and it would be awesome, but they have to extend Ivey, and Beasley is listed as a small forward, but he is 6'4" and they want to resign him. You can't have 4 guards on your team taking up 100 + million of the 160ish million of the cap. Even though it can be manipulated.

 

[Long Ball Larry]

How funny would it be if the 76ers, the kings of the tank, mess this up and end up getting pick 8.

then okc will enjoy another lottery pick as karma for Mike muscala

 

[Yo Mama]

How funny would it be if the 76ers, the kings of the tank, mess this up and end up getting pick 8.

Well, they’re certainly doing their best to tank against the Bulls tonight.

 

[Encyclopedia Brown]

Well, they’re certainly doing their best to tank against the Bulls tonight.

I didn't see the game.

Who was guarding Giddey?

 

[Craig_MiamiFL]

76ers "tank" job

Good thing George and Embiid deals only run through 28 and 29.

 

[Frostillicus]

Wolves with a hell of a win tonight.

 

[Dez]

OKC was up 22 to start the 4th
OKC was up 16 with 3:42 left
and got caught in regulation and lost in OT

 

[Dez]

Cavs are 42-0 when leading to start the 4th so far this year

 

[msudaisy26]

Well, they’re certainly doing their best to tank against the Bulls tonight.

I didn't see the game.

Who was guarding Giddey?

The Bulls were up by 40 at one point and scored 142. I don't think the 76ers guarded anyone.

 

[Major]

Cavs are 42-0 when leading to start the 4th so far this year

Love D'Andre Hunter. Think that was an underrated move that got lost in the Doncic nonsense. You guys are solid.

 

[identikit]

OKC was up 22 to start the 4th
OKC was up 16 with 3:42 left
and got caught in regulation and lost in OT

Gonna have to watch this one today...

 

[the moops]

Well, they’re certainly doing their best to tank against the Bulls tonight.

I didn't see the game.

Who was guarding Giddey?

The Bulls were up by 40 at one point and scored 142. I don't think the 76ers guarded anyone.

They were actually up by 50 at one point!
136-86 with five and half minutes to go

 

[msudaisy26]

Well, they’re certainly doing their best to tank against the Bulls tonight.

I didn't see the game.

Who was guarding Giddey?

The Bulls were up by 40 at one point and scored 142. I don't think the 76ers guarded anyone.

They were actually up by 50 at one point!
136-86 with five and half minutes to go

Oh geez, I stopped paying attention at the start of the 4th.

 

[identikit]

OKC was up 22 to start the 4th
OKC was up 16 with 3:42 left
and got caught in regulation and lost in OT

Gonna have to watch this one today...

That was a pretty incredible collapse

 

[Mister CIA]

I've been living the sheltered League Pass life and holy cow, the segues to FanDuel pro tips on NBA Tip-Off (TNT) are amazingly awful. Downright depressing.

 

[Long Ball Larry]

Well, they’re certainly doing their best to tank against the Bulls tonight.

I didn't see the game.

Who was guarding Giddey?

No one?

 

[Long Ball Larry]

Well, they’re certainly doing their best to tank against the Bulls tonight.

I didn't see the game.

Who was guarding Giddey?

The Bulls were up by 40 at one point and scored 142. I don't think the 76ers guarded anyone.

They were actually up by 50 at one point!
136-86 with five and half minutes to go

It was so bad that they made guerschon go blind

 

[Yo Mama]

Well, they’re certainly doing their best to tank against the Bulls tonight.

I didn't see the game.

Who was guarding Giddey?

The Bulls were up by 40 at one point and scored 142. I don't think the 76ers guarded anyone.

They were actually up by 50 at one point!
136-86 with five and half minutes to go

It was so bad that they made guerschon go blind

My favorite “highlight” was when one Sixer airballed a three pointer so bad it bounced off the forehead of a would-be offensive rebounder directly out of bounds.

 

[Zow]

Wolves with a hell of a win tonight.

I sent Little Woz to bed and let my wife take over the tv.

 

[Desert_Power]

Reports of Luka's demise have been greatly exaggerated.

 

[Yo Mama]

Luka is now the third player ever to have a triple double against all 30 NBA teams, including playoffs - joining LeBron and Westbrook.

 

[Yo Mama]

Luka just makes life so much easier for LeBron. He’s had to carry so much of the offensive load for the Lakers over the years, it’s awesome to see him so energized down the stretch of games. LeBron just took over down the stretch tonight. It also frees him up to give more energy on the defensive end.

 

[SayWhat?]

It just can’t be reality that the Mavs were this dumb, and Lakers this fortunate, can it?

 

[Capella]

Luka just makes life so much easier for LeBron. He’s had to carry so much of the offensive load for the Lakers over the years, it’s awesome to see him so energized down the stretch of games. LeBron just took over down the stretch tonight. It also frees him up to give more energy on the defensive end.

He absolutely dominated them in the paint in the 4th. Luka could add years to his career.

 

[Capella]

It just can’t be reality that the Mavs were this dumb, and Lakers this fortunate, can it?

Yea I think this has the potential to be one of the great dumb trades of all-time, across any sport. People point to the Herschel Walker trade and that was a heist but the Cowboys still had to nail those picks. Luke was a known entity, already a top-3 player in a stacked league. Can’t believe it happened.

 

[Ghost Rider]

It just can’t be reality that the Mavs were this dumb, and Lakers this fortunate, can it?

Yea I think this has the potential to be one of the great dumb trades of all-time, across any sport. People point to the Herschel Walker trade and that was a heist but the Cowboys still had to nail those picks. Luke was a known entity, already a top-3 player in a stacked league. Can’t believe it happened.

Agreed. A good point I heard this week is that Luka is finally a superstar that will allow James to play off the ball more; the offense will be better with Luka playing on ball, which Reddick has already figured out. They will still play around with it all as the season moves along, but James won't feel like he has to do it all offensively all the time anymore, and that makes the Lakers a bit scary.

 

[Major]

@Capella - what's been going on with your Magic? I know injuries have humbled them but man, they have fell off a cliff.

 

[the moops]

@Capella - what's been going on with your Magic? I know injuries have humbled them but man, they have fell off a cliff.

They are the worst three point shooting team in the league, by like a lot. A real lot. They are shooting 30.4% from three as a team. Next worst is Washington at 33.4%. Their overall shooting is 2nd worst in the league to Charlotte. When Mo Wagner is your best shooter, that's a problem. And they are way hurt, as you said

 

[thecatch]

It just can’t be reality that the Mavs were this dumb, and Lakers this fortunate, can it?

Happens every few years for the Lakers like clockwork.

 

[Major]

@Capella - what's been going on with your Magic? I know injuries have humbled them but man, they have fell off a cliff.

They are the worst three point shooting team in the league, by like a lot. A real lot. They are shooting 30.4% from three as a team. Next worst is Washington at 33.4%. Their overall shooting is 2nd worst in the league to Charlotte. When Mo Wagner is your best shooter, that's a problem. And they are way hurt, as you said

But they've always been a bad shooting team. Seems like there's something else but I haven't watched them lately. I'm thinking Franz is just that valuable and also a byproduct of being such a top heavy team unlike Houston who can weather injuries much better with depth.

 

[Frostillicus]

It just can’t be reality that the Mavs were this dumb, and Lakers this fortunate, can it?

Yea I think this has the potential to be one of the great dumb trades of all-time, across any sport. People point to the Herschel Walker trade and that was a heist but the Cowboys still had to nail those picks. Luke was a known entity, already a top-3 player in a stacked league. Can’t believe it happened.

Agreed. A good point I heard this week is that Luka is finally a superstar that will allow James to play off the ball more; the offense will be better with Luka playing on ball, which Reddick has already figured out. They will still play around with it all as the season moves along, but James won't feel like he has to do it all offensively all the time anymore, and that makes the Lakers a bit scary.

Another thing is they will now always have two players who can create offense on the court between Lebron, Luka, and Reaves. Obviously Reaves isn't on the same level as the other two, but having two creators on the floor at all times is a luxury.

 

[Desert_Power]

Luka is now the third player ever to have a triple double against all 30 NBA teams, including playoffs - joining LeBron and Westbrook.

And he was close to doing it in the first half.

 

[the moops]

@Capella - what's been going on with your Magic? I know injuries have humbled them but man, they have fell off a cliff.

They are the worst three point shooting team in the league, by like a lot. A real lot. They are shooting 30.4% from three as a team. Next worst is Washington at 33.4%. Their overall shooting is 2nd worst in the league to Charlotte. When Mo Wagner is your best shooter, that's a problem. And they are way hurt, as you said

But they've always been a bad shooting team. Seems like there's something else but I haven't watched them lately. I'm thinking Franz is just that valuable and also a byproduct of being such a top heavy team unlike Houston who can weather injuries much better with depth.

Franz has been playing the last 15 games. They are 6-9

 

[Capella]

@Capella - what's been going on with your Magic? I know injuries have humbled them but man, they have fell off a cliff.

No shooting at all. GM has totally handicapped the team. Whole world knew what they needed and they still didn’t do anything about it. Not just at the deadline either when other teams could hammer them, but all season and last summer. Just a total ignoring of team’s needs in order to hoard assets. Sucks.

 

[Major]

@Capella - what's been going on with your Magic? I know injuries have humbled them but man, they have fell off a cliff.

They are the worst three point shooting team in the league, by like a lot. A real lot. They are shooting 30.4% from three as a team. Next worst is Washington at 33.4%. Their overall shooting is 2nd worst in the league to Charlotte. When Mo Wagner is your best shooter, that's a problem. And they are way hurt, as you said

But they've always been a bad shooting team. Seems like there's something else but I haven't watched them lately. I'm thinking Franz is just that valuable and also a byproduct of being such a top heavy team unlike Houston who can weather injuries much better with depth.

Franz has been playing the last 15 games. They are 6-9

I know he's been back but I was thinking it may just be a slow recovery so I was giving them a chance. Even with the bad shooting they looked to be one of the best teams in the East before the injuries. Sucks to see them fall off so hard because I was rooting for them.

 

[Kev4029]

@Capella - what's been going on with your Magic? I know injuries have humbled them but man, they have fell off a cliff.

No shooting at all. GM has totally handicapped the team. Whole world knew what they needed and they still didn’t do anything about it. Not just at the deadline either when other teams could hammer them, but all season and last summer. Just a total ignoring of team’s needs in order to hoard assets. Sucks.

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Magic defense is a headache but they simply can't keep shooting worst in the league and expect to win when it matters.

I hadn't heard the rumor about Lavine to Orlando. I'm not totally on board with that but I also have no say in the matter.

Anfernee Simons would be a much better trade for them. Lavine is the slightly better player but Simons is on a better contract now, fits the rest of the Magic's timeline, and has more traditional PG skills to fit their roster better. It would probably take a first rounder and for the trade to be made a three way with KCP going to a third team and the resulting minor assets to the Blazers (Lakers for like a couple seconds and Russell? Bucks for some draft equity and some of their trash? Sixers if they could make the money work?).

They’re not trading for either. Both terrible defensive players.

They sure are. But where are they going to find a two way guard that can actually be responsible for driving some good offense and shoot the ball from deep? How many of those players are there in the NBA? How many have there been in the last 20 years?

At some point between now and next season, they'll end up trading for a guard that is a long term solution next to Suggs. I through out the list of legit SGs a couple pages ago when I was making my point about Braun. The list of good PGs is deeper, but the list of two way PGs basically starts and ends with SGA - so if they went PG over SG, there are no choices that wouldn't hurt their defense.

Anthony Black is going to be that long term player next to Suggs.

I don't watch much Magic basketball, but is he really a long term solution on a team that is more or less set at the other 4 positions and desperately needs some shooting and creation from the 2?

x.com

x.com

Yea I think he is. Especially on the shot creation part. I’m actually not sure KCP is starting by the second half of the year.

 

[Capella]

Also, Lakers crowd loudly chanting “Thank You Nico” last night has to be the height of humiliation.

 

[the moops]

@Capella - what's been going on with your Magic? I know injuries have humbled them but man, they have fell off a cliff.

They are the worst three point shooting team in the league, by like a lot. A real lot. They are shooting 30.4% from three as a team. Next worst is Washington at 33.4%. Their overall shooting is 2nd worst in the league to Charlotte. When Mo Wagner is your best shooter, that's a problem. And they are way hurt, as you said

But they've always been a bad shooting team. Seems like there's something else but I haven't watched them lately. I'm thinking Franz is just that valuable and also a byproduct of being such a top heavy team unlike Houston who can weather injuries much better with depth.

Franz has been playing the last 15 games. They are 6-9

I know he's been back but I was thinking it may just be a slow recovery so I was giving them a chance. Even with the bad shooting they looked to be one of the best teams in the East before the injuries. Sucks to see them fall off so hard because I was rooting for them.

Haven't looked too closely but they were probably winning too many games that they shouldn't have early on.

They had a positive point differential in October (+4.4) and November (+6.1). But since then, December (-3.0), January (-10.1), and February (-2.3)

 

[trader jake]

After the Thunder & Nuggets, are the Lakers the next best team entering the playoffs?

 

[Kev4029]

After the Thunder & Nuggets, are the Lakers the next best team entering the playoffs?

I would still say Memphis but it's close with LAL.

 

[Major]

After the Thunder & Nuggets, are the Lakers the next best team entering the playoffs?

Thunder are on another level. I see the Nuggets, Rockets, Grizz and Lakers all in the same tier but Lakers clearly have the most upside if Luka and Lebron gel.

 

[Desert_Power]

@Capella - what's been going on with your Magic? I know injuries have humbled them but man, they have fell off a cliff.

They are the worst three point shooting team in the league, by like a lot. A real lot. They are shooting 30.4% from three as a team. Next worst is Washington at 33.4%. Their overall shooting is 2nd worst in the league to Charlotte. When Mo Wagner is your best shooter, that's a problem. And they are way hurt, as you said

A hilariously bad team right now. They are giving serious minutes to a guy named Moussa Diabate who sounds like he should be playing for the Spurs that kick the ball.

 

[Capella]

@Capella - what's been going on with your Magic? I know injuries have humbled them but man, they have fell off a cliff.

No shooting at all. GM has totally handicapped the team. Whole world knew what they needed and they still didn’t do anything about it. Not just at the deadline either when other teams could hammer them, but all season and last summer. Just a total ignoring of team’s needs in order to hoard assets. Sucks.

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Magic defense is a headache but they simply can't keep shooting worst in the league and expect to win when it matters.

I hadn't heard the rumor about Lavine to Orlando. I'm not totally on board with that but I also have no say in the matter.

Anfernee Simons would be a much better trade for them. Lavine is the slightly better player but Simons is on a better contract now, fits the rest of the Magic's timeline, and has more traditional PG skills to fit their roster better. It would probably take a first rounder and for the trade to be made a three way with KCP going to a third team and the resulting minor assets to the Blazers (Lakers for like a couple seconds and Russell? Bucks for some draft equity and some of their trash? Sixers if they could make the money work?).

They’re not trading for either. Both terrible defensive players.

They sure are. But where are they going to find a two way guard that can actually be responsible for driving some good offense and shoot the ball from deep? How many of those players are there in the NBA? How many have there been in the last 20 years?

At some point between now and next season, they'll end up trading for a guard that is a long term solution next to Suggs. I through out the list of legit SGs a couple pages ago when I was making my point about Braun. The list of good PGs is deeper, but the list of two way PGs basically starts and ends with SGA - so if they went PG over SG, there are no choices that wouldn't hurt their defense.

Anthony Black is going to be that long term player next to Suggs.

I don't watch much Magic basketball, but is he really a long term solution on a team that is more or less set at the other 4 positions and desperately needs some shooting and creation from the 2?

x.com

x.com

Yea I think he is. Especially on the shot creation part. I’m actually not sure KCP is starting by the second half of the year.

What is the gotcha here? KCP should be on the bench. Anthony Black will be a good player. He just turned 21.

 

[Kev4029]

@Capella - what's been going on with your Magic? I know injuries have humbled them but man, they have fell off a cliff.

No shooting at all. GM has totally handicapped the team. Whole world knew what they needed and they still didn’t do anything about it. Not just at the deadline either when other teams could hammer them, but all season and last summer. Just a total ignoring of team’s needs in order to hoard assets. Sucks.

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Magic defense is a headache but they simply can't keep shooting worst in the league and expect to win when it matters.

I hadn't heard the rumor about Lavine to Orlando. I'm not totally on board with that but I also have no say in the matter.

Anfernee Simons would be a much better trade for them. Lavine is the slightly better player but Simons is on a better contract now, fits the rest of the Magic's timeline, and has more traditional PG skills to fit their roster better. It would probably take a first rounder and for the trade to be made a three way with KCP going to a third team and the resulting minor assets to the Blazers (Lakers for like a couple seconds and Russell? Bucks for some draft equity and some of their trash? Sixers if they could make the money work?).

They’re not trading for either. Both terrible defensive players.

They sure are. But where are they going to find a two way guard that can actually be responsible for driving some good offense and shoot the ball from deep? How many of those players are there in the NBA? How many have there been in the last 20 years?

At some point between now and next season, they'll end up trading for a guard that is a long term solution next to Suggs. I through out the list of legit SGs a couple pages ago when I was making my point about Braun. The list of good PGs is deeper, but the list of two way PGs basically starts and ends with SGA - so if they went PG over SG, there are no choices that wouldn't hurt their defense.

Anthony Black is going to be that long term player next to Suggs.

I don't watch much Magic basketball, but is he really a long term solution on a team that is more or less set at the other 4 positions and desperately needs some shooting and creation from the 2?

x.com

x.com

Yea I think he is. Especially on the shot creation part. I’m actually not sure KCP is starting by the second half of the year.

What is the gotcha here? KCP should be on the bench. Anthony Black will be a good player. He just turned 21.

What's the team's need then? You are saying the GM hamstrung them with a lack of shooting like it was an obviously solution that they overlooked. Wagner and Paolo are entrenched at the 3 and 4. Suggs is one of the guards long term.

 

[SWC]

bucks lose by three last night to houston and everyone is positive except kuzma who was -10 on the plus side he did have an assist to offset his three turnovers best trade ever brohans take that to the bank brochachos

 

[Capella]

What's the team's need then?

Shooting????

 

[General Malaise]

Blazers favored by 6.5 ON THE ROAD tonight. And I think that's too low.

I wonder if you combined the rosters of Washington, Charlotte, New Orleans and Utah and put them in a 7 game series vs any playoff contender if they'd manage to win one game.

 

[Kev4029]

What's the team's need then?

Shooting????

Lol. Obviously but you made it sound like the solution was simple but a couple months ago you were saying they didn't need to make a change because they had KCP and Black was going to be starting soon. Guard is the only place they have to really improve there.

They can't really upgrade shooting at center because a center that is both a prolific shooter and an accurate one hardly exists - Of the top 150 players in threes taken, there are 10 "real" centers (plus some guys that might be able to play part time like PJ Washington or Chris Boucher but those guys are not what Orlando would possibly be looking for). That list includes guys that 100% would not be traded - Wemby, JJJ, KAT, Jokic plus a few more that are worth more to their current team than anybody else so they wouldn't be traded (Reid, Lopez, Horford, Porzingis). That leaves two centers that shoot a lot of threes that could have been available - Turner and Vucevic. Turner would have been a great pick up if he was available, which there were rumblings about but I never believed after the Pacers starting winning this year. So Vucevic was the only option but he's a terrible defender.

So, if you couldn't upgrade at center and you thought improving at the starting guard spot was a bad idea, where were they going to improve?