2024-25 NBA Thread: Stephen A leading ESPN’s draft coverage by yelling about players he’s never heard of until now (119 Viewers)

[Kev4029]

Why do NBA players push it with calf injuries?
Feels like Durant when he tore it with the Warriors in the Playoffs-Finals
We had a player in tennis who wouldn't let his calf heel, end up tearing the achilles eventually

People should take calf injuries seriously

Because for some of these ultra-competitive players, the upside of having a chance to win a championship outweighs the downside of getting hurt.

I can only speak for myself, but if I'm Haliburton, you're damn right I'm playing.

And this is why coaches and medical staff are needed to protect players from themselves. Haliburton might go the way of Klay Thompson and never be the same again. Hopefully not.

That's' my concern, this kid was working his way into the new face of the NBA, maybe he wasn't a Superstar yet but he was carving out a lane of new fans and I appreciate and applaud him wanting to win a Title and Game 7 of the NBA Finals, just very disappointed he will be gone for a year.
Boston and Indiana now are likely non factors in 2026
East is going to be wide open

Is it pretty much a given that Tatum and Hali will also miss the postseason next year?

Those are playoff teams even without them and if they show up in May as a 6 seed and then add those guys, the seed might not matter.

I would say it is a given that if somehow either could play next May, they will be shells of what they were before the injury as it may take 9-12 months to return but two full years to get back the necessary leg strength to feel right, from what I have read.

Basically two players have ever returned from an Achilles at any point and been close to what they were - Dominique Wilkins and Kevin Durant. Wilkins reinvented himself from a high flying rim attacker to an elite mid-range player - he was never the same player but he was similarly effective as he was that good. Durant also changed his game somewhat but he is also one of the best shooters of all time and even if he can't beat guys off (phrasing) the dribble like he used to, he can still rise up for a mid range shot against anybody all the same.

I think both are probably done as the players that they were at the beginning of the playoffs but hopefully they can be more Wilkins than Kobe/Cousins/Billups.

 

[MAC_32]

How many calf strains have turned into achilles tears? Is it time to just sit a player down for a few week when it happens because the risk is too great?

On January 22? Oh, yeah. Several weeks. June 22? Well...

 

[msudaisy26]

How many calf strains have turned into achilles tears? Is it time to just sit a player down for a few week when it happens because the risk is too great?

On January 22? Oh, yeah. Several weeks. June 22? Well...

I understand being the playoffs and all, but makes you wonder what will happen if a guy like Haliburton is on the final year of a deal or what if a team just gave a max contract to a player like Ja Morant that is a freak athlete. I am not sure what the correct answer is, but I have a feeling we are going to see some stances taken both ways in the next few years.

 

[MAC_32]

I am not sure what the correct answer is, but

There isn't one, a clear one anyway, at least not at this point in the playoffs. When playing on a calf < 100% the risk of an achilles tear increases. Many of these sorts of injuries occur due to a dynamic like this one in which a different problem (that is not necessarily public knowledge) results in too much stress here then **snap** I think it's a very simple question to answer in the regular season (although many teams / players still struggle with it), but postseason? Juice v squeeze. How much risk is one willing to accept...

 

[jvdesigns2002]

Congrats to the fans of the Thunder. They deserved it this year. Some interesting dynamics. The landscape for really great/elite guards being hurt for much/all of next season is pretty intense. Halliburton, Kyrie, Lillard..etc. On top of that you have Tatum. The east is certainly wide open and it makes you wonder in hindsight if Miami should have pushed harder to get Durant (obviously they didn’t know what would happen to Halliburton). It makes me wonder if opportunistic teams in the East will try to make moves with teams like Utah to target players like Lauri or Sexton. With Houston rising up and other teams in the West bound to get stronger—what do teams like Sacramento and the Pelicans do? Do they blow things up? I said it in a post before—but we are in a crazy time here. Over the past few months—look at these names that have been moved: Luka Doncic, Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant, De’aron fox, Zach Lavine, Jalen Green, Desmond Bane. Just insanity to see that much talent moved around in a short period of time.

 

[Capella]

I think both are probably done as the players that they were at the beginning of the playoffs but hopefully they can be more Wilkins than Kobe/Cousins/Billups.

That’s depressing.

 

[GOB]

After what we saw the last month or so, consider the talent and youth around that basketball team, it is hard not to crown them the next great dynasty. I hate to even say it because they are a small market but their greatness is undeniable.

Going to be fun to watch this Orlando Magic team be great

 

[Moe.]

I’m just now catching up on the postgame interviews and stuff - Thunder seemed so incredibly measured and calm in their celebrations, almost like they were more relieved than anything else. I wonder if the injury sort of took the air out of it for them. Maybe it’s just because I’m watching YouTube highlights - did it seem that way to those who watched it live?

 

[the moops]

Going to be fun to watch this Orlando Magic team be great

Paolo or Franz need to make the next leap to first team all NBA guy in order for this to be true.

 

[Capella]

Going to be fun to watch this Orlando Magic team be great

Paolo or Franz need to make the next leap to first team all NBA guy in order for this to be true.

Why? How many of those did the pacers have?

 

[GOB]

Going to be fun to watch this Orlando Magic team be great

Paolo or Franz need to make the next leap to first team all NBA guy in order for this to be true.

Yeah well that's just like your opinion, man.

Greatest franchise to never win a title will be finding a new home in about 12 months

 

[Dr. Octopus]

I’m just now catching up on the postgame interviews and stuff - Thunder seemed so incredibly measured and calm in their celebrations, almost like they were more relieved than anything else. I wonder if the injury sort of took the air out of it for them. Maybe it’s just because I’m watching YouTube highlights - did it seem that way to those who watched it live?

I saw some footage of the post game locker room and it was way more subdued than a normal championship celebration.

 

[Yo Mama]

I’m just now catching up on the postgame interviews and stuff - Thunder seemed so incredibly measured and calm in their celebrations, almost like they were more relieved than anything else. I wonder if the injury sort of took the air out of it for them. Maybe it’s just because I’m watching YouTube highlights - did it seem that way to those who watched it live?

I saw some footage of the post game locker room and it was way more subdued than a normal championship celebration.

They were all waiting for Caruso to show them how to open the bottles of champagne.

 

[Kev4029]

Mavs are extending Gafford for 3/60. Not a terrible value but I believe that makes him ineligible for trading for 6 months. They are doubling down as the bizarro-Suns with nothing other than PFs and Cs.

 

[Yo Mama]

Mavs are extending Gafford for 3/60. Not a terrible value but I believe that makes him ineligible for trading for 6 months. They are doubling down as the bizarro-Suns with nothing other than PFs and Cs.

Sounds like it is a3/$54m extension, so he’d be trade eligible immediately. I’ve seen both numbers reported out there so who knows.

 

[Boston]

@ShamsCharania

BREAKING: The Boston Celtics have traded Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers for Anfernee Simons and two second-round picks, sources tell ESPN.

Bobby Marks
@BobbyMarks42

Here are the salaries going out
To Boston Anfernee Simons: $25.9M, $27.7M (UFA, 2026)* The Celtics get off the combined $72M owed to Holiday in 2026-27 and 2027-28* Projected $40M in tax savings in 2025-26* $18M below the 2nd apron* Simons is extension eligible
To Portland Jrue Holiday: $30M, $32.4M, $34.8M, $37.2M (Player, 2027)
@JakeLFischer
The Celtics are getting a 2030 Knicks second-rounder and a 2031 Blazers second-rounder from Portland in addition to Anfernee Simons, per source, all in exchange for Jrue Holiday.

 

[Kev4029]

@ShamsCharania

BREAKING: The Boston Celtics have traded Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers for Anfernee Simons and two second-round picks, sources tell ESPN.

Bobby Marks
@BobbyMarks42

Here are the salaries going out
To Boston Anfernee Simons: $25.9M, $27.7M (UFA, 2026)* The Celtics get off the combined $72M owed to Holiday in 2026-27 and 2027-28* Projected $40M in tax savings in 2025-26* $18M below the 2nd apron* Simons is extension eligible
To Portland Jrue Holiday: $30M, $32.4M, $34.8M, $37.2M (Player, 2027)

The Blazers are stupid.

 

[General Malaise]

Love Jrue but he's going to get packaged with the Blazers pick in this draft for somebody else. RJ Barrett is my guess.

 

[Kev4029]

Love Jrue but he's going to get packaged with the Blazers pick in this draft for somebody else. RJ Barrett is my guess.

They could have made that trade without getting a player on a negative value contract while giving up picks.

 

[General Malaise]

@ShamsCharania

BREAKING: The Boston Celtics have traded Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers for Anfernee Simons and two second-round picks, sources tell ESPN.

Bobby Marks
@BobbyMarks42

Here are the salaries going out
To Boston Anfernee Simons: $25.9M, $27.7M (UFA, 2026)* The Celtics get off the combined $72M owed to Holiday in 2026-27 and 2027-28* Projected $40M in tax savings in 2025-26* $18M below the 2nd apron* Simons is extension eligible
To Portland Jrue Holiday: $30M, $32.4M, $34.8M, $37.2M (Player, 2027)

The Blazers are stupid.

They just improved 14 games from the year prior and own more first round picks in the back half of this decade than most other teams, including 2 number 1 picks from a franchise that's about to become irrelevant. They have a young group of talent that is on the come and a future that is exceedingly brighter than most.

This was just the first step in a bigger trade.

 

[scoobus]

Oh Blazers...

 

[General Malaise]

Love Jrue but he's going to get packaged with the Blazers pick in this draft for somebody else. RJ Barrett is my guess.

They could have made that trade without getting a player on a negative value contract while giving up picks.

Pretty sure Portland can afford to give up 2nd round picks. They have a crap ton of them.

This is about moving off of Simons and lining up a bigger trade.

 

[General Malaise]

Crap on the Blazers all you want but they aced the Lillard trade and got a sweet return off Jrue the first time.

 

[Kev4029]

Love Jrue but he's going to get packaged with the Blazers pick in this draft for somebody else. RJ Barrett is my guess.

They could have made that trade without getting a player on a negative value contract while giving up picks.

Pretty sure Portland can afford to give up 2nd round picks. They have a crap ton of them.

This is about moving off of Simons and lining up a bigger trade.

I don't think they can combine Holiday with another player for a while due to trade rules, so this only makes sense if they are 1-for-1 trading for a player that makes more than Simons' matching salary (They could have made a trade for anybody 1-for-1 up to just over $35m in 25-26 cap) to Holiday's matching salary (just under $41m). A total of 16 players in the NBA fall in that range. One is on the Blazers (Ayton). 5 are untouchable for one reason or another (Wager, Barnes, Maxey, SGA, Bane). One is Harden who makes no sense. Any of the remaining 4 PGs seem unlikely (Garland, Morant, LaMelo, Fox) as that is probably their lowest need. That leaves Anunoby, Williamson, Ingram, MPJ, and Bam. The only two that make sense from that group for the trading team are MPJ and maaaaaybe Ingram.

 

[General Malaise]

Love Jrue but he's going to get packaged with the Blazers pick in this draft for somebody else. RJ Barrett is my guess.

They could have made that trade without getting a player on a negative value contract while giving up picks.

Pretty sure Portland can afford to give up 2nd round picks. They have a crap ton of them.

This is about moving off of Simons and lining up a bigger trade.

I don't think they can combine Holiday with another player for a while due to trade rules, so this only makes sense if they are 1-for-1 trading for a player that makes more than Simons' matching salary (They could have made a trade for anybody 1-for-1 up to just over $35m in 25-26 cap) to Holiday's matching salary (just under $41m). A total of 16 players in the NBA fall in that range. One is on the Blazers (Ayton). 5 are untouchable for one reason or another (Wager, Barnes, Maxey, SGA, Bane). One is Harden who makes no sense. Any of the remaining 4 PGs seem unlikely (Garland, Morant, LaMelo, Fox) as that is probably their lowest need. That leaves Anunoby, Williamson, Ingram, MPJ, and Bam. The only two that make sense from that group for the trading team are MPJ and maaaaaybe Ingram.

So they can't trade Holiday and their 1st round pick?

 

[Kev4029]

Love Jrue but he's going to get packaged with the Blazers pick in this draft for somebody else. RJ Barrett is my guess.

They could have made that trade without getting a player on a negative value contract while giving up picks.

Pretty sure Portland can afford to give up 2nd round picks. They have a crap ton of them.

This is about moving off of Simons and lining up a bigger trade.

I don't think they can combine Holiday with another player for a while due to trade rules, so this only makes sense if they are 1-for-1 trading for a player that makes more than Simons' matching salary (They could have made a trade for anybody 1-for-1 up to just over $35m in 25-26 cap) to Holiday's matching salary (just under $41m). A total of 16 players in the NBA fall in that range. One is on the Blazers (Ayton). 5 are untouchable for one reason or another (Wager, Barnes, Maxey, SGA, Bane). One is Harden who makes no sense. Any of the remaining 4 PGs seem unlikely (Garland, Morant, LaMelo, Fox) as that is probably their lowest need. That leaves Anunoby, Williamson, Ingram, MPJ, and Bam. The only two that make sense from that group for the trading team are MPJ and maaaaaybe Ingram.

So they can't trade Holiday and their 1st round pick?

Yes they can but there are restrictions.

1. I think this will have to be a trade that is official on July 6th or whenever the new league year starts as making this a 24-25 trade would put Portland over the tax. So, given Boston's approval, they could roll this trade into a bigger trade BUT they couldn't stair step from Simons at 27 million or whatever to Holiday at 32m to Player X at 40m. So rolling this into a bigger trade wouldn't make sense to me.

2. They could immediately trade Holiday in a one for one trade but he can't be aggregated with anybody else. I don't think any team has ever tried stair stepping from one player to a next to increase trade $$ to make a bigger trade so I don't know if that is legal or not but in spirit that seems like cap circumvention. Two months after this trade is made official, they can do whatever they want with Holiday.

I might be wrong about both but I'm pretty sure that is the way it works.

 

[jvdesigns2002]

Weird trade for the Blazers. If I remember right—didn’t they get Jrue Holiday as part of the deal with the Bucks for Lillard—and immediately trade him away to the Celtics? Now they get him back and kinda overpay?

 

[Craig_MiamiFL]

Portland being Portland

Jerami Grant, Ayton, Jrue

 

[scoobus]

My yearly plug for this Youtube channel. Has in-depth scouting videos on pretty much every top draft prospect.

 

[Boston]

Holiday is a real pro's pro...very easy player to root for who still has some miles left but with the C's financial situation, his age and Tatum's injury there was a 99.9% certainty he was going to get moved...some had speculated they were going to have to attach draft picks to accomplish this so the return is a very pleasant surprise...Brad Stevens is really good at his job and it is pretty impressive that he is able to make a lot of moves that seem to come out of nowhere in such a rabid media market...the expectation is this the first of two or three big moves this offseason...the real question is does another move involve Jaylen or White...right now I think anything is possible with them...the good news as a C's fan (as opposed to the Bruins and Red Sox) is you have complete trust in who is making the decisions.

 

[Juxtatarot]

I like that the Blazers are going for it even if “it” is the play-in tournament.

 

[Capella]

Why do people like this trade for Boston? Simons kinda sucks from a team building standpoint. Sure he can score but he’s a turnstile on defense and with his size probably isn’t getting better.

 

[scoobus]

Why do people like this trade for Boston? Simons kinda sucks from a team building standpoint. Sure he can score but he’s a turnstile on defense and with his size probably isn’t getting better.

I think I read it saved them about $40 million, don't think it's really much about the Simons return. Many saw Jrue as a negative asset, and they were still able to at least get a few 2nds out of him.

 

[Boston]

Why do people like this trade for Boston? Simons kinda sucks from a team building standpoint. Sure he can score but he’s a turnstile on defense and with his size probably isn’t getting better.

Because the expectation by many was they were going to get close to nothing back and/or were going to have to give away picks to facilitate a trade...instead they got a good offensive player and two future picks as well as shaving some of their financial burden...this is just the first move of a few moves and who knows if Simons even plays a game for them or his flipped again but I think the return far exceeds what the expectations were for a Holiday trade.

 

[Capella]

Why do people like this trade for Boston? Simons kinda sucks from a team building standpoint. Sure he can score but he’s a turnstile on defense and with his size probably isn’t getting better.

I think I read it saved them about $40 million, don't think it's really much about the Simons return. Many saw Jrue as a negative asset, and they were still able to at least get a few 2nds out of him.

I get his contract sucks and he’s getting older but he’s still a good player. Didn’t know he was considered a negative asset. Not sure that’s true.

 

[massraider]

I’m just now catching up on the postgame interviews and stuff - Thunder seemed so incredibly measured and calm in their celebrations, almost like they were more relieved than anything else. I wonder if the injury sort of took the air out of it for them. Maybe it’s just because I’m watching YouTube highlights - did it seem that way to those who watched it live?

Turns out, they had to consult old man Caruso to learn how to pop champagne bottles.



Fun team to watch. Amazing season.

 

[Boston]

Why do people like this trade for Boston? Simons kinda sucks from a team building standpoint. Sure he can score but he’s a turnstile on defense and with his size probably isn’t getting better.

I think I read it saved them about $40 million, don't think it's really much about the Simons return. Many saw Jrue as a negative asset, and they were still able to at least get a few 2nds out of him.

I get his contract sucks and he’s getting older but he’s still a good player. Didn’t know he was considered a negative asset. Not sure that’s true.

It is not just about the player but how he fits in the financial situation the C’s are in…especially since Tatum may miss a full year.

 

[FarFromHome]

Massive Blazer fan. Was a massive NBA fan for decades. Since the Dame trade I haven't watched one NBA game. I have become a part time box score surfer.

I don't get the trade. I get moving Simons. Dudes been linked to be moved for years. When we finally move him we get a 35 year old defensive guard who is going to "mentor" Scoot? And a couple 2nd round picks? We get a guy, ironically enough, we once had from the Dame trade that had no interest in being here. Obviously, they will move him also. I think this trade shows they feel good about Scoot and Sharpe. I'm still on the fence with both. This trade is a to be continued for me.

 

[jvdesigns2002]

Why do people like this trade for Boston? Simons kinda sucks from a team building standpoint. Sure he can score but he’s a turnstile on defense and with his size probably isn’t getting better.

I’m not sure it’s so much that people like it for Boston—it’s more that people hate it (or are confused by it) for Portland. The loss of Tatum hurts Boston both offensively and defensively in a significant way. Recouping some of that loss on the offensive end for a player that is likely to decline due to age— when you happen to have Pritchard already on the roster just makes sense. The financial flexibility it results in is also a benefit. The trade just seems to make more sense for Boston imo.

 

[FarFromHome]

Why do people like this trade for Boston? Simons kinda sucks from a team building standpoint. Sure he can score but he’s a turnstile on defense and with his size probably isn’t getting better.

I’m not sure it’s so much that people like it for Boston—it’s more that people hate it (or are confused by it) for Portland. The loss of Tatum hurts Boston both offensively and defensively in a significant way. Recouping some of that loss on the offensive end for a player that is likely to decline due to age— when you happen to have Pritchard already on the roster just makes sense. The financial flexibility it results in is also a benefit. The trade just seems to make more sense for Boston imo.

I think it makes sense for Boston. Younger. Cheaper. A scoring 6th man off the bench. 2nd round picks in the NBA are a crapshoot. Simons can come in and carry a 2nd team offensively for stretchs.

 

[Juxtatarot]

Blazers seem to be able to afford the contract. Ayton will be off the books after this season. It’s not like they’d be players in free agency or a destination stars will demand to be traded to.

Holiday will be a great leader and that defense will be awesome.

 

[identikit]

The Knicks search continues:

https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1937486420349714653

 

[Capella]

Why do people like this trade for Boston? Simons kinda sucks from a team building standpoint. Sure he can score but he’s a turnstile on defense and with his size probably isn’t getting better.

I think I read it saved them about $40 million, don't think it's really much about the Simons return. Many saw Jrue as a negative asset, and they were still able to at least get a few 2nds out of him.

I get his contract sucks and he’s getting older but he’s still a good player. Didn’t know he was considered a negative asset. Not sure that’s true.

It is not just about the player but how he fits in the financial situation the C’s are in…especially since Tatum may miss a full year.

I get it, I get they are resetting due to Tatum, but as far as on the court Portland got better and Boston took a step back for 2026. That’s all. I’m sure it will give Boston flexibility for the future.

 

[msudaisy26]

Going to be fun to watch this Orlando Magic team be great

Paolo or Franz need to make the next leap to first team all NBA guy in order for this to be true.

I think Paolo showed he is going to in the playoffs.

 

[mr. furley]

someone needs to take a scythe to NBA trade rules and start over. these things are way too complicated and unnecessarily confusing.

player for player, full stop. start revoking franchises.

Bird law is very clear on this.

 

[Anarchy99]

I get it, I get they are resetting due to Tatum, but as far as on the court Portland got better and Boston took a step back for 2026. That’s all. I’m sure it will give Boston flexibility for the future.

"Better" is a nebulous term. They aren't better on the court, which is what you are alluding to. However, BOS is working at breakneck speed to get all their trades done BEFORE 7/1, as they get recorded as having occurred in the 24-25 season. If they can get under the 2nd apron by then, they will enter the 25-26 season as a first apron team, not a second apron team. It could end up saving them hundreds of millions of dollars across the next few seasons. Getting under the apron by 7/1 (depending upon what their roster looks like after that) could save them $150 million in tax just for the upcoming season.

There are all sorts of benefits that kick in getting out of the 2nd apron in terms of trade options, exceptions, and of course repeater tax penalties. That would give them way more leverage to make moves in the upcoming year and to position themselves in an entirely better situation for the following year. Mapping out the next few seasons, making these moves will ultimately make them "better" on the court (compared to their situation as it would devolve into with all the penalties . . . but not better than the team they rolled out the past couple of years.

In the Celtics situation, getting out from under some of their big contracts is more valuable to them than the players they get back.

 

[Desert_Power]

Feel like it may be more likely that the Blazers trying to move some of their expiring contracts instead of Jrue. Good to have leaders for your young guys who know how to win and I just can't see a lot of other teams looking for him at that pay.

 

[Sammy3469]

Feel like it may be more likely that the Blazers trying to move some of their expiring contracts instead of Jrue. Good to have leaders for your young guys who know how to win and I just can't see a lot of other teams looking for him at that pay.

I like that they got Scoot a mentor He's the franchise and they acted as such.

 

[Mister CIA]

NBA draft tomorrow night. Anybody mocking up drafts? Who will your team draft? Who do you want?

For my Spurs, unless Nico chooses to Nico, they will be taking Harper with the #2. It's a no-brainer (I know no-brainers).

With the 14, lots of things can happen. If the Spurs play it out and don't trade the pick, Thomas Sorber is my guy. I think he could complement Wemby as part of a 2-big lineup, and could provide some sorely needed front court presence when Victor is being rested.

If the Spurs go with a wing instead, sign me up for some Cedric Coward.

If they go with a project, Joan Beringer. Love the prospect, but he needs a lot of development ... converted soccer goalie who started playing basketball just four years ago.

 

[Anarchy99]

Running the numbers on the Celtics, they have painted themselves into a corner. If we skip next season entirely, and they felt like bringing back Simons the following year, they would have locked up $182M or more in JB, JT, White, and Simons. That's $20M more than they spent this year on their starting 5. They would have close to nothing to spend on the rest of the roster to stay under the second apron. They'd also have no size. Will be interesting to see who Brad can flip KP for. Word on the street is he'll be moved by the weekend.