Around the League: Offseason

[ShelC]

Yea, he showed up to Houston today and got tested so if he's cleared he'll be at practice. Woj tweeted today that he asked to be traded to Philly or another contender. Things escalated quickly in Houston!

[Indy]

Yea, he showed up to Houston today and got tested so if he's cleared he'll be at practice. Woj tweeted today that he asked to be traded to Philly or another contender. Things escalated quickly in Houston!

This season is going to be bonkers. I really hope he goes East. Philly would be funny. Wizards would be hilarious. Brooklyn would be boring.

[Mori Chu]

The East has low-key gotten stronger. Wiz look like a playoff team, and if an Eastern playoff team can nab Harden, such as Philly or Brooklyn, look out. There are about 5-6 teams out East that all look strong. The West is also very loaded, but it isn't as imbalanced as it has been the past few years.

[Shabazz]

I feel like Chicago makes a lot of sense as a Harden landing spot. They’ve got both the young players and salaries to make a trade work. Something like Lauri, Lavine, Otto Porter and 3 FRPs. You could swap Carter Jr. or Patrick Williams in the Lauri spot if Houston prefers. Maybe add PJ Tucker and Thaddeus Young to the trade as well.

That leaves Chicago with a pretty nice group:

White/Harden/Temple/Tucker/Carter. Sato/Hutchinson/Williams/Gafford/Dotson/Valentine off the bench. There’s something there.

[Ring_Wanted]

Simmons is absolutely the best HOU can hope to get in a Harden trade and the 76rs have all their picks available as well. There has to be a trade to be worked out between those two, without needing to involve Tobias Harris' albatross. Something like Harden and Gordon or Tucker+House for Simmons, picks, filler.

[Flagrant Fowl]

I've been thinking about Harden to Chicago for a while now, but I haven't heard anything in the media about that possibility. I don't know what I'm missing there.

[Split T]

11-50 in the ESPN rankings.

Booker at 17
CP3 at 15

[Split T]

I got bored so I tried to figure out the top 50:

Lakers(2): Lebron and AD
Clippers(2): Kawhi and PG
Nuggets(2): Jokic and Murray
Blazers(2): Dame and CJ
Jazz(2): Rudy and DM
Mavs(2): Luka and KP
Suns(2): Book and CP3
Warriors(2): Curry and Draymond
Pelicans(2): Zion and Ingram
Grizzlies(2): Ja and JJJ
Rockets(1): Harden
Kings(1): Fox
Wolves(1): KAT
Thunder(1): SGA
Spurs(0)

Celtics(4): Tatum, Kemba, Brown, Smart
Bucks(3): Giannis, Middleton, Jrue
Raptors(3): Lowry, Siakam, FVV
Nets(3): KD, Kyrie, LaVert
Heat(2): Butler and Bam
Pacers(2): Brogdon and Sabonis
Sixers(2): Embiid and Simmons
Wizards(2): Westbrook and Beal
Hawks(1): Trae
Hornets(1): Hayward
Magic(1): Vucevic
Bulls(0)
Cavs(0)
Knicks(0)
Pistons(0)

So that’s 48, 24 for each conference. Who did I miss?

The guys that didn’t show up in the 51-100 range that I thought should have:

Will Barton, Mikal Bridges, THJ, Wiggins, Oubre, Eric Gordon, Valunciunas, Dinwiddie, Rose, Sexton, Fournier, DeVonte Graham.

Possible a guy like Klay was included before the injury. But if I had to guess, I bet they included Will Barton and Andrew Wiggins in the top 50.

Dinwiddie and Oladipo were the 2 I missed.

I didn’t think Barton and Wiggins were top 50 guys, but they’re pretty clearly top 100 guys. I believe Wiggins was 100 last year in these rankings and then had the best year of his career. Think Barton got forgotten a little bit because he didn’t play in the bubble.

[ShelC]

I might swap Book and CP3 at those spots but splitting hairs.

[Split T]

I might swap Book and CP3 at those spots but splitting hairs.

I was pleasantly surprised at Booker in the top 20. He’s starting to get the national recognition. At the top of the Murray/Mitchell/Beal/Booker group, where he should be.

[Split T]

Any issue with the 14–15 guys ahead of our suns?

In some order:

Lebron, Giannis, Luka, Dame, Curry, KD, Kawhi, Harden, Jokic, AD, Tatum, Butler, Bam, Embiid, Simmons*

*Simmons is ahead of Booker, but not CP3

[Indy]

Any issue with the 14–15 guys ahead of our suns?

In some order:

Lebron, Giannis, Luka, Dame, Curry, KD, Kawhi, Harden, Jokic, AD, Tatum, Butler, Bam, Embiid, Simmons*

*Simmons is ahead of Booker, but not CP3

I wouldn't put Embiid in the top 15. I get his allure, though.

[Split T]

He just can’t stay healthy. He’s a top 10 guy when he’s healthy and motivated. I think this is going to be a fascinating year for Philly. Harris back to the 4 and they added shooting in Curry and Green. I think they’re much improved.

[Indy]

He just can’t stay healthy. He’s a top 10 guy when he’s healthy and motivated. I think this is going to be a fascinating year for Philly. Harris back to the 4 and they added shooting in Curry and Green. I think they’re much improved.

That is my problem with him. He doesn't only have the extreme health concerns, he can't stay motivated on the court. If he were in a small market, he wouldn't be thought of us a top 25 guy at all, especially a small market team West of central time.

[specialsauce]

Any issue with the 14–15 guys ahead of our suns?

In some order:

Lebron, Giannis, Luka, Dame, Curry, KD, Kawhi, Harden, Jokic, AD, Tatum, Butler, Bam, Embiid, Simmons*

*Simmons is ahead of Booker, but not CP3

Insane. The Philly slant is crazy. Simmons is not a top 30 nba player and I agree with Indy about the other

[specialsauce]

Jimmm Butler the 12th best player in the league? Lmao. ESPN is bubble drunk on that one. Again, not in the top 25.

[Indy]

Jimmm Butler the 12th best player in the league? Lmao. ESPN is bubble drunk on that one. Again, not in the top 25.

I think of this list as more of a Power Ranking of guys... so really just a temperature check heading into the season. Based on that, Jimmy is a top 20 player.

Overall, I think a top 10-15 player in the league is a guy you can build a championship contending team, with them as the clearly best player. Based on my (arbitrary) definition, I agree Jimmy isn't a top 10-15 guy.

[Drewsprocket]

Jimmm Butler the 12th best player in the league? Lmao. ESPN is bubble drunk on that one. Again, not in the top 25.

I think of this list as more of a Power Ranking of guys... so really just a temperature check heading into the season. Based on that, Jimmy is a top 20 player.

Overall, I think a top 10-15 player in the league is a guy you can build a championship contending team, with them as the clearly best player. Based on my (arbitrary) definition, I agree Jimmy isn't a top 10-15 guy.

No way he’s a top 15 guy, he has nights where he can play like one but that’s not really what he’s all about anyway. People overlook how unselfish and well balanced their team was. The trio of Bam, Butler, and Dragic along with Nunn, Herro, and Robinson sustained good competitive play for the entire 48 minutes.

[Split T]

Jimmy can turn it on, I have no problem with his ranking. If he’s not a top 15 guy, you’ve got to move other people up. So if you move Jimmy, Embiid, and Simmons, are you comfortable with Booker, Mitchell, and Zion being top 15 guys? I think the former have as much or more of a case for top 15.

I understand the Embiid concerns, but he’s a legitimate mvp level guy when he’s got it turned on. Those other 3 can’t say that yet. Butler just went toe for toe with Lebron. Simmons has his issues, but he’s also a top 5 defensive player in the nba.

[Mori Chu]

Any issue with the 14–15 guys ahead of our suns?

In some order:

Lebron, Giannis, Luka, Dame, Curry, KD, Kawhi, Harden, Jokic, AD, Tatum, Butler, Bam, Embiid, Simmons*

*Simmons is ahead of Booker, but not CP3

Some of these guys don't pass the Bill Simmons trade value test. That is, if the 76ers called up the Suns and said, "Let's trade Ben Simmons for Devin Booker straight up," (ignoring cap issues), would Phoenix say yes? No way. I also think the same is true for Tatum and maybe Bam.