Around the League: Week 9 12/11-12/17

[carey]

Nationally televised games this week

Monday: Toronto @ L.A. Clippers 10:30 PM EST NBATv
Tuesday: L.A. Lakers @ New York 7:00 PM EST ESPN, Philadelphia @ Minnesota 9:30 PM EST ESPN
Wednesday: OKC @ Indiana 7:00 PM EST ESPN, Charlotte @ Houston 9:30 PM EST ESPN
Thursday: L.A. Lakers @ Cleveland 8:00 PM EST TNT, Dallas @ Golden State 10:30 PM EST TNT
Friday: OKC @ Philadelphia 7:00PM EST ESPN, San Antonio @ Houston 9:30 PM EST ESPN
Saturday: OKC @ New York 7:30 PM EST NBATv
Sunday: None

NBA News

D.A. columns for the week.

• Like everyday folks, range of emotions hit NBA coaches once they are fired - http://www.nba.com/article/2017/12/11/m ... ell-lionel
• Key Arena renovation plan a small step forward in Seattle's hopes of seeing NBA return - http://www.nba.com/article/2017/12/11/m ... nba-return
• Morning Tip Q&A: Joel Embiid - http://www.nba.com/article/2017/12/11/m ... oel-embiid
• DA's Top 15 Rankings: Minnesota Timberwolves climb into Top 10 - http://www.nba.com/article/2017/12/11/m ... ec-11-2017

Do the Houston Rockets have a shot at LeBron James in free agency? It's not outlandish. -
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/n ... 937335001/

Bill Simmons trades that need to happen. - https://www.theringer.com/nba/2017/12/8 ... fl-week-14

[Shabazz]

https://twitter.com/zachkram/status/940409155180888064

[Ring_Wanted]

Bill Simmons trades that need to happen. - https://www.theringer.com/nba/2017/12/8 ... fl-week-14

Simmons is hardly trying with that 'article'. Full of nosense and values are all over the place. First says DeAndre to WAS for Oubre, Gortat and filler would be a no from the Wizards, but then apparently DeAndre to MIL for Jabari, Brogdon (called 'third guard at best', btw) and Henson is ok.

And he sure likes to murder OKC, but you can't call them cheap on the Harden trade (hindsight on many levels) and now operate under the premise that this franchise 'can't afford' Adams at 22M and they should dump him (to Dallas for Noel, Seth and filler).

Also thinks Luol Deng's contract can be turned into expirings for a 2020 top3 protected 1stR and Randle. I don't know. Randle is very meh (funny how that marvellous 2014 class is turning, huh? Only Embiid is looking like a real star). If that pick was unprotected I'd be tempted to pull the trigger for PHX using Monroe; they can keep Randle.

[carey]

QUOTD: What happened to the Hornets?

They started the season 6-3 looking alright. Then they went on a losing streak playing some tough teams (but also Chicago). They are only 5-7 since that streak for a record of 10-16. (For comparison we are 9-19.) My man Monk has been a big disappointment (shooting 32%/32%) like everyone else from this draft class outside of Tatum, Markkanen, and a few others. Cody Zeller is now out with a torn meniscus.

[O_Gardino]

QUOTD: What happened to the Hornets?

They started the season 6-3 looking alright. Then they went on a losing streak playing some tough teams (but also Chicago). They are only 5-7 since that streak for a record of 10-16. (For comparison we are 9-19.) My man Monk has been a big disappointment (shooting 32%/32%) like everyone else from this draft class outside of Tatum, Markkanen, and a few others. Cody Zeller is now out with a torn meniscus.

Last time they were good, they had Troy Daniels on the team. He's a winner.

As for Monk, I was fascinated with him, but he has to be in just the right place to succeed. It's not Charlotte. He needs a fast team with lots of ball movers where he can catch and attack quickly. I think he would look better in Philly.

[Mori Chu]

QUOTD: What happened to the Hornets?

They started the season 6-3 looking alright. Then they went on a losing streak playing some tough teams (but also Chicago). They are only 5-7 since that streak for a record of 10-16. (For comparison we are 9-19.) My man Monk has been a big disappointment (shooting 32%/32%) like everyone else from this draft class outside of Tatum, Markkanen, and a few others. Cody Zeller is now out with a torn meniscus.

Good question. My guess is that the first few weeks of the season are mostly chaos. 6-3 isn't very much above .500; if they had lost just one more game, they would have been 5-4 and not very noteworthy.

Dwight Howard has been playing very well for them. 16 ppg and 12.1 rpg. That's about as well as they could possibly have hoped for when they signed him.

Sad to see Zeller go out. Kaminsky is averaging over 10 ppg for them this year, which is interesting.

Kemba is having another nice season, 22.5 ppg and 6.2 assists.

They look like their swingmen are really lacking. Monk is averaging just 6.5 ppg on 32.7% FG (oof). MKG just 9.6 ppg, MCW 4.9 ppg, etc. Jeremy Lamb is reviving his career with 14.8 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 3 ast. Those are pretty great numbers considering how much most of the league had given up on him.

[ShelC]

They really don't have a lot of talent on that team. They've overachieved because Kemba's a beast and Clifford is a really good coach. Not having Batum most of the year has really hurt them but he's not really a gamechanger IMO.

[O_Gardino]

These guys rerank the 2016 draft class, and it's weird because they really like Patrick McCaw and they only get through like 10 guys. 10 guys and Patrick McCaw is high on the list?

They have a pretty balanced take on Bender with some back and forth about his context vs his production. Does his defense look better than it is because he's the only one rotating? What position does he ever make a difficult matchup for the opposing team? Is 3&D his only potential role, or can he grow into more?

https://www.thestepien.com/2017/12/09/e ... r-nygaard/

[Superbone]

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/repo ... -the-plan/

Report: Hornets had agreement to move to Louisville, but Rick Pitino blocked the plan
Instead, the Hornets eventually moved to New Orleans

[Superbone]

All the new jerseys:

http://news.sportslogos.net/2017/12/14/ ... e-jerseys/

[Split T]

Some of those are kinda fun. Not what you want to wear all the time but definitely interesting. Ours is very boring

[specialsauce]

All the new jerseys:

http://news.sportslogos.net/2017/12/14/ ... e-jerseys/

Most of them are pretty cool and unique

[Mori Chu]

Los Losers.

[TOO]

In keeping with the Los Suns theme, our jersey is Basura.

[Superbone]

In keeping with the Los Suns theme, our jersey is Basura.

Heh. Had to look it up. Saw it in giant letters.

[Superbone]

Here's what I saw:

[Flagrant Fowl]

"The Land" is possibly the dumbest thing I've seen in recent years. It's right up there with "[insert team name] Nation".

[Flagrant Fowl]

Personally, I think "El Valle" would be way better than "Los Suns", which seems very lazy.

[In2ition]

"The Land" is possibly the dumbest thing I've seen in recent years. It's right up there with "[insert team name] Nation".

I agree, it's dumb. I guess that's what counts, it's not for us.

[Aztec Sunsfan]

Personally, I think "El Valle" would be way better than "Los Suns", which seems very lazy.

It’s very usual south of the border, that people either say Los Soles (The Suns literally in spanish), or Los Suns, the latest becoming more common as the NBA forced all transmisions in spanish to keep the original name in english. But just a few years ago, broadcasters would translate about half of the names like Los Soles de Phoenix, Las Espuelas de San Antonio, Los Pistones de Detroit but kept others like Los Knicks, Los Lakers, Los Raptors, Los Nets.

If you tried to sell a Suns’ jersey in Mexico or Argentina, no one would get “El Valle” in the front, but Los Suns is an instant hit.
No wonder why that Rockets alternate jersey is on chinese. Maybe it says “The Houston Yaos”