Around the League: Week 12 1/1-1/7

[carey]

Nationally televised games this week

Monday: None.
Tuesday: Portland @ Cleveland 7:00 PM EST NBATv, Memphis @ L.A. Clippers 10:30 PM EST NBATv
Wednesday: Cleveland @ Boston 8:00 PM EST ESPN, Oklahoma City @ L.A. Lakers 10:30 PM EST ESPN
Thursday: Golden State @ Houston 8:00 PM EST TNT, Oklahoma City @ L.A. Clippers 10:30 PM EST TNT
Friday: Minnesota @ Boston 7:00 PM EST ESPN, Washington @ Memphis 9:30 PM EST ESPN
Saturday: None.
Sunday: San Antonio @ Portland 9:00 PM EST NBATv

NBA News

* Will update when Monday morning news is published *

*Template* D.A. columns for the week.

[O_Gardino]

Lakers took the Rockets to double OT without Ball. I didn't catch the game, but Randle sure filled up the box score.

[carey]

Kings part ways with assistant GM / director of scouting.

https://twitter.com/sam_amick/status/949872373313884162

[Superbone]

Kings part ways with assistant GM / director of scouting.

https://twitter.com/sam_amick/status/949872373313884162

And former Phoenix Sun.

[ShelC]

This is what some of us were worried about prior to the draft when it came to the possibility of drafting Lonzo. He's a clown, but still a distraction and if he's doing to the Lakers just imagine what he'd be doing to our organization.

https://twitter.com/espn/status/950008021056409600

[Charlie Smithy!]

Lavar needs to be shuttered off to Castle Anthrax and spanked, liberally.

[TOO]

Does anyone here still think Luke Walton is the next great thing?

[Mori Chu]

I wonder whether the Lakers will consider cutting ties with Lonzo. He has struggled in his rookie season to put it mildly. And the Lakers desperately want to clear cap space to sign Lebron and Paul George. Maybe Lonzo is the bait to help them dump salary to clear that cap room. Carey and I both posted a fan trade made up by Bill Simmons where among other pieces, the Suns would acquire Lonzo Ball in exchange for taking on an undesirable Laker contract like Luol Deng. I'd consider it if we didn't have to give up very much.

[O_Gardino]

This is what some of us were worried about prior to the draft when it came to the possibility of drafting Lonzo. He's a clown, but still a distraction and if he's doing to the Lakers just imagine what he'd be doing to our organization.

https://twitter.com/espn/status/950008021056409600

I honestly think Ball in LA was the worst thing for the NBA and for Lonzo. If the Lakers had passed and we had picked him up, ESPN would have forgotten about Lavar by now.

[Mori Chu]

As for Lavar Ball, I think people wouldn't care about him as much if he were not in LA or NY. In Phoenix he'd shrivel and die on the vine. Take him out of a major media market and he has no audience. I'm not worried about him.

[Split T]

Ball/Booker/Jackson/Warren/Chriss plus whatever we add this year in the draft. Is that enough? Cuz we'd have 60 million tied up in Chandler/Dudley/Deng/Knight next year and almost 35 million tied up in Deng/Knight the year after. I think we'd essentially be taken out of the free agent runnings for the next two years. Is Ball worth that?

[Cap]

Ball/Booker/Jackson/Warren/Chriss plus whatever we add this year in the draft. Is that enough? Cuz we'd have 60 million tied up in Chandler/Dudley/Deng/Knight next year and almost 35 million tied up in Deng/Knight the year after. I think we'd essentially be taken out of the free agent runnings for the next two years. Is Ball worth that?

Yes. Are you expecting to make a splash in free agency this year? I'm not. I'd rather use the cap room to get Ball than to make another fruitless chase of LeBron. We're not ready to attract the cream of the crop. But add Ball to our young core, make a couple of good acquisitions in the upcoming draft, and we will be ready in a couple of years, just when Deng's contract comes off the books.

[Superbone]

Lavar needs to be shuttered off to Castle Anthrax and spanked, liberally.

Wait, I thought he needed punishment?

[Cap]

Lavar needs to be shuttered off to Castle Anthrax and spanked, liberally.

Wait, I thought he needed punishment?

He needs to be shuttered off to Castle Aaargh and taunted, liberally.

[Split T]

Ball/Booker/Jackson/Warren/Chriss plus whatever we add this year in the draft. Is that enough? Cuz we'd have 60 million tied up in Chandler/Dudley/Deng/Knight next year and almost 35 million tied up in Deng/Knight the year after. I think we'd essentially be taken out of the free agent runnings for the next two years. Is Ball worth that?

Yes. Are you expecting to make a splash in free agency this year? I'm not. I'd rather use the cap room to get Ball than to make another fruitless chase of LeBron. We're not ready to attract the cream of the crop. But add Ball to our young core, make a couple of good acquisitions in the upcoming draft, and we will be ready in a couple of years, just when Deng's contract comes off the books.

2019 is the year I'm interested in. Kawhi, Kemba, Kyrie, butler, Klay are all free agents.

[Superbone]

Lavar needs to be shuttered off to Castle Anthrax and spanked, liberally.

Wait, I thought he needed punishment?

He needs to be shuttered off to Castle Aaargh and taunted, liberally.

That makes more sense. I understand his father smelt of elderberries.

[Cap]

Lavar needs to be shuttered off to Castle Anthrax and spanked, liberally.

Wait, I thought he needed punishment?

He needs to be shuttered off to Castle Aaargh and taunted, liberally.

That makes more sense. I understand his father smelt of elderberries.

Yeah, and his mother was a hamster.

Darn it, why can't I find a smilie of elderberries f***ing a hamster?

[bajanguy008]

Q always seemed like a fun guy, interesting to read some perspective on what his life/career was actually like. big picture of Suns in the article with a small bit on his time here

https://www.theplayerstribune.com/lette ... ichardson/

[Cap]

Q always seemed like a fun guy

[Mori Chu]