Around the League: Week 10 12/17-12/23

[carey]

Still working on this thread but news just broke that I thought was really cool so posting it unfinished.

Nationally televised games this week

Monday: Utah @ Houston 8:00 PM EST NBATv, Memphis @ Golden STate 10:30 PM EST NBATv
Tuesday: L.A. Lakers @ Brooklyn 7:30 PM EST NBATv
Wednesday: Phoenix @ Boston 7:30 PM EST NBATv, Oklahoma City @ Sacramento 10:00 PM EST ESPN
Thursday: Houston @ Miami 8:00 PM EST TNT, Dallas @ L.A. Clippers 10:30 PM TNT
Friday: Milwaukee @ Boston 8:00 PM EST ESPN, New Orleans @ L.A. Lakers 10:30 PM EST ESPN
Saturday: Toronto @ Philadelphia 7:30 PM EST NBATv
Sunday: None

NBA News

https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1074653012080160768

From the Ziller newsletter (which is great).

The Sacramento Kings are three games above .500 in the middle of December, something that hasn't happened since 2004. They've won six of their last eight games, beating the Mavericks on Sunday in a tiny little Luka Doncic revenge game. The Kings, of course, passed on Doncic for Marvin Bagley, who is having a decent rookie season but is currently injured. Doncic, of course, looks every bit the superstar many billed him to be.

Because the Kings have seemingly turned things around and appear to have a legit star in De'Aaron Fox, there's some posturing about whether the Kings were right to pass on Doncic. The answer is no, and it will always be no. But if the Kings are actually on the rise, the fandom will excuse passing on Doncic -- they just badly want a good team to root for, no matter who's on it! Fans are celebrating Iman Shumpert regularly. They aren't picky.

We keep waiting for the bottom to drop out, but it's holding. That doesn't mean Sacramento can hold strong enough to make the playoffs -- the West is vicious -- but this is a miracle even if they just hold around .500 all season. Dreams do come true.

If you completely unplugged all weekend, you missed something incredible. Reporters broke word during Friday's action of a pending three-team trade sending Trevor Ariza to the Wizards with Kelly Oubre landing in Memphis, Austin Rivers, some second-round picks and Brooks going to Phoenix.

The only problem: the Suns and Wizards thought it was Dillon Brooks in the deal, but Memphis insisted it was MarShon Brooks they'd be trading.

Whoops! The deal died at that impasse. Matt Ellentuck breaks down the winners and losers from that fiasco.

Candace Bucker on the weird circus around Fultz (behind WaPo paywall) - https://www.sbnation.com/nba/2018/12/15 ... ers-losers

FIBA President Horacio Muratore on qualifiers: “Our model has been successful” (carey's note: Unless the goal is to have people in the U.S. watch it.) - https://www.eurohoops.net/en/fibawc/794 ... uccessful/

[Mori Chu]

Thanks for the links, carey! Even during the holidays, the man keeps delivering good links and content. Hope you're doing well this holiday season.

[Superbone]

That Matt Ellentuck article had a shelf life of about 12 hours. Here was his one winner, lol:

Winner
Trevor Ariza
He doesn’t have to play for the very angry, not-so-good at basketball Wizards.

Uh, yes he does.

[bajanguy008]

https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1075106580977205248

[carey]

Really? This whole thing went down weird. He wasn't even going there the first time.

[JeremyG]

To make room for Rivers, Memphis will waive MarShon Brooks, who plans to sign with the Suns. J/k

[ShelC]

Grizz and Rivers deal fell thru.

[JeremyG]

Grizz and Rivers deal fell thru.

They thought they were getting Doc Rivers.

[carey]

Dudley was trending for the Nets tonight! For positive reasons!

[SDC]

jeremy lin is a better penetrator than luka doncic

[Hermen]

jeremy lin is a better penetrator than luka doncic

He also jumps higher than Jokic.

[Flagrant Fowl]

He also has the most Chinese heritage in the league. Look how that worked out for Yao Ming.

[Superbone]

Ariza in his first game back with Washington played 38 minutes, scored 19 points on 6 of 17 shooting, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 6 steals in a loss to the Atlanta Hawks. F you!

[Gladiator]

Ariza in his first game back with Washington played 38 minutes, scored 19 points on 6 of 17 shooting, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 6 steals in a loss to the Atlanta Hawks. F you!

Highest scoring game since opening night v Dallas

[SDC]

He also has the most Chinese heritage in the league. Look how that worked out for Yao Ming.

sounds racist.

[Xylus]

Ariza in his first game back with Washington played 38 minutes, scored 19 points on 6 of 17 shooting, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 6 steals in a loss to the Atlanta Hawks. F you!

6 steals. LOL.

[jonh]

Ariza in his first game back with Washington played 38 minutes, scored 19 points on 6 of 17 shooting, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 6 steals in a loss to the Atlanta Hawks. F you!

6 steals. LOL.

Im curious what aspect of Phoenix Ariza really didn't appreciate--did he clash with Booker/Ayton, or have a problem with the culture in the locker room? Was it problems with the coach? Did he have a problem with Sarver that wasn't reported? I don't get where all the anger and animosity is coming from.

[Mori Chu]

Ariza in his first game back with Washington played 38 minutes, scored 19 points on 6 of 17 shooting, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 6 steals in a loss to the Atlanta Hawks. F you!

He had similarly gaudy numbers in his first game for us, too. I am not really mad at Ariza for playing well in his opener in Washington. Guys get excited to debut for their new teams. That's human nature. And his comment about the "struggles" here ... well, we ARE struggling. I don't think he said anything particularly offensive or untrue. I do think he could have played harder in his last weeks here, but I can kind of understand a guy his age not wanting to give 110% for a team that is going nowhere and has no core on defense or offense for him to fit into.

[In2ition]

Ariza in his first game back with Washington played 38 minutes, scored 19 points on 6 of 17 shooting, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 6 steals in a loss to the Atlanta Hawks. F you!

He had similarly gaudy numbers in his first game for us, too. I am not really mad at Ariza for playing well in his opener in Washington. Guys get excited to debut for their new teams. That's human nature. And his comment about the "struggles" here ... well, we ARE struggling. I don't think he said anything particularly offensive or untrue. I do think he could have played harder in his last weeks here, but I can kind of understand a guy his age not wanting to give 110% for a team that is going nowhere and has no core on defense or offense for him to fit into.

I agree with this. By all accounts, the guys liked him and he was always talking to them and helping them out. That doesn't mean it wasn't the right time to trade him though.

[bajanguy008]

I can't be bothered wishing bad on him, it is what it is
The 6 steals were alot of sloppy passes tbh plus he said he didn't expect to have to do so much off the dribble (here) and last night from what I saw all he did for the majority of the game was spot up and get dishes from Wall/Beal so moving on
once we play good against them this weekend is all that matters