Around the League: Offseason

[Indy]

How many times as a team won the NBA title with Presti as the GM?

Zero.

But he has acquired so much draft capital!

Burned through, Harden/Westbrook/Durant among others but ya know, draft picks.

He drafted 3 MVPs in back to back to back years. And found great guys in non-lotto picks. But it is really hard to get any twenty-something multimillionaire to live even half the year in OKC.

[Superbone]

How many times as a team won the NBA title with Presti as the GM?

Zero.

But he has acquired so much draft capital!

Burned through, Harden/Westbrook/Durant among others but ya know, draft picks.

Right? Should have made it to the Finals but didn't.

[INFORMER]

Also, does that mean we officially won the Mikal Bridges trade? Is that unprotected Miami 1st next draft? Who even has it? I’ll just assume OKC ended up with it, lol.

I hated the trade, but I also didn't like it for Philly. I thought Bridges made a lot of sense for them. I also don't understand why they have never committed to surrounding Simmons with shooters.

And why have they added Tony Bradley and Dwight Howard when they have Joel Embiid. Philly can't get out of their own way.

[INFORMER]

How many times as a team won the NBA title with Presti as the GM?

Zero.

But he has acquired so much draft capital!

Burned through, Harden/Westbrook/Durant among others but ya know, draft picks.

That's silly. They made it to the Finals and flamed out against the Heat.

Then they were up 3-1 on the Warriors in the Conference Finals, then Durant folded. Then DURANT LEFT.

Presti isn't perfect, but let's not sell some narrative that puts the blame solely on him.

[Split T]

Also, does that mean we officially won the Mikal Bridges trade? Is that unprotected Miami 1st next draft? Who even has it? I’ll just assume OKC ended up with it, lol.

I hated the trade, but I also didn't like it for Philly. I thought Bridges made a lot of sense for them. I also don't understand why they have never committed to surrounding Simmons with shooters.

And why have they added Tony Bradley and Dwight Howard when they have Joel Embiid. Philly can't get out of their own way.

They added some shooters this year with Curry and Green.

As for that Miami pick, we traded it to Philly who traded it to the clippers in the Tobias Harris trade who traded it to the Thunder in the PG trade and it could now be swapped for Houston’s pick if the Thunder want next year due to the CP3/Westbrook trade.

[Split T]

More than I would want to pay Adams. He’s in NO for next 3 years, total of 62 million. That’s the Gallo/Grant contract essentially.

Adams is a nice player, but he’s a limited offensive player and kinda gets in Zion’s way. Thought maybe going after a stretch 5 would make more sense next to Zion.

[Mori Chu]

I don't see how you can play Adams and Zion together. I like Adams but I don't get that move for NO.

[LazarusLong]

Speaking of Williamson, he looks about 20-30 lbs lighter. Good news for him, bad news for the rest of the league...

[Indy]

I don't see how you can play Adams and Zion together. I like Adams but I don't get that move for NO.

I think you want someone that can bang down low and even clear out space for him. Yeah, it would be better if Adams was a 3pt threat, but maybe Zion is going to add more perimeter stuff to his game this year (to Laz's note about his body).

[ShelC]

I still don't know what to make of Zion. He's a dribble drive threat from 3 and despite his mass/frame, he's not a fulltime 5 so I think he needs a center like Adams next to him. But he's got to become a threat from 3 as well.

[Indy]

I still don't know what to make of Zion. He's a dribble drive thread from 3 and despite his mass/frame, he's not a fulltime 5 so I think he needs a center like Adams next to him. But he's got to become a threat from 3 as well.

He is Mikal's height with Baynes weight and just as (more so?) athletic as Giannis.

[ShelC]

I know, I'm usually good at player comparisons but he's just a freak with his size and skill. If he could hit the 3 he'd be an athletic Rodney Rogers but he plays like a guard at 6-7 270. What do you do with that?

[Indy]

Marc Gasol to Lakers


BAE?

[Indy]

I know I'm usually good at player comparisons but he's just a freak with his size and skill. If he could hit the 3 he'd be an athletic Rodney Rogers but he plays like a guard at 6-7 270. What do you do with that?

I think that is why you need a big banger with him. He is faster than anyone his weight, so a big can't guard him if he starts more than 15 feet from the basket. But you do have some big guys that can make it hard for him to get around them, and have a center down low that can challenge him. If you have a guy like Adams, who might be the strongest man in the league, it helps keep that 2nd line of defense out of his way.

And if Zion can learn to pass, and his teammates can make it easy for them to find, it could work well.

[ShelC]

[Shabazz]

Bummer.

[Superbone]

Major drag for a great guy. Feel for him.

[virtual9mm]

I know, I'm usually good at player comparisons but he's just a freak with his size and skill. If he could hit the 3 he'd be an athletic Rodney Rogers but he plays like a guard at 6-7 270. What do you do with that?

Barkley

[Ring_Wanted]

Guys, get this: Danny Ainge had an offer from IND for Gordon Hayward, an unrestricted free agent who notoriously wanted out of BOS after three years of injuries and a diminishing role. The Pacers were willing to give up (via sign and trade) Miles Turner, a 1stR and a 'rotation player' (apparently it was McDermott). Still, Ainge demanded even more. So obviously Pritchard called Ainge's bluff and didn't give in, thus leaving BOS with nothing instead, since now CHA has signed Gordon Hayward to his mammoth $120M contract.

The spin? It's being said Ainge didn't want Turner, and that he made calls around the league looking for a taker but didn't find anything to his liking.

https://twitter.com/ThisIsJMichael/status/1331766667819556865

https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/k ... he_pacers/

[ShelC]

Maybe I missed this when Gallinari initially signed but I just assumed he'd start, especially since there had been talks of Collins being on the block or maybe sliding over to the 5. Either way I think Gallinari might be better served in a backup role now anyways where he can just be a scorer with the 2nd unit and then be on the floor to help close out games.