Around the League News - 2022 Offseason Edition

[Shabazz]

The best business decision is probably for him to go to whomever is giving him his max and has a big market. He already has some good endorsement deals, so he probably needs a big market to keep them when it is time to re-up.

Mountain Dew! Mountain Dew! Dew-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do!

[Shabazz]

None of us know anything about how assistant coaches turned first time head coaches will turn out.

[Indy]

Lue was a rookie head coach for LeBron before.

Same with Mike Brown.

LeBron seems to have a good history with rookie head coaches.

[Indy]

The best business decision is probably for him to go to whomever is giving him his max and has a big market. He already has some good endorsement deals, so he probably needs a big market to keep them when it is time to re-up.

Mountain Dew! Mountain Dew! Dew-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do!

lol

[Mori Chu]

I had heard Darvin Ham's name mentioned as a talented young assistant coach who would be a good head coach someday. I think it's great that they're giving him a shot. Not the easiest team to coach, but if he can reach both Lebron and their young guys, he could cause them to give a better effort than their pathetic 2021-22 season. That team isn't going far unless they make smart player moves this offseason, though. They blew almost every transaction they made last offseason.

[Flagrant Fowl]

Which dumb GM will put a $30M/year contract in front of Zion? Charlotte?

From what I have been told, the Pelicans, at this point, are not willing to offer a full five-year guaranteed deal. And a lot of it is flowing down from ownership. Gayle Benson, the owner, is also the owner of the New Orleans Saints. And I have been told they’re going to take a football-style, Saints-style mentality with this contract negotiation. They will offer him a huge contract but will not guarantee all of it.

[Split T]

He’s only extension eligible at the moment…he’ll wait till next offseason when he can sign an offer sheet. Someone will max him.

[ShelC]

The Knicks would give Zion $50m/year fully guaranteed right now.

[specialsauce]

Would you trade DA for him?

[Split T]

That’s a tricky one…I’d need some assurances on his health status. Healthy it wouldn’t even be a question, he wouldn’t be available.

[ShelC]

For me it's tough because he's not very good off the ball, he's not a strong defender or rebounder. He's a 6-7 280lb slashing PG who can't really shoot or play in the post. He can get to the line 15 times a game going downhill like Giannis because of his size and speed, but we'd probably need to move away from CP, get a 3rd ballhandler/shooter in the backcourt (like Payne when his head is right) and really play thru Book and Zion, then spread the floor with shooters like Mikal and Cam and maybe another stretch big who won't clog up the lane. I don't think he's the kind of big you can plug right into this team/system at the PF spot.

[Mori Chu]

Zion is a tantalizing player, but I see big red flags in the fact that he can't be bothered to stay in shape or rehab properly. I'm sympathetic to anybody who's fighting through injuries, but if you are lazy in your rehab and show up 40 pounds overweight, that bothers me.

[Split T]

He’d be great next to Booker, but ya his fit next to CP3 isn’t ideal

[ShadowHawke]

It seems the Suns ran two different teams last year. CP3 with Amare and Payne with Saric/Kaminsky. It seems we really lost when Saric went out.

This year we lost the second team when Kaminsky went out.

It showed more in the playoffs when the opposing team has more time to adjust.

[Indy]

Amare?

[JeremyG]

A bigger question for me is how the FO/coaching staff views the center position. Jones didn't win in Miami or Cleveland with a dominant center (granted he had LeBron, Kyrie, Wade, Bosh, etc) so maybe he doesn't put much of a premium on a top level big. Or maybe he sees the way the league has been trending and doesn't think a classic low post big is absolutely necessary to success.

In that case, does Jones and/or Monty think they can downgrade a bit from DA or simply platoon with a few different bigs (JaVale, Biz, Saric, etc) and get more talented at other positions like PF or bench roles?

I am hoping Miami wins the championship, then maybe Jones will want to build the team in the mold of Miami, with a max contract center whose aggressiveness and worth is questioned.

[ShadowHawke]

A bigger question for me is how the FO/coaching staff views the center position. Jones didn't win in Miami or Cleveland with a dominant center (granted he had LeBron, Kyrie, Wade, Bosh, etc) so maybe he doesn't put much of a premium on a top level big. Or maybe he sees the way the league has been trending and doesn't think a classic low post big is absolutely necessary to success.

In that case, does Jones and/or Monty think they can downgrade a bit from DA or simply platoon with a few different bigs (JaVale, Biz, Saric, etc) and get more talented at other positions like PF or bench roles?

I am hoping Miami wins the championship, then maybe Jones will want to build the team in the mold of Miami, with a max contract center whose aggressiveness and worth is questioned.

How much does Duffy give you from DA's contract?

[Split T]

Hahaha

[Indy]

A bigger question for me is how the FO/coaching staff views the center position. Jones didn't win in Miami or Cleveland with a dominant center (granted he had LeBron, Kyrie, Wade, Bosh, etc) so maybe he doesn't put much of a premium on a top level big. Or maybe he sees the way the league has been trending and doesn't think a classic low post big is absolutely necessary to success.

In that case, does Jones and/or Monty think they can downgrade a bit from DA or simply platoon with a few different bigs (JaVale, Biz, Saric, etc) and get more talented at other positions like PF or bench roles?

I am hoping Miami wins the championship, then maybe Jones will want to build the team in the mold of Miami, with a max contract center whose aggressiveness and worth is questioned.

lol


Serious question: Were you a basketball fan before Ayton? Were you a Suns fan before him? You joined this site 2 days before he as drafted. Just curious because I haven't seen someone stan a play as much unless the player was like the only good player on a shitty team, or like a top 5 player in the league. I want to know where you deep love for him comes from.

[ShadowHawke]

A bigger question for me is how the FO/coaching staff views the center position. Jones didn't win in Miami or Cleveland with a dominant center (granted he had LeBron, Kyrie, Wade, Bosh, etc) so maybe he doesn't put much of a premium on a top level big. Or maybe he sees the way the league has been trending and doesn't think a classic low post big is absolutely necessary to success.

In that case, does Jones and/or Monty think they can downgrade a bit from DA or simply platoon with a few different bigs (JaVale, Biz, Saric, etc) and get more talented at other positions like PF or bench roles?

I am hoping Miami wins the championship, then maybe Jones will want to build the team in the mold of Miami, with a max contract center whose aggressiveness and worth is questioned.

lol


Serious question: Were you a basketball fan before Ayton? Were you a Suns fan before him? You joined this site 2 days before he as drafted. Just curious because I haven't seen someone stan a play as much unless the player was like the only good player on a shitty team, or like a top 5 player in the league. I want to know where you deep love for him comes from.

I'm still going with my theory.