Around the League: 2018 Offseason

[Cap]

Doncic had some nice scoring plays, but he looks kind of fat to me. Is it just me? He looks big, puffy.

I had heard that he let himself go a little bit after finishing up in Spain. I can't knock him too much for it since he just finished playing a ton of games and he's still only 19, but I'd be worried about him picking up an injury if I were a Mavs fan.

Picking up an injury? It’s not like he’s carrying around the kind of weight that’s going to put a pounding on his joints. If you’re concerned about conditioning, the coaches can easily manage that risk by limiting his minutes.

[OE32]

Doncic's fat is his singular advantage. Kinda like Harden and Barkley with their wide bodies. Allows them to protect the ball better, handle it looser, push others off.

Don't have to hate on Doncic to feel good about Ayton. I expect both to be great. I expect this whole class to be great, actually.

[Mori Chu]

I wanted us to pick Doncic on draft night. Based on what I have seen since the draft, I still wish we had Doncic over Ayton. I'm genuinely rooting for Ayton to be a monster and to be the better pick. But if he is mediocre and/or if Doncic looks amazing, I will definitely have words about it.

[ShelC]

Don't have to hate on Doncic to feel good about Ayton.

Exactly. Well said.

[OE32]

Another thought on the PG situation. If I'm right and teams like NOP and/or POR struggle, Jrue Holiday or even Damian Lillard might become available. If the Heat don't land Butler and struggle, maybe Dragic becomes available. A lot of quality point guards are slotted to become free agents next summer, so you'd think at least a few might be made available for a couple second rounders around the deadline.

If AD forces his way off the Pels, for instance, perhaps a package for Jrue based around Chandler, TJ, Melton + MIL pick pick looks good to NOP. I imagine we'd actually be able to put together the best package for AD + Jrue if we sent out all the best parts of the supporting cast: 2/3 of Jackson, Warren and Bridges, along with Bender, Melton, MIL pick, and our own 2019, plus expirings. But if AD wants LAL, I'd skip him and look into Jrue.

All I'm saying is if we can't get a fair value trade for a PG right now, I'm okay standing pat and seeing what happens. Be opportunistic and make the right deal, or no deal.

[Superbone]

Don't have to hate on Doncic to feel good about Ayton.

Exactly. Well said.

Yup. I expect them both to be very good. Wouldn't it be nice if we had a Magic/Bird situation on our hands?

[specialsauce]

I wanted us to pick Doncic on draft night. Based on what I have seen since the draft, I still wish we had Doncic over Ayton. I'm genuinely rooting for Ayton to be a monster and to be the better pick. But if he is mediocre and/or if Doncic looks amazing, I will definitely have words about it.

The horse has been shot in the head, lifted up, power slammed, stabbed in the gut and now beaten with a shovel.

[specialsauce]

Another thought on the PG situation. If I'm right and teams like NOP and/or POR struggle, Jrue Holiday or even Damian Lillard might become available. If the Heat don't land Butler and struggle, maybe Dragic becomes available. A lot of quality point guards are slotted to become free agents next summer, so you'd think at least a few might be made available for a couple second rounders around the deadline.

If AD forces his way off the Pels, for instance, perhaps a package for Jrue based around Chandler, TJ, Melton + MIL pick pick looks good to NOP. I imagine we'd actually be able to put together the best package for AD + Jrue if we sent out all the best parts of the supporting cast: 2/3 of Jackson, Warren and Bridges, along with Bender, Melton, MIL pick, and our own 2019, plus expirings. But if AD wants LAL, I'd skip him and look into Jrue.

All I'm saying is if we can't get a fair value trade for a PG right now, I'm okay standing pat and seeing what happens. Be opportunistic and make the right deal, or no deal.

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[Flagrant Fowl]

Doncic had some nice scoring plays, but he looks kind of fat to me. Is it just me? He looks big, puffy.

I had heard that he let himself go a little bit after finishing up in Spain. I can't knock him too much for it since he just finished playing a ton of games and he's still only 19, but I'd be worried about him picking up an injury if I were a Mavs fan.

Picking up an injury? It’s not like he’s carrying around the kind of weight that’s going to put a pounding on his joints. If you’re concerned about conditioning, the coaches can easily manage that risk by limiting his minutes.

There are various other injuries not related to joints someone could pick up from being in less than ideal physical condition. It's only my intuition, but I sense that players who look "kind of fat" tend to be a higher risk of picking up an injury. I would be a bit concerned if our #1 draft pick came into camp looking like Doncic. That's all I'm saying.

[Flagrant Fowl]

All I'm saying is if we can't get a fair value trade for a PG right now, I'm okay standing pat and seeing what happens. Be opportunistic and make the right deal, or no deal.

This is true because NBA trades are mostly about leverage and right now everyone knows that the Suns don't have a proven PG, so they have no leverage in a 2-team deal.

I still maintain that we're not going to be very good this year, no where near the playoffs. But I'm fine with that because I like our young pieces. Keep everyone together and go after the right guy when he's available.

[UglyTruth]

Len starting for the Hawks
https://twitter.com/KLChouinard/status/1046783528539770880

[Flagrant Fowl]

I expect Dedmon to start over Len when he's healthy.

[specialsauce]

Don’t worry Len will be on the bench after picking up 3 fouls in 4 minutes

[O_Gardino]

Markief Morris got ejected tonight. So glad that guy is gone.


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[UglyTruth]

Markief Morris got ejected tonight. So glad that guy is gone.


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https://twitter.com/CandaceDBuckner/status/1046951782889480193

[carey]

I don't think Mitchell Robinson is a dude you want to talk about like that, from what I know about the area he grew up in.

[Superbone]

Morris is just an idiot.

[O_Gardino]

Letting a rookie get the better of you in a summer league game? How often has that happened in history?

[Mori Chu]

I'm rooting for Len to do well. And I bet he will contribute there. I think he'll be a solid NBA center in his mid-20s. But as for Kieff, yeah, F that guy.

[Flagrant Fowl]

Derrick Jones Jr. just took a really nasty fall on an attempted putback. I've been hoping he'd find rotation minutes somewhere.