Around the League: Week 25 4/13-4/15

[The Bobster]

Did they change the lottery rules? There's no way for the Suns to move up? I haven't kept caught up with rules in the last 6-7 years or so.

The odds have be heavily weighted in favor of the teams with the worst records for a while now, so they'll have about a 96% chance of landing at #13 and about a 2% chance of landing in the top 3 -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NBA_draft_lottery

[OE32]

Wait, I thought I was the only one who thought Dragic wildly overrated, that everyone else here loved him. What gives?

Pretty sure I was the most ardent IT supporter, as well....

Can't pat myself on the back too much, though. My preseason predictions were... *ahem* incorrect.

[Mori Chu]

Man, I'm really bummed about Memphis. They're really sputtering to end the season. I wanted to pick these guys as a dark horse Finals contender, but too many guys are hurt or playing like crap. Conley's foot is bad and Gasol looks injured or something. And they still don't have enough outside shooting. I guess this isn't their year, again.

[Mori Chu]

The odds have be heavily weighted in favor of the teams with the worst records for a while now, so they'll have about a 96% chance of landing at #13 and about a 2% chance of landing in the top 3 -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NBA_draft_lottery

I still don't understand why they do the lottery for only the first 3 picks. It's WAY more fun when they draw ping-pong balls for all the picks! Or at least, more of them. Why not do the top 10 picks all by lottery? Why stop at 3? It makes our #13 pick almost complete certainty and makes the lottery drawing show really boring and short.

[carey]

It looks like the Spurs are going to have OKC's destiny in their hands. Do they rest their guys and let the Pels in or do they give it their all and knock out the Pels?

Do the Spurs need the win to lock up the #2 seed? I don't know who has all the various tie-breakers. If the Spurs don't need the win, you better believe they will rest/tank the game.

Spurs definitely need to win. N.O. is in real trouble here. While OKC gets Minnesota.

[Mori Chu]

Would love it if they both lost, and then OKC was out of the playoffs.

[EDC]

It is such garbage that Westbrook has had two technicals rescinded. Either one going through would have meant he missed a game. The NBA just doesn't care how blatant they are.

[carey]

It is such garbage that Westbrook has had two technicals rescinded. Either one going through would have meant he missed a game. The NBA just doesn't care how blatant they are.

Yup. If I weren't hopelessly addicted to my Suns it would be enough to end my NBA fandom. It's total bullshit.

[SDC]

Welcome to 2 months ago Sharp. It's what we have all been saying. He will be in L.A. where he can have the ball in his hands every second on the floor. Wade just controls the ball too much.

if monta opts out (he will), then dallas can replace him with goran on 15mil/yr deal. chandler contract expiring.

utah needs a pg too. hayward dragic in the back court. kicks trey burke to the curb.

i dont know if sacramento has enough money to offer him 15 mil/year.

suns trade away bledsoe, bring dragic back for big payday.

the least likely scenario is him signing with miami.

I think the least likely scenario is him coming back to Phoenix, given all that happened with his 2nd exit from the Suns.

That would be something, huh? Kick Bledsoe to the curb and welcome Dragic back?

dragic will have to think carefully about which team to sign with for next season. all i know is that guys like jordan, wade, kobe, harden never needed or wanted a true pg. almost all of their pgs are strictly spot up shooters or defensive specialists.

harden probably ruined jeremy lin's career. and kobe turned steve nash into the most expensive spot up shooter 2 seasons ago. the best pgs like chris paul never needed (nor wanted) a ball dominant shooting guard (jj redick).

so probably miami is a terrible place to spend the rest of your career as long as wade is around, along with los angeles if kobe still wants to play.

update: another perfect place for dragic would be indiana, if hibbert opts out of his contract.

[OE32]

It is such garbage that Westbrook has had two technicals rescinded. Either one going through would have meant he missed a game. The NBA just doesn't care how blatant they are.

Yup. If I weren't hopelessly addicted to my Suns it would be enough to end my NBA fandom. It's total bullshit.

Yeah, I won't accept a starting line-up that includes both both Bled and either PJ Tucker or Marcus Morris. I can barely stomach having both Bled and Kieff as starters. I'm with the majority who would love to see at least one of either the Morris brothers or Eric Bledsoe gone.

Plenty of solid PFs available in free agency. Pretty sure Jeff wants a 4 that can space the floor.

Could Meyers Leonard be converted to a 4?

[Sunsfan4life]

I find myself feverishly rooting for the Pacers. I really like Frank Vogel as a coach and they were dealt such a bad break, I want to see them get in and make some noise....would be a great story.

Also Theirs like a 30% chance Isiah Thomas goes off vs the Cavs and becomes 1 of the stories of this years playoffs.

[carey]

Pelican'ts?? More like PeliCANS!

[Mori Chu]

They deserved it more. The real travesty is that Brooklyn made it and the Pacers (and Thunder, etc.) didn't.

[pickle]

i can't see wade being around and relevant for much longer. if dragic signs a 4 year max, that team will be his for 3 of those 4 years...

i'm a bit upset at how he handled the trade deadline, but it's not the robert horry towel throw incident here... he gave this team all he had for 1+ years, and i still wish him well, wherever he goes. i won't root for him now, which i would have had that exit been more graceful.

[Mori Chu]

[The Bobster]

Okay Mori, that one amused me.

[SDC]

"Not Goran Dragic, Danny. Yeah, anyone but him."

[ShelC]

I still love IT3 and think he's a killer. Tough to build around/play through him tho.

[Mori Chu]

He's a really impressive player who locks your team in at a very low ceiling. I don't miss him.

[Indy]

He's a really impressive player who locks your team in at a very low ceiling. I don't miss him.

He was probably our most efficient offensive player last year. And our ceiling last year was higher with him than without him. I do agree that he is a limited potential player, but he is probably better than anyone we currently have on our team. (I am holding out hope that Len, TJ, and maybe Archie will become better in the future)