Around the League: Week 4 11/17-11/23

[Gladiator]

Toronto up 101-57 on Milwaukee after 3 quarters. Goodness me.

[SDC]

"The Body Language Doctor is mildly alarmed by the Cavs."

[Danimal]

Bennet totally has allstar potential. He is huge and makes midrange shots. He is the new Z-bo.

Are you talking about Anthony Bennet RW?

I have been keeping an eye on the Wolves youth movement (sounds like a terrible boy band name).
Bennet still seems to love super long jump shots. Like just inside the 3pt line. He seems in better shape but still could be better. I thought his speed and handles in college was a good asset but he's taking that away from himself without better conditioning. I still like think he has good potential if he keeps working and improving.

I noticed La Vine got pulled from their starting line up after a few games for Mo Williams. Always good for a young mans confidence

What are people's thoughts so far on Wiggins?

[The Bobster]

Toronto up 101-57 on Milwaukee after 3 quarters. Goodness me.

And the Lakers gave up 140 tonight.

[carey]

Anthony Davis, 43 points on 23 shots, 14 rebounds against Utah tonight.

[Ring_Wanted]

Bennet totally has allstar potential. He is huge and makes midrange shots. He is the new Z-bo.

Are you talking about Anthony Bennet RW?

I have been keeping an eye on the Wolves youth movement (sounds like a terrible boy band name).
Bennet still seems to love super long jump shots. Like just inside the 3pt line. He seems in better shape but still could be better. I thought his speed and handles in college was a good asset but he's taking that away from himself without better conditioning. I still like think he has good potential if he keeps working and improving.

I noticed La Vine got pulled from their starting line up after a few games for Mo Williams. Always good for a young mans confidence

What are people's thoughts so far on Wiggins?

Yeah, Anthony Bennett had maybe the worst rookie season ever for a #1 pick, but with that frame and skilled hands he is a little more of IQ and conditioning from being a nightmare, as you point.

Wiggins looks shy out there at times, but his gifts are obvious (on both sides, and he is actually interested in defense) and will be ROY, I think. His shot is more accurate than what was said, at least in spot up situations. Creating in half court doesn't seem to be there right now, at least with more than one bounce, but he is so quick that just a basic fake gives him enough to get by his defender for a penetration, although he can have trouble finishing. Some more muscle and experience and I think very few perimeter defenders will have a chance.

With Martin out he just scored 29, so maybe removing the sort of a safety net that vets like him are to rookies will actually do him a favor as Flip now is forced to go to him instead of making him a smaller part of a system. One of the things I liked a lot when I watched him a couple of times in college was that despite being accused of being passive, he seems to have a knack to be in the right place at the right time.

LaVine, I can't tell because he didn't play in the couple of Wolves games I've watched, but his stats are an abomination so far. In the summer he looked like a Gerald Green clone but with better ballhandling ability. I'm not sure he can be used at his best as PG.

[Mori Chu]

Man, the Raptors ... 11-2? Tied for best record in the NBA? Show me one human being who predicted that. (Tied with Memphis! Show me one person who predicted THAT!)

Also, Cavs are 5-7, LMAO! That's freaking horrible. 4-game losing streak, horrible defense, horrible chemistry. Players openly dissing each other in the media.

I'm proud of the Pacers for being 5-8. Not a good record, but that team has so little talent and is still at least going out there and trying. The Brooklyn Nets, who have no such excuses, have exactly the same record. And the Knicks are 4-10.

For all our supposed deep roster issues and problems, we are freaking 9-5 and not doing so badly in the standings all things considered. We're ahead of such teams as the LA Clippers, everybody's darling Sacramento Kings, and the beastly Antonio Davis and his Pelicans.

P.S. Okay, I was wrong about the Mavs. They're 10-4. But, to be fair, I'm right about Chandler Parsons so far. 14.1 PPG on .414 FG%, 4.9 RPG, and 2.3 APG. Hmm, that doesn't sound like a max player to me. And he's fat.

[ShelC]

Parsons will never live up to that contract in terms of stats. But you have to understand the context with which he was signed. Dallas never signed him to be their franchise go-to player. They had to overbid to get him, thought they'd be hurting a WC rival, and also bet that he would help extend Dirk's career by helping take the offensive load off of him. It was more of a big picture FA signing. I can buy that, especially when it's Dallas which has the money and had pieces in place, along with a star willing to take less.

I can't necessarily go with the Hayward max deal because Utah signed him to be their franchise player, which I don't think he is. He's turned into a great player but is he a guy that's going to really win you games? They're a nice young team for sure, but it's almost like they had to max him out because every team needs a max player and they couldn't afford to let him go.

[Ring_Wanted]

I'm proud of the Pacers for being 5-8. Not a good record, but that team has so little talent and is still at least going out there and trying. The Brooklyn Nets, who have no such excuses, have exactly the same record. And the Knicks are 4-10.

The Knicks do have that excuse though.

Cleveland is struggling, but so did Miami the first year LeBron played. I don't think this time it's as 'easily' fixable, but they have a ton of talent and can afford to make moves to add balance. But yes, it is absurd that a team with Lebron James and allstar talent plays so bad. And Love can bolt...

On the other hand, the Raptors are building from what they did last year. The have found continuity and chemistry, and their home court actually is an advantage. And James Johnson and Lou Williams add toughness and scoring punch (two underrated moves, especially taking a contributor plus a prospect with potential for just cap space. Masai fleeced Ferry on this one).

The Pacers are very brave but they have to drop, although this is the east. Charlotte should be higher, but they are struggling as much as the Suns, just less talent. Speaking of talent, if they are not going to play Vonleh, I'd try to acquire him (I see next generation stretch forward potential here, he loves to shoot). Suns and Bobcats, I mean Hornets, could be nice trading partners.

[Ring_Wanted]

Parsons will never live up to that contract in terms of stats. But you have to understand the context with which he was signed. Dallas never signed him to be their franchise go-to player. They had to overbid to get him, thought they'd be hurting a WC rival, and also bet that he would help extend Dirk's career by helping take the offensive load off of him. It was more of a big picture FA signing. I can buy that, especially when it's Dallas which has the money and had pieces in place, along with a star willing to take less.

I can't necessarily go with the Hayward max deal because Utah signed him to be their franchise player, which I don't think he is. He's turned into a great player but is he a guy that's going to really win you games? They're a nice young team for sure, but it's almost like they had to max him out because every team needs a max player and they couldn't afford to let him go.

I totally understand what the Mavs did. Not just screwing Morey (which is plenty debatable given Ariza's performance and wins), but above all giving Dirk all they can before he hangs them up. Parsons is just the best they could get. 'Nothing/cap space' was not an option.

As for Hayward, no, they couldn't afford to let him go. No team that has him can, actually. You don't build around him, but you can build with him at the max. I wouldn't have regretted matching that offer if his production was on par with last season, but he is having a season comparable to 13-14 Dragic.

[ShelC]

Vonleh was injured and is still recovering I believe.

Stephenson on paper was a good move but I don't think they'd really figured out how to use them. Or, they just overrated his ability. He looked great on a Pacers team with veteran leaders and scoring threats, but he's a 3rd option intangible guy.

Cleveland is interesting because they're struggling, like Miami did, but they also have younger players who may or may not buy in. Miami right away had Wade, LeBron and Bosh, along with Haslem and guys like Mike Miller, Illguaskas, Juwon Howard, etc. Those guys knew how to play. Even when Chalmers acted out, he got back in line quickly and it wasn't like they needed him to win them games. On Cleveland, Waiters, Thompson, even Irving haven't won, weren't well coaches previously, and can be young and dumb. There was also an article that came out that put LeBron in a bad light (surprise) where the sense is he's basically acting above them all (even the coach). So he's not entirely innocent here and if he's going to lose his teammates because he's acting infallible and condescending, things could get very ugly.

[Ring_Wanted]

Kobe also had that kind of character before and during his winning days. Jordan too. And many others. They said Stockton was an asshole. Isiah as well. The guy has showed he is the best with difference, but if he thought his bunch and the coach would carry him instead of the other way around, it seems he is mistaken.

What if they pawned off Irving and Waiters and acquired depth and compatibility. Boston has Rondo and Sullinger/Smart. Atlanta's got some of the finest role players out there. Imagine Denver starting over with Kyrie for Lawson, Faried.

[carey]

I think I might do a Bledsoe & IT for Kyrie & Waiters deal. I don't know if I'd want to keep Waiters or try and route him to a 3rd team.

I think I am going to wind up being one of the few posters that wants to keep Green and move IT. He's a good little spark plug, can win you games just like Green can, is younger, just as much of a defensive liability.... I just think I like Green's ability to mesh with our offense a little better right now. I'm a bit higher on Kryie than I am on Bledsoe right now. Though he's making a lot of money and we really don't know if he's Steve Francis or Tony Parker.

[TOO]

I think I might do a Bledsoe & IT for Kyrie & Waiters deal. I don't know if I'd want to keep Waiters or try and route him to a 3rd team.

I think I am going to wind up being one of the few posters that wants to keep Green and move IT. He's a good little spark plug, can win you games just like Green can, is younger, just as much of a defensive liability.... I just think I like Green's ability to mesh with our offense a little better right now. I'm a bit higher on Kryie than I am on Bledsoe right now. Though he's making a lot of money and we really don't know if he's Steve Francis or Tony Parker.

Trading 2 PGs who dont want to pass for a PG and SG who dont wanna pass leaves in kinda the same situation, no?

[specialsauce]

Just say no to kyrie

[TOO]

I wouldnt just say no to Irving, but I think he needs specific player types around him to succeed. A 3D SG and point forward to aid in facilitating the offense. Similar to what Lillard has in PDX.

[Mori Chu]

Agreed. I don't dislike Kyrie Irving as a player, but I don't think having him here would help us very much.

Having said that, I might still do a Bledsoe-for-Irving swap simply because the league seems to value Irving more, and therefore he's a better asset in a sense. Maybe we could flip him to a third team, as others have said.

[Ring_Wanted]

Anthony Davis, 43 points on 23 shots, 14 rebounds against Utah tonight.

Watched that game. He is unreal, does absolutely everything on offense and is a terror on the other side. Favors, who ate the Suns alive, was hopeless.

He'll challenge Durant soon, just needs better fit around him. You can't have two-three tunnel vision players like Gordon and Reke sharing the starting lineup while being flawed on their own, to boot. And gunners like Fredette and Rivers off the bench. He needs team players and one compatible sidekick. Look at the huge benefits from having a role player like Asik. Jrue is not the best at anything but is solid enough to be a keeper. Anderson is elite at what he does, and there's plenty of room alongside Davis and Asik. The rest is pretty much disposable.

And what about Exum's defense? Did you catch him locking down people? His feet are so quick he just appears in from of his man denying him with his chest. A piece of art. Probably one of the attributes that made some link him to a young Kobe. He is even making spot up threes. Utah fans must be salivating over their Exum-Hayward-Favors core. Oh, and you can add Trevor Booker to the list of bargains from the summer.