Around the League: July 2014

[Superbone]

From the "duh" files:

Steve Nash confirms this will be his last NBA season

http://www.insidesocal.com/lakers/2014/ ... ba-season/

[wpmiller42]

I wouldn't be opposed to having Shawn and Steve here, mostly to serve in mentoring roles to the young guys and also to retire as Suns. Both deserve their names in the Ring of Honor. Shawn would have to take a really reasonable deal, the lakers would have to send us a bunch to take Steve.

[Gladiator]

Apparently Blake Griffin has a small fracture in his back. He's expected to be right for the season, but that would be a concern for the Clippers

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/stor ... cture-back

[Mori Chu]

Wow. Clips can't catch a break. I feel bad for Blake. He has been really improving as a player.

[pickle]

since i've just returned and i'm trying to catch up to the full threads, i may be posting stuff that have already been discussed, in which case please excuse me...

just read that the greek freak is going to be playing point? for real? has anyone read anything like this elsewhere?

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[SDC]

is the greek freak the real deal or overrated and overhyped by bill simmons?

[ShelC]

He's probably somewhere in between. He's got the makings to be a Durant type.

I think the whole "playing point" thing is cover for bad teams to lose games while allow players to developing talent they'll never really use. Sure, it helps that guys like Giannis and Oladipo learn how to run offense and work on their ball handling and passing skills, but they're not going to ever be full time PGs.

[Ring_Wanted]

At the rate he is developing it won't take a lot of time until you have a Batum type, but there's much more headroom. However I don't really buy the PG stuff, at least at this point.

My guess is that Milwaukee is working on it because they want to create a functional combo with Parker and because Knight is more of a SG, and until they claimed Marshall all they had at point was Wolters, who is nice but not really on par with the kind of current talent at his position league wide (not that Marshall changes that, of course).

In my opinion improving his ballhandling is imperative, but not with the goal of playing point. First you exhaust his considerable scoring potential and then you worry about more exotic skills. Why settle for Batum if there is a chance of creating a Durant?

[TOO]

Try as you will, you're not gonna get a Durant, his shooting ability is amongst the best in NBA history. Batum is a very valid comparison though.

[In2ition]

I don't think that he's going to be Durant, but his future development floor is Batum.

[Ring_Wanted]

Try as you will, you're not gonna get a Durant, his shooting ability is amongst the best in NBA history.

Sure, but just a poor man Durant is better than Batum. The Freak will probably never score 30ppg, but Batum doesn't look like he'll ever be a 20ppg scorer either, so there's room in between, and that's where I'd focus my efforts when develpoing Antetokounmpo.

[pickle]

i'm confused why the greek freak is considered a durant type... without the benefit of youtube or live games, i've only seen very limited clips on him. based on that and what i've read, it seems he's more of a freak athletically... he is huge and long and extremely nimble. wouldn't a 3/4 anthony davis be more like his ceiling instead of durant, who truly is unique in his offensive talents?

[Superbone]

i'm confused why the greek freak is considered a durant type... without the benefit of youtube or live games, i've only seen very limited clips on him. based on that and what i've read, it seems he's more of a freak athletically... he is huge and long and extremely nimble. wouldn't a 3/4 anthony davis be more like his ceiling instead of durant, who truly is unique in his offensive talents?

Watching the summer league this year, he did show Durant like flashes. He surprised me with his outside shot too.

[Ring_Wanted]

His frame and arms alone bring Durant to your mind, but some of the things he does are almost copycat. The way he handles the ball and runs the break, in particular the first power bounce. Also the 3pt range, which was actually the first surprise when he made his debut. He even does that shoulder shake when he shoots free throws, although more prominently. His length allows him to finish in a pretty similar way, and his footwork is extremely advanced for a player his age, something that also defined Durant. Now, KD is obviously much more than that on offense, but the mold is the same.

On the other hand I think Antetokounmpo can become a much more complete player. His court vision and passing ability are extremely rare given his body (they gave him PG duties at summer league, after all) and he is already a big factor on defense because he puts those physical gifts to use on that side of the court, unlike Durant for the most part. That's where the Batum comparisons come from, but indeed as a probable floor.

[Bruiser]

Speaking of Durant, is this for real?



http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2145 ... g-national

[iLLmatic]

Durant needs to put some weight on.

[Flagrant Fowl]

Durant needs to put some weight on.

Obviously, Greg Oden should go #1.

[TOO]

Lakers worked out SuperCoolBeas. Thats fun.

[Mori Chu]

Lakers worked out SuperCoolBeas. Thats fun.

Are we still paying B*****y next year? If the Lakers sign him, does that reduce our payments to him by that contract's amount?

[Xylus]

He will make the same money from the Suns regardless of his contract with any new team, I believe.