Around the League: Preseason

[Mori Chu]

Thought I'd make a thread for various things happening to non-Suns teams in the preseason.

[Mori Chu]

James Harden left the Rockets game tonight with a knee contusion. Hmm. Hope he will be okay.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/story/_/i ... -contusion

[Mori Chu]

Did anybody watch the Spurs/Heat preseason game? I really wanted to catch that one, but my wife was sick and I had to help take care of her. I really want to see what LMA looks ilke in a Spurs uni and see the Heat's current lineup. I am skeptical about this year's Heat but I like a lot of their pieces.

[Hermen]

I mostly only watch game recaps due to time zone difference but Lowry seems absolutely on fire this preseason. Also Bobby Portis is putting up some very nice numbers.

I'm also wondering what the Heat will do this year. I expect(ed) a lot from Dragic-Bosh combo but currently Dragic only shoots 6 times per game. That team probably has a lot left to figure out.

[Ring_Wanted]

Lowry has gotten into terrific shape this summer, and truth is he better be, after the stinking peformance these past playoffs that allowed his team to the sweep by the Wizards. I believe swapping the physically unreliable Amir for Carroll, as incredibly expensive as he might be, will do them a lot of good. Their PF-C rotation is not exactly inspiring, though.

[Superbone]

I'm also wondering what the Heat will do this year. I expect(ed) a lot from Dragic-Bosh combo but currently Dragic only shoots 6 times per game. That team probably has a lot left to figure out.

I wonder if Dragic has already told Heat management that he won't be resigning with them?

[Ring_Wanted]

Unsurprisingly, it seems Larry Sanders is getting tired of smoking and skating and is being recruited. Apparently he is in Texas and expected to sign with the Mavs.

Meanwhile the Bucks still have to pay him and worse, have that money still on the books against the cap. The NBA is a very stupid world sometimes.

[Hermen]

Does anyone know why Bucks couldn't void his contract? I mean, didn't he stop playing basketball?
I apologize if I'm missing something obvious.

[Ring_Wanted]

Sanders didn't incur in any activity that warranted voiding the contract. His drug related issues were punished with fines as the CBA states and all that was left was a player who didn't want to keep playing. A defacto retirement of sorts, but in that case the team still has to pay the salary. Only if the player formally enters retirement he loses his money, but obviously Sanders is not going to do that so the only way out was negotiating a buyout, which they 'gladly' did given that under the circumstances, both parties did benefit. The player had to gave up half his guaranteed money in exchange for his freedom, and the team used the stretch provision on the spent money to minimize the cap impact.

[Hermen]

Thanks for the explanation.

[OE32]

Bobby P looking like a stud in Chicago.

Still waiting for a breakout game for TJ. Really thought he'd be tearing it up by this point... didn't realize he had so much development to undergo.

Hoping Archie gets the nod over Devin in terms of PT this season. If he gets leapfrogged, we'll have to let him go one way or another.

[ShelC]

I think TJ is what he is. He's a midrange scorer/slasher. Won't be a great rebounder, defender or 3pt shooter. Won't blow anyone away with his athleticism ala Gerald Green. I'm not sure what kind of role he plays for us because today's game is all about spacing and 3pt shooting. The coaches will need to find a way to take advantage of TJs scoring instincts without him getting in the way of others.

And no, Devin will get any and all of Archie's minutes. Devin's a basketball player. Not panning Archie, I just don't see a role or spot for him here anymore.

[Mori Chu]

A documentary about the saving of the Kings is being delayed due to the new attention KJ's sexual assault allegations have received.

http://www.sactownroyalty.com/2015/10/1 ... ns-against

[Indy]

That deadspin article is just so awful to read.

[Mori Chu]

Here's a good article by Kirk Goldsberry with some data and charts about how much more efficient assisted shots are than unassisted, along with 3s/layups versus midrange shots, etc.

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/the-n ... televised/

[Mori Chu]

Uh oh. Lamar Odom found passed out in a brothel, in critical condition. Seems to have been extremely high / intoxicated.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/story/_/i ... -enhancers

Crazy to think that this guy is just 35. He should still be going strong in the NBA, but he didn't have his shit together.

[carey]

Crazy to think that this guy is just 35. He should still be going strong in the NBA, but he didn't have his shit together.

He had addiction issues previously. That stuff is hard to manage and I feel for anyone that has to go through it.

[Indy]

Crazy to think that this guy is just 35. He should still be going strong in the NBA, but he didn't have his shit together.

He had addiction issues previously. That stuff is hard to manage and I feel for anyone that has to go through it.

No to mention having his son die. I can't imagine how people make it through that.

[carey]

They don't.

[Superbone]

Crazy to think that this guy is just 35. He should still be going strong in the NBA, but he didn't have his shit together.

He had addiction issues previously. That stuff is hard to manage and I feel for anyone that has to go through it.

No to mention having his son die. I can't imagine how people make it through that.

Hookers and blow, apparently.