Around the League: Offseason

[ShelC]

Weird that we never heard this kind of stuff while he was in Phoenix. I don't remember seeing any videos or pressers of this kind but maybe this sort of thing is what we didn't see behind the scenes and what Jones and the FO/Monty maybe saw coming. A kind of spacy-ness or eccentricity that they preferred not to have around the team or younger players like Ayton. Book, Cam, Mikal, Jevon, Dario and now CP and Jae seem much more grounded and focused on coming to work everyday and just sticking to basketball.

[Flagrant Fowl]

The Suns let Richaun Holmes walk in free agency and traded Kelly Oubre. It seemed like they were the two guys Ayton's been closest with.

[Mori Chu]

I was like, hey Kelly, water you talkin about??

[Danimal]

Did anyone watch that recent marbury documentary?
He said essentially the same thing at the end. Shows a kid a video of Bruce Lee talking about being water and says to the kid, “that’s my idol, so be like water”. Nothing further given. Just some bs to make it look like he was a deep thinker but he had instead done about the most millennial thing ever and used a 5 second video clip of some ones hard work and try to make people think that is a reflection of you. Keen to see if anyone had the same take after watching it.

The Documentary is kinda funny in a sad way. It shows his basketball journey with interviews with his family. But by the end they just come across as enablers because every team he leaves they just say “ hey he just wanted to win, that team was the problem, they were no good”. After it gets through about 3 teams , the side ways glances start. It barley touched on his time with the suns.

[ShelC]

Didn't see the doc but know his history pretty well. He was doing that as a player, trying to repeat "deep" things he heard to make it look like he was profound and deep. Amar'e used to do the same.

The Suns were probably the best thing that happened in his NBA career. He wasn't mature enough in Minny and wanted more money than KG, the Nets were a disaster and he really want to be in NY so playing in NJ was more of an insult to him. He was happy in Phoenix tho, getting away from the West Coast and his friends and family and just worrying about basketball with a solid org. Then the trade happened and Isaiah ruined him in NY by enabling him to the fullest (and his family being around didn't help) and then they both fed each other to the wolves during "the trial". It was the beginning of the end for him being traded to NY. When you're the cash cow for the family tho, not a lot of people are going to push back and tell you what you need to hear and he had a lot of mouths to feed.

[ShelC]

[virtual9mm]

This is really interesting. The NBA floated a note on the private placement market and used the proceeds to hand out 30 million to each team to help with their cash flows.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/304 ... p-finances

[ShelC]

[Split T]

This is really interesting. The NBA floated a note on the private placement market and used the proceeds to hand out 30 million to each team to help with their cash flows.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/304 ... p-finances

So do we rehire those employees let go or does Sarver just pocket the money?

[Indy]

This is really interesting. The NBA floated a note on the private placement market and used the proceeds to hand out 30 million to each team to help with their cash flows.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/304 ... p-finances

So do we rehire those employees let go or does Sarver just pocket the money?

Oh you probably know the answer here.

[Superbone]

This is really interesting. The NBA floated a note on the private placement market and used the proceeds to hand out 30 million to each team to help with their cash flows.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/304 ... p-finances

So do we rehire those employees let go or does Sarver just pocket the money?

Oh you probably know the answer here.

That's his lunch money for the year.

[bajanguy008]

I told one of my buddies that I thought Harden was just posturing when the rumours first started
then he got offered the 2yr/102mil contract which was absolute madness, the fact he turned it down was even crazier smh lol and now this....
Wow

[Flagrant Fowl]

He's pulling every card he can to force his way out of Houston.

[ShelC]

Sounds like Wiseman's got the 'rona?





Also the Blazers got some positives

[Indy]

Will Harden get away with forcing his way to Brooklyn? I feel that if Morey were still there he wouldn't. He might get shipped, but it would be what is best for Houston, not Harden.

He still has 2 years left on his deal (well technically 3, with the last a player option that I would bet he declines).

[Split T]

Starting their player rankings with 100-51. Ayton shows up on here at 52. Thought Bridges should sneak in here in the top 100, but didn’t make it. Next year.

Who’s gonna be higher CP3 or Book?

Also, MPJ at 51 already? That’s too high for me right now.

[Oatmeal]

Herro/Porter above bonafide all-stars is crazy. Lavine is way too low.

[Split T]

Some major projection on those guys. It seems like probably too much of a bubble influence might happen. I think KCP is too high as well. Where Murray lands will be interesting as well. He was probably in the 30-40 range pre-bubble, but was a top 15-20 guy in the bubble. I wonder if Butler lands top 10.

Guys I’m a little confused made the top 100:

John Wall
Josh Richardson
Derrick White
Otto Porter
Marc Gasol

[Split T]

I got bored so I tried to figure out the top 50:

Lakers(2): Lebron and AD
Clippers(2): Kawhi and PG
Nuggets(2): Jokic and Murray
Blazers(2): Dame and CJ
Jazz(2): Rudy and DM
Mavs(2): Luka and KP
Suns(2): Book and CP3
Warriors(2): Curry and Draymond
Pelicans(2): Zion and Ingram
Grizzlies(2): Ja and JJJ
Rockets(1): Harden
Kings(1): Fox
Wolves(1): KAT
Thunder(1): SGA
Spurs(0)

Celtics(4): Tatum, Kemba, Brown, Smart
Bucks(3): Giannis, Middleton, Jrue
Raptors(3): Lowry, Siakam, FVV
Nets(3): KD, Kyrie, LaVert
Heat(2): Butler and Bam
Pacers(2): Brogdon and Sabonis
Sixers(2): Embiid and Simmons
Wizards(2): Westbrook and Beal
Hawks(1): Trae
Hornets(1): Hayward
Magic(1): Vucevic
Bulls(0)
Cavs(0)
Knicks(0)
Pistons(0)

So that’s 48, 24 for each conference. Who did I miss?

The guys that didn’t show up in the 51-100 range that I thought should have:

Will Barton, Mikal Bridges, THJ, Wiggins, Oubre, Eric Gordon, Valunciunas, Dinwiddie, Rose, Sexton, Fournier, DeVonte Graham.

Possible a guy like Klay was included before the injury. But if I had to guess, I bet they included Will Barton and Andrew Wiggins in the top 50.

[Mori Chu]

Have you guys been following this James Harden story? He has refused to report to the Rockets training camp and practices, and they don't even know where he is. Not only that, but he's been posting Instagram Live videos of himself partying in strip clubs with no mask on. He is violating the league's COVID protocols, and he apparently has also been hanging out with lots of other random NBA players. He may have exposed a large portion of the league's player base to the virus. Oof.