Around the NBA: Week 25 (4/8 - 4/14)

[TOO]

SGA MVP? Chet is that teams MVP, without him they don't work.

Jokic and Luka are 1a 1b to me. Couldn't argue with either of them.

[Split T]

Chet? Nah…he’s good but that’s SGA…someone posted the on/off numbers on Twitter today…The Thunder are still +10 with SGA on and Chet/Jalen off..I think they were basically even with it reversed…SGA has the highest EPM in the league. He dropped 30/6/6/2/1 with a .636 TS% on the 1 seed in the west. Best point differential too by over a point..2 points over Denver.

I thought it was neck and neck all year and told myself I’d give it to whoever got their team the 1 seed so that’s what I did.

[Flagrant Fowl]

SGA MVP? Chet is that teams MVP, without him they don't work.

Jokic and Luka are 1a 1b to me. Couldn't argue with either of them.

It's acceptable to not support SGA as league MVP, but to say Chet is the MVP of that team is ridiculous.

[TOO]

SGA MVP? Chet is that teams MVP, without him they don't work.

Jokic and Luka are 1a 1b to me. Couldn't argue with either of them.

It's acceptable to not support SGA as league MVP, but to say Chet is the MVP of that team is ridiculous.

He unlocked everything they do. Sure he's not the literal MVP but it's not a coincidence that he is healthy and they are rolling.

[Flagrant Fowl]

SGA MVP? Chet is that teams MVP, without him they don't work.

Jokic and Luka are 1a 1b to me. Couldn't argue with either of them.

It's acceptable to not support SGA as league MVP, but to say Chet is the MVP of that team is ridiculous.

He unlocked everything they do. Sure he's not the literal MVP but it's not a coincidence that he is healthy and they are rolling.

I'm confused. He's the MVP but not the literal MVP?

I get it, Chet is really good and helps them space for SGA and JWill to attack, but there are quite a few guys who could approximate what Chet did for them this season and no one would consider them to be the MVP of the Thunder.

[Split T]

SGA was +11.4 on/off
Chet was +2.8

The next highest rotation player was Kenrich Williams at +3.5

Calling someone other than SGA their MVP is crazy talk.

[TOO]

SGA MVP? Chet is that teams MVP, without him they don't work.

Jokic and Luka are 1a 1b to me. Couldn't argue with either of them.

It's acceptable to not support SGA as league MVP, but to say Chet is the MVP of that team is ridiculous.

He unlocked everything they do. Sure he's not the literal MVP but it's not a coincidence that he is healthy and they are rolling.

I'm confused. He's the MVP but not the literal MVP?

I get it, Chet is really good and helps them space for SGA and JWill to attack, but there are quite a few guys who could replicate what Chet did for them this season and no one would consider them to be the MVP of the Thunder.

I just don't think SGA deserves the credit he's getting, it's underselling Chet and JWill.

[Flagrant Fowl]

Smells like haterade to me. Reminds me of early in the season when I said SGA was a better PG than Booker and a few people here were quick to dismiss that take.

I don't really get it. He's fucking great and absolutely a top 3 MVP candidate at worst.

[Split T]

He’s just unexpectedly great…No one saw him as an mvp candidate before so it’s hard to buy it now…Jokic has won 2 and won a finals…People have been predicting a Luka MVP for the last couple years…he was expected to be here…Shai was not so we doubt it more.

I’m not strongly for Shai…I wouldn’t argue if someone went Luka or Jokic…I think all 3 are deserving. Jokic probably wins…seems like the media made their mind up on that when Embiid got hurt. Embiid was running away with it.

[Wally_West]

Call me a hater if you want but I’d put Jokic and Luka ahead of SGA.

[Flagrant Fowl]

Jokic is definitely my choice for MVP.

I just think SGA is clearly a top 3 candidate and I don't have much of an issue with anyone who votes for him this year.

[pickle]

The Group Chat guys were doing their theoretical ballots and one of them put Wemby in on the All NBA third team and went with this logic: with him replacing any of the other players in contention and that team improves. One of the other hosts (Verrier I think) said even Phoenix with Booker? Which is an interesting thought exercise. Would the Suns be better if Wemby were to replace Book or KD right now. No salaries no age factor (but yes injury factor) and we made that swap today?

[Mori Chu]

The Group Chat guys were doing their theoretical ballots and one of them put Wemby in on the All NBA third team and went with this logic: with him replacing any of the other players in contention and that team improves. One of the other hosts (Verrier I think) said even Phoenix with Booker? Which is an interesting thought exercise. Would the Suns be better if Wemby were to replace Book or KD right now. No salaries no age factor (but yes injury factor) and we made that swap today?

If you factor in the future, sure, you would absolutely trade KD for Wemby. Maybe even Book, too (though I wouldn't). I don't think Wemby is a perfect fit for our current roster given that we already have Nurkic, but any team would have to grab him if such a fictional deal were on offer.

[ShelC]

For the roster now, KD for Wemby would make the most sense. We might not be as dangerous today but our window would be wide open going forward. I think he could play the 4 next to Nurk, then slide over to the 5. And playing next to Book and, presumably, Beal, would allow him to grow into his offensive role rather than be relied upon to carry a team offensively right away. But the defense would still be there regardless and playing next to such dominant perimeter players would make things that much easier for him.

[pickle]

I think they mean this season. Longer term I don’t know how many players you wouldn’t trade to get him today. Maybe that list stops at three or four.

[Wally_West]

This dude is gone! And they don’t have a draft pick this year to potentially draft a replacement. Yeesh.


I think Eubanks should opt in for his second year and the Nets trade us a couple seconds they got from us in the Royce deal. Everyone wins.

[carey]

What kind of wheaties has Brunson been eating? Dude is averaging 28 points. 37 ppg over his last 10. Their roster is also balanced for the first time in a while. Not much bench depth with Randle out. I'm interested to see how far the Knicks go in the playoffs.

[Split T]

I think the winner of New York/Philly will go to the ECF

[TOO]

This dude is gone! And they don’t have a draft pick this year to potentially draft a replacement. Yeesh.


I think Eubanks should opt in for his second year and the Nets trade us a couple seconds they got from us in the Royce deal. Everyone wins.

Want.

[Mori Chu]

I think the winner of New York/Philly will go to the ECF

IMO both those teams are just begging for a major injury. I don't trust Embiid's legs, and the Knicks have Thibs burning guys out with 40+ minutes a game.