Around the League: Week 14 1/23-1/29

[Flagrant Fowl]

Here's the thing; they're both right.

LeBron whining about playmakers is absurd when the Cavs backcourt is getting carved up by Yogi Ferrell.

Barkley talks shit for a living, but his house isn't made of glass. Not a single NBA fan was surprised about what LeBron said.

If I put on my tinfoil hat, this is a marketing gimmick by the NBA and TNT to drive interest in the deadest part of the season. Sure, I don't think anyone is directing LeBron to fire back at Barkley, but I can easily connect dots between bad January basketball and stirring the pot in the media.

[carey]

If I put on my tinfoil hat, this is a marketing gimmick by the NBA and TNT to drive interest in the deadest part of the season. Sure, I don't think anyone is directing LeBron to fire back at Barkley, but I can easily connect dots between a bad January basketball and stirring the pot in the media.

That's extraordinarily cynical but who the hell knows these days? LeBron has never gone off on anyone like that before. He rattled off a list of Barkley's poor behaviors (leaving out the DUI / fellatio incident) off the cuff. This had clearly been stewing for a while.

[ShelC]

Barkley's paid to speak his opinions. Guys know that. LBJ seems to need to be the center of attention, creating these "controversies".

It doesn't mean his opinions get to be said consequence free. I'm all for athletes defending themselves when these "analysts" start going off on them. On the other hand, I think people should be able to comment on LBJ demanding a better roster when he just won a championship and has some of the best players in the league on his team.

I'm not saying LBJ doesn't have a right to defend himself. But again, Charles is paid to be provocative and have these opinions. And LBJ brings it on himself when he lets it fly to the media about the roster. To your point, he just won a title and has 2 great players by his side in Kyrie and Love. He complains that the cavs are top heavy, which isn't exactly a bad problem to have, but also has great role players in JR (tho injured), Iman, Frye, Tristan Thompson. And oh yea, they basically stole Korver from the Hawks. But yea, the Cavs need help. I think LBJ's a diva and needs to be in the headlines and this is his way to stay relevant, so to speak. People are watching the Warriors and talking about Harden and Westbrook. LBJ wants his share of the spotlight and makes it seem like the Cavs are facing some major adversity and need help. They're not.

[Mori Chu]

Lebron is silly to complain about that Cavs roster. They built the entire team just for him, including paying questionable large contracts to mediocre talents like Tristan Thompson and JR Smith. He has 8-9 real legit NBA rotation players on that team and 3 big stars. The team is the defending NBA champs and one of the best rosters in the league. What possible right does he have to complain?

I heard on a podcast that he is leading the NBA in minutes played per game. If so, that's nuts. If I were him, that's what I would complain about if anything.

[Superbone]

[Mori Chu]

LOL

[The Bobster]

44 tonight for Isaiah Thomas. 19th in the 4th quarter. Now averaging 29.7 points for the season. 2nd in the league in scoring.

[EDC]

44 tonight for Isaiah Thomas. 19th in the 4th quarter. Now averaging 29.7 points for the season. 2nd in the league in scoring.

The little guy sure knows how to put the ball in the hoop. I hope he can keep it up next year as well. He seemed like a nice guy that was just happy to have a contract when we signed him. Would be nice to see him get paid.

I don't miss him though.

[Split T]

Having a very iversonian season. Actually probably better than iverson ever did, at least offensively. He's been a much more efficient scorer than iverson ever was.

[Superbone]

44 tonight for Isaiah Thomas. 19th in the 4th quarter. Now averaging 29.7 points for the season. 2nd in the league in scoring.

The little guy sure knows how to put the ball in the hoop. I hope he can keep it up next year as well. He seemed like a nice guy that was just happy to have a contract when we signed him. Would be nice to see him get paid.

I don't miss him though.

Yeah, I keep thinking what it would have been like if we had kept him. I just don't see how it would have worked.

[Split T]

Insider article on top 25 players under 25

http://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_ ... players-25

17. Devin Booker
Phoenix Suns
Guard
Age: 20

Booker is enjoying a full season of an expanded role as one of his team's primary options offensively, and he's done a decent job of efficiently pumping in the shots.

What's tantalizing about Booker is his age. Putting aside the quality of his team, you have to marvel at a 20-year-old averaging better than 20 points per game in the NBA. His defense leaves a lot to be desired, and a player his size should be a better rebounder, but when you buy Booker, you're buying the immense potential he has.

Full Rankings for those who can't access Insider:

1. Anthony Davis
2. Giannis Antetekoumpo
3. Karl-Anthony Towns
4. Joel Embiid
5. Kristaps Porzingis
6. Nikola Jokic
7. Rudy Gobert
8. Kyrie Irving
9. Andre Drummond
10. Ben Simmons
11. Andrew Wiggins
12. Jabari Parker
13. Myles Turner
14. Bradley Beal
15. D'Angelo Russell
16. Steven Adams
17. Devin Booker
18. Aaron Gordon
19. Zach Lavine
20. Victor Oladipo
21. Brandon Ingram
22. Rodney Hood
23. Otto Porter
24. Thon Maker
25. Julius Randle

6 of the top 7, 7 of the top 10, and 10 of top 25 were born outside of the US and that's not including Kyrie who was born in Australia but plays for team USA.

[specialsauce]

Insider article on top 25 players under 25

http://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_ ... players-25

17. Devin Booker
Phoenix Suns
Guard
Age: 20

Booker is enjoying a full season of an expanded role as one of his team's primary options offensively, and he's done a decent job of efficiently pumping in the shots.

What's tantalizing about Booker is his age. Putting aside the quality of his team, you have to marvel at a 20-year-old averaging better than 20 points per game in the NBA. His defense leaves a lot to be desired, and a player his size should be a better rebounder, but when you buy Booker, you're buying the immense potential he has.

Full Rankings for those who can't access Insider:

1. Anthony Davis
2. Giannis Antetekoumpo
3. Karl-Anthony Towns
4. Joel Embiid
5. Kristaps Porzingis
6. Nikola Jokic
7. Rudy Gobert
8. Kyrie Irving
9. Andre Drummond
10. Ben Simmons
11. Andrew Wiggins
12. Jabari Parker
13. Myles Turner
14. Bradley Beal
15. D'Angelo Russell
16. Steven Adams
17. Devin Booker
18. Aaron Gordon
19. Zach Lavine
20. Victor Oladipo
21. Brandon Ingram
22. Rodney Hood
23. Otto Porter
24. Thon Maker
25. Julius Randle

6 of the top 7, 7 of the top 10, and 10 of top 25 were born outside of the US and that's not including Kyrie who was born in Australia but plays for team USA.

Wow. This idiot does not watch Suns games. I agree with the first 5 being ahead of him as well as Irving. If starting a team, I would take him over Gobert in today's NBA. I would easily take him over Drummond, Parker, Turner, Beal, Russell and Adams. Wiggins is up for debate. What a shit list.

[Split T]

It was a 3 person panel. One ranked Booker 11, one 19, the other didn't rank him in the top 25. I love Booker, but I wouldn't say easily take him over those guys. I think he's in the Parker, Beal, Wiggins, Russell class. Gobert is probably the best defensive big in the game right now, I think taking Booker over him is a little biased.

[SDC]

if in his 3rd year, booker is still shooting around 42-43% from the field overall, i'm going to start thinking he's a bust

[The Bobster]

There is no was Booker is anywhere close to Gobert (33.6 min, 13.1 pts, 12.6 reb, 66% FG%, 2.5 blk)

[The Bobster]

Derrick Jones (11 NBA career minutes) is in the Slam Dunk Contest.

Really?

[specialsauce]

There is no was Booker is anywhere close to Gobert (33.6 min, 13.1 pts, 12.6 reb, 66% FG%, 2.5 blk)

Please. Maybe in the 80's that was the case. Fact is, big rumbling defensive big men aren't that important in today's NBA. Gobert will never be the best or second best player on a championship team.

[pickle]

There is no was Booker is anywhere close to Gobert (33.6 min, 13.1 pts, 12.6 reb, 66% FG%, 2.5 blk)

Please. Maybe in the 80's that was the case. Fact is, big rumbling defensive big men aren't that important in today's NBA. Gobert will never be the best or second best player on a championship team.

I think it's a little one-sided to look at numbers and just declare Gobert a "big rumbling defensive big man". By all accounts, Gobert is the only true starting caliber center in today's NBA who can also contain the pick and roll very well. You can truly design an entire defensive system around him. I've watched a couple of Jazz games recently, and Gobert's unreal length plus reasonably nimble feet for a man his size means that he can cover a lot of ground and affect shots from top rate guards even if he was taken out to the three point line for a pnr.

So yeah, maybe he won't be a top scorer or the first line star on a championship team in the traditional sense, but if I had a choice, I'm probably taking him over Booker right now. The only thing that gives me pause is Gobert's injury history.

[pickle]

Barkley may be provocative, and have a littered history of his own, but I'm with Shel and dare I say it, SDC, on this one. LeBron is a diva, and it's totally pointless to talk about who has the right to say or do whatever. Everyone is free to say what he wants to, as long as they can deal with the consequences. LeBron said some really stupid things, and he's being called out for it, and maybe Barkley should not have said things like whiny, but he's not wrong. To attack Barkley on a personal level and to avoid the actual issues that Barkley pointed out is 3rd grader material. If he went into a debate like that, he would lose all his support afterwards. Whether Barkley is a moron or not, that's a separate conversation, and I don't know why these two discussions would be mixed together.

[pickle]

Insider article on top 25 players under 25

http://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_ ... players-25

Full Rankings for those who can't access Insider:

1. Anthony Davis
2. Giannis Antetekoumpo
3. Karl-Anthony Towns
4. Joel Embiid
5. Kristaps Porzingis
6. Nikola Jokic
7. Rudy Gobert
8. Kyrie Irving
9. Andre Drummond
10. Ben Simmons
11. Andrew Wiggins
12. Jabari Parker
13. Myles Turner
14. Bradley Beal
15. D'Angelo Russell
16. Steven Adams
17. Devin Booker
18. Aaron Gordon
19. Zach Lavine
20. Victor Oladipo
21. Brandon Ingram
22. Rodney Hood
23. Otto Porter
24. Thon Maker
25. Julius Randle

6 of the top 7, 7 of the top 10, and 10 of top 25 were born outside of the US and that's not including Kyrie who was born in Australia but plays for team USA.

Wow. This idiot does not watch Suns games. I agree with the first 5 being ahead of him as well as Irving. If starting a team, I would take him over Gobert in today's NBA. I would easily take him over Drummond, Parker, Turner, Beal, Russell and Adams. Wiggins is up for debate. What a s*** list.

I disagree with this statement a lot. But I also don't agree with the list so much. I get that this is an average rating over three "experts" so the final outcome might not be easily defensible, but still, I would probably bump AD to 3rd or 4th, after Greek Freak and Towns, if for nothing else, then for his injury history. Simmons is getting a lot of hype for a guy who has never seen the floor yet in the NBA, and I feel Wiggins is being ranked a bit too high. Maybe these guys are still looking at potential with him but he's not developed much on the defensive side despite his tantalizing physical attributes. Bit of a joke that Thon Maker is on this list at all at this point... Is Schroeder already over 25?