The NBA thread

[benjipwns]

 

[benjipwns]

[Mandark]

https://twitter.com/SacramentoKings/status/817093954684391424

[etiolate]

The Republic of Georgia has great wine, but terrible all-star voting.

[benjipwns]

The trade has not yet been finalized, but the way things appear to sit now involve the Cavaliers sending Mike Dunleavy Jr. and a 2019 first-round pick to the Hawks in exchange for Kyle Korver. It’s also been reported that Mike Dunleavy Jr. could be flipped to a third team prior to Friday’s trade call. Earlier updates had Mo Williams and possibly Cedi Osman involved.

In a separate trade, the Cavaliers are sending their 2017 first-round pick to the Trail Blazers in order to re-acquire their own 2018 first-round pick that, per The Oregonian’s Tim Brown, they gave up in the Anderson Varejao deal last February.

"Stern rigging things again for LeBron" ~ The Walrus r.i.p. in peace

[benjipwns]

Kings apparently trying hard to get Millsap.

[CajoleJuice]

:unicorn

[benjipwns]

Allen Iverson, Kenyon Martin, Chauncey Billups and Stephen Jackson are among a group of retired NBA players who have committed to participating in a 3-on-3 league founded by the entertainer Ice Cube.

"When I got the call it was a no-brainer, it's Ice ... you don't turn that down," Iverson said at a news conference in New York on Wednesday to introduce the league. "That's success looking you right into your eyes. I just wanted to be a part of it and I hope that me being a part of it makes it a success like everything he's been doing in his life."

Martin expressed similar sentiment about the league, named the BIG3, which will begin play this summer.

Also committed to play are Rashard Lewis, Jermaine O'Neal, ex-NBA guard Jason Williams, Mike Bibby and Bonzi Wells.

Former National Basketball Players Association deputy director Roger Mason Jr. will serve as the league's commissioner and president.

Iverson will be a player-coach and former NBA stars Gary Payton and George Gervin have committed to serve as coaches for three of the league's eight teams.

Games will be played in half-court settings and will feature 4-point shots, designated by three large circles several feet beyond the traditional 3-point line. Games will be played to 60 points and there will be a seven-minute halftime once a team reaches 30 points.

Ex-professional players over the age of 30 will be eligible to play. Teams will consist of a player/captain and four teammates and there will be a draft in March.

League play will start on June 24 and conclude on Aug. 12 with games being played every Saturday in different cities. All teams will play games on each Saturday. Players will receive 52 percent of league revenue.

http://www.big3.com/

[benjipwns]

[benjipwns]

After his 18th of the season, Kevin Pelton is now projecting a 50/50 chance that Westbrook averages a triple double for the season.

[benjipwns]

Also, Embiid is kinda crazy, especially for missing over two years, glad to see it really.  It's too bad half the roster plays roughly the same positions, though I think him and Noel/Saric could play together a bit more.  How are they going to deal Okafor with him benched getting DNP's ? Stuff him full of 20 point games and deal him for Rudy Gay or Brandon Knight or somebody.

[etiolate]

Jahlil needs to show more ability to play the 4 and his value will rise. Needs one or two more values to his game to rise. If you're trading for him, you rely on that happening so what kind of team will trade for a guy they hope develops one more skill?

Trading him doesn't entirely solve the logjam though. An Embiid, Noel, and Saric rotation could work if one of the three is willing to sacrifice minutes. (And I think it should be Noel, because Saric does so many things.)

[benjipwns]

THE SIXERS HAVE WON THREE IN A ROW

[benjipwns]

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/18470811/triple-h-endorses-philadelphia-76ers-rookie-big-man-joel-embiid-all-star-game

https://twitter.com/TripleH/status/819702430384422913

https://twitter.com/TripleH/status/820065924308987908

https://twitter.com/Sixers/status/820063722861305856

[Stoney Mason]

[Stoney Mason]

Cavs versus Warriors tonight on TNT.

[Stoney Mason]

That wasn't much of a game.

[Syph]

i'd like to request a chef curry emoji of some kind
im sure thecoli can deliver

[Syph]

lol

[benjipwns]

‎The Minnesota Timberwolves and Detroit Pistons have discussed a potential swap of point guards Ricky Rubio and Reggie Jackson, according to league sources.

Sources told ESPN that no deal appeared imminent Friday but said the teams have engaged in dialogue this week on a potential multiplayer exchange that would be headlined by Rubio and Jackson.

The Wolves have been openly trying to move Rubio for some time and reportedly are willing to attach swingman Shabazz Muhammad to offers featuring the veteran Spanish point guard‎.

[etiolate]

I don't see a victor in that trade. Maybe Detroit.

[etiolate]

Fuck the refs.

It never changes.

[Your Stalker]

that late game meltdown by the rockets 

[benjipwns]

The Milwaukee Bucks traded forward Miles Plumlee to the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday for big men Spencer Hawes and Roy Hibbert.

Instead of owing Plumlee $37.5 million over the next three seasons, Milwaukee's only remaining salary commitment beyond 2016-17 is Hawes' $6.0 million player option for next season.

[benjipwns]

Jason looks terrified to be there

spoiler (click to show/hide)

general comment about Area 21: prove they didn't hire KG to make Shaq look better

Sheed looked completely confused when KG threw out like fifteen shout-outs in the middle of one question the other night

[close]

[etiolate]

I think KG already looks better/does better than Shaq. Giving KG his own set is designed to bring in personalities and types that don't fit as well into playing the role a suit requires. They can get in stuff that would stumble all over trying to fit in next to the crew.

These days, Shaq just sits in the corner looking disgruntled. Not providing much energy.

[benjipwns]

KG's not a very good host (yet) though and can really grind a segment into dust. He needs like a wingman along with the guest, then he can toss stuff out, bounce things off each other. Like he's better when they do the above stuff with the Inside guys, or even when he had Shaq/Kenny on along with another guest he did alright managing despite those two jabberers being one of the guests.

Him one-on-one with someone often craps out especially if they aren't any good.

[jakefromstatefarm]

Buddy looks bad

so I checked basketball reference because the talk around dude indicated he finally looked like he belongs in the league. Since December he's been averaging 9.5 on 40/44(!)/88 shooting. That's with about 4.5 3pa a game too. So his shooting did translate like I thought it would; it's just that he sucks at everything else.

That doesn't do much to make me feel better about the overall shit group of rookies this year. Ingram's ceiling looks like starting sf/4th option on a good team, Chriss is fun to watch but doesn't know how to play basketball, both Dunn and Brown look like trash, and I don't care about Saric. Other than Embiid, the rookie I like most is Brogdon and I'm still holding out hope for Murray. I liked Baldwin coming out of college but haven't seen Memphis play so I don't know about him. Isn't Deyonta Davis a Grizzly too? What happened to him?

[Stoney Mason]

[Stoney Mason]

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/18640447/phil-jackson-tweets-shot-carmelo-anthony-escalates-feud

[Syph]

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/18640447/phil-jackson-tweets-shot-carmelo-anthony-escalates-feud

this is getting so bizarre
i always thought of carmelo as a loyal soldier, and his numbers are still good
seems weird for jackson to be clearly trying to muscle him out and it almost seems petty...
but then again he's one of the GOATs so I guess he knows better? i suppose we'll see if the result is a quick turnaround or a complete rebuild

[Mandark]

Jackson gave him a no-trade clause and now seems to be trying to make Melo miserable enough to agree to be shipped out.

Plus he's always done a lot of passive-aggressive media stuff with his own players, only now he's older and doesn't have the day-to-day interactions that would let him build up the sorts of relationships which could balance that out.

[etiolate]

Phil is all into mind games. He assembled the roster and if he is unhappy with the way it worked out then it's largely on him.

[Beezy]

Phil needs to be fired. He's responsible for all the shit trades that have happened since he came to the Knicks. Melo is getting older and still has issues like his lack of defense, but the team hasn't been trash these past couple years because of him.

[Phoenix Dark]

https://twitter.com/ischafer/status/829500863794274305

[Syph]

holy shit

Charles Oakley arrested after altercation at Madison Square Garden

if only the knicks played with that intensity eh

[Beezy]

legend

[etiolate]

https://twitter.com/SacramentoKings/status/829565750021009408

Like a Stretch Armstrong version of a DeAndre dunk.

[team filler]

Mike Wise ‏@MikeWiseguy  15h15 hours ago

 True story: Charles Oakley once slapped a player (not Barkley) who owed him money. "How'd he react?" I asked him. Oak: "He stayed slapped."

 

[etiolate]

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/18655666/nba-memo-urges-teams-follow-social-media-rules-wake-chandler-parsons-cj-mccollum-twitter-war

I don't understand stuff like this. People loved the twitter/social media aspect of the NBA. It's one thing it was doing better than other leagues. Nobody is getting hurt by it.

[Beezy]

https://twitter.com/TheVertical/status/830220963165851649

 

[Stoney Mason]

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/18672485/latrell-sprewell-sits-new-york-knicks-owner-james-dolan-game-sunday


 

[Stoney Mason]

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/18683479/charles-oakley-ban-new-york-knicks-lifted-wants-apology

[TakingBackSunday]

Love out for 6 weeks  :'(

[etiolate]

TRoss for Ibaka.

The Nuggets went pure fiyah on Golden State. I think the Dubs were just dead after the OKC game, but that's two losses to middling teams with all-star quality bigs in the past week. Not sure why Lebron wants more 3pt shooters when Golden State's weakness is inside.

[Mandark]

The Nuggets were 16 of 23 from three in the first half.

[etiolate]

Someone watching porn during the Simmons podcast. Turn volume up with headphones to hear it. Credit to /r/nba

https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/5u42en/porn_in_background_of_bill_simmons_new_podcast/

[benjipwns]

I wonder if Orlando tried to get Toronto to take Biyombo back.

Not sure why Lebron wants more 3pt shooters when Golden State's weakness is inside.

Because they already have their inside guy in LeBron. LeBron wants another "playmaker" because he needs someone to dump it off to who can drag the defense such that he can get it back. Irving driving doesn't free the lane up for him (or Thompson) it forces him back out to keep the spacing.

This was the funny part about the Melo talk, Melo was the "ideal guy" less because he was a star but because of all the things he does "wrong" in the modern NBA, but none of which would have cramped LeBron or the Cavs offense. Love, and even J.R. Smith, is too smart to not camp in that 18 foot range and post because they stand outside the line. But Melo loves that area and is willing to pass when he thinks his team isn't garbage (see also, in the Olympics), the Cavs could spend 15-20 possessions a game dumping the ball off to Melo and letting LeBron/Irving/Love/Korver all operate off the ball without killing their spacing knowing that Melo wouldn't muck it up as much as he conceivably could because LeBron wouldn't let him AND it favors him one-on-one. (Melo being able to pinch hit at PF, even center against the Warriors, along with being able to shoot the three is gravy.)

The Warriors have been going through growing pains with Durant because when Durant reverts to his OKC state it takes positioning away from everyone else on the team. The Heat had this same problem in 2011 when LeBron and Wade would both still do the backing out to half court thing to open up the spacing for a shot with two seconds on the clock. Something you don't need to do on balanced teams. That's what Green is freaking out about on him every other game recently. And even why Curry seemed pissed at him when Durant refused to set a pick. It's not the problem the Nets had because Durant is a superstar and they naturally all have insane range unlike everyone wanting 18 footers but it's the same type of positioning problem. You can't guard it by flopping a normal big in there though which is why the Cavs aren't particularly interested in one. Especially if he further cramps them on the other end.

[benjipwns]

Now, one New York area feller that might be a better player to grab if they could is Brook Lopez. He checks all those same boxes AND is 7 feet tall despite what his rebounding looks like.

[El Babua]

That 13 game streak the Heat had was pretty good.

Now's the time trade em all for picks while their value is high, Pat.

[etiolate]

Lebron isn't their inside guy. He's their creator. Thompson and Love eating the boards in the finals last year was an advantage for Cleve once Bogut got hurt.

D-League getting a Gatorade sponsorship and being renamed the G-League.

[benjipwns]

Did you only watch Game 7 or something? Bogut was a non-entity on the boards during the series (which is why Golden State wasn't too broken up about losing him), the Cavaliers outrebounded Golden State even with Bogut on the floor and without Love, LeBron was the leading rebounder out of everyone in the series, oh, and this was his shot chart:


64% of LeBron's shots this season take place within 16 feet. He shoots 63% inside that range. 40% of his shots are within three feet where he shoots 77%. The only Cavs player who shoots more of his shots inside ten feet than LeBron is Tristan Thompson.

I feel like we learned all this about LeBron four years ago or something. He's the most dominant inside player in the game.

The Cavaliers are also the worst shooting team in the 3-10 foot range in the league. It murders their otherwise excellent spacing. The Warriors get away with not shooting from there because they still a top ten team.

One guy who shoots really well from 3-10 feet? Brook Lopez. Just saying.

[etiolate]

I watched the series. Also watched OKC/GS, where Adams gave them trouble.

None of what you're saying disagrees with my point, which begs the question if you understand the difference between a wing driving to create and typical big man impact. Lebron operates from the high post sometimes, but I assure you he doesn't want to do the work that Adams, Love, or Thompson do.

[benjipwns]

LeBron is second on the team to only Thompson in post AND paint touches and it's more like noise than comparing him to Adams who is an inside only player. (Love trails both. Especially when you factor in drives.) They don't have a "typical big man" to stick down low and I don't see why they would want one, especially to take on Golden State with. Another team which completely avoids it to where when they do play a big they have him stand outside offensively rather than running post plays. (Bogut posted up less than LeBron last year!)

There are only so many bigs that you can snag who can play deep in the post, shoot outside 15 feet and most importantly PASS that'd be available. There's Brook Lopez and Greg Monroe. And maybe Vucevic. Those guys would work for Golden State too.

Steven Adams doesn't pass well or score well out of the post. They might as well have kept Mozgov if they wanted a traditional big. And there's only so many players of his type potentially available, Gortat maybe.

You have to account for spacing problems a "typical big" would create with the Cavs best offense being Irving or LeBron driving, LeBron in the post and then Love and Thompsons clean ups. Love and Thompson both can play outside the paint enough that it doesn't clog for the drives. Love can spend entire possessions outside 18 feet and still be effective. Mozgov actually was causing them this issue more than he was hurting them defensively against Golden State. (No Irving and Love compounded it.) That's why they didn't play him in the rematch and gradually gave up on him in general once they got Frye, who was worse defensively but would camp outside.

So LeBron is looking at that and seeing that he's still going to be their primary inside player deciding he wants more options. Especially since those players are probably easier to get just as they got Korver pretty cheap. And they may be able to snag one off the heap which is why they had the tryouts.

[benjipwns]

Magic Johnson, who was hired earlier this month as an adviser to Los Angeles Lakers president and co-owner Jeanie Buss as she evaluates the direction of the franchise, said Tuesday that he would try to get Kobe Bryant to join him in the front office if Johnson's role evolves further.

"First call I make if I'm in charge? Kobe Bryant," Johnson said on ESPN's First Take. "Because Kobe understands winning. He understands, also, these players. I would call: 'What role you want? ... If you've got a day, just give me that day.'

"I'll take that. Whatever time he has, I want him to come and be a part of it."

[Brehvolution]

https://twitter.com/cavs/status/831682299368349696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

 

[benjipwns]

https://twitter.com/ESPNNBA/status/832035565579038720

[etiolate]

This one is great:

https://streamable.com/6u9nz

[benjipwns]

Shane Battier has returned to the Miami Heat.

Battier is now a member of the Heat front office, assuming the newly created role of director of basketball development and analytics. The Heat announced the move Thursday, describing Battier's new job as one where he will develop analytics to evaluate talent, including college players, free agents and members of the existing roster.

smh typical liberal arts majors

[benjipwns]

A little behind-the-scenes type article on trades, especially around the deadline: http://www.si.com/nba/2017/02/16/nba-trade-deadline-celtics-raptors-serge-ibaka-kendrick-perkins

Once teams agree on a trade in principle, the parties must share contracts, insurance and medical records of every player involved. Next, they agree on a time to call the league. The NBA prefers to hold calls during the business week, and will typically delay officiating deals that are struck over a weekend barring pressing circumstances.

But in February, on deadline day, every detail of the transaction must be completely finalized by 3 p.m. ET. “I’ve never worked on Wall Street, but when you make a deal, it’s an adrenaline rush,” said former Nets assistant GM Bobby Marks, now an analyst with The Vertical. If a flurry of deals strike in the final minutes, the league will place each trade in a queue, logging through every move chronologically. But teams cannot continue to negotiate, even on the edges, once they’ve called in the original parameters.

Team brass huddle for each call. Anywhere from one to six members of a front office, most commonly three or four, join the discussion. Most teams veer towards limiting the number of cooks in the kitchen. “The Knicks aren’t a good example,” one executive quipped. The call begins by each team, as well as the league, respectively announcing who is present, for each call is recorded.

Then, the NBA representative reviews the terms of the negotiation—which each team has emailed to the league’s Manhattan office—for example, clarifying, “Toronto, do you agree to trade Terrence Ross and a 2017 first round pick?” And once the Raptors confirm, the Orlando Magic would be asked to corroborate their agreement to the trade as well. 

The process prohibits a team from exploiting any potential loopholes. The NBA’s legal expert reads through the entire details of each involved players’ contract. For deals involving mostly standard player contracts, the call can be completed in as quickly as 10 minutes. More elaborate deals, like the famous trade that sent Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to Brooklyn, can take several hours.