NBA Thread 2020-21 Season

[CuseFaninVT]

Six big trades we want to see at this year's draft

Beal to the Warriors? Simmons to the Cavs? Here's what our experts want to see.

www.espn.com

Man some of these would be really interesting and pretty fun. These 2 in particular seem to make a lot of sense for all parties.


Oklahoma City Thunder receive: No. 4 pick, Aron Baynes

Toronto Raptors receive: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
_________

Golden State Warriors receive: Bradley Beal, Avery Bradley

Houston Rockets receive: James Wiseman, No. 7 pick in 2021, No. 14 pick in 2021

Washington Wizards receive: No. 2 pick in 2021, Andrew Wiggins

Why would the Warriors want two aging guards? Honestly, what does that do for them assuming Steph and Klay both come back next year?

 

[Melancer46]

Why would the Warriors want two aging guards? Honestly, what does that do for them assuming Steph and Klay both come back next year?

Beal just turned 28 a couple days ago; I wouldn't say he's an aging player. I think it's worth questioning the fit though; Curry and Beal isn't exactly an ideal defensive backcourt. Klay and Dray should be able to cover them up some, but still.

It would certainly give them a much-needed shooter/shot creator though.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Beal just turned 28 a couple days ago; I wouldn't say he's an aging player. I think it's worth questioning the fit though; Curry and Beal isn't exactly an ideal defensive backcourt. Klay and Dray should be able to cover them up some, but still.

It would certainly give them a much-needed shooter/shot creator though.

Fair.

 

[Eric15]

Wowza!

Haha yeah Larry Legend strikes me as someone who will have a flip phone for life. (carried in a holster on his belt)

 

[Eric15]

Trae hurt, Giannis hurt, 3-1 lead against the Clippers. AD hurt making the Lakers less of a juggernaut.

If CP3 can't get his ring this season, it just wasn't meant to be. It will never be this manageable again.

 

[chugg21]

I don't think those trades make sense for OKC or Houston personally. The Rockets got the #2 pick in a 4 or 5 player draft; there's no sense in trading it for two picks of significantly less value and a rookie that mostly struggled (and I'd personally argue wasn't a great prospect to begin with but that's a whole other thing).

And I don't see why OKC should be trying to get rid of a 22 year old stud who is literally the only good player they have.

Premise for OKC was that SGA is gonna be expensive soon and its gonna be a while before they are ready to turn their picks into anything. Basically are just turning back the timeline 3 years and getting another elite guy in Suggs Green or Mobley to start with. May not be brilliant but I can understand why it could make sense to Presti with that arsenal he has. Not like SGA is old by any means but is likely gonna be a $30m/year guy soon on a team not going anywhere for 3/4 more years.

 

[chugg21]

Why would the Warriors want two aging guards? Honestly, what does that do for them assuming Steph and Klay both come back next year?

I think the point would be to try to snag another title or 2 before that window is closed. Wiseman and these picks probably aren't all that likely to help push the Klay/Steph/Draymond core over the top in the next 2/3 years and Beal could. Probably that simple.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

I think the point would be to try to snag another title or 2 before that window is closed. Wiseman and these picks probably aren't all that likely to help push the Klay/Steph/Draymond core over the top in the next 2/3 years and Beal could. Probably that simple.

Assuming AD and LeBron could stay healthy in the same year, just not sure how adding guards helps Golden State. Know what I mean?

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Premise for OKC was that SGA is gonna be expensive soon and its gonna be a while before they are ready to turn their picks into anything. Basically are just turning back the timeline 3 years and getting another elite guy in Suggs Green or Mobley to start with. May not be brilliant but I can understand why it could make sense to Presti with that arsenal he has. Not like SGA is old by any means but is likely gonna be a $30m/year guy soon on a team not going anywhere for 3/4 more years.

That's bull. There's absolutely no reason whatsoever with the pile of assets OKC has that they're looking at a 3-4 year window to compete. If that's their mindset the front office should be replaced. They can get better a whole lot faster than that.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Assuming AD and LeBron could stay healthy in the same year, just not sure how adding guards helps Golden State. Know what I mean?

I think I trust Golden State more over the Lakers next year. Outside of AD and Lebron they have zero offense and Lebron didn’t look great late in the season. Plus AD is a phony. I actually can’t believe the Lakers are getting soo much respect still with the other talent out west.

 

[OrangeDW]

I think I trust Golden State more over the Lakers next year. Outside of AD and Lebron they have zero offense and Lebron didn’t look great late in the season. Plus AD is a phony. I actually can’t believe the Lakers are getting soo much respect still with the other talent out west.

THT may be about to make the leap though.

 

[chugg21]

That's bull. There's absolutely no reason whatsoever with the pile of assets OKC has that they're looking at a 3-4 year window to compete. If that's their mindset the front office should be replaced. They can get better a whole lot faster than that.

Well they can. But wasn't the whole point of taking all of those picks/swaps 4 and 5 years out with hopes that those will be the valuable pieces when the Clips were on the downside? They didn't really value current assets as highly knowing they were handing the Clips a piece that would make them an instant contender. They gave up George for basically SGA and those 2024-2026 picks hoping the Clips window will be closed then and those picks will turn out to be what those Nets picks turned into for the Celtics when they handed over KG and Pierce.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I think I trust Golden State more over the Lakers next year. Outside of AD and Lebron they have zero offense and Lebron didn’t look great late in the season. Plus AD is a phony. I actually can’t believe the Lakers are getting soo much respect still with the other talent out west.

Yeah, I think the chances that the Lakers are kind of a busted team that claws into the playoffs is more likely than that they're legitimate contenders.

 

[chugg21]

Assuming AD and LeBron could stay healthy in the same year, just not sure how adding guards helps Golden State. Know what I mean?

Outscore them. Put 3 of the best shooters on the planet around the perimeter with Draymond facilitating from somewhere inside and just plan on putting up 125 a game while giving up 120.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Well they can. But wasn't the whole point of taking all of those picks/swaps 4 and 5 years out with hopes that those will be the valuable pieces when the Clips were on the downside? They didn't really value current assets as highly knowing they were handing the Clips a piece that would make them an instant contender. They gave up George for basically SGA and those 2024-2026 picks hoping the Clips window will be closed then and those picks will turn out to be what those Nets picks turned into for the Celtics when they handed over KG and Pierce.

I get what you're saying on the Clippers picks, but that's just one part of the draft pick insanity they've hoarded. I mean they legitimately could not roster an entire team of their guaranteed contract first round picks, they have to move some.

 

[Knicks411]

That's bull. There's absolutely no reason whatsoever with the pile of assets OKC has that they're looking at a 3-4 year window to compete. If that's their mindset the front office should be replaced. They can get better a whole lot faster than that.

I would also say they have so few other high salary guys, that even when SGA is expensive, so what? He is making 25% of the cap or whatever, they aren't going to have any other big salaries clogging them up. He should be the guy they are building around.

Plus, like you said, they have so many picks they're going to need to trade some, and it's not like OKC is a FA destination, so the most likely route to contention is them trading for a star (duh, or drafting one, brainfart by me), and it seems like it's a lot easier to trade for/extend a star if you already have one.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Outscore them. Put 3 of the best shooters on the planet around the perimeter with Draymond facilitating from somewhere inside and just plan on putting up 125 a game while giving up 120.

Yeah, maybe, but they needed a 7' shooter (KD) to do that the last time they won. I get what everyone is saying about having more shooters, but they'll need to defend as well, especially during games where they aren't shooting well.

And yes, I know that the Lakers have a guard problem, among other things. But LeBron and AD, assuming they are playing well, can win games.

 

[OrangeDW]

Yeah, maybe, but they needed a 7' shooter (KD) to do that the last time they won. I get what everyone is saying about having more shooters, but they'll need to defend as well, especially during games where they aren't shooting well.

And yes, I know that the Lakers have a guard problem, among other things. But LeBron and AD, assuming they are playing well, can win games.

Yeah. Obviously Durant is one of the most unstoppable scorers of all time so that aspect gets the most attention, but he defends, rebounds, and passes well too.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Phoenix still would have beat the Lakers had AD not got hurt. Lebron was not his usual self and I think it’s fair to ask if he ever will be again being that he will be 37.

 

[chugg21]

Yeah, maybe, but they needed a 7' shooter (KD) to do that the last time they won. I get what everyone is saying about having more shooters, but they'll need to defend as well, especially during games where they aren't shooting well.

And yes, I know that the Lakers have a guard problem, among other things. But LeBron and AD, assuming they are playing well, can win games.

With their roster if I can have Brad Beal or Wiggins, Weisman, Davion Mitchell and whoever at 14, think I'm definitely going Beal.

 

[OrangeDW]

Phoenix still would have beat the Lakers had AD not got hurt. Lebron was not his usual self and I think it’s fair to ask if he ever will be again being that he will be 37.

I don’t know about that...we were up 2-1. Though Paul was banged up for part of that, which was a factor.

I think it would’ve went 7 with AD playing and once you get to 7, who knows?

 

[kirbivore]

I just got an ad that the Suns in 4 guy is on Cameo, and that's fantastic.

View attachment 202948

on a related side note I was looking to get my Mom a Billy Idol cameo shout out for her birthday. Alas he must still be getting nice royalties from his 80's run as he is not on there.

 

[Cusefan0307]

I don’t know about that...we were up 2-1. Though Paul was banged up for part of that, which was a factor.

I think it would’ve went 7 with AD playing and once you get to 7, who knows?

Definitely a factor. I just don’t see how the Lakers fix the roster around AD and Lebron and can you really count on either to be healthy next year.

 

[kirbivore]

Trae hurt, Giannis hurt, 3-1 lead against the Clippers. AD hurt making the Lakers less of a juggernaut.

If CP3 can't get his ring this season, it just wasn't meant to be. It will never be this manageable again.

He also choked in college. SU was lined up to play #2 seed Wake Forest in the 2003 sweet 16 if the chalk held up. I would have enjoyed seeing Edelin treat Chris Paul like Chris Thomas.

 

[OrangeDW]

Definitely a factor. I just don’t see how the Lakers fix the roster around AD and Lebron and can you really count on either to be healthy next year.

I think it really boils down to their health. Easy to forget that the Lakers had the best record in the West and the best defense in the NBA until those two got hurt and everything went to hell.

Not to say that they shouldn’t make any moves and try to improve the 3 point shooting because they should. But I think the roster was strong when Bron/AD were healthy and things were in sync.