Dukies in the NBA 2019-20

[JasonEvans]

Tyus on the move.:-).

https://mobile.twitter.com/memgrizz/...77056599621632

Isnt that an awesome achievement for this Duke hero! Brilliant...

A dude in a T-shirt and 2 guys wearing sweats... $25+ million contracts just aren't worth wearing a shirt or tie in the NBA, I guess

[CrazyNotCrazie]

A dude in a T-shirt and 2 guys wearing sweats... $25+ million contracts just aren't worth wearing a shirt or tie in the NBA, I guess

But this way they get to make the Nike swoosh really visible - Nike is the one who really pays the bills, not Brooks Brothers!

[awhom111]

Keith Smith is reporting that the Magic have pulled Amile's qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent.

[rocketeli]

Keith Smith is reporting that the Magic have pulled Amile's qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent.

It's not a fair world. If Amile was 6'10" and had the same stats and history he'd be making millions right now.

[MartyClark]

It's not a fair world. If Amile was 6'10" and had the same stats and history he'd be making millions right now.

I don't understand your post. Amile is listed at 6'9". If he was listed at 6'10" would that make a difference?

Not trying to argue, I would love to see Amile get a shot.

[Truth&Justise]

A dude in a T-shirt and 2 guys wearing sweats... $25+ million contracts just aren't worth wearing a shirt or tie in the NBA, I guess

Just to point out, the guy on the right in the grey sweatshirt is Zach Kleiman, the Grizzlie's new EVP of basketball operations. He's a recent Duke law grad. Maybe that explains his off-season plan of acquiring Tyus, Grayson, and Miles??

[ice-9]

More on what went principally wrong with the Celtics - https://sports.yahoo.com/nba-rumors-execs-believe-dynamic-135230827.html

[flyingdutchdevil]

More on what went principally wrong with the Celtics - https://sports.yahoo.com/nba-rumors-...135230827.html

I definitely buy that as part of it.

Everything that could go wrong went wrong with the Celtics. So much talent, such a good front office, such bad luck.

Sigh...

[SouthernDukie]

I definitely buy that as part of it.

Everything that could go wrong went wrong with the Celtics. So much talent, such a good front office, such bad luck.

Sigh...

I buy that as well. So much of the blame was put on Kyrie alone, but there was so much more happening. This article certainly jives with everything I felt I was observing from afar.

[bundabergdevil]

I buy that as well. So much of the blame was put on Kyrie alone, but there was so much more happening. This article certainly jives with everything I felt I was observing from afar.

I was listening to a Bill Simmons podcast with Zach Lowe that was posted a few days ago. They both alluded that they knew a lot more about what went wrong w/ the Celtics this year and why everyone was so miserable on a 50 win team...they thought more would be coming out over the course of the summer and that much of it would have to do with Kyrie. That was the gist of their discussion but didn't offer any details. So, FWIW...

[flyingdutchdevil]

I buy that as well. So much of the blame was put on Kyrie alone, but there was so much more happening. This article certainly jives with everything I felt I was observing from afar.

Don't get me wrong; I still think most of this is on Kyrie. But he's certainly not all to blame.

I've never seen just little mutual interest in an All-Star like Kyrie/Celtics. The Celtics didn't reach out in free-agency; Kyrie didn't want anything to do with the Celtics post-loss to Milwaukee.

[tbyers11]

Don't get me wrong; I still think most of this is on Kyrie. But he's certainly not all to blame.

I've never seen just little mutual interest in an All-Star like Kyrie/Celtics. The Celtics didn't reach out in free-agency; Kyrie didn't want anything to do with the Celtics post-loss to Milwaukee.

Agree that Kyrie's lack of leadership contributed a great deal to the Celtics dysfunction. As pointed out in the link above Jaylen Brown and Terry Rozier were outspoken about taking subordinate roles to Irving and, especially, Hayward after coming this close to the NBA finals without them the year before as well.

Two unanswered questions for me
1) How did Brad Stevens/Ainge let it get so bad? Where is their leadership? Did they realize that Kyrie had no interest in staying and decide it wasn't worth the effort to fix/rebuild camaraderie this year and punted til 19-20?

2) Why did Al Horford decline his player option SOOOO quickly? His option was for $30M in 19-20. I guess maybe Boston didn't want to negotiate an extension, but it seems like there was never any discussion. While his Philly contract is 4 years, $109M, the yearly value declines each year and the guarantee for the 4th year is only $14.5M. It is worth $19.5M if they make the Finals and $26.5M if they win in his first 3 years. So, if it was all about the money for Horford, a 3 year, $67M extension would be the same guaranteed $$$. I'd be a bit surprised if Boston wouldn't have considered that contract. Horford had to know that Kyrie was gone. If the dysfunction was all Kyrie as many pundits are saying why did Horford, the consummate veteran from all accounts, also want to get of out Boston post haste?

[ice-9]

I was listening to a Bill Simmons podcast with Zach Lowe that was posted a few days ago. They both alluded that they knew a lot more about what went wrong w/ the Celtics this year and why everyone was so miserable on a 50 win team...they thought more would be coming out over the course of the summer and that much of it would have to do with Kyrie. That was the gist of their discussion but didn't offer any details. So, FWIW...

Bill Simmons is also the same guy who told Kyrie on his podcast that Kyrie can do whatever he wants on the court, that he should take more shots and be more selfish. Then the following year anoint Tatum as the Celtics best player and that Tatum should take more shots. Maybe the media had a hand in this dysfunction?

[Indoor66]

The coach was a genius when it all went well. One year later what is he? The blame goes to the failure of the boss.

[Troublemaker]

With some hindsight, Boston's talent was also overrated. If you tell me that a team's best player is roughly 10th best in the NBA (Kyrie), its second-best player is roughly 20th-best (Horford), and then it has tremendous depth everywhere else, I think it's reasonable to predict somewhere in the neighborhood of 50-55 wins (note: 538 projected 54 wins). Boston only won 49 games and did underachieve, but I think the 60-win predictions some humans were making were a bit much. It's really hard to do that without a top-5 player.

From a Duke perspective, hopefully Jayson starts to play more like an All-Star next season. Obviously he's only 21 and should get there at some point. And with Kyrie, hopefully he learned a few things about being a good teammate and takes advantage of the fresh start with Brooklyn.

[BD80]

With some hindsight, Boston's talent was also overrated. If you tell me that a team's best player is roughly 10th best in the NBA (Kyrie), its second-best player is roughly 20th-best (Horford), and then it has tremendous depth everywhere else, I think it's reasonable to predict somewhere in the neighborhood of 50-55 wins (note: 538 projected 54 wins). Boston only won 49 games and did underachieve, but I think the 60-win predictions some humans were making were a bit much. It's really hard to do that without a top-5 player.

From a Duke perspective, hopefully Jayson starts to play more like an All-Star next season. Obviously he's only 21 and should get there.

Excuse me, Kyrie is easily one of the 20+ Top-ten players in the league.


I am one of the 80% that considers himself an above-average driver.

[cato]

The coach was a genius when it all went well. One year later what is he? The blame goes to the failure of the boss.

A coach who thrives on getting the most out of hard working talent, but does not have experience handling elite talent?

[sagegrouse]

More on what went principally wrong with the Celtics - https://sports.yahoo.com/nba-rumors-...135230827.html

I definitely buy that as part of it.

Everything that could go wrong went wrong with the Celtics. So much talent, such a good front office, such bad luck.

Sigh...

Money quotes (Fair Use only, of course) -- which, by the way, don't point directly at Kyrie at all. It is pretty amazing Kyrie can be voted one of the ten best players in NBA and, in the same season, cause his nearly unbeatable team to become mediocre.

NBA Rumors: Execs believe this dynamic 'upended' Celtics last season
Darren Hartwell
NBC Sports Boston•Jul 17, 2019, 7:52 AM

Why did the Boston Celtics' 2018-19 go off the rails? ... How much time do you have?

Here's the prevailing theory: Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward, who both missed the 2017-18 playoffs, struggled to assimilate into a roster that reached Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals without them, creating deep chemistry issues on a roster supposedly brimming with talent.

According to Bleacher Report's Ric Bucher, executives around the league apparently buy that theory, but more specifically believe the contract structure of the Celtics' most important players also played a role in their demise.

"A player salary structure that doesn't reflect the pecking order in value and contributions can cause dissension," Bucher wrote Tuesday. "Several executives believe that is the dynamic that upended the Boston Celtics last season."

As Bucher points out, Hayward was Boston's highest-paid player last season at $31.2 million but was far from its best player, averaging just 11.5 points per game as he recovered from a serious ankle injury.

Meanwhile, players earning a fraction of that salary on their rookie contracts -- namely Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Terry Rozier -- either outperformed Hayward or believed they could after the success they found in the 2017-18 season.

"In that situation you have Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum and Terry Rozier making names for themselves and hadn't got paid yet," one "player-turned-executive" told Bucher. "They got a taste of the Eastern Conference Finals, they go seven games, and all of a sudden Kyrie and Gordon Hayward are back the next year and everything changes. It's a tricky situation."

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Excuse me, Kyrie is easily one of the 20+ Top-ten players in the league.


I am one of the 80% that considers himself an above-average driver.

This gets sporks. NBA fans seem to have at least 15 top five players, and 30 top ten players.

[SouthernDukie]

Don't get me wrong; I still think most of this is on Kyrie. But he's certainly not all to blame.

I've never seen just little mutual interest in an All-Star like Kyrie/Celtics. The Celtics didn't reach out in free-agency; Kyrie didn't want anything to do with the Celtics post-loss to Milwaukee.

Completely agree. The most telling thing for me, in terms of Kyrie not being 99% of the blame like many claim he was, is Horford. During the season on several occasions I remember “insiders” reporting how much Al was tired of Kyrie. Yet he still takes off even after it was clear Kyrie would not be returning? That was very revealing. I think there was plenty of blame to go around, yet Kyrie seemed to take almost all the blame after the Celtics got speared by the Bucks.