2019-2020 NBA Regular Season Thread

[flyingdutchdevil]

Whoa... big trade.



-Jason "I guess Wiggins is a better fit with Curry and a healthy Klay... I guess?!?!" Evans

Shocking. It saves the Dubs around $6-8M per year, but the value is in the 2021 pick (cus you know it’s going to be lottery).

Not sure what they do with Wiggins. Do the Dubs think their culture can fix Wiggins? Or will they try to flip him?

Wiggins could add value. He could also sink the Dubs.

[Troublemaker]

Whoa... big trade.

"Golden State has agreed to trade D'Angelo Russell to Minnesota for a deal that includes Andrew Wiggins, a 2021 protected first-round pick and a 2022 second-round pick, league sources tell ESPN. Warriors will send Jacob Evans and Omari Spellman to Timberwolves too."

-Jason "I guess Wiggins is a better fit with Curry and a healthy Klay... I guess?!?!" Evans

Looks like it's top-3 protected. So no Cade Cunningham.

I like this deal better for the Wolves, initial instinct.

[JasonEvans]

Looks like it's top-3 protected. So no Cade Cunningham.

Yup, the pick is top 3 protected in 2021 and then becomes unprotected in 2022 if it does not convey. Given how up and (mostly) down Minnesota has been, this could be a really valuable asset to the Warriors moving forward.

-Jason "the Warriors have won by presenting mismatches on offense and not being exploited on defense... not sure how Wiggins fits into that mold" Evans

[BD80]

Looks like it's top-3 protected. So no Cade Cunningham.

I like this deal better for the Wolves, initial instinct.

Can Wiggins accept a role? He's no Alpha, but is he willing to do the things he is asked to do?

Next year's pick for the Wolves might not be lottery. They'll add this year's lottery pick + Deangelo. Might not be bad with a happy KAT.

[Troublemaker]

Shams Charania
@ShamsCharania
8m
Knicks are finalizing a deal to send Marcus Morris to the Clippers for Moe Harkless and other assets, league sources tell @TheAthleticNBA
@Stadium. Sides still working on exact additional players/picks.



Jovan Buha
@jovanbuha
29m
The Clippers’ proposed package for Marcus Morris being discussed is Moe Harkless, Mfiondu Kabengele, Terance Mann and their 2020 first-round pick, league sources tell @TheAthleticLA.



Ramona Shelburne
@ramonashelburne
29m
Pretty epic showdown between the Clippers and Lakers for Marcus Morris. For the Knicks, “there’s no deal without Kuzma” and the Lakers —at this late hour— remain reluctant to part with him.

[Troublemaker]

Not being willing to part with Kuzma (an average player) might end up costing the Lakers dearly.

Marcus Morris is one of the better defenders of Lebron in the league. (According to Morris himself [Youtube], he's the second-best Lebron defender in the league after Kawhi. Not sure he's that high but he's up there).

Now the Clips can rotate all of Morris, George, and Kawhi on Lebron and not wear any one of them out.

[Billy Dat]

I have watched a ton of Marcus Morris this year and while he can be a black hole on offense, he has been far and away the Knicks best player this season and a night-in-night-out hard core competitor. He has been a small bright spot and I will be happy to see him go to a contender.

[JasonEvans]

Now the Clips can rotate all of Morris, George, and Kawhi on Lebron and not wear any one of them out.

The Clippers are going to roll out Beverly, PG13, Kawhi, Morris and Harrell in the 4th quarter of playoff games. Good luck scoring anything against that defensive crew. That might be the best defensive lineup in recent NBA history. Wow!!

[BD80]

The Clippers are going to roll out Beverly, PG13, Kawhi, Morris and Harrell in the 4th quarter of playoff games. Good luck scoring anything against that defensive crew. That might be the best defensive lineup in recent NBA history. Wow!!

Kind of like having Mariano Rivera in the bullpen!

Just give us a lead at the end of three, we'll take it from there ...

[BD80]

Yeah! The Pistons trade Andre Drummond, who was bound to leave in free agency, to the Cavs!

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/n...s-reports-say/

This is big (excuse the expression) because the Pistons couldn't figure out how to win with Dre taking such a big bite out of the salary cap.

And boy did they fleece the Cavs! The Pistons get the Cavs' first round pick! No?

Well surely they'll get the Cavs' second round pick! No?

They' get a 2nd round pick, which will be the lesser of Golden State's and Cleveland's in 2023, plus the expiring contracts of Brevin Knight and John Henson.

Wow, that's exciting! Time to restrict my view of the 2020 draft board to the top 5 or 6 picks.

[Steven43]

Yeah! The Pistons trade Andre Drummond, who was bound to leave in free agency, to the Cavs!

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/n...s-reports-say/

This is big (excuse the expression) because the Pistons couldn't figure out how to win with Dre taking such a big bite out of the salary cap.

And boy did they fleece the Cavs! The Pistons get the Cavs' first round pick! No?

Well surely they'll get the Cavs' second round pick! No?

They' get a 2nd round pick, which will be the lesser of Golden State's and Cleveland's in 2023, plus the expiring contracts of Brevin Knight and John Henson.

Wow, that's exciting! Time to restrict my view of the 2020 draft board to the top 5 or 6 picks.

Wait...what exactly did Detroit get in exchange for Drummond??

[jgehtland]

Wait...what exactly did Detroit get in exchange for Drummond??

Not Drummond.

[Troublemaker]

Wait...what exactly did Detroit get in exchange for Drummond??

Not Drummond.

Right. The ability to not have to pay him $29 million after he opts in next season.

[JasonEvans]

Right. The ability to not have to pay him $29 million after he opts in next season.

You think he is opting in? I think he will test the free agent market and see if anyone wants to give him even more. Not impossible to imagine. The Knicks have tons of cap space they need to use (though with Mitchell Robinson, they already have a decent rim protector).

[flyingdutchdevil]

The Clippers are going to roll out Beverly, PG13, Kawhi, Morris and Harrell in the 4th quarter of playoff games. Good luck scoring anything against that defensive crew. That might be the best defensive lineup in recent NBA history. Wow!!

Dear lord. Morris is a very competent defender. Not in the league of Beverly, PG13, or Kawhi, but certainly competent. Not to mention, he's one of the best 3pt shooting players in the NBA, so the loaded up the most important skill in the NBA right now.

The Clippers still want someone to slow down Davis, but it's not a necessity.

Clippers are the overwhelming favorite now. The Lakers, with zero flexibility outside of Kuzma, are definitely pissed off.

[Steven43]

Dear lord. Morris is a very competent defender. Not in the league of Beverly, PG13, or Kawhi, but certainly competent. Not to mention, he's one of the best 3pt shooting players in the NBA, so the loaded up the most important skill in the NBA right now.

The Clippers still want someone to slow down Davis, but it's not a necessity.

Clippers are the overwhelming favorite now. The Lakers, with zero flexibility outside of Kuzma, are definitely pissed off.

If your assessment is accurate, I’m extremely happy. 😊

[bundabergdevil]

All-Star captains picked their teams. No surprise LeBron picked Davis first but Giannis going Embiid! C'mon, terrible pick! Interesting Harden was selected second to last of the starters with, no surprise, Trae young coming in last. At first blush, LeBron's team should smoke Giannis'. I do like the new televised picking format. Pretty fun.


Team LeBron
Pick 1 Anthony Davis
Pick 3 Kawhi Leonard
Pick 5 Luka Doncic
Pick 7 James Harden
Pick 10 Damian Lillard
Pick 12 Ben Simmons
Pick 14 Nikola Jokic
Pick 16 Jayson Tatum
Pick 18 Chris Paul
Pick 20 Russell Westbrook
Pick 22 Domantas Sabonis

Team Giannis
Pick 2 Joel Embiid
Pick 4 Pascal Siakam
Pick 6 Kemba Walker
Pick 8 Trae Young
Pick 9 Khris Middleton
Pick 11 Bam Adebayo
Pick 13 Rudy Gobert
Pick 15 Jimmy Butler
Pick 17 Kyle Lowry
Pick 19 Brandon Ingram
Pick 21 Donovan Mitchell

[JNort]

All-Star captains picked their teams. No surprise LeBron picked Davis first but Giannis going Embiid! C'mon, terrible pick! Interesting Harden was selected second to last of the starters with, no surprise, Trae young coming in last. At first blush, LeBron's team should smoke Giannis'. I do like the new televised picking format. Pretty fun.


Team LeBron
Pick 1 Anthony Davis
Pick 3 Kawhi Leonard
Pick 5 Luka Doncic
Pick 7 James Harden
Pick 10 Damian Lillard
Pick 12 Ben Simmons
Pick 14 Nikola Jokic
Pick 16 Jayson Tatum
Pick 18 Chris Paul
Pick 20 Russell Westbrook
Pick 22 Domantas Sabonis

Team Giannis
Pick 2 Joel Embiid
Pick 4 Pascal Siakam
Pick 6 Kemba Walker
Pick 8 Trae Young
Pick 9 Khris Middleton
Pick 11 Bam Adebayo
Pick 13 Rudy Gobert
Pick 15 Jimmy Butler
Pick 17 Kyle Lowry
Pick 19 Brandon Ingram
Pick 21 Donovan Mitchell

I think Giannis was taking guys who he thought would be competitive and go for the win. It's all the younger guys and guys known for taking things seriously.

[WillJ]

Right. The ability to not have to pay him $29 million after he opts in next season.

This is what makes it so hard to evaluate trades in the NBA. It's not whether a player is good. It's whether they're good relative to their contract. (And where the team stands with regard to the CBA team minimums and luxury taxes).

[Troublemaker]

You think he is opting in? I think he will test the free agent market and see if anyone wants to give him even more. Not impossible to imagine. The Knicks have tons of cap space they need to use (though with Mitchell Robinson, they already have a decent rim protector).

It'd be different if Drummond had a history of bad health as many big men do, but Drummond has an excellent health history.

No one's paying him more than $29 million annually, let's be clear on that. I would guess his market value to be about $15 mill a year, so if he had a bad injury history, then yes it would make sense to get 3 years / $45 million since 45 > 29. But as a healthy player, he's going to play the one year at 29 mill and then get the 3 years / 45 afterwards.