Dukies in the NBA: 2022-23

[scottdude8]

Gary Trent Jr. picked up his $18.5 million player option. He is a second round pick who bet on himself and it is very clearly paying off.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...ks-185m-option

It is somewhat surprising that Trent picked up the option as he likely would have been in line for a guaranteed deal well into the $20+ mil /season range had he opted to become a free agent. The speculation is that he and Toronto are working on an extension and that he really likes being a Raptor. He would be eligible to sign an extension on July 6th and it is possible they have already reached a "wink wink" deal.

The Grizzlies are reportedly (according to Yahoo Sports) looking to facilitate a trade that would allow Tyus to move to a team where he could be a full time starter. This is baffling to me. When Jones re-signed, I assumed it meant he was happy being a backup. Trading him now, when Morant is set to begin a 25 game suspension would be surprising. Even more surprising is the fact that Tyus was evidently interested in signing with the Spurs, where Tre plays, last summer.

Local Toronto media is speculating that Trent picking up his option is, indeed, a precursor to a new longer-term deal. Trent has been effusive in his praise about enjoying Toronto (which I've loved hearing, since it still surprises me why Toronto isn't a bigger draw for stars... yes it's cold, yes it's in Canada, but no US cities outside of NYC/LA/Chicago can rival the environment and culture of Toronto, not to mention the potential for high-paying endorsements at a national Canadian level), so it seems he legitimately wants to be a Raptor.

Interestingly, Toronto has been one of the teams reported to be interested in Tyus after Fred VanVleet declined his option. While Toronto fans have grown to adore VanVleet, replacing him with Tyus would be a great move, especially since Tyus could be cheaper than VanVleet given the latter's experience as a starter (not Tyus' fault, obviously). A starting backcourt of Tyus and Gary would be a lot of fun for us Duke fans, and coupling that with Scottie Barnes, Pascal Siakam, and Jakob Poetl (who Toronto is widely expected to try and resign) is a solid starting group that has the potential to make some noise if Barnes continues to develop and Siakam finally takes the next step to stardom that people have been anticipating ever since 2019.

[arnie]

Meanwhile, the Athletic is reporting that New Orleans probably won't trade Zion or Ingram
https://theathletic.com/4624176/2023...ampaign=601983

@TheNBACentral
People around the league expect the Pelicans to move Zion Williamson by Thursday, per @BillSimmons

“The Zion thing is a real, real, real, subplot. I had somebody tell me yesterday—that I trust—that he will not be on [the Pelicans] by Thursday.”

Well someone is wrong. Will find out soon.

[Steven43]

@TheNBACentral
People around the league expect the Pelicans to move Zion Williamson by Thursday, per @BillSimmons

“The Zion thing is a real, real, real, subplot. I had somebody tell me yesterday—that I trust—that he will not be on [the Pelicans] by Thursday.”

Well someone is wrong. Will find out soon.

It doesn’t necessarily mean someone is/was wrong, arnie. Like was said earlier in this thread, one guy (Simmons’ acquaintance) spouting an off-the-record opinion about a potential trade a week before the draft means very little. While there may have been something to it at the time Simmons’ acquaintance provided him with that little tidbit of “information”, it could easily have changed the very next day. Or Simmons’ guy may have been purposely misled. Who knows?

Anyway, nothing really matters until a deal is finalized. Speculation is free.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

It doesn’t necessarily mean someone is/was wrong, arnie. Like was said earlier in this thread, one guy (Simmons’ acquaintance) spouting an off-the-record opinion about a potential trade a week before the draft means very little. While there may have been something to it at the time Simmons’ acquaintance provided him with that little tidbit of “information”, it could easily have changed the very next day. Or Simmons’ guy may have been purposely misled. Who knows?

Anyway, nothing really matters until a deal is finalized. Speculation is free.

Not very "off the record" if Simmons is reporting it.

[Steven43]

Not very "off the record" if Simmons is reporting it.

Simmons didn’t name the guy. As far as I’ve always understood it an unnamed source is off the record. Without a name there is no one of whom to assign responsibility.

In fact, not only did Simmons not provide a name, he didn’t even say what this person’s position was nor whether he had any connection whatsoever to Zion or the Pelicans organization.

This was just a throwaway comment by Simmons for fun and entertainment.

[SlapTheFloor]

Simmons didn’t name the guy. As far as I’ve always understood it an unnamed source is off the record. Without a name there is no one of whom to assign responsibility.

In fact, not only did Simmons not provide a name, he didn’t even say what this person’s position was nor whether he had any connection whatsoever to Zion or the Pelicans organization.

This was just a throwaway comment by Simmons for fun and entertainment.

My understanding from my time at The Chronicle was, if someone agreed to tell you something "off the record," you weren't allowed to report it at all.

[Indoor66]

My understanding from my time at The Chronicle was, if someone agreed to tell you something "off the record," you weren't allowed to report it at all.

That must have been a long time ago and under a different ethics standard.

[SlapTheFloor]

That must have been a long time ago and under a different ethics standard.

It was a long time ago, but I don't know if the standards have (officially) changed. Here is a New York Times piece from a few years ago defining the term:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/02/r...d-meaning.html

Off the record: Ideally, terms are established at the start. And since nothing from the conversation can be used for publication, journalists are, ideally, cleareyed about the consequences of this arrangement, if they agree to it at all: Sources will have their own agendas, trying to shape future coverage to their liking.

[Steven43]

It was a long time ago, but I don't know if the standards have (officially) changed. Here is a New York Times piece from a few years ago defining the term:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/02/r...d-meaning.html

We’re talking about a comment from a podcaster in regard to alleged information obtained from an unnamed source — who was given no title or job description — about the possibility of a basketball player being traded. I’m not sure this was what the NYT had in mind when they attempted to define the issue of “off-the-record” reporting.

But hey, at least Simmons throwaway comment has provided us with some entertainment!

[JasonEvans]

I'm closing this thread. It was about Dukies and their performance in the recently ended NBA season. At this point, all the news we are hearing relates to summer free agency and the draft and those topics belong in this thread.

Thanks... and look for a Dukies in the NBA 2023-24 thread to start in the fall.