Dukies in the NBA: 2022-23

[BigZ]

Is Tatum already the third greatest Blue Devil in NBA history? Grant and Kyrie I think are 1-2 right now but Tatum has passed others it appears.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Is Tatum already the third greatest Blue Devil in NBA history? Grant and Kyrie I think are 1-2 right now but Tatum has passed others it appears.

In my head that means he's surpassed Brand and Boozer. Hrmmmm... Fair question.

[WillJ]

An interesting note on honorary Dukie Giannis. It's been widely reported that most of the deposits at Silicon Valley Bank, made by ostensibly sophisticated tech financiers, were in amounts well over the $250k insurance max, meaning that most of the money at SVB was uninsured. Giannis also had a lot of cash, but he had distributed his roughly $5m in cash into 20 separate 250k deposits at 20 different banks, meaning that, unlike the techsters, he was fully insured by the FDIC. I don't know whether this was Giannis' idea or that of an advisor - it could have been Giannis! - but it was pretty smart.

This economist has other thoughts on SVB, but I'll save it for somewhere else.

[Indoor66]

In my head that means he's surpassed Brand and Boozer. Hrmmmm... Fair question.

Don't forget Marin and Mullins.

[AGDukesky]

An interesting note on honorary Dukie Giannis. It's been widely reported that most of the deposits at Silicon Valley Bank, made by ostensibly sophisticated tech financiers, were in amounts well over the $250k insurance max, meaning that most of the money at SVB was uninsured. Giannis also had a lot of cash, but he had distributed his roughly $5m in cash into 20 separate 250k deposits at 20 different banks, meaning that, unlike the techsters, he was fully insured by the FDIC. I don't know whether this was Giannis' idea or that of an advisor - it could have been Giannis! - but it was pretty smart.

This economist has other thoughts on SVB, but I'll save it for somewhere else.

I am very impressed by this- good for Giannis!

[DukieInBrasil]

In my head that means he's surpassed Brand and Boozer. Hrmmmm... Fair question.

Neither Brand nor Boozer were as dominant at their peaks as Tatum has been this year and last, but both of them had longevity on their side. I'd say Tatum needs another year or three at this level to surpass Brand or Boozer for such ranking.

[BigZ]

Neither Brand nor Boozer were as dominant at their peaks as Tatum has been this year and last, but both of them had longevity on their side. I'd say Tatum needs another year or three at this level to surpass Brand or Boozer for such ranking.

I don't put Brand and longevity in the same sentence.

[AGDukesky]

I don't put Brand and longevity in the same sentence.

17 seasons in the NBA doesn’t qualify for longevity?!

[JasonEvans]

17 seasons in the NBA doesn’t qualify for longevity?!

Yeah, he lost much of 2 years to injuries in his late 20s, but was a NBA regular from the age of 20 until the age of 34. If that ain't longevity, I don't know what is. Dude was a starter who averaged 13-15 pts and 7-9 rebs into his early 30s. I mean, what does it take to be a grizzled vet if not that?

[Steven43]

17 seasons in the NBA doesn’t qualify for longevity?!

I agree with your sentiment; Brand had a lengthy and quite successful NBA career.

It was unfortunate that he missed a considerable amount of time with injuries, but he kept coming back time and again. That’s really all you can ask of a player.

[AGDukesky]

I agree with your sentiment; Brand had a lengthy and quite successful NBA career.

It was unfortunate that he missed a considerable amount of time with injuries, but he kept coming back time and again. That’s really all you can ask of a player.

Maybe he/she was talking about neck longevity?

[Steven43]

Maybe he/she was talking about neck longevity?

Lol. 😊

[SouthernDukie]

Is Tatum already the third greatest Blue Devil in NBA history? Grant and Kyrie I think are 1-2 right now but Tatum has passed others it appears.

That's how I'd rank them at this point. And Tatum is closing in on both Grant and Kyrie. By the time he's 28 or so he'll be at the top if he continues his upward trajectory.

[Steven43]

Steven, I’m watching the Houston Rockets clown with the Celtics tonight. Tatum misses an easy layup for the tie and he just buggers it to hell. Ugh…

Are you telling me you’re not worried and that you think they are still front runners in the East? Because I can’t see it at all. I want it, but I absolutely can’t see it the way they’re playing right now.

Frankly, I’m not even sure they can make it to the Eastern Conference Finals the way they are playing right now. And they for sure can’t take the Bucks out the way they’re playing.

I concur with everything you say here.

The Celtics currently look like a second-round playoff loser. Marcus Smart is having a bad season and appears to have regressed significantly on both sides of the ball. Also, Robert Williams is oft-injured and can’t be relied upon. And it appears the Celtics may have made a poor decision in choosing Joe Mazzulla as head coach. I think he’s in way over his head, and might be a OAD.

Other than that everything is perfect! 😉

[SouthernDukie]

I concur with everything you say here.

The Celtics currently look like a second-round playoff loser. Marcus Smart is having a bad season and appears to have regressed significantly on both sides of the ball. Also, Robert Williams is oft-injured and can’t be relied upon. And it appears the Celtics may have made a poor decision in choosing Joe Mazzulla as head coach. I think he’s in way over his head, and might be a OAD.

Other than that everything is perfect! 😉

It's time, Steven. [wink, wink]

The Celtics are done. They have no prayer of getting out of the 1st round.

[JasonEvans]

That's how I'd rank them at this point. And Tatum is closing in on both Grant and Kyrie. By the time he's 28 or so he'll be at the top if he continues his upward trajectory.

I mean, if we are talking about injuries impacting a career, how about Grant Hill? Had Grant not missed pretty much his entire late 20s and early 30s due to terrible leg injuries, Tatum would need to play this way for another decade to be in the conversation for greatest Dukie. Grant had been All-NBA first or second team 5 years in a row when he got hurt. What a terrible shame.

[SouthernDukie]

I mean, if we are talking about injuries impacting a career, how about Grant Hill? Had Grant not missed pretty much his entire late 20s and early 30s due to terrible leg injuries, Tatum would need to play this way for another decade to be in the conversation for greatest Dukie. Grant had been All-NBA first or second team 5 years in a row when he got hurt. What a terrible shame.

Absolutely agree. Grant was on a trajectory to be another MJ. But for the injuries he's the GOAT of Duke NBA guys by a long shot.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Absolutely agree. Grant was on a trajectory to be another MJ. But for the injuries he's the GOAT of Duke NBA guys by a long shot.

Grant was a great player. He was on an amazing path for possibly a top 20 all time career. But I don't think he was headed for Jordan level deification.

[SouthernDukie]

Grant was a great player. He was on an amazing path for possibly a top 20 all time career. But I don't think he was headed for Jordan level deification.

Just my two cents, but I think Grant absolutely had the potential to be another MJ.

[bundabergdevil]

Just my two cents, but I think Grant absolutely had the potential to be another MJ.

I’m with you. I think that he had the skills. There are an AWFUL lot of things that have to happen that are out of a player’s control that break (sorry, Grant) in their favor in order to actually approach that GOAT status but I’m with you the skills and leadership potential were there.