NBA Offseason G/V: Let Me Hear You Post It

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What is going to be your favorite offseason storyline? This poll is closed.
The Big3 Tourney	67	22.41%
Will Lakers draft Ball	40	13.38%
Where will the Pauls go	54	18.06%
Will LeBron jump ship to the Spurs or ??	41	13.71%
Will every team in the league just pivot towards tanking	97	32.44%
Total:	210 votes

[Edit Poll (moderators only)]

iamsosmrt: Jun 14, 2008

mastershakeman posted:

Has any player besides Durant won a finals MVP immediately after switching teams, either via free agency or trade?

I believe my man Moses Malone did it for the Sixers in 83.

# ¿ Jun 13, 2017 14:57

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# ¿ Apr 25, 2024 13:48

iamsosmrt: Jun 14, 2008

I regularly visit Libertyballers, Crossingbroad and the Sixers Reddit and am not sure what fans you guys are referring to.

# ¿ Jun 23, 2017 18:28

iamsosmrt: Jun 14, 2008

Hm, I don't love the idea but it's also not that serious. Yeah everyone would love to find a Draymond in the 2nd round but as things are, we barely have enough minutes to go around for our 1st round picks.

Summer league can't come soon enough.

# ¿ Jun 23, 2017 18:42

iamsosmrt: Jun 14, 2008

tanglewood1420 posted:

Philly can't really take any more rookies reasonably

Fultz / McConnell
Bayless / Stauskas / Henderson
Covington / TLC / Anderson
Simmons / Saric
Embiid / Holmes / Okafor

That gets you to 13 players already. They also want to bring over Korkmaz this season (Coangelo confirmed in the post-draft press conference) which would make it 14. They are also for sure going to want to sign some veteran rotation players as they have an outside chance at making the playoffs in the east (pending health obviously), which would be huge for the franchise. Plus they've already announced some undrafted guys they are bringing to Summer League/camp. It's a fairly dumb thing to get mad about.

I could be a homer about this, but I don't even know if it should be considered "outside" at this point. They have a reasonable shot at the playoffs pending health, largely due to the East going from being a dumpster fire to a disaster this offseason (Bulls and Pacers set to take huge steps backwards, other teams not in position to make much noise). Anyway, they won 28 games last year, it wouldn't be insane if they won 35-40 this year, especially if they do sign a decent veteran.

# ¿ Jun 23, 2017 19:36

iamsosmrt: Jun 14, 2008

morestuff posted:

Ask Wolves fans about this

To be fair, the Sixers were already touted for playing pretty solid defense last year.

# ¿ Jun 23, 2017 20:34

iamsosmrt: Jun 14, 2008

morestuff posted:

Playing two rookies big minutes probably won't help that.

Philly should be a lot of fun to watch next year but expecting to completely revamp the team with a bunch of 20-year-olds and a 31-game superstar and win 41 feels a bit much. Indiana and Chicago probably take a step back but Miami, Charlotte and Detroit are all there waiting

I'm being an optimist here. It's not unprecedented though, but that's how some of the greatest players came into the league. Obviously, if these two could come in and lead them to a playoff, the city would go apeshit and we'd have a real potential contender on our hands.

# ¿ Jun 23, 2017 21:03

iamsosmrt: Jun 14, 2008

Looks like Fultz is more optimistic than I am.
http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/19719422/markelle-fultz-says-philadelphia-76ers-playoff-team

I'll reserve a real prediction until free agency though. As things look today, I like their outlook, but plenty of crazy things can happen between now and November.

# ¿ Jun 23, 2017 21:26

iamsosmrt: Jun 14, 2008

WhyteRyce posted:

Otto Porter shouldn't get the max, but for many teams that have high salaries, they can't just take that same amount of money and spend it on whatever free agent they want instead. Same with Crabbe. He wasn't worth what he was offered, but Portland would have let him walk for nothing and wouldn't have a clear way to replace that production. Not even the Spurs have a guaranteed hit rate on converting second rounders and D-League picks into quality rotation guys.

I'm unclear on the timing of everything, but shouldn't their intention of signing Evan Turner theoretically have helped them offset the loss of Crabbe? I didn't understand the point of having both, on top of Dame and CJ made much sense at their price range.

I know a lot of Sixers fans were slobbering over the possibility of signing Crabbe last summer, similarly doing so with KCP at the start of this offseason. Signing either player to a max or huge contract just seem(ed) foolish from the getgo.

# ¿ Jul 5, 2017 19:21

iamsosmrt: Jun 14, 2008

At this point, the Warriors should literally not trade a single one of their big four unless it's Draymond for Lebron James--he's probably the only one you could trade for James and expect to improve the team. Regardless of how superior anyone else is individually, the Warriors pieces fit together so well, there's no reason to throw off their balance.

# ¿ Jul 14, 2017 20:58

iamsosmrt: Jun 14, 2008

Zogo posted:

You wouldn't do LBJ for Klay? LBJ + KD/Curry/Draymond. That'd be like Godzilla teaming up with King Ghidorah.

I wouldn't do it without a poo poo ton of back and forth deliberation. LeBron's unquestionably better than anyone else in individual talent, but the the Warriors are already arguably the greatest team ever. LeBron would force them to fundamentally change their entire system, possibly for the better, but also possibly for the worse. I'll concede that chances are they'd still be the best team and win the championship either way.

Also, Godzilla had better chemistry with Mothra, Rodan and Barkley anyway.

# ¿ Jul 16, 2017 14:43

iamsosmrt: Jun 14, 2008

Zogo posted:

What kind of deliberation are you talking about i.e. how are you thinking LBJ would make the Warriors worse?

Change their entire system? LBJ is the most versatile player in the history of the game.

Also, this. GSW could add LBJ as floor mop person and their championship likelihood would increase. Klay wouldn't be close to leading two different teams to the finals seven times in the EC. Klay Thompson and Kevin Love are not a big threat.

WS/48 is the most important individual measurement in determining if a team is a serious title contender. A team without a guy ranked in the top ten of the league winning a title is very uncommon.

PER and WS aren't that different. Last year they shared a .88 correlation.

Not gonna argue about LeBron being the best or most versatile player. And yes I think they'd make it work. Honestly, probably due to a point someone else made that they wouldn't have to face LeBron James anymore.

My prior point hinges on the following factors:
Klay IS the second best shooter in the world.
The Warriors have a unique chemistry and run a precision offense based around the deadly shooting of Klay, Steph and Durant.
Klay is a home grown guy and they're already a multiple title winning team, kind of lovely to gently caress with your team's legacy as far as that goes.
Klay also showed the ability to sacrifice stats for the team when needed, becoming a lockdown defender. On that note, not sure who'd replace this if this trade happened. LeBron and Iggy are not guarding the Westbrook's and Irving's of the world for entire series.

Klay is no LeBron. He won't carry a team to the finals every year. But he fits this team perfectly.

I conceded before that LeBron on the Warriors would likely still win it all. But it would require people to adjust their roles, unless LeBron seemlessly replaced Klay's off ball cuts and spot up shooting. Maybe the rest of the big 3 would be fine with the ball in their hands less often. But maybe not?

# ¿ Jul 18, 2017 02:18

iamsosmrt: Jun 14, 2008

I'm a Sixers fan just shooting the poo poo and projecting how I wouldn't want my home grown superstars to be traded for mercenary LeBron James. And yes the Durant signing is still a punk move.

# ¿ Jul 18, 2017 02:28

iamsosmrt: Jun 14, 2008

Zogo posted:

Report: LeBron James frustrated with Cavaliers� offseason
https://sports.yahoo.com/report-lebron-james-frustrated-cavaliers-191526597.html

"LeBron James, the NBA�s most powerful player and biggest star who brought the Cleveland Cavaliers their first NBA championship, is concerned about the Cavaliers� offseason, a person close to the situation told USA TODAY Sports.

Expecting an aggressive offseason approach that would close the gap on the champion Golden State Warriors, James soon found his anticipation and optimism diminished after Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert dismantled the front office, declining days before the draft and free agency to bring back general manager David Griffin and vice president of basketball operations Trent Redden.

Gilbert�s decision left the Cavs without the franchise�s top two front-office execs at a critical time, and it left James frustrated and concerned about the team�s ability to put together a roster that can better compete with Golden State, the person with direct knowledge of James� thinking told USA TODAY Sports."

Stephon Marbury calls 2004 Olympics �The worst 38 days of my life�
https://sports.yahoo.com/stephon-marbury-calls-2004-olympics-005822522.html

"Marbury says that on the first day of Olympics practice, Brown asked his players�a group that included LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Tim Duncan and Allen Iverson � to state their goals for the tournament.

�By the time he got to me, everything was said that needed to be said,�� Marbury says. �So I said, �Let�s also not forget that we need to have fun.� And Larry goes, �Huh. Listen to this guy, talking about having fun!��

Marbury was stung and embarrassed by Brown�s condescension. He calls the Olympic experience, �The worst 38 days of my life.""

I'd say Klay is the second or third best 3P shooter since he's been in the league.
code:
3NP	Player
1143	Stephen Curry
817	Kyle Korver
813	Klay Thompson
602	J.J. Redick
426	Danny Green
383	Wesley Matthews
372	Kevin Durant
354	Jose Calderon
343	Ryan Anderson
328	Bradley Beal
Proclaiming him as #2 in overall shooting is overestimating his production. He's within the top ten over the last six years but well behind guys like KD and LBJ. Klay doesn't even shoot 50% from 2P range over that period.

Also, LBJ's FG shooting was #1 in the entire league last year (in hibernation/stasis mode). When talking about chemistry I'm not seeing a problem either. LBJ can guard positions 1-5. He shut down Rose when he was good.

I recall last year some saying KD wouldn't thrive on the Warriors for a lot of strange reasons: bad defense, needs the ball more etc.

Here's a thought experiment. If GSW and CLE exchanged Klay and LBJ going into the 2016 finals I think most would readily agree that the Warriors win consecutive titles. Then KD flees the burning OKC building and joins in 2017* and you're looking at excellent threepeat prospects. And going into 2018 the best shot at a 4peat since the 1960s Celtics.

I do agree that in 2016 LBJ + Curry and others may not have won 73 games but it's hard to be sure. LBJ would've probably told Curry to slow down so they only win 65 or so. I do believe most GSW fans would prefer three titles to a team winning 73 games (and 88 overall). Despite the fact that those two marks could still be records fifty years from now while rings get doled out each year. Most would take the rings and LBJ has a much higher peak value in the playoffs than Klay has as exhibited by dominating the finals five years:
code:
Player		 Multiple Finals GmSc leaders (since 1978)
Michael Jordan	 5
LeBron James	 5
Shaquille O'Neal 4
Magic Johnson	 3
Tim Duncan	 2
Moses Malone	 2
Larry Bird	 2
Kobe Bryant	 2
Hakeem Olajuwon	 2
Dwyane Wade	 2
As far as legacy the fans forget that stuff quickly. There are enough GSW fans here and I think they'd do the Klay for LBJ trade or even better the AI2 for LBJ trade.

*Yea, he said he wouldn't had GSW won but I don't believe him.

I'm just going to concede at this point. We're basically splitting hairs about how great either theoretical team would be, and I have to admit that Lebron's Warriors would still be a spectacular team at worst.

# ¿ Jul 19, 2017 21:09

iamsosmrt: Jun 14, 2008

euphronius posted:

I agree

I don't even see him as a starter on a good team. Maybe . As mentioned rebounding and shooting are projects still.

I'm glad the sixers didn't sign him .

What's a fair contract for a good backup center these days?

I mean, I know it wasn't going to work out because Nerlen's is still young and prideful, but I thought that he was an ideal backup, at least on paper. The Sixers defense wouldn't miss a beat with him anchoring the team for like 20-25 minutes a game, plus he would've looked a lot more efficient on offense with Simmons and Fultz (if they live up to hype) initiating.

# ¿ Jul 25, 2017 15:55

iamsosmrt: Jun 14, 2008

Do you guys sincerely think of basketball ranking as a legit thing? That old Skeptical Sports piece on Dennis Rodman as the greatest "3rd Man" of all time was pretty eye opening for me in thinking about player quality, roles and team makeup.

Draymond is probably the best glue guy in the entire league right now, but I would be very curious how he'd do on a team like the Raptors.

# ¿ Jul 30, 2017 17:51

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# ¿ Apr 25, 2024 13:48

iamsosmrt: Jun 14, 2008

Perfect time for the non-tanking Sixers to benefit from league draft reform.

# ¿ Sep 7, 2017 22:20

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