The 2023-2024 NBA Season

[C2Hamm]

My take on what Spurs should to to get a mid 1st round pick (PG to grow with Wemby)

Option 1 : Target Toronto's 13 th pick - ( Cason Wallace) - give up 33 rd pick, trade back 1st round 2024 (6th round protected ) and icing - give Devonte Graham.
Option 2 ; Target Atlanta 15th pick ( Kobe Bufkin) - give up 33rd pick, Trade back 1st round 2025 or Trade Malaki who would be 16th pick if 2022 was re -drafted
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/...e-do-1st-round

im not sure why Raps will trade a lottery pick for no less than Keldon or Devin atleast. they will loose FVV and Trent and you are giving them Graham? they need a salary dump because OG will ask money for his extension this off season and Pascal can start extension talks next season.

Atlanta might go on a mini fire sale, who knows what will catch their fancy. i saw some Trae trade rumors. doubt itll happen but the trae \dejounte experiment does not look nice at all.

[thatweirdguy]

best example: Kyrie Irving and the Mavericks, from 4th in the west to missing the playoffs

regarding the suns, I think Ayton wil be traded before the season starts, a lot of teams, including dallas, is interested in the former 1st pick overall (but imagine a Luka-Ayton-Irving locker room, that’ll be toxic)

As a Suns fan I'd rather trade Ayton somewhere else than help the Mavs and Luka. They got nothing that interest me except the 10th pick and why would I help them fix their biggest need? Kyrie hasn't shown his weird side yet but they got enough drama already in their hands especially if Luka decides he's had enough

[thatweirdguy]

Even if they drafted Hali. They still need to trade him to win now like what they did to Mikal and Cam Johnson.

I think they'd keep one of them or at least Hali if they intend to trade Paul as he's on a rookie contract. They need cheap serviceable players right now and Cam Payne is injury prone and inconsistent

[thatweirdguy]

yay, a Suns fan! I started watching basketball, in general, during the time of Tom Chambers. but really got hooked during the time of Barkley.

anyway, i have zero faith with Suns in terms of drafting. sure, they will occasionally draft a good guy(Book, Mikal, Cam) but in general, they just dont. so thinking how Phx can build via trade is futile and not an option. and since JJ came on board, it is clear that how he makes the team is getting experienced players and hoping the young guns he had when he started either becomes good enough to be part of the core of good enough to be shipped out.

Vogel has 2 things that Coach Monty doesnt: championship experience and experience coaching a team with multiple all star players. extra, he is a defensive coach. the time Lakers won the championship under him, they were one of the top defensive team.

I started watching them when traded for Marbury and have been following them since. We're not winning much but at least they're entertaining to watch with STAT posterizing people and Steph breaking ankles..

Me too. I think it's safer to just trade down and pick players who can contribute right away than gamble on high upside prospects. We can't develop them anyway.

That's good to hear. One thing I don't like about Monty is he is stubborn with his rotation and is prone to favoritism and icing out some of the players he doesn't like ..

[Rds]

I don't think the Luka Kyrie pairing will work. They'll get in the playoffs but I don't think they will be contenders. Neither of the two are good defenders. If you've seen the recent playoffs, the contending teams main 5 have at least 4 decent to good defenders. To me Jokic is not a good defender as an NBA center but they surrounded him with 4 decent to good defenders. Luka was at best when Brunson was the PG. Brunson was tough on both sides of the court while Kyrie is as soft as Luka defensively. Kyrie was a perfect fit with Lebron, because like it or not, prime Lebron was a good defender.

This is also the reason I think GS is having problems now. Well they won a championship last season. But this season their defensive weakness has been exploited. I think this is the main reason why they don't win on the road. They can't stop anybody anymore. So they need to the favorable calls in home court to supercharge their offense and win.

They were strongest with prime Durant and prime Klay. Both were good defenders in their prime. Klay in particular defended the best perimeter threat while shooting at a good clip himself. With Klay hobbled defensively it is hard to compensate for Steph's defensive weakness. In fact Klay has become more of a defensive liability in the perimeter.

[DAdmiral]

im not sure why Raps will trade a lottery pick for no less than Keldon or Devin atleast. they will loose FVV and Trent and you are giving them Graham? they need a salary dump because OG will ask money for his extension this off season and Pascal can start extension talks next season.

Atlanta might go on a mini fire sale, who knows what will catch their fancy. i saw some Trae trade rumors. doubt itll happen but the trae \dejounte experiment does not look nice at all.

You have remember the Raps 1st round pick next year is close or a lottery pick in itself, so essentially trading the 13th pick this year for a around a 13th pick next year plus the 33rd pick plus Graham , 1 pick for 3 assets

speaking of the Spurs GM has spoken on what he's willing to give up for a 1st

Freport-spurs-wont-trade-keldon-johnson-or-devin-vassell-to-move-up-in-the-draft

https://www.poundingtherock.com/2023/6/19/23766522/report-spurs-wont-trade-keldon-johnson-or-devin-vassell-to-move-up-in-the-draft

[DAdmiral]

BTW the Beal trade is a lesson on how not to manage trade assets, and shows the Spurs did right moves by trading Dejonte Murray before he loses value.
the problem with keeping a star like Beal and paying him , who isn't good enough to bering you far. , is when he loses value, you can't get good value in return. . To me there is no point in being just a mid level team, you are either a contender to go deep into the playoffs or be really bad and tank.

[Rds]

You have remember the Raps 1st round pick next year is close or a lottery pick in itself, so essentially trading the 13th pick this year for a around a 13th pick next year plus the 33rd pick plus Graham , 1 pick for 3 assets

speaking of the Spurs GM has spoken on what he's willing to give up for a 1st

Freport-spurs-wont-trade-keldon-johnson-or-devin-vassell-to-move-up-in-the-draft

https://www.poundingtherock.com/2023...p-in-the-draft

On paper Keldon has a low ceiling. An undersized PF, at 6'5. Maybe Spurs are rewarding his effort. But I don't think he'll be able improve his game anymore.

[DAdmiral]

On paper Keldon has a low ceiling. An undersized PF, at 6'5. Maybe Spurs are rewarding his effort. But I don't think he'll be able improve his game anymore.

That's actually true, Keldon I don't think wil get good trade value.. but really in today's salaries , Keldon contract is decent . No problem keeping him. But I agree he's not starting material to me. Defense is the biggest issue

[The_Big_Cat]

NBL rising star Rayan Rupert has been invited to the green room for the 2023 NBA Draft.

[BJ_Reloaded]

"Another championship team, that's my goal," Riley said. "I have no other plans other than to do that."

https://www.spin.ph/basketball/nba/pat-riley-s-plans-for-heat-in-nba-draft-free-agency-a1717-20230621?ref=home_feed_1

Well it seems that Miami’s ultimate maestro Hall of Famer Pat Riley’s pronouncement was a sign that he may somehow dip his hand on the coming free agency market in few days time just to fill that missing puzzle.
With such a great organization, a future Hall of Famer like Eric Spoelstra and his blue collar type of a system that propels the under achieving Heat from that recently concluded 2022-23 Championship run against the Nugs. I won’t be surprise if some of those high profile dudes decided to pack their bags and want to experience the Heat from the beach.
Led by Draymon Green, Khris Middleton, Kyle Kuzma, Brook and Robin Lopez(?), Mason Plumlee(?), Alex Len, Josh Richardson, Josh Hart, Cameron Johnson, Caris Levert, Dwight Powell among others are just a few guys that may be available in the coming free agency market. With their length, 2-way guys and a blue collar type of a mindset towards the game, I think are a good fits in the system.

The next big question now is does the Heat has the salary cap to somehow entice few of these players to join the party?

[CoJ]

Celtics just reloaded,

[DAdmiral]

Reposting in right thread about Wembanyama expectations.

what the best prospect means is the prospect with the highest expectations and hype. Now whether he can live up to those expectations is another thing with different opinions...

The reason for the hype is his offensive rating ( involved in 28% of pts) of in Europe for a 19 year old is actually better than Luka , while his defensive rating is historic , he improves his teams defensive efficiency by over 30 % by just being on the court .

now as to my expectations on 1st year with Spurs , the Spurs were at bottom on defensive ratings , with Wemby's addition the Spurs will move up to a mid level defensive team . And in the process will be a reasonable candidate for an all defensive NBA team member as a rookie ( that's saying a lot ).
Offensively my expectations are tempered he has a long way to go.

https://youtu.be/Gp-U9qU5yO8

https://youtu.be/7eUEzHrP_uk

[CoJ]

oops

BREAKING: The three-team trade between the Celtics, Wizards and Clippers that would've sent Kristaps Porzingis to Boston has FALLEN APART
The Clippers backed out due to concerns about Malcolm Brogdon's health. (via Woj)

[IPC]

oops

BREAKING: The three-team trade between the Celtics, Wizards and Clippers that would've sent Kristaps Porzingis to Boston has FALLEN APART
The Clippers backed out due to concerns about Malcolm Brogdon's health. (via Woj)

Shit happened. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

Porzingis would have helped in the bigman rotation, though.