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'17-18 NBA Thread


Enforcer84

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8 minutes ago, Pariah said:

And for $154 M, LeBron James agrees to become part of the LaVar Ball circus for the next four years.

 

Whether that will be good for Levon Ball or not depends on whether LBJ supplements his coaches or supersedes them. Ball needs a lot of coaching to be truly effective at the NBA level. In '17-18 he showed flashes of brilliance but a lot of inconsistency. He needs to be more focused and more dependable. James will without a doubt ride him hard in practice and training, and won't take any complacency in games, and those three rings speak pretty loudly.

 

(This of course assumes the Lakers don't cut bait on Ball, as has frequently been suggested. and if James decides he's had enough and wants Levon out, Levon will be out. Listen to the guy with all the rings.)

 

The question is who the other piece he wants will be. Paul George has re-upped with the Thunder, and the other free-agent dominoes are falling into place rapidly. Durant is under contract with Golden State for a couple more years, aside from which they share a natural position. Julius Randle doesn't want to be in LA anymore, so a sign-and-trade might well be in the works.

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The allegedly gimpy quad from San Antone is the best bet to join him LA, now.

 

Randle in a sign-and-trade with Brandon Ingram to SA would be near perfect.  (with some smaller pieces possibly added to possibly make things work-from little I know of Josh Hart, he would seem like an ideal Spur, for example)

 

And if you get Leonard, you absolutely don't really need Ingram anymore (with James, Leonard, and Kuzma and possibly Deng.  Ingram might be stuck as a 15 minute man at best, so if he'll rot on the bench, best to include him in the trade)

 

I suppose the Spurs, would try to milk it for all it is worth, but if you get 2 solid young players like that for a guy who doesn't want to be with you, is one year from getting away, and who may decide to milk a mysterious injury so he wont have to play that last year, anyway.  Get what you can.  (on the other hand, taking 2 years off from injury would kill his FA value, so he'd at least probably play 60 games if possible)  Note: Well those 2 plus a little extra.  But, the leg San Antonio thinks it has on trading has its own quad problems.  The Lakers can wait a year, not maybe optimal if they want to compete now, but better that than give up everything.  Every other team, will know they'll lose him after one year, so it is only worth it if they have a shot this year.  With LeBron gone, the East looks like Bos/Phi.  And Philly has a chance to compete for a few years with all their young.  So, if not the Lakers,  A Boston rental is their only hope.  You wait till February, you probably have less leverage than now.  And after that, you just watch him go for absolutely jacksquat.

 

 

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I can only hope that the warriors foul Ball through out the 4th quarters during their playoff sweep. 

 

This continues the rich tradition of the Lakers bringing in big names at the twilight of their careers to chase a ring.

 

It will be interesting watching LeBron having to go a whole year because he's not in the Leastern Conference anymore.

 

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The Spurs seem to be under the impression they have leverage, bless their hearts. :rofl:

 

Take Ingram, Hart, and a 1st rder (or another unmentioned player), and call it a day.  Be glad you got something instead of nothing.

 

Edit: And don't think Boston or Philly will save you.  They know it is likely a 1 year rental.

 

 

 

 

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Scuttlebutt now is that the Lakers have less incentive to make a deal believing they can jettison their one year deals and sign Kawai next season. LeBron signing for 3 years (w/option for 4th) gives them a lot of wiggle room and less pressure to win now.

 

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And supposedly he may or may not want to LA, because he'd have to play in "LeBron's shadow".

 

Kawhi has went from the hardworking star you'd want to have to the ultimate prima donna in below a year.  

 

He stays sitting out 3 months after being cleared to play, while Ginobili, whose body is 80% duct-tape at this point manages to gut it out.   Throws a tantrum, when the Spurs start questioning why they can gut their infirmaties, some equal or greater than his, and he cant be bothered to.   Demands a trade to LA, doesn't want to be in LA, doesn't want to be with the Spurs, blah, blah.

 

He deserves to have to play for the Nets.  Or on a team with Dwight Howard.  Maybe, he can find a team in free agency that will let him rehab 6 months for a papercut.

 

 

 

 

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3 hours ago, Enforcer84 said:

I've heard that it's Ingram they're balking at, not Kuzma and certainly not Ball. 

 

Well, Kuzma would complement James/Leonard better.  And one has to go, or one of the 2 will rot on the bench (probably Ingram).  THat's kind of an overload of forwards.  (albeit James and Leonard are flexible,  James could probably play any position, and Kawhi I could see being comfortable anywhere from the 2-4 positions).

 

Ingram and Kuzma are probably strictly tweener forwards.  And Deng (because you are stuck with him).  James can be a Magic-type PG (but Rondo-Ball get those minutes)

 

Speaking of Rondo, he is a bad pickup.  A LeBron team needs a catch&shoot guy at the PG, that let's LeBron take the point duties (and well Rondo is pretty much the opposite, Lonzo pretty much too)

 

 

 

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