2018-19 NBA Thread

KD won’t join the Knicks because he knows the strength of his legacy depends on whether he can win after he leaves Golden State, and even with Kyrie or another star there with him, that’s unlikely.

 

KD is incredibly hard to read.

There was a long piece on him when he left OKC that made the point that he didn't like being the face of the city. He was uncomfortable having his face on billboards. He found it really appealing to go to the Bay Area where he could kind of disappear, at least as much as a 7 foot famous dude can blend in.

Then the Warriors played a preseason game in Seattle and the city hailed Durant like a returning hero. It was a big lovefest. By all accounts KD loved it. People who are very close to the team said they thought he'd look for an opportunity in free agency where he could be loved by a city like he was loved in Seattle.

In other words, he'd look for a situation that is almost exactly what he escaped in OKC.

So, yeah, beats me.

 

By the way, Madison Square Garden seems to be giving Kyrie a warm welcome tonight.

 

So this is the third time the Lakers have tried to bully their way to a deal with the first two times failing and the Paul George thing completely blowing up in their face. If it doesn't work this time you think they might try another approach.

As for Davis, he must really want to play in Milwaukee the next 100+ games.

 

Pretending that Davis has no leverage is hilarious. All he has to do is say he won't sign with Boston or New York and the offer sinks dramatically. But sure, they'll trade him to Milwaukee or whatever as punishment.

 

And really, there are very few places that make any sense for a trade anyway. Fire up the ESPN NBA Trade Machine and you quickly realize that the number of teams who could create a legit offer is very, very small. Lakers are one. Celtics are another, but that seems to be going up in smoke.

(One possibility I found kind of fascinating? Houston. Davis for Clint Capela and Eric Gordon. Pelicans get two damn good players. Houston has to think they'd have an excellent chance at keeping Davis. Which side says no?)

 

The Pelicans don't care what he doesn't sign in 2020. They are in the position of getting the offer they figure is the best. Whether he goes and plays hard or whines or gets his Dad to leak stories. They could give a shit. They are no longer in the business of making sure he lands comfortably anywhere. If a package around Khris Middleton is the best they have, that's where they will go.

His leverage is he's not going to be in New Orleans after the 2020 season. They already know that. Jumping up and down and screaming "I wanna be a Laker!" isn't going to change that he's contractually obligated to show up for the Pelicans until after the 2020 season.

 

He will also develop a non specific injury that limits his availability to play. He will show up every now and then, just enough to show he’s faking it but long enough that the team has to take his word for it. He won’t play back to back games, he will pass on some road trips. He will do as little as possible to keep making 230,000 a game.

 

I would absolutely love it, btw, if Davis ends up in Milwaukee. I think having the Brow and Giannis on the same team might break the NBA.

 

Houston is interesting. The dynamics of Harden, Paul and Davis would be fascinating to watch. Works out for NOLA too as Capela is a good young big with five years on his deal and Gordon is a nice veteran signed through 2019-2020.

 

Fair or foul for trolling Gobert after he got emotional describing how his mom cried when she heard he wasn’t selected as an All-Star?

 

Tristan Thompson did us all a big favor when he punched Draymond in the mouth.