2023 running NBA playoffs thread

[DanielSimpsonDay]

Phoenix going for it but top-heavy and in cap hell...Washington starts tanking by getting cap space but no young talent or 1st round picks.

 

[sgreenwell]

Beal has made exactly one 3rd team all NBA. Is there an argument that he's currently one of the top 25 players in the league? He is going to be 30 in a week and is a decent no. 2 option on an average team. Even if he's healthy, the Wizards can't build around him because they aren't going to have enough talent through the draft to be good during the end of Beal's prime. They signed a stupid contract and we're smart enough to get off of it.

I don't think it's crazy that they traded him - moreso that this package seems a little light. The pick swap is likely the only thing of long-term value, since they'll dump Paul on another team and Shamut can't stay healthy. There aren't details of the swaps in the ESPN story, but hopefully its 3+ years out.

 

[Regan MacNeil]

 

[PCLoadLetter]

Beal has made exactly one 3rd team all NBA. Is there an argument that he's currently one of the top 25 players in the league? He is going to be 30 in a week and is a decent no. 2 option on an average team. Even if he's healthy, the Wizards can't build around him because they aren't going to have enough talent through the draft to be good during the end of Beal's prime. They signed a stupid contract and we're smart enough to get off of it.

The Ringer puts him at #42, which seems reasonable. I'd argue he's probably better than that but as a member of the Wizards no one outside of the DMV has actually seen him play.

And I get why they would want to move him -- they need a rebuild (or, more accurately, a build) and that's a big contract. But they got NOTHING. The dried up husk of Chris Paul, Landry Shamut (who frequently fell entirely out of the rotation in Phoenix) and some terrible second round picks?

Washington hasn't had a 50-win season since 1975. They may not have another in my lifetime.

 

[swingline]

Beal always seems to be hurt. If he can stay healthy, it's great for the Suns.

 

[PCLoadLetter]

To be fair, this may be an upgrade.

 

[PCLoadLetter]

I made a reference to this list a few posts ago and thought I'd drop it here because it's kind of interesting:

The NBA, Ranked

The Ringer ranks the top 125 players in the NBA right now.

It's not a bad list, but my initial reaction is a few guys are getting a big boost from who they used to be. Like, I can't imagine anyone watching Kawhi Leonard in 2023 and thinking he's the 8th best player in the league. (And Chris Paul at 48 seems charitable as hell.)

Also, are we going to start holding Joel Embiid accountable for gagging in the postseason?

 

[Della9250]

Hard disagree. Beal's contract is beyond brutal and would have dragged down the franchise for the next half-decade. They can cut CP3 and only pay like $13mm for him.

Great

So cut Paul and here's the roster under contract:

Landry Shamet
Monte Morris
Delon Wright
Deni Avdija
Johnny Davis
Corey Kispert
Daniel Gafford
Anthony Gill
Isaiah Todd
Jordan Goodwin
Xavier Cooks

You're a year too late in the tank game.

You've got to get a first-round pick in there. I don't care if it is in 2031 because that's the first one the Suns can deal.

When the guy steps on the court, which has been at least half the time in very season, he's good for 23 points, five ashists, four rebounds. That's worth something significant.

 

[Webster]

But his contract is an absolute albatross and based on the new CBA, he will have almost no suitors next year. I could be wrong, but I think that the Suns can't trade a pick that far out.

 

[Scout]

I was ready to throw dirt on Beal's casket, but he had his best shooting season last year.

Are the Suns better next year with him? Yes.

But, the 25-26 contracts of Durant and Beal? Holy ship. They're the Phoenix Sun Citys.

 

[Scout]

The Wizards are NPCs in the NBA.

Plus, worst mascot name outside of the Jazz and Lakers.

 

[sgreenwell]

But his contract is an absolute albatross and based on the new CBA, he will have almost no suitors next year. I could be wrong, but I think that the Suns can't trade a pick that far out.

Something I overlooked in my initial response to you - The Wizards gave Beal a no trade clause, which does mean he had them by the balls. They're stupid for giving it to him in the first place, obviously, because it means you "get" to trade him for a package like this. So yeah, I've drifted over more to your side, that essentially the contract and no-trade clause means that the Wiz weren't going to get much of anything for Beal.