2024-25 NBA running thread

[franticscribe]

My Pacers woulda won an NBA title if Adam Silver had been commish back in '04.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

Here's Mat Ishbia's argument in a nutshell, and I think it has some merit:

People like to argue in favor of a tear-it-apart rebuild with some kind of seven year plan to be competitive. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, and it leaves you watching a garbage team for years, which is no fun for anyone.

On the other hand, the Suns can flip KD into quality players and picks, hope they can get something useful out of Beal, and run it back with Booker and a revamped lineup around him.

I have my concerns about building around Booker, but all things considered, I probably go with plan B. (Also, the fans love Booker and he is vocal about wanting to spend his whole career in Phoenix, so trading him would be a WILDLY unpopular move.)

People tend to fetishize the massive tank-and-rebuild strategy, and it's overrated. The Boston Celtics are the defending champs, and they've missed the playoffs once in 17 years. The trick isn't to game the system and be tactically terrible for years; the trick is to be smart with your personnel moves. I'd rather try to be smart.

The Celtics have had at least three major rebuilds in this century. But they never started taking down the building without a real good idea of what they were putting up in its place. A "rebuild" where you break it all up and basically just say we'll see what happens next isn't a rebuild at all, It's not even a teardown.

 

[poindexter]

hope they can get something useful out of Beal

No way they are getting any more than some hope out of Beal. That contract is a dog.

 

[PCLoadLetter]

No way they are getting any more than some hope out of Beal. That contract is a dog.

You may absolutely be right.

I think it may be possible if they throw in a decent pick and send him to a shirt team with cap room. The Wizards make some sense - it would be a homecoming, they have no intention of ever being competitive, they're stupid, and Beal could start there. But all of that would require the Suns to include a pick that they ain't got. KD would have to go first.

Very good chance Beal stays as a decent bench wing with an albatross of a contract.

 

[2muchcoffeeman]

Former Mavs employee posts on Facebook that Mark Cuban should be run out of Dallas. Cuban, who didn't make the decision to trade Luka Doncic, goes off.

 

[Della9250]

You may absolutely be right.

I think it may be possible if they throw in a decent pick and send him to a shirt team with cap room. The Wizards make some sense - it would be a homecoming, they have no intention of ever being competitive, they're stupid, and Beal could start there. But all of that would require the Suns to include a pick that they ain't got. KD would have to go first.

Very good chance Beal stays as a decent bench wing with an albatross of a contract.

Beal has a no trade clause so you can't just dump him

 

[PCLoadLetter]

Beal has a no trade clause so you can't just dump him

No, but his agent made it clear they will listen to deals once the season is over. He can still reject a trade, but I think he'd be pretty happy to leave for an acceptable place.

 

[qtlaw]

What the heck was Westbrook doing in last 10 sec?? First blows a layup (why you're already up with the ball??) then fouls a 3pt shooter with .1 left. Brutal.

 

[PCLoadLetter]

What the heck was Westbrook doing in last 10 sec?? First blows a layup (why you're already up with the ball??) then fouls a 3pt shooter with .1 left. Brutal.

Man, I love the way Westbrook plays. Just total abandon all the time. He's so fun to watch.

Sometimes, though, he should actually stop and think. Those two plays were rookie mistakes.

 

[Chef2]

And yet ... not the MVP.

Do away with the award.

 

[Chef2]

What the heck was Westbrook doing in last 10 sec?? First blows a layup (why you're already up with the ball??) then fouls a 3pt shooter with .1 left. Brutal.

RW is the guy you hate to love to hate.

 

[Chef2]

RW has been a good basketball player for a long time. Just not a smart one.