2022-2023 NBA Thread

[StillMcfuu]

Chris Paul available! Well, except in the playoffs, cause he's gonna get hurt.

What the hell is even going on with Paul. There are rumors of trades, him being waived and resigning, him just being waived, etc... Every headline is different, the Suns are saying they aren't actively waiving him at this moment. Frank Vogel has been their head coach for 6 hours and he has to deal with this, and I can't tell if its a shit show or if its completely calm behind the scenes but its being turned into a media shit show.
Speaking of Vogel unless he has a shockingly good relationship with Ayton, I expect him (Ayton) to be gone this offseason, he's the only one that I still expect to be traded. Even if Paul is waived, I expect him to resign at a rate more commensurate with his current performance. Ayton has been a "problem" for 2 seasons now.

[SpaghettiMonk]

What the hell is even going on with Paul. There are rumors of trades, him being waived and resigning, him just being waived, etc... Every headline is different, the Suns are saying they aren't actively waiving him at this moment. Frank Vogel has been their head coach for 6 hours and he has to deal with this, and I can't tell if its a shit show or if its completely calm behind the scenes but its being turned into a media shit show.
Speaking of Vogel unless he has a shockingly good relationship with Ayton, I expect him (Ayton) to be gone this offseason, he's the only one that I still expect to be traded. Even if Paul is waived, I expect him to resign at a rate more commensurate with his current performance. Ayton has been a "problem" for 2 seasons now.

Problem with Paul has always been that he’s really good at making a bad team mediocre but he’s not gonna carry you in the playoffs, a problem which is exaggerated now that he’s old and slow.

[ProphetFlume]

Problem with Paul has always been that he’s really good at making a bad team mediocre but he’s not gonna carry you in the playoffs, a problem which is exaggerated now that he’s old and slow.

So he’s Westbrook?

[SpaghettiMonk]

So he’s Westbrook?

Not really - Westbrook became actively detrimental to his team in a few playoff series because he is dedicated to playing like an utter moron. Paul is still useful, he just isn't gonna carry you.

Watching tonight's game is like watching a boxing match where one guy knocks the other guy to the ground, then the other guy gets up and returns the favor, on repeat.

[Pendulous]

Bad free throw shooting, bad three point shooting. Early foul trouble. Lots of turnovers. Refs trying their best. And yet Denver still managed to eke out the win.

[StillMcfuu]

I thought it was a good game and indicative of just the hustle and grind both thesr teams go through

[Fkiolaris]

Bad free throw shooting, bad three point shooting. Early foul trouble. Lots of turnovers. Refs trying their best. And yet Denver still managed to eke out the win.

That foul given on Gordon at the end for Butler's 3 point attempt has got to be one of the most ridiculous ones I have seen in a while. Maybe it's because I don't watch much NBA anymore and that's a common call over there, but in Europe there would be riots for something like this on such a game and at that stage (and given against the home team, on top of everything).

[Northern Goblin]

That foul given on Gordon at the end for Butler's 3 point attempt has got to be one of the most ridiculous ones I have seen in a while. Maybe it's because I don't watch much NBA anymore and that's a common call over there, but in Europe there would be riots for something like this on such a game and at that stage (and given against the home team, on top of everything).

The fact that they took it to review and upheld it boggled my mind. Absolutely terrible decision.

[Fkiolaris]

The fact that they took it to review and upheld it boggled my mind. Absolutely terrible decision.

Yeap, that was the cherry on top. Try and do that in an all Greek/ all ex-Yugoslavia final in Europe and see how a stadium gets demolished in minutes . And just to be clear, I am not saying that as a good thing (that in Europe we would act like imbeciles over it)

[SpaghettiMonk]

"MJ bought the team for $180 million in 2010, and the franchise is now worth $1.77 billion."

Just my usual reminder: every time you complain about how expensive your cable bill has gotten, remember that it's gotten that expensive because you're paying several times as much to get access to sports as you were as recently as 2010. Sports - where the product never changes, but the price always goes up.

Oh, and to add to the hilarity, this is how bad the Hornets have been: according to basketball reference, the 7th best player in franchise history by win shares is Anthony Mason. Anthony Mason only played 3 years with the Hornets, and only averaged 13 points in that time. But cause it's sports, MJ made a boatload on the purchase.

Forbes lists his net worth as 2 billion, that seems low.

[StillMcfuu]

Sun's trade Paul (Landry Shamet and others) for Bradley Beal.
This seems like a lose lose (maybe neutral neutral) for both teams. Wizards will easily be able to dump Paul's contract and everyone else is short timers as well. They could have gotten something for Beal a year or two ago instead they... got out of the money, which maybe is what they really want. Although it's possible Paul could take them to an 8th seed next year as well, but I doubt he'll play in Washington.
As for the Suns.... idk. What can Beal do that Durant and Booker can't? They need 3 and D that they gave away for Durant and they need to drop Ayton before he doesn't show up again for the playoffs.

[SpaghettiMonk]

Sun's trade Paul (Landry Shamet and others) for Bradley Beal.
This seems like a lose lose (maybe neutral neutral) for both teams. Wizards will easily be able to dump Paul's contract and everyone else is short timers as well. They could have gotten something for Beal a year or two ago instead they... got out of the money, which maybe is what they really want. Although it's possible Paul could take them to an 8th seed next year as well, but I doubt he'll play in Washington.
As for the Suns.... idk. What can Beal do that Durant and Booker can't? They need 3 and D that they gave away for Durant and they need to drop Ayton before he doesn't show up again for the playoffs.

What's fascinating is how Paul is like the anti-Westbrook. Westbrook keeps getting traded then performing lower than expectations, Paul is higher. Paul has been traded a bunch of times and the team that trades for him wins every time.

That said, I'm not sure they won this time. The Suns didn't really need Paul, and Beal helps. Beal is also the best player he's ever been traded for. I disagree with "what can Beal do that Durant and Booker can't do" because the answer is that he can be on the court with Durant and Booker and that makes them really hard to guard.

[StillMcfuu]

What's fascinating is how Paul is like the anti-Westbrook. Westbrook keeps getting traded then performing lower than expectations, Paul is higher. Paul has been traded a bunch of times and the team that trades for him wins every time.

That said, I'm not sure they won this time. The Suns didn't really need Paul, and Beal helps. Beal is also the best player he's ever been traded for. I disagree with "what can Beal do that Durant and Booker can't do" because the answer is that he can be on the court with Durant and Booker and that makes them really hard to guard.

I'm pretty sure Paul has been on every team Westbrook has as well. Except Lakers, but there is still time.

[StillMcfuu]

That said, I'm not sure they won this time. The Suns didn't really need Paul, and Beal helps. Beal is also the best player he's ever been traded for. I disagree with "what can Beal do that Durant and Booker can't do" because the answer is that he can be on the court with Durant and Booker and that makes them really hard to guard.

Forgot to get to this part. I mean what can Beal do that they already get from Durant and Booker. Losing CP3 for Beal who is another SG which Booker and Durant already play. Beal isn't a playmaker, isn't a passer, he isn't a catch and shoot 3 player, he isn't a facilitator or communicator like Paul is either. He's at best league average defender. Beal is just another mid-range slasher, on a team with 2 other mid-range slashers both of whom are all-nba and Beal is not.
Kind of thinking he will be used as a 6th man, maybe... Kind of how Tyler Herro comes off the bench and is allowed to have full control of the offense. That's a lot of money to be spending on a player who is only worth 20m to a team, and you owe him at least double that. Maybe they are expecting Durant to decline majorly?

[xskarma]

In the best case scenario, Durant and Booker and Beal take turns being the "PG" and setting up the initial action. And they also get fully locked in defensively, Durant and Beal, and Booker is as good as he was these playoffs.

Then they are maybe a top 3 seed in the west. Maybe.

Worst case scenario is they have no point guard and they are slow getting into their plays and it becomes "my turn, your turn" basketball, and the team is a sieve defenseively cause no one cares cause it's the regular season.

Then they might end up like the Warriors last year, sneaking into the playoffs and with some luck of the draw making it out of the first round.

Ooooooor there's injuries and they don't make it at all.

[xskarma]

The Celtics just traded Marcus Smart for Porzingis, a 1st and moving up 10 spots in tomorrow's (today's) Draft.

I am not okay with this, but it is what it is.

I blame the Clippers for not taking the Brogdon deal that got floated earlier in the evening.

[SpaghettiMonk]

Boston should have moved on from Smart years ago. An overrated player who stunted the development of the team's stars.

[Hansworst]

So Wembayama joining the Spurs, what do you guys think he will achieve next season?

[StillMcfuu]

Jordan Poole traded for Chris Paul. I don't know what this all means, Draymond entered free agency a few days ago who knows if that was to leave GS or resign under a different contract. But CP is still good, especially if he doesn't have to play 40 minutes. Hard to tell if GS is throwing in the bag or aspiring for another championship. There goes my hope that CP plays on every team that Westbrook played for.

[xskarma]

So Wembayama joining the Spurs, what do you guys think he will achieve next season?

He'll look great to start out, teams will adjust, he'll have a decent season, and after February have some highlight games that send the Spurs into next summer feeling great about the future. But I don't think the Spurs are ready to make noise yet, even if he plays well. Then he'll get his first offseason to work on flaws, and then season 2, look out. Spurs probably vying for playoffs by then.

Jordan Poole traded for Chris Paul. I don't know what this all means, Draymond entered free agency a few days ago who knows if that was to leave GS or resign under a different contract. But CP is still good, especially if he doesn't have to play 40 minutes. Hard to tell if GS is throwing in the bag or aspiring for another championship. There goes my hope that CP plays on every team that Westbrook played for.

I think this move means Draymond signs back and they give it one more go with CP3 coming off the bench and closign together with Steph, Klay, Dray and Wiggens in the 4th quarter. That could be a dangerous team.

Which kinda sucks cause the Celtics currently have their 2024 first rounder. lol