The PG Trade is very suspect.
Pacers owner got way better offers and decided that he didn't want PG to stay in the East, so he flipped him to OKC for almost nothing... not even a draft pick (not sure if OKC had one... but Boston had already previously offered much more)
They turned down a great offer at the trade deadline, which would have seen PG vs the Lebron in the ECF instead of the 1st round. Then Boston offered an unspecific commitment to trade for PG after they make a run at Gordon Hayward, and Pacers panicked, figured Ainge was bullshitting w/ his horde of assets and took the first Western deal that came his way.
They even had a 3 way deal that would have placed PG on the Cavs, but like I stated above, Indiana really didn't want PG to stay in the East. so OKC's table scrap offer it is...
and Paul George is totally gonna recruit WB to go to LA with him next year.
but seeing how stacked the West is, I really doubt Lebron follows suit too, most likely to just be content being the King of the East laid out in a lawn chair on the sideline through most of the regular season.
and the Warriors.
Curry has now signed the NBA's 1st $200M contract. just records everywhere for this boy.
Livingston took a discount @ $24M/3yrs to stay on the Warriors
West signed for Vet Minimum and plans to retire after this year
Iggy is expected to resign, but had to feel out what his value is so the Warriors could match it (fingers crossed... looking like a 3yr/$45M contract is what he's trying to get)
and Durant will sign discount as soon as Iggy signs... or take his full pay if he don't(?)
So our roster is looking like
Curry / Klay / Durant / Dray / and maybe Iggy
Livingston / West / McCaw / Jones / Looney / Bell
no word yet on Zaza, Clark, McGee or Barnes
Macadoo didn't have his team option picked up, but I'm sure he'll get paid somewhere. 2X NBA champ and all.
and with everyone headed West... I'm really wondering what the All-star game looks like next year.
There's no way the Warriors get 4 on the squad again. But role players will be pulling up on the 2nd unit for the East. They might have to get rid of East vs West and just do top 20 voting and pick team captains who pick their squad the day before the game. LOL that would be interesting.
Here is the 2017 All-Star roster:
http://www.nba.com/teams/allstar/2017The East has already lost 2 in PG & Butler
Millsap is shopping to get on T-Wolves
Lowry hasn't landed anywhere yet
Not sure what's up with Carmelo
and Cavs were trying to trade Love to Denver in 3-way to get PG from Ind.
Assuming some of those don't stay East... who takes their place on the East squad?
and which of them make the squad in the West ahead of who is already on the likely to be back list?
Honestly I think they should do a Top 16 Playoffs (conference-less / evens vs odds) and do the Team Captain Top 20 All-Star Game. could be more interesting especially considering how stacked the West is right now vs how weak the East looks in comparison