Topic: NBA Thread: Brought To You By The Tampa Bay Raptors Of Toronto

[Adrock]

The Grizzlies doing what they should be doing. That 2026 pick might be a mistake but that’s the Future Warriors’ problem.

[broodwars]

Niiiiiice. While it was a shame to lose Favors, at least the Jazz managed to trade him rather than just lose him outright on the 1st day of his unrestricted Free Agency. We're getting some draft picks in exchange for trading him to the Pelicans, and considering the Pelicans are almost certainly going to be perform worse than the Jazz traditionally do, it basically means we got some back of what we traded for Conley.

The Jazz have basically played this offseason perfectly. I didn't think I'd live to see the day where the Jazz actually got aggressive on the trade market/free agency and acted like they wanted to win the Championship. If they don't somehow manage to end up Top 3 in the West this year, it can only be down to injury.

[BeautifulShy]

So this is how the deal for D'lo went.

https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1145533354730766338
Damnit Shams

Warriors are on verge of acquiring Russell, Treveon Graham and Shabazz Napier from Brooklyn, league sources said.

Looks like the Warriors need to unload some salary to make this work so Iggy could be on the move.

From Woj:

Golden State is trading Andre Iguodala to the Memphis Grizzlies, league source tells ESPN. Warriors are sending a 2024 protected first-round pick in the 2024 (protected 1-4), 2025 (protected 1) and 2026 unprotected.

This is how the Warriors end up after the Iggy trade.

W/ Iguodala trade, Russell and Klay both maxes and dump Livingston's GT, GSW 5 players.  A mere $18.2m below the hard cap to fill out 9 roster slots. Even if they keep McKinnie, Graham, Napier NG, $13.1m for 6. Goodbye Looney, Cousins, Cook, possibly Bell.

Current Warriors roster
Steph Curry
Klay Thompson
D'Angelo Russell
Draymond Green
Alfonzo McKinnie
Jacob Evans
Damian Jones
Jordan Poole
Eric Paschall
Shabazz Napier
Treveon Graham
Alen Smailagic

[BlackNMild2k1]

No, Not Iggy!!!?
No, Not Looney!!? (that was a confusing one to type out....)

Good Bye Cousins, goodbye Bell....
Cook could've been better.

and... who?

Eric Paschall
Shabazz Napier
Treveon Graham
Alen Smailagic

no idea who those people are. I assume they are just drafted rookies?

[BeautifulShy]

Shabazz Napier has been in the league for 5 years and Treveon Gram is a 3 year player came over in the Nets trade and I don't think they are rookies . .   The Warriors drafted Poole, Paschall and Smailagic.

[BeautifulShy]

Question... So the Warriors offered Qualifying offers to Bell, Cook and Damian Lee. Can they go over the cap to sign them back or will they have to let them go because they are over the cap now?

[Soren]

Question... So the Warriors offered Qualifying offers to Bell, Cook and Damian Lee. Can they go over the cap to sign them back or will they have to let them go because they are over the cap now?

All 3 fall on the "Early Bird" or "Non-Early Bird" exceptions. Warriors can sign them for between 120%-175% of their previous salary or the league minimum, whichever is higher.

I honestly don't know what to make of this new look Warriors. Short term it will allow the team to stay competitive and the idea of teams having to gameplan for both Steph and DLo sounds like a nightmare. Triple worse once Klay comes back. But our lack of size is really worrying.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Shabazz does sound familiar now that I think about it.

Next season will be interesting for the Warriors. UMVP Curry is going to need to be present along side DPOY Draymond. D-Lo gonna need dry ice in his veins, and we just might have something going here.
Klay comes back just before ASB and we could be OK....

But rumors of Kawhi on the Lakers keep getting traction.
If that's true... my boy is gonna be happy as the Lakers instantly become favorites to top the league next season.

[Soren]

Shabazz is barely a slightly above replacement-level. Honestly I still love Livingston more than him but there's very little we could get in return for him.

[BeautifulShy]

Well the Lakers made their first move. Troy Daniels for the minimum. Great 3 point shooter not that good defender. No cap used so that is telling me something.

[ejamer]

So I'm busy with Canada Day events and only half following the trade deadline... but am I right that both LA teams and Toronto have done virtually nothing but wait for Kawhi?  And that's going to be basically the last big event to happen?

Raptors only had an outside shot of keeping him despite the good result last year. However, the "all in for 2019" gamble paid off and they couldn't really afford any free agents even if Kawhi left... so if he chooses to go they'll be a good (not great) team and nobody will be shocked.

However, both the Lakers and Clippers seem like they were counting heavily on adding him to their team. This might be a TERRIBLE free agency period for either if they miss out, especially given how little talent is left (and how few players the Lakers currently have).

Drama!  It's exciting!

[Soren]

I wasn't expecting almost every domino piece to fall in the first 24 hours.

EDIT:

Shabazz is barely a slightly above replacement-level. Honestly I still love Livingston more than him but there's very little we could get in return for him.

Not even 4 hours later. Napier and Graham are moving to Minny.
https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1145805963036962816?s=20

[Adrock]

Regarding Lakers/Kawhi Leonard, this is a really interesting read. Here's the Spark Notes version:

1. Leonard asked Magic if the Lakers tried to trade for him last summer. Magic said, "Yes," but Gregg Poppovich wanted four first round draft picks. That lines up with rumors from last year. I'd have to dig up old articles, but I recall Pop demanding the entire young core, multiple draft picks, possibly a third team to get an impact veteran, and he still wasn't really serious about dealing Leonard to the Lakers.

2. Dennis Robertson AKA Uncle Dennis (Kawhi's uncle and chief advisor) asked Magic about the organizational dysfunction. Magic admitted there were issues but deflected and said they were in the past, likening it to how "you fight with your brothers and sisters sometimes." He also said it isn't about playing for the front office but the franchise itself, joining the greats lake Kareem and Kobe, and how Kawhi can win more championships because the Lakers already have two superstars and Kawhi won't have to put as much stress on his body.

3. Kawhi Leonard wanted to know if he could bring his own training/medical staff which is what LeBron did last year. Magic again said yes because "[the Lakers] do those things for superstar players."

Anyway, things are definitely ramping up. A lot of analysts put the Lakers in the driver's seat. Leonard and his camp were asking questions one would only ask if things were getting serious. The training/medical staff thing is especially interesting. Seems like Leonard wants the same or better treatment than LeBron James. Honestly, the Lakers DGAF. They make so much money that they'll pay whoever whatever because staff isn't capped.

It certainly looks like Kawhi taking his time = surveying the rest of the league. The Sixers lost to the Raptors on a last second shot in Game 7, and they got better after trading Jimmy Butler. Leonard could sign a one-and-one, but he'll most likely have to face the Sixers at some point. In 2020, Kevin Durant comes back, and the Lakers may be off the table because they won't have a max slot next year unless Anthony Davis takes less because his cap hold is higher than his 2019 salary.

And if anyone was wondering who the media's source is, it's probably Magic Johnson who honestly just can't seem to shut the **** up ever. I like Magic as much as the next person, but come on...

[Adrock]

Heat, 76ers, Clippers, Blazers Agree To Four-Team Jimmy Butler Trade

Finally completed. Well, not officially until Saturday.

[ejamer]

... The Sixers lost to the Raptors on a last second shot in Game 7, ...

I don't know how much impressions from that series are worth - it was an ugly slugfest, with injuries and sickness and shooting slumps and inconsistency. Surely neither side would look at that series and think they approached their best ball.

[Soren]

Looney is back, baby! 3 years, 15 million.

[BeautifulShy]

So now the Suns have a backup power forward behind Dario Saric in Frank Kaminisky for 2 years/10 million.
The room exception will be used for this deal.  They still have to extend Kelly Oubre Jr but for now the Suns really only need to do cap clearing in Josh Jackson and all those point guards.

Here is the starting line up for the Suns with depth.
 Ricky Rubio, Devin Booker, Kelly Oubre Jr, Dario Saric and Deandre Ayton
Bench is this.  Tyler Johnson / Ty Jerome, Cameron Johnson, Mikal Bridges, Frank Kaminsky, Aron Baynes

Now with a somewhat decent team now I may go see an actual Suns game this season. I have seen lots of Mercury games.

[ejamer]

I look at that Suns lineup, on paper, and just don't feel anything. There are a couple of nice pieces, but Phoenix has been the source of so much losing and dysfunction for years now that they (ie: the team, not the individuals) have to prove they can win before getting any benefit of the doubt.

Hopefully they prove me wrong. There is enough raw talent there to put up a good show if they play well together, and both Booker and Ayton have potential to be special players.

Looney is back, baby! 3 years, 15 million.

So Looney isn't about to be a dominant center or a force that shakes the league and forces opponents to change their plans... but this seems like a great contract for the Warriors doesn't it? Only paying $5M per year for a reliable starting-caliber center is great, even if he is just a (really good) role player.

[BeautifulShy]

The Suns on paper is better than they were the past few years and I think in part it is because they have a decent point guard now. The time I have been in Phoenix (3 years) they have had like 6 or 7 different point guards. Some of them drafted and some traded in and they weren't very good with Booker. I will say on paper I can see them maybe winning 35 to 40 games.

[BeautifulShy]

Looks like the Lakers got Jared Dudley for one year for 2.6 mil on a minimum contract. I did like him in the playoffs this past year versus the 76ers and his fiestyness versus Embed.

[broodwars]

The Jazz have signed The Wizards' Jeff Green to a 1 year, $2.5 million contract.

That's probably the last major move the Jazz make this offseason. I think we ran out of money 2 free agents ago and are coasting by on trade exceptions.

https://www.slcdunk.com/nba-free-agency/2019/7/2/20680288/2019-nba-free-agency-utah-jazz-sign-forward-jeff-green-to-one-year-contract

[BeautifulShy]

Dany Green has narrowed down his choices for his free agency. Lakers, Raptors and the Mavericks.

[broodwars]

Looks like the Jazz just found their replacement for Raul Neto as backup backup Point Guard for when the corpse of Dante Exum gets injured again: the Knicks' Emmanuel Mudiay. Another 1 year contract.

https://www.slcdunk.com/nba-free-agency/2019/7/2/20680430/2019-nba-free-agency-utah-jazz-sign-emmanuel-mudiay-to-one-year-contract

This offseason just keeps getting better and better for the Knicks. Don't know what to make of this signing. The write-up seems to indicate that this one might be a bit of a project.

[ejamer]

Thoughts about Willie Cauley-Stein signing on the cheap in Golden State? I rarely see the Kings play, but he always looked good when I caught a game. Getting a young big like that super cheap seems like a huge win for the Warriors?

[BeautifulShy]

Thoughts about Willie Cauley-Stein signing on the cheap in Golden State? I rarely see the Kings play, but he always looked good when I caught a game. Getting a young big like that super cheap seems like a huge win for the Warriors?

Maybe they are building for the future and developing players for when Steph,Klay and Green are not around and it is an easy and cheep way of helping their bench which has been critized this past season.  I like it.