The NBA

[Carey]

ITA.  It would be.  For me, I'd laugh myself to death if the shocker of the century occurred where LeBron somehow was the actual thing it took to get Kyrie to LA, AND somehow, KD worked things out with Brooklyn

[isalicat]

7 hours ago, Fukui San said:

The timeline in which Kyrie returns to LeBron and Durant returns to Golden State would be the funniest.

No, no, no, no and some more no on Durant ever coming back to the Warriors. Spoiled man baby with his feelings needs to stay on the other coast, far, far away. Not needed, not wanted.

[Lady Whistleup]

1 hour ago, isalicat said:

No, no, no, no and some more no on Durant ever coming back to the Warriors. Spoiled man baby with his feelings needs to stay on the other coast, far, far away. Not needed, not wanted.

Actually according to NBA twitter the GSW stars want to trade Poole, Kuminga and Moody for KD.

Edited July 5, 2022 by Lady Whistleup

[Marley]

54 minutes ago, Lady Whistleup said:

Actually according to NBA twitter the GSW stars want to trade Poole, Kuminga and Moody for KD.

I think that would be stupid. No one is asking me tho lol.

[Black Knight]

1 hour ago, Lady Whistleup said:

Actually according to NBA twitter the GSW stars want to trade Poole, Kuminga and Moody for KD.

As far as I know, that's pure national media speculation to generate clicks, and no Bay Area media nor Bay Area people are taking it seriously. KD's last year here and his exit was too poisonous, and the Warriors have not been shy in their satisfaction that they've now won a championship both before and after KD. And the style of basketball they prefer over the kind that KD prefers is a serious issue as well.

[Medicine Crow]

Did anyone else see DG on Trevor Noah's show?  Hilarious!!!

[Salacious Kitty]

1 hour ago, Lady Whistleup said:

Actually according to NBA twitter the GSW stars want to trade Poole, Kuminga and Moody for KD.

Not buying that at.all.

[Lady Whistleup]

37 minutes ago, Black Knight said:

As far as I know, that's pure national media speculation to generate clicks, and no Bay Area media nor Bay Area people are taking it seriously. KD's last year here and his exit was too poisonous, and the Warriors have not been shy in their satisfaction that they've now won a championship both before and after KD. And the style of basketball they prefer over the kind that KD prefers is a serious issue as well.

Well Dray;s mom seems to like the idea:

https://fadeawayworld.net/nba-media/draymond-greens-mom-defends-kevin-durant-calls-out-the-haters-on-twitter-everyone-saying-who-dont-want-one-of-the-greatest-players-to-ever-play-the-game

LOL.

I still think he ends up in Phoenix. Phoenix trades Ayton, Bridges, and MAYBE CP3.

[Salacious Kitty]

Mary Babers Green is not Bob Meyers in disguise. I love her, but her opinion is about as useless as ours. She's not in KD's ear. 

Dropping him in PHX with Booker is an intriguing thought. 

[Lamb18]

On 7/1/2022 at 3:45 PM, AimingforYoko said:

Details

4 first-rounders seems a little excessive.

Why is Herschel Walker the first thing that comes to mind?

[Danny Franks]

17 hours ago, Lady Whistleup said:

Actually according to NBA twitter the GSW stars want to trade Poole, Kuminga and Moody for KD.

That would be a fucking terrible idea, and I hope Myers and Lacob ignore them. Throwing your future away for a malcontent who will likely sulk whenever he doesn't get to be the centre of attention is a disastrous move.

I don't think Steph, at least, would be myopic enough to want that to happen. Draymond thrives on pissing off the league, so he might like the idea just because it would be the biggest troll move ever. Klay likely doesn't really give a damn about who he plays with. But from what I've heard, KD was an absolute dick for his whole last year in Oakland and no one was sad to see him leave.

[xaxat]

A friend just reminded me that Kyrie's sage ceremony at the Barclays Center really didn't work.

[Fukui San]

I look forward to him stomping on the Nets logo.

[cambridgeguy]

Damian Lillard working on filling his money bin

But seriously, a two year, $122 million(!!!) extension?  I mean, he's good, but if Dame is worth 60 million a year then Giannis should ask for 90 million.

[LexieLily]

Ayton is now officially out of the Durant sweepstakes, signing an offer sheet with Indiana. 4 yrs/133M. Thoughts on whether PHX will match?

 

[Danielg342]

On 7/1/2022 at 4:45 PM, AimingforYoko said:

Details

4 first-rounders seems a little excessive.

The Knicks are about to trade five first rounders and three players for Donovan Mitchell. Love the player and he'd be a great addition wherever he goes, but that's a bit too much.

[Danny Franks]

35 minutes ago, Danielg342 said:

The Knicks are about to trade five first rounders and three players for Donovan Mitchell. Love the player and he'd be a great addition wherever he goes, but that's a bit too much.

It's a terrible deal. It will make the Knicks only negligibly better because they'll be trading all their depth away, and they'll have very little flexibility to improve. Plus, Mitchell is a very bad defender and the Knicks don't have the players that can cover for him like Utah did.

They should just stick with what they have, miss the playoffs this year and try to turn all those draft picks into something good either in the draft or by trading for someone next season.

[DrSpaceman73]

1 hour ago, Danielg342 said:

The Knicks are about to trade five first rounders and three players for Donovan Mitchell. Love the player and he'd be a great addition wherever he goes, but that's a bit too much.

It would shock me but...

It's the Knicks.  

Ayton signed back with Phoenix.  Sucks for Pacers. 

But can't trade him for six months. Suns over cap.  Durant to Phoenix seems unlikely now

[Danielg342]

2 hours ago, DrSpaceman73 said:

It's the Knicks.  

It's the only way to explain it, really. This team has been in a post-Ewing funk because they keep on trying to get better "quickly" instead of being patient.

Sad part is, with Phoenix off the table I'm sure the Knicks are going to go after Kevin Durant now. Which will likely cost more and improve the team even less. I mean, yeah, Durant's a better player than Mitchell is but he really needs to get his head on straight. Don't know why anyone would want him right now.

[LexieLily]

14 hours ago, Danielg342 said:

Sad part is, with Phoenix off the table I'm sure the Knicks are going to go after Kevin Durant now. Which will likely cost more and improve the team even less. I mean, yeah, Durant's a better player than Mitchell is but he really needs to get his head on straight. Don't know why anyone would want him right now.

Ironically, the only player of real value on the Knicks for a potential Durant trade is Jalen Brunson, who NYK spent so much time and energy in signing.

Edited July 15, 2022 by LexieLily

[Lady Whistleup]

14 hours ago, Danielg342 said:

It's the only way to explain it, really. This team has been in a post-Ewing funk because they keep on trying to get better "quickly" instead of being patient.

Sad part is, with Phoenix off the table I'm sure the Knicks are going to go after Kevin Durant now. Which will likely cost more and improve the team even less. I mean, yeah, Durant's a better player than Mitchell is but he really needs to get his head on straight. Don't know why anyone would want him right now.

If you want a consistent 30+ points a night, KD is great. Much better than Mitchell, who in Utah has developed a rep for being selfish. He didn't get along with most of the Jazz, which is why the Jazz traded everyone away.

[Marley]

I don’t know I’m obv no expert lol but I just don’t think Durant is worth it. Yes he’s good there’s no question but you would have to give everything young away for him and I don’t think he’s a guaranteed ring. The Nets were a huge bust since everyone was hyping them as the champions and Durant is getting older now. He seems like a diva as well. Anyways JMO of course.

[Danielg342]

4 hours ago, Marley said:

I don’t know I’m obv no expert lol but I just don’t think Durant is worth it. Yes he’s good there’s no question but you would have to give everything young away for him and I don’t think he’s a guaranteed ring. The Nets were a huge bust since everyone was hyping them as the champions and Durant is getting older now. He seems like a diva as well. Anyways JMO of course.

I'm not even sure you can call Durant a "leader". He was tasked with that role in Brooklyn- which is why he went there anyway- and look how that turned out. It's telling that a player as talented as he is has won only one ring and it was while he was a support player.

5 hours ago, Lady Whistleup said:

Much better than Mitchell, who in Utah has developed a rep for being selfish. He didn't get along with most of the Jazz, which is why the Jazz traded everyone away.

Sounds like this would be a repeat of the Carmelo Anthony fiasco. Mitchell, like Anthony, really wants to come to New York, but will he be able to handle the hard times that will follow as the team (re-)builds around him?

New York is not "one piece away" from a championship calibre team. Maybe next year if R.J. Barrett breaks out as well as some of their other youngsters, but definitely not now.

[Lady Whistleup]

6 minutes ago, Danielg342 said:

I'm not even sure you can call Durant a "leader". He was tasked with that role in Brooklyn- which is why he went there anyway- and look how that turned out. It's telling that a player as talented as he is has won only one ring and it was while he was a support player.

Sounds like this would be a repeat of the Carmelo Anthony fiasco. Mitchell, like Anthony, really wants to come to New York, but will he be able to handle the hard times that will follow as the team (re-)builds around him?

New York is not "one piece away" from a championship calibre team. Maybe next year if R.J. Barrett breaks out as well as some of their other youngsters, but definitely not now.

Durant has two rings, and he wasn't really a "support" player. He was 2x FMVP. I would say that he, Steph and Klay were an unbeatable Big Three and their offense just overwhelmed all opponents.

Donovan Mitchell's family lives in NY and I understand why he'd want to come, but as I said, in Utah he developed a reputation for selfishness and he drove Rudy Gobert away. Mitchell is actually a lot like Carmelo Anthony in terms of strengths and weaknesses. 

[Danielg342]

3 minutes ago, Lady Whistleup said:

Durant has two rings, and he wasn't really a "support" player. He was 2x FMVP. I would say that he, Steph and Klay were an unbeatable Big Three and their offense just overwhelmed all opponents.

I didn't realize he spent more time in Golden State than I thought. I'm sure he got along well with his teammates and they respected him and all that. However, I don't think you would ever say those Warrior teams are anything other than Steph Curry's team. I don't believe Durant being the Finals MVP changes that. In fact, I would probably say that because Curry is the leader Durant could play better because he can just focus on basketball and defer to Curry et all on the leadership roles if he so chooses.

[cambridgeguy]

14 hours ago, Danielg342 said:

I didn't realize he spent more time in Golden State than I thought. I'm sure he got along well with his teammates and they respected him and all that. However, I don't think you would ever say those Warrior teams are anything other than Steph Curry's team. I don't believe Durant being the Finals MVP changes that. In fact, I would probably say that because Curry is the leader Durant could play better because he can just focus on basketball and defer to Curry et all on the leadership roles if he so chooses.

That certainly wasn't the case by the end, when KD and Draymond were ready to kill each other.

But yeah, Steph will always be considered the "true Warrior" while KD was a talented mercenary.  Just like how Miami probably loves Wade more than LeBron, and how the Spurs were always Duncan's team even when he wasn't the best player there.

[LexieLily]

Westbrook, agent part ways.

Saying the quiet part out loud, heh. 

[Lady Whistleup]

22 hours ago, LexieLily said:

Westbrook, agent part ways.

Saying the quiet part out loud, heh. 

RW is a real contradiction. Off the court he is universally praised for his kindness. He does great charity work wherever he goes, and spends lots of time signing shit for fans, especially kids.

On the court, he's selfish and obstinate -- a former MVP should not be on his fourth team in four years. 

[Lady Whistleup]

Here's a cute video of Joel Embiid dancing at a wedding:

[cambridgeguy]

Maybe he was extra happy because he knew Harden would be back

Looks like we're going to find out if Harden has it in him to really hit the gym and get into superb shape.

[Magog]

Does anyone know what the Drew League is about & why do NBA players play in it during the offseason? LeBron played in it last week & scored 42 points. People were making a big deal out of it & I could careless about it. Other than him playing there to send a message to Street Clothes, the rest of the sorry Lakers, Rob Pelinka, & the sad excuse of Lakers Management (especially Jeannie Buss & Magic Johnson), I don't see the point of him being there. 

Speaking of the Lakers & their mush for brains management, they're still trying to find a sucker to take that $47 Million man (Russell Westbrook) off their hands. Thankfully, they have failed in making that happen. Since Kyrie really wants to play for the Lakers (they can't get him till Russell Westbrook is gone from the Lakers), its making me wonder who else really want to play for the Lakers? 

Edited July 25, 2022 by Magog

[Notabug]

3 hours ago, Magog said:

Does anyone know what the Drew League is about & why do NBA players play in it during the offseason? LeBron played in it last week & scored 42 points. People were making a big deal out of it & I could careless about it. Other than him playing there to send a message to Street Clothes, the rest of the sorry Lakers, Rob Pelinka, & the sad excuse of Lakers Management (especially Jeannie Buss & Magic Johnson), I don't see the point of him being there. 

Quote

THE DREW LEAGUE

Alvin Wills established the Drew League in 1973 with 6 teams.  Wills believed this league could be a place for young men and women of South Central Los Angeles to learn life lessons through basketball

The league has always had pros as well as top amateurs playing along with the kids.  LeBron isn't the first and won't be the last.  It is a pro-am sort of league and a lot of NBA players have played in it.  

http://www.drewleague.com/about/

[grommit2]

Agh!  Apparently the Celtics are chasing Kevin Durant.  Their initial offer included Jaylen Brown.  This is short-sighted.  Durant is magnificent, but I wonder if his best years are behind him.  He is not Kevin Garnett, the major piece that brought the Celtics their last championship. And the Nets apparently wanted Marcus Smart as part of the deal.  Gads...he may annoy some, but he plays defense.  Imagine a pro playing tough D.  I hope the Celtics pass on this move. 

[AimingforYoko]

Michael Wilbon going full curmudgeon on Draymond Green for saying the 2017 Warriors would've beaten the '98 Bulls:

Edited July 26, 2022 by AimingforYoko

[Danielg342]

8 hours ago, AimingforYoko said:

Michael Wilbon going full curmudgeon on Draymond Green for saying the 2017 Warriors would've beaten the '98 Bulls:

I would just salivate at the chance to see Jordan and Pippen posterize Klay Thompson and The Nutcracker (Green) while Steph Curry keeps the Warriors in the game by hitting those shots none of them can defend. If only we could actually play that game...

[Salacious Kitty]

12 hours ago, Danielg342 said:

I would just salivate at the chance to see Jordan and Pippen posterize Klay Thompson and The Nutcracker (Green) while Steph Curry keeps the Warriors in the game by hitting those shots none of them can defend. If only we could actually play that game...

KD was also on that Warriors team. At the time, he was pretty much indefensible.

[Danielg342]

57 minutes ago, Salacious Kitty said:

KD was also on that Warriors team. At the time, he was pretty much indefensible.

The big question would be- could Jordan guard him?

[Lady Whistleup]

Bill Russell passed away. RIP champ. 

Here's an awesome interview he did with his rival and friend Wilt Chamberlain:

[mojoween]

I really thought Bill Russell was going to be the one to defeat Father Time.

[xaxat]

Bill Russell was one of the most important figures in the history of sports. Not the NBA, not team or US sports, but all of it. While he is will be primarily (and appropriately) be remembered for his career as a player he was also one of the first Black head coaches in sports and he had a decades long history of  advocacy for other Black athletes.

[AimingforYoko]

And one of the NBA's Mt. Rushmore figures has passed. Russell's 11 rings will always be first line of his bio, but he can best be summed up by this quote: "I'm not a basketball player, I'm a man who plays basketball. Basketball is not what I am, it's what I do."

[Salacious Kitty]

Rest in power, champ.

[kathyk24]

Tributes to Bill Russell are everywhere but I thought these were stories everyone should hear. On SportsCenter Jackie MacMullin said that when she was a young Celtics reporter she was writing a story about teammates and she was too intimidated to get a quote from Russell. A veteran reporter said that he would never talk to her. Bill Russell overheard the conversation and said I have all the time you need and she did the interview. In the Boston Globe there was a nice story about the friendship between Rusell and KC and Sam Jones which lasted to this day. KC Jones's daughter said she called him Uncle Bill. He would often host opposing players at his home before games so they wouldn't experience racism.

[grommit2]

23 hours ago, Lady Whistleup said:

Bill Russell passed away. RIP champ. 

Here's an awesome interview he did with his rival and friend Wilt Chamberlain:

Umm...did I miss it?  Did either of them identify Kareem as one of the all-time best?  Or was this filmed before Kareem?

[Notabug]

Bill Russell was one of the first athletes to gain even more fame for his commercial endorsements.   I remember this one from when I was in high school.  He very famously made the shot in 1 take, surprising everyone, except maybe himself.

I was in Junior Achievement in those days and we had an annual banquet and he was the keynote speaker; I just remember how charming and funny he was.  And all the Junior Achievers got a Bill Russell 'You Can't Miss with Long Distance' tee shirt from Bell.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DY9t2WeMX1c

[Lady Whistleup]

10 minutes ago, grommit2 said:

Umm...did I miss it?  Did either of them identify Kareem as one of the all-time best?  Or was this filmed before Kareem?

Wilt and Kareem had a big feud so Bill would not have mentioned Kareem either.

[Carey]

I stayed off of the Social Media on over the weekend, mainly on Sunday, and really the Internet.  So I didn't learn of Bill's passing until Monday.

Not many people place Bill Russell as the GOAT.  That may be more fair than not, but the guy is top notch in terms of the most accomplished.  Started & ended things in college and the pros as a winner.

[xaxat]

Well, that certainly escalated.

[Black Knight]

It's interesting that Durant thinks GMs are going to line up to trade for him knowing that he'll demand they be fired if (when) things don't work out this season.

It was foolish of him to leak this demand. Likely he thought it would force the Nets to go ahead and trade him instead of trying to run it back this season, and that if he deliberately hurt his trade value that would make it easier for other teams to get a deal done, but he doesn't seem to have realized what other GMs might think. Not to mention the owners. Saying he wants a new coach is one thing, a new GM is another.

[cambridgeguy]

1 hour ago, Black Knight said:

It's interesting that Durant thinks GMs are going to line up to trade for him knowing that he'll demand they be fired if (when) things don't work out this season.

Some GMs know they're on the hot seat regardless, so why not roll the dice?  Irrational confidence isn't limited to players.