The NBA

[DoctorAtomic]

I watch a couple of games a week, but I'm not steeped in the league. So they're concerned about Luka being able to have the legs for 90+ games needed for deep playoff runs? Davis seems like an odd fit to me. And you've got 3 guys in their 30s, so deep playoffs runs is still a question. 

[baldryanr]

Do the Mavs have a time machine and know Luka's going to suffer a catastrophic injury in a couple of years?  Even knowing that, why did they get so little in return?  It's not even the trade deadline, get some bidding wars started!

Of course, this is a godsend for people who think the league is rigged in favor of the Lakers.

[atomic]

 

[Carey]

Man, Get Up, First Take, The Facility, The Herd, and First Things First are so going to be much watch on Monday

[Is Everyone Gone]

There is something weird about this. Suppose Mavs want to trade Luka, wouldn't they try to get more draft capital out of this? Anthony Davis is an excellent player but not on Luka's level. 

[Magog]

It was a very good night for the Lakers. Not only did they beat the rotten stinking Knicks 128 - 112. But, they also pulled off a very nice trade that shocked everybody. Including me. The Trading Deadline is on Thursday at 3 pm, so they will be plenty more trades to be made before the deadline. 

I'm very certain that the Lakers are not done with making trades. I think they have another trade or two in the making to help them this season & beyond. 

Now, LeBron got some help with Luka joining him. I'm certain that LeBron is very happy with that trade. Going from playing with Street Clothes to playing with Luka Doncic is almost like night & day.

As for the Mavericks, they probably got cold feet in paying Luka that Super Max Money (5 yrs - $345 Million). I don't know why or how it even got to that point. Now the Lakers can sign an extension to Luka after this season & still have a little bit of money left to sign a player or two in the offseason. 

 

The only bad thing about last night is that the Wizards somehow defeated the Timberwolves 105 - 102 to end that 16 game losing streak. (🤬) That is absolutely sad & revolting on so many levels. 

 

Edited Sunday at 07:53 PM by Magog

[Carey]

I imagine the shows on television will make their (better) comparisons here, but IMO in the NFL level this trade would be like the Vikings trading Justin Jefferson to the LA Rams for Puka.  I'll pass on worrying about Babe Ruth comparisons, saving that for those that have a better idea if applicable in the first place

[Is Everyone Gone]

5 minutes ago, Carey said:

I imagine the shows on television will make their (better) comparisons here, but IMO in the NFL level this trade would be like the Vikings trading Justin Jefferson to the LA Rams for Puka.  I'll pass on worrying about Babe Ruth comparisons, saving that for those that have a better idea if applicable in the first place

Or the Chiefs trading Patrick Mahomes for Matthew Stafford.

[baldryanr]

13 minutes ago, Carey said:

I'll pass on worrying about Babe Ruth comparisons, saving that for those that have a better idea if applicable in the first place

It would be like trading Juan Soto for Mike Trout.

[Marley]

Something else is obviously going on with this trade because it makes no sense for the Mavs.

[Is Everyone Gone]

2 minutes ago, Marley said:

Something else is obviously going on with this trade because it makes no sense for the Mavs.

Nico Harrison said he didn't even call or text Luka beforehand to tell him before the news broke. Very weird.

[Is Everyone Gone]

Another huge trade. Zach Lavine is headed to Sacramento, De'Aaron Fox to the Spurs.

[grommit2]

Amazing trade.
Luka is only 25, has 5 years in, and is a Top 5 player. He scores from out deep, plus can bull his way in for a close shot. Does he play D?  His performance in last year's Final series was top notch. That salary had to be a decisive point in this trade.
AD is a top notch rebounder and scorer. But, he is getting old for a pro basketball player. I wonder how Lebron feels about this trade.
 

[baldryanr]

48 minutes ago, grommit2 said:

That salary had to be a decisive point in this trade.

It's because Dallas thinks he's going to become Zion 2.0 - salary is immaterial if you think he's going to stay a top 5 player at worst.  That still doesn't explain why they didn't extract a few more picks or pick swaps from the deal. 

[Salacious Kitty]

2 hours ago, grommit2 said:

Amazing trade.
Luka is only 25, has 5 years in, and is a Top 5 player. He scores from out deep, plus can bull his way in for a close shot. Does he play D?  His performance in last year's Final series was top notch. That salary had to be a decisive point in this trade.
AD is a top notch rebounder and scorer. But, he is getting old for a pro basketball player. I wonder how Lebron feels about this trade.
 

LeBron probably had to approve it. 

[Is Everyone Gone]

1 hour ago, Salacious Kitty said:

LeBron probably had to approve it. 

No apparently they blindsided everyone with it bc they were so afraid it would leak and other teams would get in on a bidding war. 

Lebron, Luka, and AD all were kept in the dark.

[Black Knight]

LeBron says he was kept in the dark. Given that the Lakers hired his podcast buddy to be head coach and drafted his entirely-unready and mediocre son just so LBJ could play with him, that seems highly unlikely. LBJ just doesn't want to have any fallout from trading AD splash back on him.

5 hours ago, grommit2 said:

Does he play D? 

He does not. Here's a hilarious montage of his "defense" in last year's NBA Finals.

[baldryanr]

Yes, the organization indulged him with the Bronny signing, but last year they thought they had a zero percent chance of getting someone like Luka.  If Lebron was a Laker lifer like Kobe or Magic then it would be different, but he's a hired gun.  The organization shouldn't spit in his face, but they don't have to bow to his every wish anymore now that his replacement is theirs.

[Fukui San]

Either everyone was actually kept in the dark as they're saying, or all of the parties involved are doing some Oscar worthy acting to keep up the pretense.

Luka recently closed on a $15 million house in Dallas, apparently.

[Is Everyone Gone]

47 minutes ago, Fukui San said:

Either everyone was actually kept in the dark as they're saying, or all of the parties involved are doing some Oscar worthy acting to keep up the pretense.

Luka recently closed on a $15 million house in Dallas, apparently.

I believe Luka was kept in the dark. He apparently just bought the house very recently. He's also very close to Kyrie and Klay, both of whom he recruited to come to Dallas. 

JKidd I'm more 50/50 on. He's close to AD as he was the assistant coach in LA for several years.

AD I'm guessing was blindsided as well. He always really wanted to play in LA. 

Lebron I'm 50/50 about. I just don't believe the LA GM makes anything without his final approval. 

ETA: I know Mavs fans are super upset, but AD is an excellent player, and he's a class act. Never seen him even get angry. Always liked him.

Edited Yest. at 03:22 AM by Is Everyone Gone

[Black Knight]

21 hours ago, baldryanr said:

Yes, the organization indulged him with the Bronny signing, but last year they thought they had a zero percent chance of getting someone like Luka.  If Lebron was a Laker lifer like Kobe or Magic then it would be different, but he's a hired gun.  The organization shouldn't spit in his face, but they don't have to bow to his every wish anymore now that his replacement is theirs.

It doesn't matter that he's a hired gun. The Lakers under the Busses simply don't treat their franchise superstars that way. LBJ brought them out of the doldrums of the post-Kobe period and makes them a shit-ton of money and will continue to make them a shit-ton of money until the day he leaves, most likely by retiring. The Lakers treating their franchise superstars the way they do is a large part of why they're a premier destination for superstars, and Doncic's contract expires in 2026. The Lakers obviously want to convince him to stay and be the face of the franchise for the next ten years, and LBJ assuring Doncic he can trust the Lakers to treat him like a king (which will be big for Doncic considering the way Dallas not only traded him without warning but has spent the last few days trashing him) will be critical in that effort.

Edited 8 hours ago by Black Knight

[Is Everyone Gone]

The Bucks sat their big guns last night. This makes me highly suspicious a big trade is about to go down.

Another big rumor is that Steph is pressing the Warriors FO to get KD back. 

[Carey]

Who wins a 7-game series between a KD starring Warriors team and a Mazzulla coaching Celtics team?

[Is Everyone Gone]

Suns are sitting KD tomorrow. It's probably happening.