2018 NBA offseason

[DJ Fieri]

LaMelo, LiAngelo Ball Combine for 96 in LA's Win over Atlanta in JBA Action

 

[Wamu]

LaMelo, LiAngelo Ball Combine for 96 in LA's Win over Atlanta in JBA Action

Oh shit this means it's time for Papa Ball to run his big mouth again.

 

[LAD]

Right...so that midnight meeting at LBJ's house has nothing to do with putting a team together to beat GS. lol

 

[Raw_Bee808]

 

[LAD]

I read a couple articles on this and this is what I feel about LeBron playing the 5.

LeBron will be an absolute beast of a weapon when he plays the 5- assuming its not against some giant that can just post him up- and there are not too many of those left. It will let the Lakers go small and matchup against other teams small lineups.

The negative's I think are substantial. First, Draymond can do that for the Warriors since he is A. an All NBA defender, and B. is not tasked with carrying the offense. LeBron expends so much energy on the offensive end, asking him to play center against bigger players and taking that abuse will take its toll.

LeBron has fought his whole career to remain a perimeter player and has done so for a few reasons. First, he just likes being the guy with the ball at the top of the 3 pt line directing traffic, making plays, etc. Two, it takes a physical toll on a player when they are playing the 4 or 5 and taking more contact, fighting more for rebounds,

One of the reasons why I think LeBron has been so resiliant injury wise in his career is that he realizes this, and realizes the way he has played most of his career- being a perimeter player, and having shooters spread the floor- is a good way to reduce the hits he takes. Having LeBron at the top with shooters spreading the floor- especially big man shooters like Bosh and Love, helps keep LeBron injury free and fresh. When he drives the lane is mostly open.

Contrast this with him playing the 5- playing under the hoop, and playing against younger players that he is giving up height and weight to, with a team that does not have nearly the shooterse Cleveland and Miami had- so they can pack the paint even more. Also- the Lakers big men are pretty weak. There is no tough-ass garbage man like a TT, or to a lesser extent a Haslem, that is doing the dirty work on a nightly basis.

Now I think the Lakers can deploy LeBron at the 5 on a limited basis. Apparently in Cleveland last year he played the 5 about 1.5% of his time on the court. But I think if the Lakers believe its a good idea to play LeBron minutes at the 5 a substantial amount of time, they will eventually regret it because of the contact and wear and tear it will place on LeBron- who we of course know will be 34 in December, and is coming off 8 straight seasons of going to the NBA Finals- and probably averaging playing, what? 100 games a year after figuring in all the regular season/playoffs/Olympcis, etc.

Most importantly, this strategy will not work against the Dubs - given they can very easily switch Dray, KD & Boogie into that 5 position. Kerr could use that lineup all night by putting any combo of those three in a pick n roll at the 4 & 5.

 

[Gman]

Gordon Hayward gives an update on his recovery | Boston.com | Boston.com

"I dunked the basketball for the first time off my left foot — without pain — last week,” he said. “That felt awesome. I went into it very soft and gingerly, and after I did it, I was like, ‘OK, that didn’t hurt it all.’ I did it again, and it felt good."

 

[Wamu]

Gordon Hayward gives an update on his recovery | Boston.com | Boston.com

"I dunked the basketball for the first time off my left foot — without pain — last week,” he said. “That felt awesome. I went into it very soft and gingerly, and after I did it, I was like, ‘OK, that didn’t hurt it all.’ I did it again, and it felt good."

Hope he'll be 100% once the season gets here.

 

[LAD]

Hope he'll be 100% once the season gets here.

I think even if he isn't 100% at the beginning of the season there is still a great possibility he could get there in time to make a difference.

 

[Wamu]

I think even if he isn't 100% at the beginning of the season there is still a great possibility he could get there in time to make a difference.

I agree w/ that. And speaking of the Celtics I was happy they worked out a deal w/ Marcus Smart. Everyone knows how weak the EC is but I'm still looking forward to seeing what this healthy roster will look like.

 

[msgkings322]

I actually can't wait for fooball....it's been a long wait.

Only 7 more weeks til the first NFL regular season game

 

[Wamu]

Only 7 more weeks til the first NFL regular season game

I'm a damn Browns fan! Thanks for reminding fans of all the other teams when the fucking season kicks off. My season will be over when they play their 1st preseason game.

Can they keep the perfection going & go 0-16 in back to back years?

 

[LAD]

I agree w/ that. And speaking of the Celtics I was happy they worked out a deal w/ Marcus Smart. Everyone knows how weak the EC is but I'm still looking forward to seeing what this healthy roster will look like.

Couldn't agree more. After what they accomplished last season despite being short handed you fans deserve to see what they can do at full strength.

 

[Wamu]

Couldn't agree more. After what they accomplished last season despite being short handed you fans deserve to see what they can do at full strength.

You know what else us Celtics fans deserve? Another banner in the rafters! Sadly though I don't see any team beating the Warriors in a 7 game series. Which is a real kick in the basket-balls.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Hope he'll be 100% once the season gets here.

pshhh...him and Kyrie will never again be totally fully 100% to what they once were...

 

[WiggyRuss]

I'm a damn Browns fan! Thanks for reminding fans of all the other teams when the fucking season kicks off. My season will be over when they play their 1st preseason game.

Can they keep the perfection going & go 0-16 in back to back years?

whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?

Baker bro.

how many teams have better weapons than the Browns?

WR: Jarvis Landry, Josh Gordon, Corey Coleman
RB: Carlos Hyde, Nick Chubb, Duke Johnson
TE: David Njoku

give those weapons to Tyrod Tayler and Baker Mayfield and its GAME OVAH!!!

Hardknocks is gonna be amazing.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Only 7 more weeks til the first NFL regular season game

what NFL have you cherry picked as your favorite out of curiosity?

 

[Wamu]

pshhh...him and Kyrie will never again be totally fully 100% to what they once were...

Shouldn't you be writing a 3 page explanation why LeBron has lost it because he'll be 34 before next season ends?

 

[Wamu]

whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?

Baker bro.

how many teams have better weapons than the Browns?

WR: Jarvis Landry, Josh Gordon, Corey Coleman
RB: Carlos Hyde, Nick Chubb, Duke Johnson
TE: David Njoku

give those weapons to Tyrod Tayler and Baker Mayfield and its GAME OVAH!!!

Hardknocks is gonna be amazing.

How many teams have better weapons? Packers (Rodgers), Pats (Tommy Boy), Saints (Brees), the Eagles, Rams, Steelers. Fuck it, too many to list. You see what I'm saying. There are alotta teams w/ better weapons.

 

[WiggyRuss]

How many teams have better weapons? Packers (Rodgers), Pats (Tommy Boy), Saints (Brees), the Eagles, Rams, Steelers. Fuck it, too many to list. You see what I'm saying. There are alotta teams w/ better weapons.

when i say weapons- i mean the skill position players besides QB- ya know- the WEAPONS the QB uses.

Obviously the Tyrod/Baker combo is, at this point at least in Baker's rookie year, league average at best.

But the rest of the offense is actually pretty good.

Who knows if it will actually perform, but objectively, Gordon and Landry are a helluva pair of WR's. Hyde and Chubb should be solid backs and Duke is one of the better 3rd down backs in the league. Njoku is a very talented young guy.

There is actual hope for the first time in Cleveland.

 

[Wamu]

when i say weapons- i mean the skill position players besides QB- ya know- the WEAPONS the QB uses.

Obviously the Tyrod/Baker combo is, at this point at least in Baker's rookie year, league average at best.

But the rest of the offense is actually pretty good.

Who knows if it will actually perform, but objectively, Gordon and Landry are a helluva pair of WR's. Hyde and Chubb should be solid backs and Duke is one of the better 3rd down backs in the league. Njoku is a very talented young guy.

There is actual hope for the first time in Cleveland.

All I can say is you have a lot more faith in them than I do.