2015-16 NBA Western Conference OFFICIAL THREAD

[CitySushi]

Lou is a very nice option to have on a good team as a role player on the second unit. He has a sole job to get buckets and his negatives are outweighed by the production of an overall superior cast.

On a bad team, he's counterproductive.

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

Lou is a very nice option to have on a good team as a role player on the second unit. He has a sole job to get buckets and his negatives are outweighed by the production of an overall superior cast.

On a bad team, he's counterproductive.

Jamal Crawford 2.0.

Sushi, do you think the Warriors will match if Barnes gets a max offer?

Earlier we were discussing DeRozan to the Lakers on a max deal.

But, I would probably prefer Barnes if I were them.

He's a good young talent. But, I would be terrified that he is just a product of his environment and would go the Joe Johnson route if expectations were to high.

 

[CitySushi]

Jamal Crawford 2.0.

Sushi, do you think the Warriors will match if Barnes gets a max offer?

Earlier we were discussing DeRozan to the Lakers on a max deal.

But, I would probably prefer Barnes if I were them.

He's a good young talent. But, I would be terrified that he is just a product of his environment and would go the Joe Johnson route if expectations were to high.

I don't think the Warriors will match a Barnes max. I think he's a good player, young still with upside, but he's not a max player, even with the cap going up. The problem with maxing Barnes is that while he's an integral part of the success to the Warriors, he'll never be more than a 4th option for them. Curry will be maxed on an extension in the near future, probably with a clause in there that a statue of him will be created in front of the new arena. Klay is locked in on 4 years remaining. Draymond just got his 5 year deal. The Warriors can't max him with any realistic expectations of him living up to the contract.

I think the Warriors will try to work with him on a hometown discount, but if he gets a big money offer I would assume the Warriors explore all possible options for sign and trades.

The biggest question for the Warriors will be what to do with Ezeli. Bogut is 31 already and his contract is coming up soon. Ezeli would be the prime candidate to take over that starting job. He's also a restricted free agent, so who knows what kind of big money offers teams will throw at him. If you're 7'0" and breathing, you'll get 10M a year easy from a team. With the kind of growth he's shown the last two years, who knows what he'll be offered.

 

[CitySushi]

I would not max Derozan either, but gun to my head I'd max Derozan over Barnes easily.

Derozan is a proven commodity. You don't give max contracts on potential.

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

I don't think the Warriors will match a Barnes max. I think he's a good player, young still with upside, but he's not a max player, even with the cap going up. The problem with maxing Barnes is that while he's an integral part of the success to the Warriors, he'll never be more than a 4th option for them. Curry will be maxed on an extension in the near future, probably with a clause in there that a statue of him will be created in front of the new arena. Klay is locked in on 4 years remaining. Draymond just got his 5 year deal. The Warriors can't max him with any realistic expectations of him living up to the contract.

I think the Warriors will try to work with him on a hometown discount, but if he gets a big money offer I would assume the Warriors explore all possible options for sign and trades.

The biggest question for the Warriors will be what to do with Ezeli. Bogut is 31 already and his contract is coming up soon. Ezeli would be the prime candidate to take over that starting job. He's also a restricted free agent, so who knows what kind of big money offers teams will throw at him. If you're 7'0" and breathing, you'll get 10M a year easy from a team. With the kind of growth he's shown the last two years, who knows what he'll be offered.

Well said.

I don't know what your cap will look like with the TV money.

But, is Durant a possibility?

Or, maybe a Whiteside?

Maybe not the latter because your Team has great chemistry.

But, there are a ton of other Centers available next summer if Ezeli is to expensive....assuming you have the ability to sign free agents that are not your own.

NBA free agents 2016: Drummond, Whiteside among the top centres available in the market

 

[CitySushi]

Well said.

I don't know what your cap will look like with the TV money.

But, is Durant a possibility?

Or, maybe a Whiteside?

Maybe not the latter because your Team has great chemistry.

But, there are a ton of other Centers available next summer if Ezeli is to expensive....assuming you have the ability to sign free agents that are not your own.

NBA free agents 2016: Drummond, Whiteside among the top centres available in the market

Durant is the pipe dream from Warrior fans. Management has shown a way to get things done if KD would be willing to come here. The Warriors had no cap room at all and were able to create room to sign Andre Iguodala. They could easily do so with the cap rising this year and trade-able pieces. The most logical situation would be a sign and trade involving Harrison Barnes and Andrew Bogut. If KD just tells the Thunder he's leaving, at least the Thunder would be able to have a fall back guy in Barnes and get an expiring deal and still productive player back in Bogut. Throw in a 1st rounder or two and you have probably the best situation for the Thunder if KD is adamant about leaving.

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

Durant is the pipe dream from Warrior fans. Management has shown a way to get things done if KD would be willing to come here. The Warriors had no cap room at all and were able to create room to sign Andre Iguodala. They could easily do so with the cap rising this year and trade-able pieces. The most logical situation would be a sign and trade involving Harrison Barnes and Andrew Bogut. If KD just tells the Thunder he's leaving, at least the Thunder would be able to have a fall back guy in Barnes and get an expiring deal and still productive player back in Bogut. Throw in a 1st rounder or two and you have probably the best situation for the Thunder if KD is adamant about leaving.

People keep saying if he leaves it will be for Washington.

But, I honestly dread that it will be the Warriors.

Curry, Klay, iggy, Dre > Wall, Beal, Gortat, Otto Porter.

I love Washington's back court. But, roster wise, it's not even close.

 

[CitySushi]

People keep saying if he leaves it will be for Washington.

But, I honestly dread that it will be the Warriors.

Curry, Klay, iggy, Dre > Wall, Beal, Gortat, Otto Porter.

I love Washington's back court. But, roster wise, it's not even close.

There are only about 3-4 teams that should be on KD's radar: Thunder, Warriors, Washington and Atlanta.

The reason I leave LA off this is because KD is in his prime and would be surrounded by too many young players on its core. He stays in the West and would field a largely inferior team to what he had in OKC. His title chances reduce a lot by going to LA.

The Warriors would provide one of the only real teams that could facilitate a sign and trade to both give him a Max contract without damaging the core and providing a large window for a championship run.

Washington and Atlanta could both offer him a landing point offering him a Max straight out as a free agent. Washington would likely have to renounce Bradley Beal's rights to do this, and they could not afford both without going huge into the Tax.

Atlanta could sign him and have him to add to a core of Teague, Korver and Millsap. Not sure what they would do with Horford who's a free agent. Also KD would thrive in Atlanta's system.

Both Atlanta and Washington are in the East and would provide likely an easier path to the Finals for KD.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

It's less of a problem with Lou Williams as it is a problem with Scott's rotations.

 

[trojanfan12]

lol...dude....cmon man. Its ok to say you want them to keep the pick. I mean- thats only logical. If its all the same- OBVIOUSLY- even if its only a trade asset- you WANT the pick....trying to have a genuine argument when you cannot even admit that its a major advantage and HIGHLY preferable to have a top 3 pick then not having a 1st rounder at all is ludicrous- i just dont know what to say.

I. Don't. Care. I've been saying that since before the season and have not wavered.

Additionally, as usual, you revert to your moronic making shit up. I never said I don't want the Lakers to get it and I never said it wasn't an advantage if they did get to keep it. I said that I don't care if they keep it because I don't expect that they will and developing the guys currently on the roster is more important than worrying about losing games to keep the pick.

 

[trojanfan12]

and right NOW- if the season ended TODAY- the Lakers would have a SUBSTANTIAL chance at retaining the pick.

Guess what? The season doesn't end today. The Lakers have been playing better and the young guys have been more consistent. I expect this will continue. That means they will improve as the season goes on and likely start winning some of the games they've been losing. Especially against the other lesser teams in the league.

So, considering how bad the Sixers and Nets are, that the Suns have been in a freefall since Bledsoe got hurt and they're not far off the pace of the Pelicans (11 wins) and the T-Wolves (12 wins), they could find themselves with a better record than several teams.

 

[WiggyRuss]

I. Don't. Care. I've been saying that since before the season and have not wavered.

Additionally, as usual, you revert to your moronic making shit up. I never said I don't want the Lakers to get it and I never said it wasn't an advantage if they did get to keep it. I said that I don't care if they keep it because I don't expect that they will and developing the guys currently on the roster is more important than worrying about losing games to keep the pick.

ok..so you think its an advantage, and you want the Lakers to get it--- but you dont care...ok i got it now....lol

 

[bksballer89]

Really good game in Dallas right now. Love when my league pass give you the option of the commentating crew. Much easier to watch Cavs games without Austin Carr cheerleading for 48 minutes

 

[WiggyRuss]

Rick Carlisle is the best coach in the league after Pop.

 

[WiggyRuss]

7 guys for the Cavs in double figures tonight.

Its no surprise that certain guys numbers are slightly off- because the Cavs are playing the right way and getting everyone involved- making the right play.

IT was a rough start for them tonight, but Kyrie came alive in the 4th- and the Cavs Big 3 had all their points in OT. Mozgov actually had a really good game off the bench which was really encouraging.

That switch where Thompson got onto DWill was an interesting play. I dont HATE Thompson covering Williams there- and Williams really did make a nice hesitation move and a nice finish, but LeBron has to stick to his guy there.

Shumpert had 2 huge defensive plays. The strip on Dirk near the end of regulation, and the strip/block off of Dwill near the end of OT. Shump even admits that the style and effort he plays with gives him a strong tendency to get hurt- but when he is playing and healthy he really makes a difference.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Dallas is a really good team though. They are just so well coached. Obviously I have not watched much of the Mavericks- and the announcers said this was Parsons season high- but he looked really good. Wesley Mathews looked tough defensively and made some plays- Deron Williams had 16 and 10 and looks SO much better than he did in Brooklyn. And of course Dirk is still very very good. You can see how Dirk is a pretty big liability defensively- which is why Jordan wouldve been such a great fit at erasing some of Dirks defensive mistakes....near the end of that game Shumpert got iso'd on Dirk and didnt even think twice then to take it to the rim and really Dirk couldnt even challenge it - but he still is a great rebounder and an amazing shooter.

I dunno...obviously the West is loaded- and OKC, GSW and SAS are all elite...but I think Dallas could win a series and be a pain in the ass if they could get the 4 or 5 seed.

 

[bksballer89]

Lakers/Pelicans coming down to the wire.

Lakers just took a 1 point lead with 1:15 remaining.

 

[Arizona_Sting]

Rick Carlisle is the best coach in the league after Pop.

Agreed.

 

[Arizona_Sting]

Suns need to keep tanking. I hope Knight gets "sick" again before the start of our next game. And the one after that.

Devin Booker has looked really impressive. Him and Warren are the only two I want to keep moving forward. Maybe one of Bledsoe/Knight, but I don't want to keep that 2 PG system going, it just doesn't work.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

Lakers/Pelicans coming down to the wire.

Lakers just took a 1 point lead with 1:15 remaining.

Lakers finally decided to finish a comeback. I don't know if it's just teams falling asleep on the Lakers or if the Lakers are actually improving but the past 3-4 games have come down to the final 2 minutes. Although, if AD were playing they probably would have destroyed the Lakers.