2015-16 NBA Western Conference OFFICIAL THREAD

[wildturkey]

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.

With what's happened so far this season, Gentry would have found a way to screw it up anyway

 

[Arizona_Sting]

The Lakers pick is top 3 protected right?


They better be careful. Philly has the 1 spot on lock, Brooklyn is likely to start trading their vets and lost Jack, and Jefferson for the year so they'll be on an even greater downward spiral. Suns going in full tank mode too with the deadline approaching… don't want to win too many games now. I could see them sneaking into the 4-5 spot if some of these trends continue.

 

[WiggyRuss]

The Lakers pick is top 3 protected right?


They better be careful. Philly has the 1 spot on lock, Brooklyn is likely to start trading their vets and lost Jack, and Jefferson for the year so they'll be on an even greater downward spiral. Suns going in full tank mode too with the deadline approaching… don't want to win too many games now. I could see them sneaking into the 4-5 spot if some of these trends continue.

Brooklyn owes its pick to Boston- so it has no incentive to tank.

the real competition at the top of the lotto i believe is the Sixers, Lakers, Suns. Twolves roster I think should take it out of the territory of those 3- but thats certainl not guaranteed.

 

[trojanfan12]

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

Exactly. Of course I'll be happy if they keep it, especially if it doesn't hamper the development of the young guys, but it won't bother me in the least if they don't because it's far more important to develop the young guys than it is to worry about keeping that pick. In other words, I don't care.

Not sure why this is so difficult to grasp.

 

[trojanfan12]

The Lakers pick is top 3 protected right?


They better be careful. Philly has the 1 spot on lock, Brooklyn is likely to start trading their vets and lost Jack, and Jefferson for the year so they'll be on an even greater downward spiral. Suns going in full tank mode too with the deadline approaching… don't want to win too many games now. I could see them sneaking into the 4-5 spot if some of these trends continue.

I don't see the Lakers keeping that pick. The young guys are developing, they are more competitive in games and that will likely start translating to more wins. As you point out, some teams who aren't performing as expected are going to be looking at unloading players, the Suns have been in freefall since Bledsoe got hurt and there are other a couple of teams that are an injury away from having their season fall apart.

 

[bksballer89]

Windhorst: The Wolves' basketball winter

 

[WiggyRuss]

Exactly. Of course I'll be happy if they keep it, especially if it doesn't hamper the development of the young guys, but it won't bother me in the least if they don't because it's far more important to develop the young guys than it is to worry about keeping that pick. In other words, I don't care.

Not sure why this is so difficult to grasp.

that directly contradictory.

 

[LAD]

This tells you all you need to know about the job the Heat did on Steph tonight

Definitely good defense this game. The Heat forced the Dubs to play their game and won.......again. Uh, uh, uh.

 

[LAD]

That starts with DeRozan, a lock to decline his option and hit free agency this summer. A bunch of teams, including DeRozan's hometown Lakers, are prepared to offer him a max deal starting at $25 million per season, and the Raptors know they will have to spend big to keep him.



YAH...Thompson for 16 is bad!!!!....just saying--- in the next offseason- the salaries are going to get CRAZY- and Thompson for 16 and all the BS about it is going to look REALLY REALLY stupid very very soon.

Yes I agree that any team that would pay their back-up 4 that kinda money & not come away with a title to show for it will look REALLY REALLY stupid...

 

[LAD]

@Wiggy's desperation to make it look like TT is actually worth the money. TT would still be a bench player if the Cavs were getting anything out of TinaFey Mozgov.

Oh no, not "TinaFey" Mozgov

 

[bksballer89]

Definitely good defense this game. The Heat forced the Dubs to play their game and won.......again. Uh, uh, uh.

Yep that's all you can do as an opponent. Force the Dubs to play your game and hope that's good enough.

 

[LAD]

Love can't guard a potted plant

I am over here dying!

 

[LAD]

What do you think about Batum?

If Durant and Ben Simmons are off the table, Batum would be a great plan c for.the right price.

No, I don't think so.

 

[LAD]

Draymond Green - 5 years 82M.
Tristan Thompson - 5 years 80M.

Same off-season.

And only one of those players you listed actually improved his game over the summer, rather than demand more money than he's actually worth! Hint - it ain't TT.

 

[LAD]

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.

I think Barnes would be a nice compliment to RW in OKC if this happened. But, the Warriors need to find a way to trade Bogut and keep Ezeli.

 

[CitySushi]

I think Barnes would be a nice compliment to RW in OKC if this happened. But, the Warriors need to find a way to trade Bogut and keep Ezeli.

They would need to include Bogut in any sort of Sign and Trade because KD should be eligible for a super max deal which would could be upwards of 30M. (See AD's 5 year 145M deal). With the cap going up, max I think Barnes' deal would be closer to 5 years 100M (20m per).

 

[LAD]

Yep that's all you can do as an opponent. Force the Dubs to play your game and hope that's good enough.

In all honesty, the Heat were poised to win because of the great defense they played when it came to the 3pt game. They literally ran them off that line 3/4ths of the game.

But unfortunately for the rest of the league, the Warriors are showing they're more than just a jump shooting team.

 

[LAD]

They would need to include Bogut in any sort of Sign and Trade because KD should be eligible for a super max deal which would could be upwards of 30M. (See AD's 5 year 145M deal). With the cap going up, max I think Barnes' deal would be closer to 5 years 100M (20m per).

What? You think Barnes is worth $20 mil a year??

Don't get me wrong. I think he's a great addition to this team and he fits in the flow. But, he'd have to prove he can perform in that #1 or #2 option before he'd be worth close to that. Who knows...maybe he's a Harden and nobody knows it yet (in terms of being able to transition from a bench role player to a #1 option in little to no time).

 

[CitySushi]

What? You think Barnes is worth $20 mil a year??

Don't get me wrong. I think he's a great addition to this team and he fits in the flow. But, he'd have to prove he can perform in that #1 or #2 option before he'd be worth close to that. Who knows...maybe he's a Harden and nobody knows it yet (in terms of being able to transition from a bench role player to a #1 option in little to no time).

I don't think he's worth that.

But, I do think that's what he'll end up getting in an offer in free agency. There's already lots of talk about him receiving a max offer from teams. His salary will be very close to, if not max money next year. It's not what I believe he's worth, but his market value.

 

[CitySushi]

I think Barnes at his peak will be a more athletic version of Gordon Hayward as he is now. He's not going to be a real go-to guy, but he's going to be an up and down player with flashes of fantastic play.