2021-2022 NBA Season

[shopson67]

Apparently the Rondo trade to Cleveland has become a Three-Team deal. Cleveland gets Rondo, Valentine goes to LA who has just sent him to the N.Y. Knicks. The Lakers get an open roster spot of which they filled with Stanley Johnson. Interesting deal. And shopson, I do like the Westbrook/Jordon to New York for Randle/Fournier proposal you have floated but I doubt that one will happen. But with the acquisition of Valentine maybe Randle is going to be moved.

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The trade suggestion was more of a joke/prodding for our local diehard Knicks lover/hater lol.

I can't imagine acquiring Valentine means anything for Randle. He's depth at best. I do like the fact that the Lakers moved him to NY instead of waiving him. Any salary saved is key towards avoiding that hard cap.

 

[Retroram52]

New York has made dumber moves than this, but I still doubt it.

Lakers get to keep Westbrook all year I believe.

Yea tlance, I believe the Lakers are going with Westbrook the rest of the year (unless something irresistible comes along) and even though the guy still can't go through a game without missing FTs, throwing passes away (TOs), and getting lost on defense, he is playing decent enough to retain his services.

 

[shopson67]

Help me out here.

A couple days ago people were trying to say Curry should be behind LeBron, Giannis and even DeRozan in the MVP race.

Thoughts?

Those people are ripe for a drug test? DeRozan is a blip IMO. Lebron is a nice story but has little to no chance. Giannis is always in the discussion, right or wrong.

 

[shopson67]

The disinterest was no more than an opinion.

and why does his contract really matter unless you are Dan Gilbert? If anything, the contract is a reason not to just give him away.

The contract means a lot when the thought prior was to try to trade him.

 

[shopson67]

You may want to get a feel for what this conversation is about before jumping in with comments that have little to nothing to do with the conversation.

No thanks, not going to read pages of backstory from Cavs boosters.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Love is playing better, but he also is making $31M to come off the bench and play 20 mpg. His issues in recent years have been more about disinterest ,usage and cost than talent (and defensive liabilities are being covered up by his new front court mates).

What constitutes staying healthy? You're already down 2 key players from your backcourt for the season.

yah missing 2 of your top 6/7 guys suck- esp. when they both play the back court.

as for Love- I agree somewhat- definitely disinterest by Love when he was playing on an awful team- but I would say the majority was injuries. You are always going to have star player/future hall of famer lose some interest when the team blows for multiple years. Now that htey are winning on at least a moderate level, he seems a lot more happy, engaged, and most importantly- healthy. Dude can still shoot a 3 and rebound and has some of the best outlet passes in the NBA.

 

[CitySushi]

Help me out here.

A couple days ago people were trying to say Curry should be behind LeBron, Giannis and even DeRozan in the MVP race.

Thoughts?

Well obviously I'm a homer, so you have to take that with a grain of salt. Giannis, ok you can make an argument I think. His numbers are great. His team is on an upward trajectory and he's always in the conversation for best player in the NBA. So people who want to put him above Curry, I'm ok with it.

Lebron and Derozan at this point is nonsense. Derozan is playing really well, but he's arguably not even the best player on his own team. He's currently playing with 2 other all-stars and that's not including Lonzo either. The Bulls are playing extremely well and Derozan is a factor, but his impact to this team is no more than he's ever had with the Raptors where he didn't sniff MVP voting.

Lebron is Lebron. Dude is an absolute machine and it's incredible what he's doing at 37. I get wanting to give him the love he deserves and his numbers are reflective of his impact on his team. But he has 2 other All-NBA fixtures and two of the top 75 players of all time on his team and they're just .500. For a team that was expected to come out of the West, it's underwhelming to say the least.

Meanwhile you have to make an argument to have the Warriors have a 2nd all-star on their squad and right now they have the best record in the NBA. The ship is driven by Steph and everything around him is a because he is the catalyst for it. His numbers are up there, but he's not shooting as well as he has in the past from the field. So I get why people want to detract from his game. But the Warriors have far exceeded anyone else's expectations (even my own) in where they would be right now. The Warriors are a deep team, but less talented at the top right now than almost every other top tier team in the league.

 

[CitySushi]

yah missing 2 of your top 6/7 guys suck- esp. when they both play the back court.

as for Love- I agree somewhat- definitely disinterest by Love when he was playing on an awful team- but I would say the majority was injuries. You are always going to have star player/future hall of famer lose some interest when the team blows for multiple years. Now that htey are winning on at least a moderate level, he seems a lot more happy, engaged, and most importantly- healthy. Dude can still shoot a 3 and rebound and has some of the best outlet passes in the NBA.

He seems revitalized this year, much like Draymond. Both used their time off to get themselves right and Love is playing incredibly well. Just as you thought Draymond was cooked, I thought the same of Love. They're both in a similar boat in now that they have some talent back around them, they're playing to their max abilities again. Good to see.

 

[shopson67]

yah missing 2 of your top 6/7 guys suck- esp. when they both play the back court.

as for Love- I agree somewhat- definitely disinterest by Love when he was playing on an awful team- but I would say the majority was injuries. You are always going to have star player/future hall of famer lose some interest when the team blows for multiple years. Now that htey are winning on at least a moderate level, he seems a lot more happy, engaged, and most importantly- healthy. Dude can still shoot a 3 and rebound and has some of the best outlet passes in the NBA.

....and interest in Love from other teams would've been great as a free agent or for at least for less than his $30M per extension.

 

[shopson67]

Well obviously I'm a homer, so you have to take that with a grain of salt. Giannis, ok you can make an argument I think. His numbers are great. His team is on an upward trajectory and he's always in the conversation for best player in the NBA. So people who want to put him above Curry, I'm ok with it.

Lebron and Derozan at this point is nonsense. Derozan is playing really well, but he's arguably not even the best player on his own team. He's currently playing with 2 other all-stars and that's not including Lonzo either. The Bulls are playing extremely well and Derozan is a factor, but his impact to this team is no more than he's ever had with the Raptors where he didn't sniff MVP voting.

Lebron is Lebron. Dude is an absolute machine and it's incredible what he's doing at 37. I get wanting to give him the love he deserves and his numbers are reflective of his impact on his team. But he has 2 other All-NBA fixtures and two of the top 75 players of all time on his team and they're just .500. For a team that was expected to come out of the West, it's underwhelming to say the least.

Meanwhile you have to make an argument to have the Warriors have a 2nd all-star on their squad and right now they have the best record in the NBA. The ship is driven by Steph and everything around him is a because he is the catalyst for it. His numbers are up there, but he's not shooting as well as he has in the past from the field. So I get why people want to detract from his game. But the Warriors have far exceeded anyone else's expectations (even my own) in where they would be right now. The Warriors are a deep team, but less talented at the top right now than almost every other top tier team in the league.

Lebron couldn't get enough respect when he was at his prime; voter fatigue is a very real thing. No way are the voters going to give him enough votes now to win unless he carries this team all the way to the championship, and even then they'll find an excuse not to.

 

[CitySushi]

Lebron couldn't get enough respect when he was at his prime; voter fatigue is a very real thing. No way are the voters going to give him enough votes now to win unless he carries this team all the way to the championship, and even then they'll find an excuse not to.

I agree Voter fatigue is real. But in this instance, despite Lebron's excellence his team is vastly under-performing against expectations. This is a contrast from his teams generally being always at the top of the standings.

 

[shopson67]

I agree Voter fatigue is real. But in this instance, despite Lebron's excellence his team is vastly under-performing against expectations. This is a contrast from his teams generally being always at the top of the standings.

Sure, but it depends on your definition of the MVP. Is it best individual performance or the best player on the best team? Or maybe is it value, as the player that means most to his team's outcomes? You can make a case for Lebron, but the voter support won't be there, and the lack of consistency for that definition doesn't help either.

 

[tlance]

Well obviously I'm a homer, so you have to take that with a grain of salt. Giannis, ok you can make an argument I think. His numbers are great. His team is on an upward trajectory and he's always in the conversation for best player in the NBA. So people who want to put him above Curry, I'm ok with it.

Lebron and Derozan at this point is nonsense. Derozan is playing really well, but he's arguably not even the best player on his own team. He's currently playing with 2 other all-stars and that's not including Lonzo either. The Bulls are playing extremely well and Derozan is a factor, but his impact to this team is no more than he's ever had with the Raptors where he didn't sniff MVP voting.

Lebron is Lebron. Dude is an absolute machine and it's incredible what he's doing at 37. I get wanting to give him the love he deserves and his numbers are reflective of his impact on his team. But he has 2 other All-NBA fixtures and two of the top 75 players of all time on his team and they're just .500. For a team that was expected to come out of the West, it's underwhelming to say the least.

Meanwhile you have to make an argument to have the Warriors have a 2nd all-star on their squad and right now they have the best record in the NBA. The ship is driven by Steph and everything around him is a because he is the catalyst for it. His numbers are up there, but he's not shooting as well as he has in the past from the field. So I get why people want to detract from his game. But the Warriors have far exceeded anyone else's expectations (even my own) in where they would be right now. The Warriors are a deep team, but less talented at the top right now than almost every other top tier team in the league.

My thinking exactly.

KD is ahead, IMO.

There is a case for Giannis and Jokic.

But I personally have Curry at 2 above them.

 

[tlance]

I agree Voter fatigue is real. But in this instance, despite Lebron's excellence his team is vastly under-performing against expectations. This is a contrast from his teams generally being always at the top of the standings.

That is actually why I think he didn’t win any MVPs his second stint in Cleveland.

The team just didn’t apply themselves as well as they could have in the regular season.

That is why LeBron was perpetually 2nd or 3rd behind whatever flavor of tel he month.

Had the Cavs won 67 games any of those years, LBJ gets MVP.

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

Foolhardy? I get why any LA fan would have wanted him for basically nothing.

I would have wanted him to go to Portland, not the Lakers.

Don't think he'd consider the Clippers with LeBron and Rude across the hall.

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

My thinking exactly.

KD is ahead, IMO.

There is a case for Giannis and Jokic.

But I personally have Curry at 2 above them.

Derozan top 6?

I say, yes.

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

Apparently the Rondo trade to Cleveland has become a Three-Team deal. Cleveland gets Rondo, Valentine goes to LA who has just sent him to the N.Y. Knicks. The Lakers get an open roster spot of which they filled with Stanley Johnson. Interesting deal. And shopson, I do like the Westbrook/Jordon to New York for Randle/Fournier proposal you have floated but I doubt that one will happen. But with the acquisition of Valentine maybe Randle is going to be moved.

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Get the latest news on free agency, trades, salaries and more on HoopsHype Rumors.

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I don't see any chance of dealing Westbrook.

But, I've said that before. So, who knows?

His contract is an abomination.

His turnovers are worse.

They have Kemba, who is playing well in Zoo York.

A Kemba / Westbrook backcourt ?

 

[tlance]

Derozan top 6?

I say, yes.

@bksballer89 had him at 2.

6 is fine I guess, but 6 isn’t a real contender for the award.

And I think putting DeRozan that high is a slap in the face to LaVine. Bulls added a lot of pieces. It is wrong to single out one with all the credit.

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

Sure, but that was because there were no offers forthcoming.

Buyout, my guy.

Not talking trades.

 

[tlance]

I don't see any chance of dealing Westbrook.

But, I've said that before. So, who knows?

His contract is an abomination.

His turnovers are worse.

They have Kemba, who is playing well in Zoo York.

A Kemba / Westbrook backcourt ?

I don’t know.

Might sell a few tickets for a franchise going nowhere.

Watching Russ get inefficient triple doubles is fun.