2023 offseason thread

[tlance]

I did and I stand by it. This is the same guy Timmy and David Robinson playing together couldn’t stop. The same guy Dikembe Mutombo had no answer for. Look I get it, Embiid is the more skilled big Man…but so were Duncan, Robinson, and KG, and nobody can tell me with a straight face these 3 were better than Shaq.

Even in today’s NBA, I don’t believe for one second KG and Duncan would be better players than Shaq. He was just so dominant physically that nobody could contain him.

I see where you’re coming from though, I just believe Shaq was built different and would be a great player regardless of the ERA he played.

We aren’t talking about KG and Duncan.

KG I don’t think would be better than Shaq today

Duncan?

Yeah. I do. And there is a pretty solid case to be made that Duncan had a better career than Shaq. His peak wasn’t as high, but it lasted a lot longer.

But even then, those guys didn’t have the full modern skill set that Embiid has.

 

[DJ Fieri]

They already have him in RWIII

True....he threw me when he said gutting the frontcourt depth.

 

[DJ Fieri]

Boston might be a longshot....but it's fun to talk about.

 

[BigKen]

And somebody has to go with Brown...Brown and a pick or 2 for Dame doesn't work.

Most likely Robert Williams and possibly they'll have to take Brogdon. Both teams are going to have to gargle with an antiseptic mouthwash when/if this does get done. Most likely it will involve pick swaps. Brown would be a perfect deal for Portland. They a get a young stud. It great for the C's because they'll get an emotional leader that's 10X better than Smart at the PG.

 

[fightinfunbags]

Most likely Robert Williams and possibly they'll have to take Brogdon. Both teams are going to have to gargle with an antiseptic mouthwash when/if this does get done. Most likely it will involve pick swaps. Brown would be a perfect deal for Portland. They a get a young stud. It great for the C's because they'll get an emotional leader that's 10X better than Smart at the PG.

Brogdan is a poisoned pill right now because of his medical report. Can’t trade him right now.

 

[thunderc]

Tatum publicly recruiting Lillard probably not good if the trade doesn’t happen.

 

[Gman]

... Brown would be a perfect deal for Portland. They get a young stud...

For 1 season (in which they're rebuilding)... with nothing close to a guarantee beyond that.

Pretty far from a "perfect deal".

 

[DJ Fieri]

Brogdan is a poisoned pill right now because of his medical report. Can’t trade him right now.

This.

 

[DJ Fieri]

For 1 season (in which they're rebuilding)... with nothing close to a guarantee beyond that.

Pretty far from a "perfect deal".

Brown, Grant and Scoot isn't a bad 3 to build around...if they deal Simons. Hell, with him? That isn't a bad four-some.

 

[fightinfunbags]

Tatum publicly recruiting Lillard probably not good if the trade doesn’t happen.

It’s a quick way to alienate Jaylen Brown who is a tough one to read.

 

[DJ Fieri]

It’s a quick way to alienate Jaylen Brown who is a tough one to read.

Yep.

Clearly their relationship isn't that great if Tatum is recruiting Dame.

 

[fightinfunbags]

Yep.

Clearly their relationship isn't that great if Tatum is recruiting Dame.

He could always be like “I wanted them to deal other people not you.”

 

[The Q]

Maybe. Maybe not. It’s pretty risky. If they close on a Dame deal tomorrow maybe that changed Harden’s mind and he wants to stay in Philly. Maybe it’s Harden’s presence that has Dame saying no to Philly. Or maybe he doesn’t want to play with Embiid. Philly’s only chance is for Portland to drag this thing out and then to have Morey relent on including Maxey.

At this point, I would be fine with doing the Harden deal to the Clippers as long as they reunite Powell with Nurse and pick up two wings like RoCo and Batum.

PG Maxey Pat Bev
SG Powell Melton Springer
SF Batum RoCo House
PF Harris Tucker
C Embiid BBall Paul

Then next season they get $65 million of cap relief when Harris, Batum, RoCo, Pat Bev and Furkan Korkmaz comes off the books. That gives them roughly 30-35 million to sign 2 players and then redo Maxey after.

And like 3 first round picks to trade with expiring deals.

Morey could still make an in season move with that many expiring deals and picks

 

[Gman]

Brown, Grant and Scoot isn't a bad 3 to build around...if they deal Simons. Hell, with him? That isn't a bad four-some.

You keep ignoring the point I'm making.

Brown, Grant and Scoot is a "bad 3 to build around" if there is no Brown past this year.

 

[The Q]

You guys have one of the centers who doesn’t. There are a ton of centers today that can guard multiple positions on switches. The other whole in Shaq’s game translating to this moment in the NBA is his inability to space. It would make it difficult for players to get to the rim because they could pack the paint using Shaq’s presence on the block. I think it’s a pretty hard comp in the end. You would need a group around Shaq that’s comprised of 3-4 spot up shooters. The pairing of Shaq and Kobe for instance could be diminished because it would be harder for Kobe to get to the rim because of the defensive paint presence that Shaq will draw.

To be fair the league also got smarter at how to stretch the floor “vertically” than in Shaq’s peak. So that would help counteract some of that

 

[The Q]

It depends on what comes back in the Dame trade but Simons is a guy that I could see them moving in a separate deal after all this shakes out. Does anyone know Portland’s cap situation? Can they take back a bigger contract than what goes out?

I believe after that dumpster fire of a grant contract they’re pretty close to the tax line

 

[fightinfunbags]

And like 3 first round picks to trade with expiring deals.

Morey could still make an in season move with that many expiring deals and picks

Clippers don’t have that many picks to deal. I would settle for one if Powell is in the deal. If Powell becomes Marcus Morris then I want two picks and some draft swaps 2028 and later. Clippers pick swaps could be valuable because post Kawhi PG13 there will be a drop off. Even more so if they chase a Harden now to maximize their prior investment in Kawhi/PG13.

 

[DJ Fieri]

You keep ignoring the point I'm making.

Brown, Grant and Scoot is a "bad 3 to build around" if there is no Brown past this year.

Brown can get the bag in Portland.

 

[DJ Fieri]

And like fightin said....Brown could be the man in Portland....might appeal to him after Tatum was the guy in Boston.

 

[The Q]

Clippers don’t have that many picks to deal. I would settle for one if Powell is in the deal. If Powell becomes Marcus Morris then I want two picks and some draft swaps 2028 and later. Clippers pick swaps could be valuable because post Kawhi PG13 there will be a drop off. Even more so if they chase a Harden now to maximize their prior investment in Kawhi/PG13.

You need both of them to make the deal work anyway.

Powell
Roco
Batum

Is just under 42m

So Philly would need to add some salary with house or kork the most obvious ones

The clippers would badly need to make a follow up trade to find some new depth at pf though