Carmelo Opts In

[tlance]

Lonzo could neutralize Klay. Papa Ball sayz so.

If they have LeBron, PG and Kawhi, I am assuming most if not all of the kids are gone.

 

[Wamu]

If they have LeBron, PG and Kawhi, I am assuming most if not all of the kids are gone.

It'll be interesting to see where everyone ends up. I still don't see the Spurs sending Kawhi to the Lakers. But I'm not good @ playing the guessing game. Trading him to help a conference rival rebuild doesn't sound very good for the Spurs.

 

[CitySushi]

He doesn't have to guard Curry though. And he defintely guards Curry a hell of a lot better than Curry guards him.

But, if LBJ is your ball handler, it means you can start another 6-7 wing type. Either George or Leonard could guard Curry as well as anybody in the league. And the interchangibility defensively would be sick.

Remember, a long time ago before positionless basketball was a thing, the Bulls rolled without a PG. they had Jordan, Pippen and Harper, made possible by Pippen's ability to handle the ball, initiate the offense and hound PGs defensively.

George and Kawhi wouldn't need to handle the ball like Pippen could, but they could each do the defensive part. I think their theoretical defensive matchups would look like this:

Kawhi on KD
George on Curry
Player X on Klay: you do not want LeBron on Klay. Literally the worst possible matchup for him
LeBron on Dray or Iggy

Go and get Patrick Beverly if he's healthy and he'd be the ideal guy to guard Curry. Then you let PG run around with Klay. Lebron definitely guards Draymond every time. Kawhi on KD is a given.

 

[jakedog56]

The problem wasn't the 5th year, the problem was that it wasn't the full max:

Windhorst: OKC Thunder stay true to themselves

"The Thunder maintain a philosophy that the individual sacrifices for the whole. In this case, that would have meant Harden agreeing to accept less than the maximum amount for a four-year extension, which was $60 million. Reportedly the Thunder's final offer was in the range of $55 million for four years."

And Harden admitted that leaving/being traded was about the money in the end:

James Harden Admits Money Was Deciding Factor in Leaving OKC Thunder

“I still think about it,” James Harden opens up about being traded from the Oklahoma City Thunder

All this may be true but no one is mentioning that OKC could have offered Harden the max but part of their reasoning was that they really wanted to keep Perkins as he was so well loved by his teammates. But the fact that he was an overpaid, undersized C on the downside of his career really does make it a stupid decision.
But yes, there were other factors involved. Even if they would have amnestied Perkins and offered Harden the max there is no guarantee that it would have gotten done. Still, letting Perkins status factor into the Harden situation at all was a pretty stupid move in retrospect.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Carmelo isn't going to accept any trades except for a high profile squad that isn't going to want him. His pride is absolutely not going to allow him to be part of a salary dump trade.

I would be shocked if Carmelo doesn't play the entire season in OKC this year.

Does he still have a no trade clause? I know he did with the New York Knicks - but he isn't going to walk away from guaranteed money at this point and he could do worse as far as bad teams are concerned, but He isn't getting any titles where he is at either

 

[True Lakers Fan]

I agree actually. I'm just disputing the notion that Presti is a shit GM whom couldn't hold onto Harden. It was evident as to why Harden wanted to be traded/not sign an extension.

The Thunder is a sad case of mistaken identity - they sadly thought that the players on their team should play for less money for their benefit. In short they thought that the Thunder management dictated the terms - Mistaken badly

 

[flyerhawk]

Does he still have a no trade clause? I know he did with the New York Knicks - but he isn't going to walk away from guaranteed money at this point and he could do worse as far as bad teams are concerned, but He isn't getting any titles where he is at either

He's still on the Knicks contract.

 

[shopson67]

The Thunder is a sad case of mistaken identity - they sadly thought that the players on their team should play for less money for their benefit. In short they thought that the Thunder management dictated the terms - Mistaken badly

That college atmosphere and underdog mentality has long faded...

 

[True Lakers Fan]

That college atmosphere and underdog mentality has long faded...

I'm not sure that was ever a reality in the NBA, players want to be paid what they can get - that is business.

 

[wildturkey]

He doesn't have to guard Curry though. And he defintely guards Curry a hell of a lot better than Curry guards him.

But, if LBJ is your ball handler, it means you can start another 6-7 wing type. Either George or Leonard could guard Curry as well as anybody in the league. And the interchangibility defensively would be sick.

Remember, a long time ago before positionless basketball was a thing, the Bulls rolled without a PG. they had Jordan, Pippen and Harper, made possible by Pippen's ability to handle the ball, initiate the offense and hound PGs defensively.

George and Kawhi wouldn't need to handle the ball like Pippen could, but they could each do the defensive part. I think their theoretical defensive matchups would look like this:

Kawhi on KD
George on Curry
Player X on Klay: you do not want LeBron on Klay. Literally the worst possible matchup for him
LeBron on Dray or Iggy

Player X = Lance Stephenson on the vet minimum. Lebron's gonna let him blow in someone else's ear for a change

 

[tlance]

Player X = Lance Stephenson on the vet minimum. Lebron's gonna let him blow in someone else's ear for a change

Wow.

I bet Lance would still be blowing in leBron's ear. He enjoyed that a bit too much.

 

[shopson67]

I'm not sure that was ever a reality in the NBA, players want to be paid what they can get - that is business.

I was speaking in general of the OKC fans. They really had a college atmosphere working when Russ and KD had the team clicking. They found out soon enough that the pro game is money first, winning second for 99% of the time.

 

[wildturkey]

Player X = Lance Stephenson on the vet minimum. Lebron's gonna let him blow in someone else's ear for a change

Wow.

I bet Lance would still be blowing in leBron's ear. He enjoyed that a bit too much.

Told ya, @tlance.

 

[shopson67]

Told ya, @tlance.

Well, vet min x2 lol...

 

[thunderc]

I was speaking in general of the OKC fans. They really had a college atmosphere working when Russ and KD had the team clicking. They found out soon enough that the pro game is money first, winning second for 99% of the time.

Yet the atmosphere is still as good as there is in the league.

 

[thunderc]

So where does ANTHONY start the year? Trust me it’s not OKC. I say the Lakers.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

So where does ANTHONY start the year? Trust me it’s not OKC. I say the Lakers.

Only if he gets traded for Deng.

Which might actually be a possibility

 

[thunderc]

Only if he gets traded for Deng.

Which might actually be a possibility

I don’t see a trade because everyone has to know the Thunder will stretch him.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

I don’t see a trade because everyone has to know the Thunder will stretch him.

Still be paying over a quarter of a billion

 

[thunderc]

Still be paying over a quarter of a billion

Can save $91 M this year by stretching him. It will happen.