The 2023-2024 NBA Season

[shopson67]

pre injury Lonzo and obvi D Lo

on a bit different of a level, but you also have some of the key names of this trade deadline (Kuzma, Caruso, Clarkson) as well as the Garland pick.

 

[shopson67]

You can’t just assume the Lakers would have picked the best available player.

In fact, I doubt they pick Garland with Lonzo already there.

They were rumored to be taking Garland, hence my inclusion of him.

 

[shopson67]

It was @shopson67.

I didn't start this crap. The OKC stan did.

Lakers accumulated those pieces at least partially with the intent of trading them for bigger fish. AD had been a target of interest for years prior within the organization. They've been big game hunters ever since acquiring KAJ.

 

[shopson67]

Lakers had a lot of talent.

It didn’t all pan out, and the guys who did didn’t blossom until they left LA.

But it doesn’t matter because they turned that talent into a title.

Essentially my point, although I didn't lean on the title as a defense. Most of the pieces never really had a chance to blossom with LA, as they were moved before the 2019 season (first domino draft pick was Randle in 2014 and Kobe retired in April of 2016, signaling the rebuild).

 

[shopson67]

I disagree. Lebron took them to 6 games w/o Love and Kyrie. Kyrie was obviously the bigger injury but with them both they definitely have a very good shot.

Regardless, a dirty play

Don't watch the Warriors too closely if you hate that play that much. Between CP3 and Dray....lol.

 

[shopson67]

Yup

With Kessler and Chet

You guys should’ve just gotten all 3 lol

No love for Banchero?

 

[DJ Fieri]

Essentially my point, although I didn't lean on the title as a defense. Most of the pieces never really had a chance to blossom with LA, as they were moved before the 2019 season (first domino draft pick was Randle in 2014 and Kobe retired in April of 2016, signaling the rebuild).

Well, the ultimate goal is to win right?

May not have had as good young talent as OKC but it resulted in a title.

OKC looks great right now but winning a title is never guaranteed.

That's all I am saying.

 

[shopson67]

Lakers youth had they not traded it for AD vs Thunder youth.

When the consensus was Lakers youth fell short, @DJ played the “ We won a chip using all that youth to trade for Davis and your team doesn’t have a ring “ card.

He ain’t wrong.

But, I don’t think that was the debate.

It’s impossible to even make a fair comparison…imo

How the fuck can you try to rate Lonzo based on his draft projection knowing his injury history over the last few years?

I loved J Dub at Santa Clara.

But, I didn’t think he would be ……THIS…so soon.

Would Williams be this had be been drafted into a different situation? What if the Pistons took him at 5? Or the Kings at 4? Or the Rockets?

 

[DJ Fieri]

Takes a lot more than just being a talented team to win a ring.

 

[fightinfunbags]

Well, the ultimate goal is to win right?

May not have had as good young talent as OKC but it resulted in a title.

OKC looks great right now but winning a title is part talent and part getting the breaks any team needs to win a title. Plenty of talented teams that should have won never did.

That's all I am saying.

The OKC model sets a franchise up to have a dynasty. The model employed by the Lakers in acquiring AD through trade and clearing cap to sign LeBron on the back end is an attempt to get a single title in a short window. Different strokes for different folks. Also fair to note that OKC isn’t a FA destination city like LA. Even if OKC preferred the Laker model we speak of, it’s unlikely they could pull it off.

 

[shopson67]

Well, the ultimate goal is to win right?

May not have had as good young talent as OKC but it resulted in a title.

OKC looks great right now but winning a title is part talent and part luck a team needs to win a title. Plenty of talented teams that should have won never did.

That's all I am saying.

...and they are well on their way towards that goal, and adding Shai is a HUGE part of that. Still think they need to add more veteran presence, ideally one each in the front court and back court. Back court could just be a vet backup point, front court should be a dirty work rebounder IMO.

 

[shopson67]

Murray and Bog for Garland?

The fit for Atlanta is atrocious though lol

Yeah, that makes zero sense for Atlanta. They need a 3/D type along side Trae.

 

[Shanemansj13]

Don't watch the Warriors too closely if you hate that play that much. Between CP3 and Dray....lol.

I don’t lol

 

[shopson67]

then flip Trae and blow it all the way up.

There ya go nonexistent Hawks fans. Build around Capela Garland Johnson Hunter and the pieces and picks from the Young deal

You're welcome!

A Mikal Bridges / Dejounte Murray trade makes far too much sense for either side to consider it lol.

 

[fightinfunbags]

A Mikal Bridges / Dejounte Murray trade makes far too much sense for either side to consider it lol.

Hawks would have to send 2 firsts. Bridges right now is Murray’s ceiling

 

[Stakesarehigh]

A Mikal Bridges / Dejounte Murray trade makes far too much sense for either side to consider it lol.

on paper Murray should work fine really.

Makes one think Trae is tough to work with.

Unlike Luka who is almost as poor defensively and a heavy usage guy

 

[fightinfunbags]

The Cavs are some serious fucking business. They’ve done this with guys going in and out of the lineup too. Injuries haven’t been an excuse for them. They just keep winning.

 

[fightinfunbags]

on paper Murray should work fine really.

Makes one think Trae is tough to work with.

Unlike Luka who is almost as poor defensively and a heavy usage guy

Luka could be the same deal as Trae. Looking at Brunson and Porzingas thriving since leaving Dallas speaks to that.

 

[fightinfunbags]

Yep. This checks out.

 

[DJ Fieri]

Luka could be the same deal as Trae. Looking at Brunson and Porzingas thriving since leaving Dallas speaks to that.

And the one time Luka made it deep into the playoffs when they made the WCF....Brunson was his sidekick.