I would guess the Knicks. Seems like the most KD move possibleWhere do we think KD tries to go once this fails?
Philly? Knicks? Back to OKC?
I would guess the Knicks. Seems like the most KD move possibleWhere do we think KD tries to go once this fails?
Philly? Knicks? Back to OKC?
who else we got in this bucket? prokhorov is the obvious one. cuban?They are a classic example of "dumb rich guy buys team immediately makes terrible decisions" The Booker/KD pairing was really good, but Beal..... WHY? That's both a terrible fit and completely gutted their ability to have depth.
Phoenix needs to recoup some value badly, because this team is going absolutely nowhere. They have Booker, so that's a start. Need assets around him.Where do we think KD tries to go once this fails?
Philly? Knicks? Back to OKC?
Can I offer a different interpretation, that you can try on and see if you like the fit?It does feel like the way the game is played now, with so much matchup hunting and leaving guys open who don't pose an offensive threat, that it really matters more who your role players are.
absolutely. it’s really really hard to find minutes as an all defense guy these days.It does feel like the way the game is played now, with so much matchup hunting and leaving guys open who don't pose an offensive threat, that it really matters more who your role players are. Long gone are the days of the Miami Heat starting Joel Anthony and Mario Chalmers in an NBA Finals game--you need to have all five guys on the floor be above average to win in the playoffs. Look at some of these teams in the playoffs that are struggling, particularly the Lakers, Suns and Philly. All teams with star power and top guys who can score, but it really matters if you have some guys out there that really can't get it done. A huge part of the Minnesota vs Phoenix series is just how much better Conley, Naz Reid, and Alexander-Walker are than any of the supporting players for Phoenix.
The Celtics having Al, Prichard, Hauser and even Kornet coming off the bench, in addition to five All-star level starters, is a huge advantage over these other teams, because those guys can really do stuff in a playoff series.
B...B...But STARZ!!?? I was promised Nirvana if we only had more STARZ.The Suns are a case study in how not to build a contending team
kurt cobain is not walking through that door. dave grohl is not walking through that doorB...B...But STARZ!!?? I was promised Nirvana if we only had more STARZ.
and yet Gordon had probably the best suns game tonightCan I offer a different interpretation, that you can try on and see if you like the fit?
It has always been incredibly important, if you want to win in the NBA playoffs, that your best players doing lots of things well. That they score, rebound, defend on the ball, defend off the ball, get back on defense, stay engaged through the whole play, etc. etc. etc.
Only a few of these things show up in the stat sheet. But the ones that are a lot harder to quantify are still really important. Even if they're less visible to people who are counting numbers and watching highlights.
The current Suns team appears to be an example of a team that optimized their roster based on things that were visible (e.g. individual player celebrity, number of high-light reel plays, offensive stats) and appears to have more or less ignored all the other stuff. And, predictably, they suck. Because teams build on this model have more or less always sucked.
If you have Devin Booker and Kevin Durant you really don't want someone like Eric Gordon. Because when it matters, Gordon is going to score less effectively than the other two, while also playing no defense.
Since this is a Celtics forum, a Celtics angle: we can be glad that in the years that some Boston fans were clamoring for the team to pay a king's ransom (including trading away Jaylen Brown!) to get Dame Lillard or Bradley Beal, the front office went out and got Derrick White.
Thank you, Brad
110% correct.If you have Devin Booker and Kevin Durant you really don't want someone like Eric Gordon. Because when it matters, Gordon is going to score less effectively than the other two, while also playing no defense.
Since this is a Celtics forum, a Celtics angle: we can be glad that in the years that some Boston fans were clamoring for the team to pay a king's ransom (including trading away Jaylen Brown!) to get Dame Lillard or Bradley Beal, the front office went out and got Derrick White.
Thank you, Brad
Are any of Brad's recent trade partners very unhappy?110% correct.
The fit around Book/Durant has something to be desired, although I like Grayson. Brad Beal has been the PointZ! poster boy for years
It's a good thing the Celtic roster is complete since Nice Guy Brad is getting the phone lines severed with this 3-year heist.
Agreed on Indy and Washington, since KP had to opt-in to extend his trade value was extremely limited. Portland knowingly took a gamble on two oft-injured players. The GSW pick is probably the single best asset available, but maybe they could have gotten a better deal elsewhere (Miami?) I'm unsure of that one. The Spurs were also a little unlucky with the White trade. Udoka did his now trademark late season hot streak to play the Celtics out of a decent pick. Blake Wesley is improved, but probably not a rotation player on most teams.Are any of Brad's recent trade partners very unhappy?
Indy did well in the Brogdon trade.
Washington wasn't getting more for KP.
Portland wishes TL stayed healthy and that they got something for Brogdon, but the GSW pick looks good.
San Antonio got robbed in the DWhite trade (lol at the freakouts over one 2028 pick swap), but that's how they got Wemby.
Honestly, all those teams probably do the deals again.
I forgot about Memphis and the Smart deal. Great case study on not getting sentimental about players inside or outside of your organization.Agreed on Indy and Washington, since KP had to opt-in to extend his trade value was extremely limited. Portland knowingly took a gamble on two oft-injured players. The GSW pick is probably the single best asset available, but maybe they could have gotten a better deal elsewhere (Miami?) I'm unsure of that one. The Spurs were also a little unlucky with the White trade. Udoka did his now trademark late season hot streak to play the Celtics out of a decent pick. Blake Wesley is improved, but probably not a rotation player on most teams.
Memphis is kicking themselves rights now. They sold low on the GSW pick that they brilliantly picked up in the Andre Iguodala trade and the arrow seems to be pointing down on Smart's productivity.
Yeah, sounds like the Blazers really did value TL. Sucks to be them.I saw Heat being interested and being a final 3, but no specific clarity on what they offered. Probably Herro and picks?
Link
https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-celtics/2023/10/02/celtics-trade-jrue-holiday-nba-basketball-heat-clippers-basketball/
"Heist" is a little tongue-in-cheek. It always makes me chuckle when I write it (clearly some character flaw I possess)Are any of Brad's recent trade partners very unhappy?
Indy did well in the Brogdon trade.
Washington wasn't getting more for KP.
Portland wishes TL stayed healthy and that they got something for Brogdon, but the GSW pick looks good.
San Antonio got robbed in the DWhite trade (lol at the freakouts over one 2028 pick swap), but that's how they got Wemby.
Honestly, all those teams probably do the deals again.
Nesmith is a physical beast, plays hard & can shoot. Nice piece to have around Hali. Zero regrets about the Brogdon trade. I'd call it a win-win, which is a great outcome AFAIC.
"Brogdon Trade" is a perfect example of how a re-builder (Indiana) should operate.
A bunch of good moves over the last few seasons:
-Sabonis/Hali, another win-win trade.
-Signing Bruce Brown to a short deal, then going ALL-IN by using his salary (along with late Firsts) for Siakam
-Punting Hield.
-Hire veteran HC in Carlisle
-Signing a bench vet like TJ McConnell
-Nice draft picks (Mathurin, Nembhard)
-adding Toppin for (2 Seconds)
Pritchard has done an exceptional job. Indiana is young and will be competitive for the next few seasons.
I think the reporting was pretty consistent that the Heat didn't offer Herro.I saw Heat being interested and being a final 3, but no specific clarity on what they offered. Probably Herro and picks?
Link
https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-celtics/2023/10/02/celtics-trade-jrue-holiday-nba-basketball-heat-clippers-basketball/
I'm going to zag a bit here...I think both the Durant and Beal trades weren't good trades. Bridges and Cam Johnson are the types of players that you need in the playoffs. Bridges is a very good #2...110% correct.
The fit around Book/Durant has something to be desired, although I like Grayson. Brad Beal has been the PointZ! poster boy for years
It's a good thing the Celtic roster is complete since Nice Guy Brad is getting the phone lines severed with this 3-year heist.
It has to be the Knicks. Suns have NO assets outside KD and Booker. None. Knicks have the most to give plus KD fits right into what New York is building. The question is if you trade Booker as well because frankly you have almost nothing else around.I would guess the Knicks. Seems like the most KD move possible
Oh yea I agree with you, Brad Beal trade was completely unnecessary for PHX.I'm going to zag a bit here...I think both the Durant and Beal trades weren't good trades. Bridges and Cam Johnson are the types of players that you need in the playoffs. Bridges is a very good #2...
Honestly, I think if you cancel one of those trades the Suns are much better off. Once the Durant trade happened there's just no need for Beal. Bad roster fit and just throwing money away
They had to make some move though. They weren't going to win anything with Chris Paul and Landry Shamet. I agree that Beal was a bad get. Wonder who else they could have got?Once the Durant trade happened there's just no need for Beal. Bad roster fit and just throwing money away
Someone cheaper (definitely!) and better (fairly likely) and with a more flexible contract (certain)They had to make some move though. They weren't going to win anything with Chris Paul and Landry Shamet. I agree that Beal was a bad get. Wonder who else they could have got?
The timing wouldn't have worked out, but Jrue Holiday would've been an excellent fit with Phoenix. He's the sort of player that would fit on literally any contender in the league, but he could fill a very specific need for Phoenix.Someone cheaper (definitely!) and better (fairly likely) and with a more flexible contract (certain)
Kidding aside, without breaking out the trade machine, KP comes to mind...might be too many tall skinny guys but he's worlds better than what they got. Clearly, Malcolm Brogdon wasn't highly-valued in the market---but he's a better player and fit right now than Beal. And that's just off top of my head...
Phoenix also didn't have anywhere near the assets to get him. They got Beal cheap because no one wanted his contract.The timing wouldn't have worked out, but Jrue Holiday would've been an excellent fit with Phoenix. He's the sort of player that would fit on literally any contender in the league, but he could fill a very specific need for Phoenix.
yeah that’s why I tried to mention guys who went for somewhat similar assetsPhoenix also didn't have anywhere near the assets to get him. They got Beal cheap because no one wanted his contract.
Minnesota is legit good. We're already forgetting how many people were sure they'd have trouble with the Suns.MIN-DEN could be quite a series.
All those teams, and the Heat with Bam, have good to great centers.Suns and Lakers (and I’d put Clippers in there as well) are not built to compete with OKC, Wolves, Nuggets. Those teams, along with GS, need to make some radical changes this off-season.
I mean, I'd rather have Healthy Timelord than Herro too, nevermind if Brogdon is also coming along. And we got just enough out of TL in spring 2023 to convince them the odds of seeing him healthy were good.Yeah, sounds like the Blazers really did value TL. Sucks to be them.
Opening weekend was a dud, except for NO-OKC, but the games have been great since then. Only MIA-BOS and ORL-CLE have been blowouts, but both of those series are close.Another fantastic game
KD, DB are shooting 78,75-percent from the field respectively. Insane.This game is the antithesis of the Knicks/Sixers. Great shot making/no one can get a stop. Much more fun to watch imo.
Great games from Booker and Durant but it's going to be hard to win with the way those 2 are laying bricks. And it's not like they contribute much any other way.Beal and Gordon woooooof
Ascending to superstardom on both ends.Ant is crazy good.