The NBA Thread (75 Viewers)

[Post Ironic]

@King of Kings

Great game from your Lakers tonight. Great to see the young guys playing so well. 61 points from the bench tonight. Impressive.

And at Golden State. Got rid of all their inside defense, so they could sign KD. Now they can't defend in the paint for shit and will live and die by the 3 even worse than last year, as they'll get absolutely bullied inside. Lakers with 64 points in the paint.

 

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[Martin]

So the Lakers are alive again? Who knew. Kobe was really holding them back huh.

 

[KB824]

@King of Kings

Great game from your Lakers tonight. Great to see the young guys playing so well. 61 points from the bench tonight. Impressive.

And at Golden State. Got rid of all their inside defense, so they could sign KD. Now they can't defend in the paint for shit and will live and die by the 3 even worse than last year, as they'll get absolutely bullied inside. Lakers with 64 points in the paint.

I can finally start to see the light at the end of the tunnel with this team. There is a lot of good exciting, young players on the roster with Ingram, Russell, Randle, Clarkson, Nance, and Zubac. All of them 24 or younger, with Ingram and Zubac being teenagers. And I think that they finally have the perfect coach in Luke Walton. They are still a couple of years away from contending, but this is a really nice start.

So the Lakers are alive again? Who knew. Kobe was really holding them back huh.

Byron Scott held them back more than anything. His treatment, or mis-treatment of the young players last year was flat out wrong. I know they wanted to make it about Kobe, but giving him free reign to do whatever he wanted at the expense of developing this team for the future was a bad move. The only positive out of it is that we ended up getting Brandon Ingram and Ivica Zubac in the draft.

 

[Martin]

I can finally start to see the light at the end of the tunnel with this team. There is a lot of good exciting, young players on the roster with Ingram, Russell, Randle, Clarkson, Nance, and Zubac. All of them 24 or younger, with Ingram and Zubac being teenagers. And I think that they finally have the perfect coach in Luke Walton. They are still a couple of years away from contending, but this is a really nice start.



Byron Scott held them back more than anything. His treatment, or mis-treatment of the young players last year was flat out wrong. I know they wanted to make it about Kobe, but giving him free reign to do whatever he wanted at the expense of developing this team for the future was a bad move. The only positive out of it is that we ended up getting Brandon Ingram and Ivica Zubac in the draft.

Russel looks like he got some game too.

This team is like the Sassuolo of the NBA.

 

[ALC]

I can finally start to see the light at the end of the tunnel with this team. There is a lot of good exciting, young players on the roster with Ingram, Russell, Randle, Clarkson, Nance, and Zubac. All of them 24 or younger, with Ingram and Zubac being teenagers. And I think that they finally have the perfect coach in Luke Walton. They are still a couple of years away from contending, but this is a really nice start.



Byron Scott held them back more than anything. His treatment, or mis-treatment of the young players last year was flat out wrong. I know they wanted to make it about Kobe, but giving him free reign to do whatever he wanted at the expense of developing this team for the future was a bad move. The only positive out of it is that we ended up getting Brandon Ingram and Ivica Zubac in the draft.

A couple years away from contending? That's wishful thinking

 

[Osman]

Contending is going bit ahead of yourself, but I guess its the pressure and expectations that comes from being Lakers. But Its quite promising young talented core tho (most promising together with Timberwolves young selection of Towns, Wiggins, Lavine, Dunn, Rubio etc even likes of Shabazz or Tyus have decent potential), they need 1 or two ready made top players for extra push. It will be interesting to follow Russell in particular if he can grow to become a someone who merits the mantle of a franchise player.



Besides mentionned Minnesota, Bucks are defenitely in higher echelon in terms of very talented young team that are playing in a system perfectly suited for them.

 

[ALC]

I think the Sixers definitely have the most promising core of youth. Embiid, Saric, Noel, Simmons, and even Okafor who we'll probably trade.

 

[Osman]

I dont know Saric well and havent been that super impressed by Noel, but Simmons is a defenite gurantee franchise level talent, and Embiid and Okafor are standout talented bigs, especially Embiid who looks like he will become a top player if he stays healthy (or your roster in general stays healthy. But you have one too many bigs, and your team seems to be assembled very cheaply, no noticeable ambition to build around these talents, your guard sitaution is kinda sad. If you could get a real quality guard for Okafor it would be ideal.



Thats why I give slight edge to Bucks (Giannis, Parker, Thon Maker being introduced into impressive system with well balanced team with likes of Middleton just couple years older) or Timberwolves are more well rounded in terms of talents per position for me.

 

[KB824]

I think the Sixers definitely have the most promising core of youth. Embiid, Saric, Noel, Simmons, and even Okafor who we'll probably trade.

And they are all big men. Who is in your backcourt that is young and promising?

 

[Cheesio]

A couple years away from contending? That's wishful thinking

I think the Sixers definitely have the most promising core of youth. Embiid, Saric, Noel, Simmons, and even Okafor who we'll probably trade.

Depends on Embiid's health, but i agree on both accounts.

The wolves are upthere too for the most promising youth.

 

[KB824]

A couple years away from contending? That's wishful thinking

1 big free agent piece, coupled with veterans and that young core of players, and they could be contenders in the conference. The top teams in the west are not getting any younger.

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The Sixers are going to have trade at least one of those guys to get themselves a really good, young backcourt. I'm not saying that they are not a talented bunch, because they obviously are.

But you can see already that the team is really imbalanced, and that is why, bias aside, I really really like the Lakers core of youth players. They've got every position covered with players who are 24 and under, including two teenagers.

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Contending is going bit ahead of yourself, but I guess its the pressure and expectations that comes from being Lakers. But Its quite promising young talented core tho (most promising together with Timberwolves young selection of Towns, Wiggins, Lavine, Dunn, Rubio etc even likes of Shabazz or Tyus have decent potential), they need 1 or two ready made top players for extra push. It will be interesting to follow Russell in particular if he can grow to become a someone who merits the mantle of a franchise player.



Besides mentionned Minnesota, Bucks are defenitely in higher echelon in terms of very talented young team that are playing in a system perfectly suited for them.

And that is the key. I'm taking the potential acquisition of a ready made player in to the equation. And if the season pans out the way I think it will (Definitely not having another 17 win season. Possibly somewhere in the mid 30's), then L.A. is suddenly a lot more attractive to free agents. It's all about having something for the now and for the future.

 

[Post Ironic]

Lakers are definitely far and away in a more promising situation than the T-Wolves, Bucks, or Sixers. Very similar promise in the youth core of all these teams, but the Lakers possess a far better ability to attract top tier free agents. Add to that the Lakers have one of the most promising young coaches in the NBA in Walton.

I can easily see them being a top 3-4 team in the West within 2 years. Cannot say the same of any of the other teams.

 

[ALC]

I dont know Saric well and havent been that super impressed by Noel, but Simmons is a defenite gurantee franchise level talent, and Embiid and Okafor are standout talented bigs, especially Embiid who looks like he will become a top player if he stays healthy (or your roster in general stays healthy. But you have one too many bigs, and your team seems to be assembled very cheaply, no noticeable ambition to build around these talents, your guard sitaution is kinda sad. If you could get a real quality guard for Okafor it would be ideal.



Thats why I give slight edge to Bucks (Giannis, Parker, Thon Maker being introduced into impressive system with well balanced team with likes of Middleton just couple years older) or Timberwolves are more well rounded in terms of talents per position for me.

Noel is better than Okafor. He's had really solid numbers.

 

[KB824]

Lakers are definitely far and away in a more promising situation than the T-Wolves, Bucks, or Sixers. Very similar promise in the youth core of all these teams, but the Lakers possess a far better ability to attract top tier free agents. Add to that the Lakers have one of the most promising young coaches in the NBA in Walton.

I can easily see them being a top 3-4 team in the West within 2 years. Cannot say the same of any of the other teams.

The Lakers also have an 80 million dollar practice facility opening in the spring. It is supposed to be absolute state of the art.

 

[ALC]

And they are all big men. Who is in your backcourt that is young and promising?

We'll have two big men once we get rid of Okafor and both can play at the same time

 

[Cheesio]

Lakers are definitely far and away in a more promising situation than the T-Wolves, Bucks, or Sixers. Very similar promise in the youth core of all these teams, but the Lakers possess a far better ability to attract top tier free agents. Add to that the Lakers have one of the most promising young coaches in the NBA in Walton.

I can easily see them being a top 3-4 team in the West within 2 years. Cannot say the same of any of the other teams.

How is the lakers in a more promising situation than the twolves, who have Karl anthony Towns who is better than anything the lakers have, add Wiggins, Lavine, Rubio, Mohammed to that.
They also have thibs who is a far better coach than Luke Walton.

Lakers may have a promising team, but they are very far from Contending...Ingram is still very raw, Russel looks like a star and randle is a nice complimentary player.

 

[ALC]

Depends on Embiid's health, but i agree on both accounts.

The wolves are upthere too for the most promising youth.

Thank you! Someone who knows what they're talking about!

 

[Osman]

How is the lakers in a more promising situation than the twolves, who have Karl anthony Towns who is better than anything the lakers have, add Wiggins, Lavine, Rubio, Mohammed to that.
They also have thibs who is a far better coach than Luke Walton.

Lakers may have a promising team, but they are very far from Contending...Ingram is still very raw, Russel looks like a star and randle is a nice complimentary player.

Indeed. Only point PI made I agree with is the lakers would have a far better ability to attract big free agents simply because of the big market and history of the team (all these other talented core teams are generally small time ones in stature, so unlikely to be too ambitious). But even these free agents want best ring chances they can get, and if Lakers remain more mouse then elephant in their chances, then the big money appeal of history wont matter for much unless they prove their legit on the court.

 

[ALC]

1 big free agent piece, coupled with veterans and that young core of players, and they could be contenders in the conference.

Golden State isn't going anywhere, the Spurs have Leonard, the Clippers aren't going anywhere, the Rockets are in their prime, Thunder has Westbrook. Unfortunately the West is stacked and it'll take a lot to be a contender

 

[Osman]

Noel is better than Okafor. He's had really solid numbers.

Noel is easier to get good trades for because he is defensively potentially strong (not so much offensively, defenitely can do without him if he doesnt threaten much), while Okafor is typical post type with not great D, but can do well enough for you when you already have Embiid who is strong two way type and Simmons can defend well too so you could make do.


Not many teams that want to trade good guards, but whoever you choose to trade, probably should do it with Suns, Knight is fairly good guard that shouldnt be hard to get, defenitely would add alot to your game after he becomes go to point, instead being 2nd fiddle to Bledsoe.

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Golden State isn't going anywhere, the Spurs have Leonard, the Clippers aren't going anywhere, the Rockets are in their prime, Thunder has Westbrook. Unfortunately the West is stacked and it'll take a lot to be a contender

Agreed for most except Clippers, they dont have any talents and both their stars might test free agency with title chances looking more hopeless. I doubt either will stick around long enough to see Serge's super optimistic time frame for Lakers in few years. It will be kinda exciting to see where CP3 might end up, I'm guessing Spurs to replace Parker, only contender that would have PG spot opened up.