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Post by tjb21 on Jul 21, 2016 12:20:18 GMT -5
Keep it rolling. This team goes from incredible to impossible to watch to brilliantly entertaining again. Odd season.
First place feels nice.
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Post by tjb21 on Jul 21, 2016 9:47:57 GMT -5
Good win, keep winning series.
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Post by tjb21 on Jul 20, 2016 10:58:09 GMT -5
Speaking of internal growth. A guy we really haven't discussed at all is Marcus Smart and the new CARMELO projections have him being our second best player next year. Is he ready to take the leap? Have you all seen any signs of him breaking out? I don't know how I feel about him. There were certainly times especially towards the end of the year and in the playoffs where we saw a much more assertive player and when he did that on the offensive end he was exciting. His maturity worries me but those same signs of immaturity kind of make me happy bc they show a competitiveness. I've heard from several people in Boston that are into the club scene that Smart was out partying almost every night last season even the night before games and that kind of concerns me. I think this is a minor deal, unless an addiction is involved -- which I'm not suggesting it is at all. Pro athletes are genetic freaks of nature. I would rather him make 'smarter' choices (if this is true), but I'm not going to really criticize him for what this sounds like to me. Better players have done the same and performed incredibly well.
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Post by tjb21 on Jul 20, 2016 10:54:10 GMT -5
I'd much rather have Blake than Horford, if that's the discussion -- but I'd much rather have Al for cap space, than Blake for several players/picks/cap space.
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Post by tjb21 on Jul 19, 2016 15:00:04 GMT -5
Hoping for a good debut from Pomeranz.
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Post by tjb21 on Jul 18, 2016 15:42:01 GMT -5
It's funny these deadline signings happen every year, and people still get upset about it ending that way every year.
Welcome to Boston, Jason.
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Post by tjb21 on Jul 18, 2016 13:16:17 GMT -5
That's how I feel. Beane could have got a good return from Sox, but he wanted his own Bagwell trade and DD moved on. Or they thought Espinoza, Moncada, or Benintendi were the only guys in the system better than the return on the QO in a strong draft year. I can't imagine Hill declining the QO in this example.
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Post by tjb21 on Jul 18, 2016 7:30:00 GMT -5
I don't think they'd be able to sign both Blake and Redick under the salary cap.
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Post by tjb21 on Jul 15, 2016 8:53:24 GMT -5
Bummer.
Life goes on. Welcome to Boston, Drew.
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Post by tjb21 on Jul 14, 2016 13:45:12 GMT -5
Do we think they would trade the 2017 nets pick for Griffin? They can't right? Look at that Nets team... Look at the potential draft.... What are the chances one of the players in the 2017 draft becomes as good as Blake? It's not very high. The best part about that pick would be a potential really good/young/cost controlled player for the next X number of years (don't know how long they'll be under control since the CBA is up). Which would allow the Celtics to sign a star FA. But superstars don't come and play with young talent, they want other star/established players on the roster already.
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Post by tjb21 on Jul 13, 2016 13:46:31 GMT -5
Boston always seemed like the most logical destination. If he's traded for, Boston will essentially have a guarantee to re-sign him next year. Love his game, uber frustrating at times but he's KG type intense.
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Post by tjb21 on Jul 12, 2016 13:39:45 GMT -5
You guys have a much higher outlook on who Griffin is as a player than I do. If they do get him, I hope you are right. He's a supposed star who can't get out of the second round with Chris Paul at his side and his playoff numbers are not up to par. That concerns me. Tells me when a team gets into a series where they truly game plan he's much easier to eliminate from being what he's supposed to be because he limited. Put him on a team with spacing issues as is then see what happens. Anyways, wcp is right it's not worth me getting bent out of shape over something that hasn't happened. I love Chris Paul and think he's the 2nd most valuable player in the league behind LeBron. The Clippers never had anyone to come close to guarding Kevin Durant, that was the massive failure on their part. I can't help but remember the 2015 series against SA when Blake tore them apart. He was unbelievable -- put up 24/13/7/1.5/1.5 and followed it up with 27/12/5 on 55.5% from the floor against Houston. His play-making skills are a little redundant with Chris Paul though. They kind of limit each other a bit and the guard usually wins out in those struggles. His defense tends to worry me but his shot has really improved.
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Post by tjb21 on Jul 12, 2016 10:42:59 GMT -5
He's almost certainly going to sign with the Lakers, so they should trade him and get some value back. But Presti is a nitwit, so I can see them keeping him. I used to think that too but he wants to win and they're very far away from that stage, especially with the contracts they signed this off-season. Boston would be right up as a top destination, I think.
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Post by tjb21 on Jul 12, 2016 10:31:29 GMT -5
OKC is in a strange predicament with Westbrook. They should trade him, because I have no idea why he would stay. The rest of the league knows he has a good chance at walking from his new team if he's traded this year, which decreases their negotiating power.
Their franchise is already decimated since Durant left, they likely can't lose Russ for nothing too.
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Post by tjb21 on Jul 12, 2016 9:09:14 GMT -5
Except Crowder isn't a good shooter. Really never has been in his career.
His contract is incredible, but his play isn't. He's a good player, but someone who's worth jettisoning in a deal for a star/superstar and feel great about it. I love his switchability and toughness. He's a fit on any roster and scheme -- but I would easily give up Crowder for a top 10-15 player in the league.
Also, Boston can't sign Hayward and Blake next off-season, and trade for another higher paid player. They can sign one and trade for one. Which seems to be the most cost effective way to build the team, IMO. Just don't know how possible it will be, since they'll need to get 2 top 10 players next off-season.
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Post by tjb21 on Jul 12, 2016 7:42:16 GMT -5
Who do we want Boston to trade for if it isn't a guy like Blake or Westbrook?
I think Boston should be confident in re-signing players at this point with the coach they have and the culture/stability they bring.
If we're trading for a star/superstar with multiple years left on their deal, the price will be astronomical. If we can get Blake Griffin for Jae Crowder straight up, I'm 100% in. That would be a heist.
I don't see how LAC is even remotely close to wanting that swap at this point.
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Post by tjb21 on Jul 11, 2016 13:23:44 GMT -5
Another immediate help for adequate cost trade. Exactly the type of trade we should be exited about.
I liked Basabe fine, but this is a trade to let him go for.
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Post by tjb21 on Jul 11, 2016 13:10:09 GMT -5
Yeah I don't think he has the tools to be average on defense. I see him as a huge negative there in the short term and below/well-below average at his peak.
Clearly I can be wrong here, he's a young guy. I just don't have much hope for him on that end.
I think he will be best suited as a backup - who can come in and not be as exposed by 2nd units. See Kanter, Enes.
And he is a significantly better prospect than Terry Rozier.
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Post by tjb21 on Jul 11, 2016 9:38:18 GMT -5
His lack of shooting, athleticism and defensive limitation cause his ceiling to be significantly lower than you're projecting.
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Post by tjb21 on Jul 11, 2016 8:31:13 GMT -5
Yeah the Nets struck out big time on both, which is great. Without those two guys there isn't much talent left. They'll likely be worse than I thought.
Regarding Okafor, I'm not sure why people like him. He scored .85 points per possession on post-ups last year. Which was in the 55th percentile. That's really bad.
Okafor grabbed 12.8% of all available rebounds while on the floor. Which was 53rd among 63 qualified centers. The last rookie center to play as many minutes as Okafor with a worse rebound rate was old friend Nenad Krstic, over a decade ago.
Philly gave up 108.7 points per 100 possessions with him on the floor and 105.4 with him out—but but what's even more fascinating to me is their offense was significantly worse with him on the floor. With Okafor on the floor, Philly scored 92.0 points per 100 possessions, but when he sat, they improved to 99.6.
Yet he's still worth more than Terry Rozier to me. I would gladly swap the two.
I'm not sure what system or style of play Okafor fits into and I can't think of a team he fits well with.
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Post by tjb21 on Jul 8, 2016 15:08:34 GMT -5
Horford is a center, why would we want to trade for another center?
Cousins is brilliant. No idea why Boston would want Okafor.
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Post by tjb21 on Jul 8, 2016 10:19:04 GMT -5
Rozier's dribbling ability is still really loose. Smart and him could lead a nice 2nd unit though.
I'd have Rozier be more of a secondary ball handler at this stage and allow Marcus to take the lead role.
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Post by tjb21 on Jul 8, 2016 10:16:33 GMT -5
Really nice acquisition for minimal cost. Exactly the type of trade we should be exited about.
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Post by tjb21 on Jul 8, 2016 7:43:43 GMT -5
I think George is in the same category as Butler. I know you said "pipe dream" so I'm probably just picking but I'd think the additions of Teague and Thad Young would suggest that they are trying to put things in place around George (much like, though I'd argue MUCH better than, Chicago is trying to put things in place around Butler). I would much rather have Paul George than Jimmy Butler -- he's likely more difficult to pry away too. It's shocking to me that George is younger too.
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Post by tjb21 on Jul 7, 2016 13:21:04 GMT -5
I like him a tiny bit better than Clarkson.
Will be very interesting to see what the young LAL players do with an actual coach.
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