*** OFFICIAL *** 2017-18 NBA Thread

[gut]

Cavs just kinda rearranged the deck chairs on the Titanic for this season...traded older, average, limited players for the younger versions of them....and George Hill. Hill kinda counts as a younger version of Rose though, as at least his knees still work. I'm not sure they really helped themselves post-LeBron either, with punting their own 1st rounder in the process.

So a playoff rotation of (pick any 8 out of these 10...or all 10 i guess) Hill, Hood, Clarkson, LeBron, Love, Thompson, Nance, Korver, Green, JR....does that scare any of the good teams? Does CLE make it out of the 2nd round? I hate doubting LeBron, but I wouldn't take them over BOS or TOR right now.

[unlearn]

The Brooklyn pick is off the table. Per NBA rules, multiple 1sts cannot be traded in same year.

You sure about that? I don’t see any rule pertaining to that. I know you can’t trade your own consecutive firsts, aka Stepien rule

Gottlieb was filling in for Cowherd and he said it. I have no idea on the rule, Just parroting what I heard.

[gut]

Also, props to the Knicks who continue to collect former lottery bust PG's who cant shoot. I'm sure Mudiay and Trey Burke will help Ntkilina with that rough jumper.

Might as well trade for Fultz also.

[gut]

You sure about that? I don’t see any rule pertaining to that. I know you can’t trade your own consecutive firsts, aka Stepien rule

Gottlieb was filling in for Cowherd and he said it. I have no idea on the rule, Just parroting what I heard.

Yeah he was right, Cavs DONT have a 2019 first so they could only trade one of them. Basically the Stepien rule just makes sure you don't have 2 years in a row in the future without a first rounder. Ironically, a team can still deal away all of its first round picks every year if it wanted to, just have to trade the pick for THAT next draft during THAT seasons trade deadline. the rule doesnt take into account what happened in years prior.

[gut]

The Stepien rule is also pretty fucking dumb, and actually can cause idiot owners/GM's to hurt their teams even longer, since you have to space out those picks. Just reference the pick we're talking about in this discussion, remember that was from a trade 5 years ago.

July 12, 2013: Traded by the Boston Celtics with Paul Pierce, Jason Terry, D.J. White, a 2017 1st round draft pick (Kyle Kuzma was later selected) and a 2017 2nd round draft pick (Aleksandar Vezenkov was later selected) to the Brooklyn Nets for Keith Bogans, MarShon Brooks, Kris Humphries, Kris Joseph, Gerald Wallace, a 2014 1st round draft pick (James Young was later selected), a 2016 1st round draft pick (Jaylen Brown was later selected), a 2017 1st round draft pick (Markelle Fultz was later selected) and a 2018 1st round draft pick. (BOS got 2017 #1 overall pick from BRK as result of pick swap)

[Sloppy Joe]

Cavs just kinda rearranged the deck chairs on the Titanic for this season...traded older, average, limited players for the younger versions of them....and George Hill. Hill kinda counts as a younger version of Rose though, as at least his knees still work. I'm not sure they really helped themselves post-LeBron either, with punting their own 1st rounder in the process.

So a playoff rotation of (pick any 8 out of these 10...or all 10 i guess) Hill, Hood, Clarkson, LeBron, Love, Thompson, Nance, Korver, Green, JR....does that scare any of the good teams? Does CLE make it out of the 2nd round? I hate doubting LeBron, but I wouldn't take them over BOS or TOR right now.

Would be incredible if Lebron carries this team to the finals now. They got better defensively I guess?

Seems like they've set themselves up to be like 10-12 in the East next year. Congrats

[BCR]

Gottlieb was filling in for Cowherd and he said it. I have no idea on the rule, Just parroting what I heard.

Yeah he was right, Cavs DONT have a 2019 first so they could only trade one of them. Basically the Stepien rule just makes sure you don't have 2 years in a row in the future without a first rounder. Ironically, a team can still deal away all of its first round picks every year if it wanted to, just have to trade the pick for THAT next draft during THAT seasons trade deadline. the rule doesnt take into account what happened in years prior.

If they wanted to make a deal they could pick swap then, but nothing else. Actually, considering there isn’t anyone available worth the Brooklyn pick straight up, would make a little more sense. More likely grab someone off buyout pile at center. Still not enough.

[Sanlmar]

Isaiah Thomas to Lakers

Why is god so good to me?

Druff will spin this... and it will clank off the front of the rim.

[gut]

Cavs just kinda rearranged the deck chairs on the Titanic for this season...traded older, average, limited players for the younger versions of them....and George Hill. Hill kinda counts as a younger version of Rose though, as at least his knees still work. I'm not sure they really helped themselves post-LeBron either, with punting their own 1st rounder in the process.

So a playoff rotation of (pick any 8 out of these 10...or all 10 i guess) Hill, Hood, Clarkson, LeBron, Love, Thompson, Nance, Korver, Green, JR....does that scare any of the good teams? Does CLE make it out of the 2nd round? I hate doubting LeBron, but I wouldn't take them over BOS or TOR right now.

Would be incredible if Lebron carries this team to the finals now. They got better defensively I guess?

Seems like they've set themselves up to be like 10-12 in the East next year. Congrats

I can't remember which podcast I was listening to that said this, but when you bring Jeff Green off the bench as a DEFENSIVE sub late in a game.....and its probably the right move.....that says a lot about your team.

[varys]

Lebron dumping DWade is too funny. So much for bffs.

Cavs still win the East imo. Boston is a year away and LOL Toronto.

I heard druff just bought an isaiah thomas jersey.

[Sanlmar]

I heard druff just bought an isaiah thomas jersey.

I don’t know if he’d fit.

Maybe he could swap dresses with Magic Johnson’s son. LA fail sports are the best.

[GambleBotsChafedPenis]

cavs have to be back in the drivers seat to win the east again after these trades...they actually have functional guys on offense and their defense has to improve after jettisoning wade/IT...

kinda wonder whether they are better off going this route...hill/hood/Clarkson/nance/nets #1 has some very nice pieces, but very nice pieces don't win the way the NBA is nowadays...they probably were better off figuring how to get decent players on expirings at the deadline and then tanking to shit...this core is gonna win them 40ish games in the east with no shot in hell of ever beating GS/HOU/western power in the finals...

[Dan Druff]

One issue with Lebron involves his age, yet most aren't talking about it because he's been able to fade Father Time thus far.

He just turned 33 in December. However, by the start of the 2018-19 season, he will be close to 34.

It's hard to imagine that even Lebron James will be able to be the same player in, say, the third year of his new contract, when he's 36.

I'm wondering what kind of contract he will want, and more importantly, for how long.

Recall how quickly Kobe Bryant collapsed as a player. (The Lakers gave him $25m/year for 2 years when he was pretty much done, which really hurt the franchise, but that's not the point here.)

While the prospect of Lebron coming to the Lakers next year is exciting, now I'm wondering if his arrival will be good for the organization. If his contract is long, it probably won't be.

[GambleBotsChafedPenis]

One issue with Lebron involves his age, yet most aren't talking about it because he's been able to fade Father Time thus far.

He just turned 33 in December. However, by the start of the 2018-19 season, he will be close to 34.

It's hard to imagine that even Lebron James will be able to be the same player in, say, the third year of his new contract, when he's 36.

I'm wondering what kind of contract he will want, and more importantly, for how long.

Recall how quickly Kobe Bryant collapsed as a player. (The Lakers gave him $25m/year for 2 years when he was pretty much done, which really hurt the franchise, but that's not the point here.)

While the prospect of Lebron coming to the Lakers next year is exciting, now I'm wondering if his arrival will be good for the organization. If his contract is long, it probably won't be.

LeBron may be 33/34 in human years, but given all the playoffs/Olympics/etc id be willing to bet he's closer to 40 in basketball years...with that being said he's a generational physical specimen who might be able to fight off father time for a lot longer than anybody thinks is possible...

[gut]

One issue with Lebron involves his age, yet most aren't talking about it because he's been able to fade Father Time thus far.

He just turned 33 in December. However, by the start of the 2018-19 season, he will be close to 34.

It's hard to imagine that even Lebron James will be able to be the same player in, say, the third year of his new contract, when he's 36.

I'm wondering what kind of contract he will want, and more importantly, for how long.

Recall how quickly Kobe Bryant collapsed as a player. (The Lakers gave him $25m/year for 2 years when he was pretty much done, which really hurt the franchise, but that's not the point here.)

While the prospect of Lebron coming to the Lakers next year is exciting, now I'm wondering if his arrival will be good for the organization. If his contract is long, it probably won't be.

LeBron may be 33/34 in human years, but given all the playoffs/Olympics/etc id be willing to bet he's closer to 40 in basketball years...with that being said he's a generational physical specimen who might be able to fight off father time for a lot longer than anybody thinks is possible...

LeBron is the best ever as far as actual skill/genetics goes, we'll see if he reaches Jordan or Russell GOAT status with team accomplishments. I know he's the best 1v1 baller I've ever seen, and I am part of the Jordan generation.

[BCR]

I don’t know if he can be Lebron at 36, but can he be Draymond if that’s all he had to do? That’s still really fucking good, and I think he’d still score more than Draymond in that role because he has such skill. I don’t know if he’d be content in it though. I would guess not and he’d retire.

[Dan Druff]

Isaiah Thomas to Lakers

Why is god so good to me?

Druff will spin this... and it will clank off the front of the rim.

I like the Lakers, but don't love them like I do the Dodgers.

I would gladly trade the several Lakers titles in my adult life for one Dodgers World Series title.

I will not pretend that Isaiah is good for LA, but I also won't pretend that he's going to stay.

[GambleBotsChafedPenis]

I don’t know if he can be Lebron at 36, but can he be Draymond if that’s all he had to do? That’s still really fucking good, and I think he’d still score more than Draymond in that role because he has such skill. I don’t know if he’d be content in it though. I would guess not and he’d retire.

see that's the thing with him...his physical dominance is just so great that when he starts to slip he goes from being an A+++ guy to an A guy...the question is how quick will the slippage be...

[varys]

You guys questioning if 34 and 35 year old lebron is worth a max contract need your heads examined. In any league that pays harrison barnes, tim hardaway jr and chandler parsons >20 mil a season lebron is worth 60-70mil per. The guys only flaw is that hes a part time headcase and seemingly hes not that cool of a guy.

[Sloppy Joe]

One issue with Lebron involves his age, yet most aren't talking about it because he's been able to fade Father Time thus far.

He just turned 33 in December. However, by the start of the 2018-19 season, he will be close to 34.

It's hard to imagine that even Lebron James will be able to be the same player in, say, the third year of his new contract, when he's 36.

I'm wondering what kind of contract he will want, and more importantly, for how long.

Recall how quickly Kobe Bryant collapsed as a player. (The Lakers gave him $25m/year for 2 years when he was pretty much done, which really hurt the franchise, but that's not the point here.)

While the prospect of Lebron coming to the Lakers next year is exciting, now I'm wondering if his arrival will be good for the organization. If his contract is long, it probably won't be.

Lebron is on an entirely different level than Kobe, and also has been indestructible for his entire career. The contract may not age well, but it vaults the Lakers into contender status, probably not the first year but thereafter (The Warriors will fade eventually).

I was disappointed when Westbrook re-upped with the Thunder; I thought that he would be an excellent Laker around young talent. Giannis would also fit the bill down the road. Here's hoping they didn't overplay their hand.

Besides Lebron and Paul George (who is good, but not a blue chipper), the marquee free agency crop is dry.