NBA 2018-19 Thread

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Routine stories or exposures of true colors on social media?

It’s not something specific to the NBA. Most professional athletes aren’t the superheroes they’re made out to be.

I'm struggling to figure out what you're arguing here. Are you saying that a majority of professional athletes hold prejudices because a majority of humans do? If that's your point then yes sure in the grand abstract scheme of things I suppose we all have our issues.

That's vastly different than saying the majority or NBA players harbor prejudices worse than quoting an antisemetic rap lyric, though. I have no idea where you're getting that from.

I don't think LeBron is anti-Semitic. I think he said something stupid and doesn't get it. I'm more disappointed with his half assed fake apology than with the Instagram post itself. It was an opportunity blown by LeBron and his team, as well as ESPN and the NBA. In a time of rising anti-Semitism, they could have used this is a very valuable teaching moment. It could have been a moment to discuss why it's offensive. Instead it was dismissed with a "if you think it was offensive".

 

[LuckyNumber7]

I’m saying athletes in all sports are predisposed to toxic social environments in early years that reinforce prejudices.

The fact that you’re attempting to refute something like this blows my mind. There’s absolutely still a stigma in every sport for prejudices across the board and it’s particularly noticeable early on at the high school level.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I’m saying athletes in all sports are predisposed to toxic social environments in early years that reinforce prejudices.

The fact that you’re attempting to refute something like this blows my mind. There’s absolutely still a stigma in every sport for prejudices across the board and it’s particularly noticeable early on at the high school level.

This, actually, blows my mind at how narrow-minded and just plain wrong it is.

 

[DaveC]

i played a lot of sports growing up and was in a lot of locker rooms. there were some major assholes in all of them and in many of them there were some truly awful people, be it players, coaches, or parents, saying and doing terrible things of all sorts.

the vast, vast majority of my coaches, teammates and their parents though were good people who mainly grew up to be good people despite being exposed to a few really toxic locker rooms.

 

[LuckyNumber7]

Holding prejudices does not inherently make you a bad person.

Now bring this back to the context of a cited lyric on social media.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

This is hard to believe, but it turns out that Jimmy Butler? Kind of a dick.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

The Bulls are embarrassing. Give me Zion.

The Lakers just won at OKC without LeBron. Lonzo made a huge mistake fouling Westbrook to force overtime but then came right back out and cooked the Thunder in OT. LeBron coming back next week, the Lakers will finish as a top 3 or 4 seed in the West.

 

[Hewson]

The Brow is officially on the market.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

This is the worst news a Celtics fan hoping to get Davis could possibly hear...

 

[mikal]

The Brow is officially on the market.

I wish there was someway the Bucks could get that trade to work.

 

[Hewson]

This is the worst news a Celtics fan hoping to get Davis could possibly hear...

Far too early.
Can't swing a deal till July, he's already trying on purple & gold sneakers.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

It's beyond tampering it's ridiculous, and the league won't do anything about it. Not sure if they can, unless they bar players from owning agencies while they are actively playing. Not sure if they can legally so that

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I wonder what Atlanta was thinking when they decided to pass on Luka Doncic for Trey Young.

 

[DaveC]

luka doncic is unreal. watching his performance last night was special.

good news for the raptors about anthony davis. they should do everything in their power to try to encourage a trade to the lakers post-haste.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

We're half way through the season so let's see how were doing ...

I've missed these



Barring massive injury problems (and a 5% chance that Boogie Cousins is just a dick and ruins things) - yes.

Check

The roster as currently constructed will have to fight to make the playoffs. If they don't make any moves, then I think this year is a punt. They're waiting for Kawhi (and shhhhh Anthony Davis).

But as is? Man... West is just too damn good.

Check on fighting to make playoffs.

No check on Kahwi.

Check plus on AD.

(Houston will be) Worse, but not by a ton

Check

(Boston is for real)Yes, unless Kyrie forces a trade to the Knicks.

Meh... Undecided. Boston is playing better but still plodding along as a 5 seed. They're a clear step behind Milwaukee and Toronto at this point.

(Toronto)They're the 2nd best team and will be a finalist I'd Boston implodes. Better question - will Kawhi speak in public this season?

Check minus. They're likely a finalist, but it's not Boston who they're fighting with. I don't think many predicted Milwaukee would be as good as they are

(Philly will )Stagnate. They won't drop, other than maybe a spot, but they won't make any huge leaps either. Toronto and Boston are both better. Indiana could be better. Washington (see below) could be better.

re: Fultz? No, because even if he fixes that broken slingshot of his, Tatum is still better. But if anyone can fix his jumper it's the guy he worked with (Drew Hanlen). If it's still broke? That shit's broke forever.

Check, even with General Soreness.

Fultz is still a head case, even with his newly diagnosed injury which can not be proven by any actual MRI.

They made the playoffs with Leonard playing 8 games last season. Everyone is looking at DeRozan as a downgrade because he's not as good as Kawhi, which is true, but he's a hell of a lot better than whoever played in Kawhi's place in those other 74 games.

Check.

(OKC without Melo) Better. Addition by subtraction.

Check.

(the bulls playoff chances)In the East, anything is possible.

Woof. Anything is possible in the East, except for the bulls being a good team.

(Cavs playoff chances)In the East, anything is possible.

Ditto

Ugh.

On paper they are much improved and upgraded their two man weaknesses - Center and a guard off the bench who can spell Brad or John. Wall is also healthy, as is Otto Porter and Markief Morris, and Kelly Oubre has had a great off-season and looks ready to make a huge jump.

But...

It's a volatile mix of personalities. I see them either pushing for wither the 3 or 4 seed if everything goes well, or being in the lottery if it implodes. I don't see a ton of middle ground.

Almost imploded, but seem to have found the middle ground I didn't think was possible. Which is #SoWizards to have a great draft class next year and to just barely scratch into the playoffs.

No. But Luka Doncic sure as shit will.

Check. Doncic good.

In time, yes. This year, flashes but inconsistent.

Next year? Porzingis, Knox, Kyrie and Butler (or, gasp, KD) and Knicks are all of a sudden in the mix in the East.

Unless Dolan figures out a way to fuck it up. Which is highly possible.

TBD on all counts

Doncic rookie of the year, with Kevin Knox right behind him (unless Ben Simmons is eligible again).

Check on Doncic. Not so much on Knox. Still no word on Simmons' eligibility.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

It'll be so bittersweet if the Lakers include Lonzo in a trade for AD.

Bitter because I really like Lonzo and want him to be a Laker. Sweet because Anthony Davis is amazing and also it's very possible Lonzo would thrive in a situation where he isn't under so much scrutiny/playing with LeBron.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

The Pelicans ain't trading AD to the Lakers, so you're good.

They're trading him to the Lakers in the same way the Spurs traded Kawahi to the Lakers.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Worst Woj bomb ever

“The best-case scenario for the Lakers is that they add Anthony Davis and then Golden State doesn’t offer Klay Thompson a max contract. They try to get Klay to take a little bit less than the max. And if that happens, I’m told Klay’s attention will be on the Lakers if they have Anthony Davis.”

Klay might have interest in the Lakers if they get the guy they can't get and the Warriors don't do the thing that everyone expects them to do.

 

[Hewson]

It'll be so bittersweet if the Lakers include Lonzo in a trade for AD.

Bitter because I really like Lonzo and want him to be a Laker. Sweet because Anthony Davis is amazing and also it's very possible Lonzo would thrive in a situation where he isn't under so much scrutiny/playing with LeBron.

Weirdest Bulls fan ever.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

You're dumb.

 

[Hewson]

Or maybe just happy.
I think I'm just happy.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

If the Lakers sent New Orleans Lonzo, Ingram, Kuzma and Zubac (not a single one has shown that they can be a franchise altering player btw), plus some of their own first round picks (which will suck if you assume LeBron and AD would, ya know, be a good team)... the Lakers would still need to send an additional 6.5 million to New Orleans to make the trade work. That means either Rondo or Stephenson would also have to go.

If the Pelicans insisted on including Holiday to shed salary and completely rebuild, which they probably will, the Lakers would have to send the following to make it work.

Caldwell-Pope
Ball
Ingram
Stephenson
Beasley
Wagner
Kuzma
Hart
Zubac
Mykhailiuk


They could pull back 2 of those players if they sent Rondo out instead.

The issue of course is that a) all of those players suck, b) the Lakers draft pick won't be a lottery pick and they have zero chance of acquiring a lottery pick and still complete this deal, and c) that's anywhere from 6 to 9 players headed to a team that will only have 2 roster spots available (or 5 players for 1 slot). This means the Lakers will need to get a third team involved, and good luck finding somebody who wants to take on their trash players and help their tampering asses.


Or New Orleans could wait until June, when they could potentially land a Tatum, Porzingis, AND one of the 3 Duke players. This will set them up quite nicely in 3 years or so when they inevitably move to either Seattle or Las Vegas.

Yeaaa.... Good luck to Lakers GM LeBr... I mean Magic.

Oh, and the Ball family doesn't want to play in New Orleans. So the most valuable piece coming NO's way comes with a shit ton of baggage.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

Cool story bro.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Buy your AD jersey yet?

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

No, but at least I'm not blind enough to think Ball, Kuzma, and Ingram all "suck."

What a terrible take.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Kuzma's ok.

Ball is a point guard who can't shoot in a shooting league.

Ingram is bum juice.

The three of them together equal about half an AD.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

What if all three were stacked on top of each other under a large trench coat

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

And I will not take the anti-Ingram slander. He just turned 21 and has shown freakish ability on both ends of the court. Plus he looks like he's stoned all the time and seems like a sweetheart. I won't take it.

 

[DaveC]

What if all three were stacked on top of each other under a large trench coat

still not good enough for princess caroline