People forget how young our guys are though. It’s very rare for a 19 year old to come into the NBA and be a great player right from the start. Of course unless you are Kobe or Lebron. Steph Curry didn’t perform at an all start level until he was about 24 or so his 3rd year in the league. I’d like to keep Russel, Randle, Ingram, and probably this years top pick together because the cieling coupd be very high with that group of guys.
There is a clause for players called their “Bird Rights”. So for example Cousins got traded to New Orleans, so New Orleans now hold his Bird Rights and they can offer him the same money. If he leaves his max contract can only be $125m instead of $200m if he stays. We’ll see what happens woth Free Agents now, but the feeling around the league is that everyone is going to stay put, sign contracts and then force trades if they are unhappy.
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Have some faith in Magic, goddamn it!
I know New Orleans holds his bird rights, but I thought the other new designated player rule isn’t applicable on Cousins. The Pelicans can’t offer him 200+ million anyway, because they traded for him and didn’t draft him, but something in the range of 170/180 million. George on the other hand could sign for 200+ million.
It’s still a big paycut, but playing for the Lakers (George is from Cali) with Cousins and possibily Ingram and another draft pick, under Magic and Walton seems a very good situation to be in.
I think you’re slightly overestimating the potential of those younger guys, at least for Russell and Randle, in comparison with Cousins and George.
Granted there are a lot of ifs in this scenario.
I just think the whole Magic thing is being blown out of proportion. A lot of former players have tried their hand at being a shot caller and it usually isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Jordan, Isaiah Thomas, and even Larry Bird was just ok. Maybe Magic can get those guys to come play for us but George will be older, Cousins will be a perfect age, but Ingram won’t contribute for another couple more years.
I meant it in a bit of an ironic way 
. Magic still has everything too prove in that position. Those Indiana teams (11/12 and 12/13) were really good though. Miami was just better. Rebuilding around Paul George he hasn’t succeeded at. George will be 28 to at that time. Cousins and George will open up the floor for Ingram and make his job easier. You talked about Kobe being good right a way, but his teammate was an in his prime Shaquille O’Neal.
Cleveland are rumored to sign Deron Williams and Andrew Bogut. That would be big bench additions. I still think Golden State are the favorites, because of Durant and the height the death line-up now has (there only weakness imo), but it’s a lot closer now.
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Cavs with Korver, D.Williams and Bogut would have quite a strong bench, I think they got a reasonable chance against the Warriors.
In the playoffs the benches get shortened a lot, and the 7 game series are a lot different than the regular season matchups. Teams actually scheme in order to stop certain things, which they won’t do i the regular season. The Warriors ultimately lost because Curry got shut down and torched on the defensive end by Irving.
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Durant injured knee hyperextended and still awaiting MRI results I think.
It’s official. Yeah, but Bogut and Williams in an eight or nine man rotation makes a big difference. Especially since they add things the Cavs lost with Mozgov and Dellavedova (defence and back-up point).
LeBron really has no excuses now. Cleveland is deep, well-rounded, experienced and has multiple stars. He really needs to get his 4th IMO.
Amazing game between Atlanta and Cleveland today, The Cavs made 25 3s and still nearly lost the match.
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Bogut checks in for Cleveland, gets called an illegal screen and then checks out with him being unable to put any weight on his left foot.
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He’s been pretty injury prone his whole career tbh, not surprised.
Annoying Bogut only lasted a minute for the Cavs as I think he could have been important in the NBA finals.
Important is an understatement imo. A rim protecter like that is what all LeBron James’ teams missed both Miami and Cleveland.
Despite being disgusting most of the year my blazers are making a run at 8th seed… won 8 of our last 10 which really should be 9 as Washington hit a game winner when the players foot was out of bounds.
The race for the number 8 seed is going to be tight. Denver and Portland are both 35-38.
[quote]Denver remaining games: @Portland, @ Charlotte, @Miami, @New Orleans, Houston, New Orleans, @OKC, @Dallas, @OKC.
Portland: Denver, Houston, Phoenix, @Minnesota, @Utah, Minnesota, Utah, San Antonio, New Orleans.[/quote]
Advantage Portland I would say. On paper they have more difficult games against Utah/San Antonio, but Denver still has an East Coast away trip and Popovich is probably going to rest players.
Portland and Denver play each other in 2 days time at the Rose Garden, that game is going to be big.
Can’t believe Denver traded Nurkic & a 1st Round pick for Mason Plumlee.
Nurkic and Jokic together just didn’t work. And Jokic has been great as starting center for Denver. They have been 20-16 since Jokic got the starting job. Difference here is Portland got two all-stars and a good center now, Denver doesn’t have that.
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Nurkic out for 2 weeks with a leg fracture.
When it rains, it pours right @Aussiegooner
. Magic still has everything too prove in that position. Those Indiana teams (11/12 and 12/13) were really good though. Miami was just better. Rebuilding around Paul George he hasn’t succeeded at. George will be 28 to at that time. Cousins and George will open up the floor for Ingram and make his job easier. You talked about Kobe being good right a way, but his teammate was an in his prime Shaquille O’Neal.