2018-2019 NBA Thread
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Alex
Still a Music Elitist
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I don't know what Houston was thinking. How will Harden and Westbrook play together? They both require the ball in their hands to be as effective as possible. Harden is fucking useless without the ball. Doesn't even pretend to be a part of plays.
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Brahma
Obi-Bro Kenobi-X
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Their games are so different that touches won't be a problem. Matter fact, if it was me, I put the ball in Westbrook's hands 1st and foremost. Have tons of plays where he penetrates, defense MUST collapse, he kicks out to whomever. Harden being the top choice of course. But whomever it initially gets the ball to, finds Harden.
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Fight
Ahn'Qiraj Raider
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I loved New Orleans 'underdog' Chris Paul. One of my favorite players in the game.
Since those early years, I think the guy has devolved into a belligerent asshole. He hasn't been fun or entertaining for years now. Looks like he will finish his career in obscurity now and most likely riddled with injuries.
Since those early years, I think the guy has devolved into a belligerent asshole. He hasn't been fun or entertaining for years now. Looks like he will finish his career in obscurity now and most likely riddled with injuries.
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OU Ariakas
Diet Dr. Pepper Enjoyer
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Jozu
Bronze Baronet of the Realm
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OKC sending Westbrook to Houston for CP3 and his monumentally bad contract, and a bunch of draft picks in 2047 is one of the more ridiculous things I have ever seen in pro sports.
The NBA has a real problem. It's a "players" league unlike the NFL, except those same players now exercise almost all of the power when it comes to team dynamics and contract situations.
There is NO FUCKING WAY Sam Presti was looking at his roster, AFTER the free agency frenzy, and said to himself, well after losing our best player, I think we need to trade our next best player, and one of the biggest stars in the entire league, who is beloved by our fans, and has a legendary track record of giving his all night in and night out, for a hobbled 34 year old veteran PG who cant stay healthy and is owed like 40 + million per.
LOL.
No, what happened is Westbrook was fucking mad about being dangled in trade talks earlier in the free agency window, and felt betrayed. Not only that but PG basically saying I'm out LOL, with zero regard for Russ or the team.
So he said fuck it, I want to be traded. As soon as he plays that card the Thunder are fucked. They arent going to move forward with an unhappy Westbrook, who will suddenly come up injured and be a cancer in the locker room. No they couldnt tolerate that, so instead they ship him off where he wanted to go and had to eat shit in return.
Free agency HAS to be changed.
The NBA has a real problem. It's a "players" league unlike the NFL, except those same players now exercise almost all of the power when it comes to team dynamics and contract situations.
There is NO FUCKING WAY Sam Presti was looking at his roster, AFTER the free agency frenzy, and said to himself, well after losing our best player, I think we need to trade our next best player, and one of the biggest stars in the entire league, who is beloved by our fans, and has a legendary track record of giving his all night in and night out, for a hobbled 34 year old veteran PG who cant stay healthy and is owed like 40 + million per.
LOL.
No, what happened is Westbrook was fucking mad about being dangled in trade talks earlier in the free agency window, and felt betrayed. Not only that but PG basically saying I'm out LOL, with zero regard for Russ or the team.
So he said fuck it, I want to be traded. As soon as he plays that card the Thunder are fucked. They arent going to move forward with an unhappy Westbrook, who will suddenly come up injured and be a cancer in the locker room. No they couldnt tolerate that, so instead they ship him off where he wanted to go and had to eat shit in return.
Free agency HAS to be changed.
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Jovec
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Free agency is fine. There are issues with commitment, like AD last year, or Khawi in SA, or potentially George if OKC didn't trade him. Not much to be done about that without a massive contract overhaul (everyone gets minimum, need to hit metrics to get star money or even just $500k+ per win for tier 1 talents).
OKC wasn't going anywhere so they did right by their most loyal player and sent him somewhere he has a chance to win instead of keeping him in rebuild hell. OKC isn't going to sit with CP3 for the next few years, they will look to trade or buyout. CP3 would probably take less than he is owed in order to secure his buyout, giving him a chance to play for a contender.
Even if he stays for all three years, it is still cheaper overall to lose with CP3 than Westbrook due to the shorter contract length, but CP3's contract will look enticing to many teams looking to shed salary when he is in his final year.
Chanur
Shit Posting Professional
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It's clear Westbrook cannot carry a team to a championship. They tried Harden and Westbrook already and as soon as Durant got hurt in the playoffs the train hit a wall. They tried several superstars. He just cannot do it. He has to be a #2 on a championship team. They have opted to rebuild starting now.
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Foggy
Ahn'Qiraj Raider
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Actually, the consensus is Houston overpaid. There wasn’t really a market for Westbrook. He is an aging PG that can’t shoot and relies on his athleticism to be effective. He has also fallen off over the last two years. That contract is going to be bad before it’s over.
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Jovec
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Not disagreeing, but some would argue that the CP3 contract was already bad. This is Houston going all in to win it now. What they had wasn't working. Also the Harden/CP chemistry was probably worse than we know.
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Houston certainly overpaid, and from their stand point it is a weird fucking trade. Westbrook has no off-ball game. He is, play-style, a worse fit than CP3. Either that relationship was that bad, or Morey just figures they talent other teams to death. I am a little surprised Houston didn't just run it back. They were a CP3 injury away from beating the Warriors in '18, and got pretty close this year again. That Warriors squad is no more.
I'll give Morey credit where it is due, he makes things happen. Dude is a cap wizard, but man, this trade is interesting. I guess the league lives off talent, and Harden & Westbrook are certainly talented, if not a weird fucking fit.
I think the Thunder have made off great. Move CP3 to the Heat, dump Adams and Gallinari if possible and tank away. They'll be the worst team in the West, and that all but guarantees a top 5 pick at worst. Next years draft is supposed to be "deep". I think Presti is chomping at the bit to build a young core with the insane amount of assets he has. Land 2 or 3 premier draft talents with SGA, and use the other 50 1st rounders from '23-27 and you can field an incredibly sustainable team. Maybe one that fits a bit better together than the original.
Westbrook didn't bail on OKC. It just sounds like after PG13 left it became pretty obvious to OKC front office and Westbrook that it was time to move on.
I'll give Morey credit where it is due, he makes things happen. Dude is a cap wizard, but man, this trade is interesting. I guess the league lives off talent, and Harden & Westbrook are certainly talented, if not a weird fucking fit.
I think the Thunder have made off great. Move CP3 to the Heat, dump Adams and Gallinari if possible and tank away. They'll be the worst team in the West, and that all but guarantees a top 5 pick at worst. Next years draft is supposed to be "deep". I think Presti is chomping at the bit to build a young core with the insane amount of assets he has. Land 2 or 3 premier draft talents with SGA, and use the other 50 1st rounders from '23-27 and you can field an incredibly sustainable team. Maybe one that fits a bit better together than the original.
Westbrook didn't bail on OKC. It just sounds like after PG13 left it became pretty obvious to OKC front office and Westbrook that it was time to move on.
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Daezuel
Potato del Grande
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Yeah OKC made off great, went from 2 all nba players to zero and 5 incoming years of irrelevance. Just enough time to have another Durant/Westbrook/Harden situation and watch them all go elsewhere before they're seasoned enough to win it all.
That Houston team makeup is odd but they'll definitely win their share of games and have a chance to do something, meanwhile no one will give a fuck about the Thunder for the next half decade.
That Houston team makeup is odd but they'll definitely win their share of games and have a chance to do something, meanwhile no one will give a fuck about the Thunder for the next half decade.
Fight
Ahn'Qiraj Raider
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Houston's blessing and it's curse is James Harden. You need 2 or 3 "stars" to compete in the playoffs, yet if you pair any other "stars" with Harden, they both get worse.
Maybe someone like Nikola Jokic would work with him, I don't know?
James is great, but the dribble for 18 seconds then draw a foul or launch a 3, every possession has to be soul-crushing on his teammates.
Maybe someone like Nikola Jokic would work with him, I don't know?
James is great, but the dribble for 18 seconds then draw a foul or launch a 3, every possession has to be soul-crushing on his teammates.
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Brahma
Obi-Bro Kenobi-X
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Ok...You guys saying that Harden and Westbrooks game is the same, please explain what you mean? A shooter vs a driver. One can play off the ball, one can't. One is highly athletic, the other average athletically. One turned into defensive beast, the other still a joke.
Here's the issue. ANYONE playing with Harden knows he plain and simply holds the ball, ALL...FUCKIN...DAY once he gets it, making your other offensive players pretty bland. Stagnant. Unless Harden changes his game this won't work well. If D'Antoni can convince Harden to not be a bitch on offense, and play some defense, this could work. Better yet. Get another coach.
Here's the issue. ANYONE playing with Harden knows he plain and simply holds the ball, ALL...FUCKIN...DAY once he gets it, making your other offensive players pretty bland. Stagnant. Unless Harden changes his game this won't work well. If D'Antoni can convince Harden to not be a bitch on offense, and play some defense, this could work. Better yet. Get another coach.
Sterling
El Presidente
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Neither one plays off the ball. They're different types of players but both have historic usage rates. It's absurd how ball dominant both players are.
DickTrickle
Definitely NOT Furor Planedefiler
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