I dont agree. They got rid of Harden when Presti realized he was going to be an impossible asset to keep happy and integrate in the team long term, not to mention being able to pay him Westbrook, and Durant. They netted Steven Adams for that trade who played critical minutes and isnt a viability when switching defensively (Ibaka was awesome at protecting the rim and blocking shots, but Adams is a fucking savage, the guy is able to shed screens and jump out on shooters/recover way better than Serge) not to mention Ibaka wasnt happy with Enes Kanter getting minutes. He was also going into a contract year, so the fact that they off-loaded him for Oladipo, Ilyasova, AND Arvidis Sarbonis' son! Sarbonis the Younger is a savage just like Adams and plays with such hustle he could turn out to be a monster asset and if Ibaka sucks dick with the Magic they will have won that trade asily.
So if the only player traded to the Magic sucks, they will lose that trade? Wow, I didn't see it that way at all.
I'm puzzled why they want to trade Rubio. He's an elite defensive PG(something I thought Thibs would covet) and his 3-point shot is respectable enough now that the players just can't not guard him anymore. Going into the season with both of them at PG is great I think. If they trade Rubio and Dunn doesn't pan out for some reason it'll be a major setback. Today, I've been reading is the deal was Rubio + the Fifth for Butler which makes no sense at all. I think the entire situation was Thibs and Paxson trolling each other and using the media to do it.
Although I think the deal we offered you guys was overly fair and you probably should have took it, I think Dunn is going to be that good of a player that I understand why they turned it down.. But, you'd think they'd have a better chance at Butler using all the assets from that trade and someone like Lavine on top to get him. I think Bulls were probably just listening and not dealing. I mean.. Noel, RoCo, Lavine, 24 and 26 for Butler?
My understanding is we offered Rubio and Dunn, Chicago countered asking for LaVine instead which we declined. If that is true I don't understand why.
To be fair, hasn't almost every major star declined their invite? Probably just trying to get anyone to come to Rio at this point!
nah.. they are still stacked.
I'm assuming they will move Oladipo into the starting lineup for Roberson and he will be guarding the 2 which is plenty big for. Roberson will be the 3 in their small ball lineup (Waiters was the 2). WB, Oladipo, Roberson, KD, Adams is a deadly lineup. That is how they will close games against 2 of their biggest competition, GSW and Cavs. They can still go big against the Spurs with Kanter and Adams. They just improved versus their 3 main opponents.
Dang, I was hoping for someone better than Lowry to take the pressure off of him, but better than nothing, I guess!
Just getting practice reps in for sitting as the 12th man at the end of the bench