OT: NBA Finals Thread

**The Excellector** · 06-30-2019, 02:11 AM

Just finished watching a YouTube compilation of Stephen A trashing Kwame Brown. Doesn’t get old.

**The Excellector** · 06-30-2019, 05:02 PM

ESPN saying Durant is expected to sign with the Nets. That would put Irving and Durant in Brooklyn.

**TTRaven** · 06-30-2019, 06:01 PM

Originally Posted by The Excellector

ESPN saying Durant is expected to sign with the Nets. That would put Irving and Durant in Brooklyn.

DeAndre Jordan headed to Brooklyn also

**The Excellector** · 06-30-2019, 09:06 PM

Originally Posted by TTRaven

DeAndre Jordan headed to Brooklyn also

Apparently, the Knicks didn't want to offer Durant a max contract. Stephen A Smith is going to go bezerk Monday morning.

**Ravenswintitle** · 06-30-2019, 09:15 PM

The Knicks are definitely cursed

**The Excellector** · 06-30-2019, 10:23 PM

Originally Posted by Ravenswintitle

The Knicks are definitely cursed

I could see them lying about that. I could also see that being the truth. Them leaking it out makes them seem like the guy who didn't get the girl he wanted.

**Ravenswintitle** · 07-01-2019, 07:49 AM

teams are out here trading 2026 draft picks! smh

this is some crazy free agency

**JAB1985** · 07-01-2019, 08:22 AM

Im not that impressed with the Nets. No durant year 1, and that team isnt as talented as Boston, so I doubt Kyrie does much with them alone. The russel trade definitely will help them fill out the roster more, but i dont see the Toronto comparisons. Thais team wasnt nearly as talented or deep as the Raptors before adding Kawhi and Green.

Russel to the Warriors makes absolutely no sense to me. Hes young and talented and youre keeping him from the Lakers most likely, but X's and O's I dont see it working out that great. Iggy is old, but he really did offer them a talent thats hard to replace. Shipping him out seems a bit harsh for a key and loyal player. I thought Russel to the wolves made much more sense. pick N rolls there or even the Lakers would have been great for him. on the warriors its going to be completely different for them and im not sure a guard heavy team facing the size and length they will be is a recipe for success. If this stops the warriors from extending Draymond it makes even less sense.

Butler to Miami kind of tells me that Kawhi to the clippers isnt happening. I think thats a good fit for him. he seemed to want to play with Kawhi, but as a 2nd option have his own team. Miami makes sense.

Kawhi seems to be leaning towards LA (the least kept secret in the NBA the last how many years) and based on the above, id say hes leaning towards the Lakers, or Butler would have joined him with the Clippers. I have it 70-30 Lakers/Raptors.

the 76ers did really well for themselves. I think they may have actually improved slightly, despite losing Butler. Simmons, Richardson, Harris, Horford, Embiid. Is a very tall, very talented starting 5. More importantly it makes sense as nobody is playing out position any more. that team can compete with anybody, and I think will make a lot of noise in the East next year. Simmons gains even an average jumper and theyll be favorites, imo. Theyre also very young outside Horford, who will hopefully give them some vet leadership to take them over the hump.

The knicks suck and its painful to be their fan. This is why I follow the Spurs as my 1B. I hope Dolan sells the team. give it away to a random person on the street and it would be ran better.

**GreatWhiteNorthRaven** · 07-01-2019, 08:30 AM

It is starting to look like Kawhi to the Lakers is the front runner.

It’s a no lose situation for me. We got a ring. If he walks I’ll thank him and continue to cheer for him wherever he goes. Any fan that’s upset with him is a dumbass plain and simple.

We knew this was a possibility. He brought a ring to a market that struggles to retain talent and therefore offers very small windows. Nothing else matters.

I will be disappointed though. This FA is showing that next year could have a lot of parity of Kawhi stays. So many contenders for the first time in a long time. It could be really fun and no one in the east really scares me.

Brooklyn won’t have KD
Boston will be better simply because kyrie was a distraction(kyrie is better than Kemba though)
Indiana will be better.
Philly will be worse. I like horford but I’m not sure playing him at the 4 is smart. A lot of athletic 4’s can handle him with his range. That’s why playing the 5 was a big advantage. JJ is also an underrated loss given thst Simmons can’t shoot.
Mil got a little worse loosing Brogdon but will be good.
Mia gets better but still doesn’t threaten.

If Kawhi stays and Danny comes back I think they once again matchup well with every team in the east.

So I’ll be disappointed about what could have been. But I would never be mad with Kawhi.

**JAB1985** · 07-01-2019, 08:58 AM

Originally Posted by GreatWhiteNorthRaven

Philly will be worse. I like horford but I’m not sure playing him at the 4 is smart. A lot of athletic 4’s can handle him with his range. That’s why playing the 5 was a big advantage. JJ is also an underrated loss given thst Simmons can’t shoot.

I think thats the advantage of going to Philly, Embiid will guard the more athletic bigs, whether at the 4 or 5, he can pop out and use his length. Horford will guard the lesser of the two now. I think what you lose with JJ you get in youth and potential with Richardson. I could easily see him bumping his 3p% up to 40% there. Hes an underrated player, imo.

well see, but i really like what they did, considering they could have lost Butler for nothing.

I also echo your Kawhi comments. Be happy for the ship, and wish him the best. I think he may be the top player in the league now that lebron is older (and less committed to defense), so im happy he played with the Spurs, appreciated what he did in toronto, and will be eager to see how it all works in LA.

**JAB1985** · 07-01-2019, 09:02 AM

Broussard says the lakers are looking at Rondo, Green, Seth Curry, and Iggy to add to Kawhi, Kuz, bron and AD. Thats an impressive haul if they can pull it off. Korver I think is in taht conversation as well.

Not sure why they keep mention JR Smith. If I was Bron, id want nothing to with him, especially in a city of distractions like LA. Ive seen what NY did to his game.

**JAB1985** · 07-01-2019, 09:16 AM

also i hear a lot of chirping about Kawhi being weak for going to the lakers (if he does). comparing it to durant.

I do not understand the comparison. Its the same as saying Lebron did the same thing in Miami as Durant did. They arent the same thing at all. Going to a non-playoff team with a star or two that never played together is not a sure thing. Durant's move was to go to an established championship team, with a core of players that played years together and was a known commodity. He joined the most winning team in NBA history, after taking them to 7 games with his own team.

Kawhi won a championship with the Raptors with no other star, he won one in SA as a rising star. He has nothing to prove on a personal level, and joining a roster with 3 players on it and only 2 having played together, is hardly a ready made team. granted, theyll be a favorite and could assemble one of the most talent rich teams, as stated above, but I dont see that as a weak move, i just see it as a move. A common one in today's NBA to team up. Durant's was a lot less common, imo. This kind of thing dates back to the Magic trying to sign Mcgrady Duncan and Hill, or the rockets getting drexler and Barkley. players want to play with other star players. Always have, always will.