Hilarious.
Official 2018 NBA Offseason Thread: free agency starts 7/1 - Summer League action is here!
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Lol this team stays with chicago/Ill players on it
And I heard y’all might talk to Tony Allen
Rot in hell to that franchise
And I heard y’all might talk to Tony Allen
Rot in hell to that franchise
Same reason y’all gave Harrison BARNES a max contract for WHAT??????Why the hell would Spurs want that shit?
You havent been a Laker fan in 4 years Kobe stan. Now that you feel confident in repping again you talking reckless. STFU Fagplex.
You're badly in need of psychological help
I think it is what he is at this point. He's not playing defense beside Butler and with Thibs as coach. He's too limited. He's really only good at scoring, and he's not even a good shooter.
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Cavs High on Collin Sexton, But He Could End Up Getting Andrew Wiggins Treatment
Greg SwartzJune 28, 2018
☰
Steve Freeman/Getty Images
The NBA can be a cruel business at times.
Think back to when the Cleveland Cavaliers selected Andrew Wiggins first overall in 2014. Wiggins had nothing but good things to say about the city of Cleveland, and he seemed excited about joining fellow Canadians Anthony Bennett and Tristan Thompson.
Then the Cavaliers traded him in August for Kevin Love.
Four years later, will we see the same show play out with Collin Sexton?
The No. 8 overall pick in the 2018 draft may end up in a similar situation as Wiggins. The Cavaliers selected both while hoping LeBron James would return. Both were asked about James on draft night, and both have dealt with uncertainty about their future during their honeymoon phase in Cleveland.
Following the draft, general manager Koby Altman expressedhis desire to keep Sexton, who the Cavs selected with the infamous Brooklyn Nets pick from the Kyrie Irving trade.
Then again, the Cavs said the same about Wiggins.
Nick Laham/Getty Images
"There's no reason or cause for worry on his part because Andrew's not going anywhere, as far as I know and as far as the club has expressed," then-head coach David Blatt told reporters at Las Vegas Summer League in 2014, per ESPN.com.
The Cavs pulled an about-face one month later.
They traded Wiggins with Bennett and a first-round pick for Love because James didn't have much interest in playing with a 19-year-old rookie. At the time, James was 29 and coming off his 11th NBA season. If he didn't want to try to win championships with a teenager then, it seems unlikely he'll have any interest at age 33 and heading into his 16th year in the league.
Was that fair to Wiggins? Maybe not, but that's life in the NBA.
That's now life for Sexton.
The rookie point guard from Alabama likely won't know his future until James makes his decision. If James returns to Cleveland, Sexton may be on the trade block as an attractive young asset that a rebuilding team with pricey veterans will be interested in. If James leaves for Los Angeles, Houston, Philadelphia or some other metropolis, Sexton can start looking into Cleveland real estate.
As cruel or unfair as this may be for Sexton, it's what the Cavaliers must do.
Cleveland has precious few trade assets remaining. The Brooklyn pick was by far the best, but it lost value now that it has become an actual player. Love could be moved, but he's coming off his best season as a Cavalier and most productive NBA Finals. The Cavs plan to keep him, per ESPN.com's Dave McMenamin.
The Cavaliers owe their 2019 first-round pick to the Atlanta Hawksstemming from the 2017 Kyle Korver trade, meaning they can't send out another first until 2021. Given the uncertainty surrounding Cleveland's long-term outlook, these future first-round picks should be off the table. Young players like Cedi Osman, Larry Nance Jr. and Ante Zizic could stir up some interest, but none would fetch a star.
Every major trade the Cavs could potentially make comes back to Sexton.
David Liam Kyle/Getty Images
Behind the scenes, Altman should be putting potential deals in place based on whatever James decides.
A handful of teams could use a young point guard like Sexton. The Orlando Magic and Phoenix Sunsneed a floor general, but neither have the veteran pieces to send back that would entice James to stay. The Indiana Pacers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors all have starting point guards north of 30, so they may be looking for a younger, cost-controlled option like Sexton.
Would Goran Dragic, Kyle Lowry or Jeff Teague convince James to commit to another year in Cleveland?
The Charlotte Hornets still make the most sense with a package built around Sexton for Kemba Walker. Hornets general manager Mitch Kupchak drafted Jordan Clarkson while with the Los Angeles Lakers, and he's already picked up one former Laker in a trade for Timofey Mozgov. Clarkson and Sexton for Walker would seemingly make sense for both parties. In fact, that may be the only way to keep James, a source told Bleacher Report'sKen Berger. But because Walker is 28 and will become an unrestricted free agent next summer, trading for him is too risky without a commitment from James first.
If James leaves and the Cavs retain Sexton, they'll at least have a young, athletic point guard to market to a devastated fanbase. Altman can say that trading Sexton was never an option and gush about how excited the team is to have him, and the strained, awkward situation that briefly existed between Wiggins and the Cavaliers can be avoided.
But for now, Cleveland still needs to dangle Sexton as the primary trade piece to keep James, no matter how uncomfortable or unfair it may be.
Greg SwartzJune 28, 2018
☰
Steve Freeman/Getty Images
The NBA can be a cruel business at times.
Think back to when the Cleveland Cavaliers selected Andrew Wiggins first overall in 2014. Wiggins had nothing but good things to say about the city of Cleveland, and he seemed excited about joining fellow Canadians Anthony Bennett and Tristan Thompson.
Then the Cavaliers traded him in August for Kevin Love.
Four years later, will we see the same show play out with Collin Sexton?
The No. 8 overall pick in the 2018 draft may end up in a similar situation as Wiggins. The Cavaliers selected both while hoping LeBron James would return. Both were asked about James on draft night, and both have dealt with uncertainty about their future during their honeymoon phase in Cleveland.
Following the draft, general manager Koby Altman expressedhis desire to keep Sexton, who the Cavs selected with the infamous Brooklyn Nets pick from the Kyrie Irving trade.
Then again, the Cavs said the same about Wiggins.
Nick Laham/Getty Images
"There's no reason or cause for worry on his part because Andrew's not going anywhere, as far as I know and as far as the club has expressed," then-head coach David Blatt told reporters at Las Vegas Summer League in 2014, per ESPN.com.
The Cavs pulled an about-face one month later.
They traded Wiggins with Bennett and a first-round pick for Love because James didn't have much interest in playing with a 19-year-old rookie. At the time, James was 29 and coming off his 11th NBA season. If he didn't want to try to win championships with a teenager then, it seems unlikely he'll have any interest at age 33 and heading into his 16th year in the league.
Was that fair to Wiggins? Maybe not, but that's life in the NBA.
That's now life for Sexton.
The rookie point guard from Alabama likely won't know his future until James makes his decision. If James returns to Cleveland, Sexton may be on the trade block as an attractive young asset that a rebuilding team with pricey veterans will be interested in. If James leaves for Los Angeles, Houston, Philadelphia or some other metropolis, Sexton can start looking into Cleveland real estate.
As cruel or unfair as this may be for Sexton, it's what the Cavaliers must do.
Cleveland has precious few trade assets remaining. The Brooklyn pick was by far the best, but it lost value now that it has become an actual player. Love could be moved, but he's coming off his best season as a Cavalier and most productive NBA Finals. The Cavs plan to keep him, per ESPN.com's Dave McMenamin.
The Cavaliers owe their 2019 first-round pick to the Atlanta Hawksstemming from the 2017 Kyle Korver trade, meaning they can't send out another first until 2021. Given the uncertainty surrounding Cleveland's long-term outlook, these future first-round picks should be off the table. Young players like Cedi Osman, Larry Nance Jr. and Ante Zizic could stir up some interest, but none would fetch a star.
Every major trade the Cavs could potentially make comes back to Sexton.
David Liam Kyle/Getty Images
Behind the scenes, Altman should be putting potential deals in place based on whatever James decides.
A handful of teams could use a young point guard like Sexton. The Orlando Magic and Phoenix Sunsneed a floor general, but neither have the veteran pieces to send back that would entice James to stay. The Indiana Pacers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors all have starting point guards north of 30, so they may be looking for a younger, cost-controlled option like Sexton.
Would Goran Dragic, Kyle Lowry or Jeff Teague convince James to commit to another year in Cleveland?
The Charlotte Hornets still make the most sense with a package built around Sexton for Kemba Walker. Hornets general manager Mitch Kupchak drafted Jordan Clarkson while with the Los Angeles Lakers, and he's already picked up one former Laker in a trade for Timofey Mozgov. Clarkson and Sexton for Walker would seemingly make sense for both parties. In fact, that may be the only way to keep James, a source told Bleacher Report'sKen Berger. But because Walker is 28 and will become an unrestricted free agent next summer, trading for him is too risky without a commitment from James first.
If James leaves and the Cavs retain Sexton, they'll at least have a young, athletic point guard to market to a devastated fanbase. Altman can say that trading Sexton was never an option and gush about how excited the team is to have him, and the strained, awkward situation that briefly existed between Wiggins and the Cavaliers can be avoided.
But for now, Cleveland still needs to dangle Sexton as the primary trade piece to keep James, no matter how uncomfortable or unfair it may be.
Even tho I think staying with the Cavs is his best option to we to another finals in the near future...
That fucking 23 looks sweet on that Gold and Purple.
Years ago I wanted him to sign there to play with Kobe but that didn't happen.
Now I aint as hype, just cause that late night time frame. The west coast time wouls cause me to miss plenty of games.
LeBron with his friends in "The Decision Cave".
That fucking 23 looks sweet on that Gold and Purple.
Years ago I wanted him to sign there to play with Kobe but that didn't happen.
Now I aint as hype, just cause that late night time frame. The west coast time wouls cause me to miss plenty of games.
LeBron with his friends in "The Decision Cave".
Even tho I think staying with the Cavs is his best option to we to another finals in the near future...
That fucking 23 looks sweet on that Gold and Purple.
Years ago I wanted him to sign there to play with Kobe but that didn't happen.
Now I aint as hype, just cause that late night time frame. The west coast time wouls cause me to miss plenty of games.
LeBron with his friends in "The Decision Cave".
Lakers are the only team in the West that people on the East Coast will stay up til 1am to watch play bball consistently.
Shit you think so...
You and that’s it.There's plenty of Lakers fans on the east coast
Crabrab told me he will be back
Nah, I need to get it to one of the GMs.
L
he better learn how to attack Jamal Crawford style. Jamal should've showed him how to attack all game because all he can do is score.
Everyone keeps saying is where ever Kawhi is traded will be the first Domino. I think Paul George signing will set everything in motion.
PG=Lakers will Lebron join him or will Magic look in a different direction for a Big Man to play alongside him Cousins or D.Jordan. in which their Cap will be spent and will leave Kawhi and Lebron fighting over the scraps if they can move Luol Deng contract next year. With that scenario both players have to look at staying in the current situation and if they can win or the Sixers and their Max contract currently 26-35 Million if they can move Bayless.
If PG stays in OKC, will the Spurs trade Kawhi to Lakers knowing Lebron will sign and create another Juggernaut in the West. What players will the Lakers lose in a trade to Spurs. Kuzma and Ingram. Lonzo is already out and cant be traded.
If Paul George signs in Philadelphia everybody's plan is fucked. Lebron goes out to L.A. by himself and Philadelphia will then go all in on giving up whatever assets needed except Ben and Joel to acquire Kawhi. That team would be a coach's wet dream defensively
Simmons
Zhaire
Leonard
George
Embiid
Harrison Barnes the best nigga on your team.Same reason y’all gave Harrison BARNES a max contract for WHAT??????
I think Boogie gonna stay in Da Boot
The defensive approach is one of the reason I like a Lebron/Leonard connection
Lebron and George would be nice also...but I feel playing next to Kawhi would let him play both sides like in the pass
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Raptors not sold on Ibaka-Valanciunas pairing
JUNE 29, 2018
The Toronto Raptors are not sold on the Serge Ibaka–Jonas Valanciunas pairing and will listen to trade offers for both players this offseason, according to a report from TSN.ca.
The report states that no player on the roster is untouchable, including All-Star guards Kyle Lowryand DeMar DeRozan.
The Raptors had the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference this past season with a regular season record of 59-23, but were swept by LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round of the playoffs for the second consecutive year.
The early exit cost coach Dwane Casey his job, as he was fired and replaced by assistant Nick Nurse.
If the Raptors had it their way, they would trade Ibaka and keep Valanciunas.
Nurse and Valanciunas have a strong relationship, as the two spent hours working on improving Valanciunas’s three-point shot this year.
In 2017-18, Valanciunas shot 74 three-pointers, hitting 30 of them. He spoke many times about how Nurse’s philosophy was something he would have to adapt to considering the traditional big man game in the post is not something that is utilized often in today’s NBA.
The 26-year-old Valanciunas is set to make $16.5 million in 2018-19 and has a player option worth $17.6 million for 2019-20.
There is optimism within the Raptors organization that Valanciunas will have more confidence in his perimeter game and won’t be hesitant to shoot more threes now that Nurse is the head man in charge.
In 77 games this year, Valanciunas averaged 12.7 points and 8.6 rebounds, shooting 56.8 percent from the field and 40.5 percent from beyond the arc.
Ibaka, meanwhile, has been a huge disappointment since the Raptors traded for him in 2017. Finding a trade partner willing to absorb the $44.9 million Ibaka is owed over the next two seasons would likely require Toronto to take back a bad contract or cost them additional assets.
In 99 games with the Raptors, Ibaka is averaging 13.0 points and 6.4 rebounds, shooting 47.7 percent overall and 37.0 percent from three.
Raptors determined to make that sorry center a star. 
Darren Abate/Associated Press
Tony Parker Injury Comments Were 'Last Straw' in Kawhi Leonard, Spurs' Tension
ADAM WELLS
JUNE 29, 2018
Tony Parker reportedly played a significant role in Kawhi Leonard's dissatisfaction with the San Antonio Spurs.
Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe (h/t Rob Lopez of Def Pen Hoops), Parker's comments about his quad injury being significantly worse than Leonard's was the "last straw" for the two-time All-Star.
In March, Parker told Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News that his quad injury from the previous year was "a hundred times worse" than what Leonard was dealing with.
Parker also praised San Antonio's medical staff, noting he "could have gone anywhere" to receive treatment, but "they know my body better than anybody...I feel like we have the best medical team in the world."
One week after Parker's comments, Wojnarowski and Michael C. Wright reported Leonard went to New York to rehab his injury under outside medical supervision and had no timetable to return to the Spurs.
After appearing in nine games from Dec. 12-Jan. 13, Leonard missed the remainder of the season. The 27-year-old wants to be traded this summer, with the Los Angeles Lakers at the top of his preference list, according to Wojnarowski.
Leonard was effective when he was able to play last season, averaging 16.2 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. He also shot 46.8 percent from the field, though his 31.4 percent success rate from three-point range was the worst of his career.
This offseasons Lakers reminds me of the Knicks from a few years ago.
All the hype...we'll see what they end up with.
All the hype...we'll see what they end up with.
Reasons to stay wearing the Cavs wine & gold colors, 53 million to be exact
Not to mention the brutal taxes in California
Honestly this article seems kinda silly and sounds like something the Pelicans paid Jeff Duncan to write so that football-loving New Orleanians can have some type of understanding about the situation but even casual sports fans will understand that both the injuries and how each league is set up is completely different.
https://www.nola.com/pelicans/index..._would_be_wise_to_make.html#incart_most-read_
The New Orleans Pelicans have a blueprint for their upcoming negotiations with free-agent-to-be DeMarcus Cousins.
Director of Basketball Operations Mickey Loomis established a strategic precedent for them 12 years ago as general manager of the New Orleans Saints.
In 2006, the Saints were pursuing another star free agent athlete on the mend from a major injury. His name was Drew Brees.
Brees was two months removed from major shoulder surgery, and at the time, even Saints head coach Sean Payton admitted there were "no guarantees" about Brees' long-term recovery.
The Saints believed in Brees and pursued him aggressively in free agency. They offered Brees a six-year, $60-million deal that paid him an average of $10 million a year, the market rate for an elite quarterback at the time.
But the Saints shrewdly included an escape clause in the contract that allowed the club to opt out of the deal after a year if for whatever reason they weren't happy with the investment.
It was a fair deal for both sides, the gridiron equivalent of a pre-nup.
If healthy, Brees stood to earn $60 million over the span of the contract, fair compensation for an elite quarterback.
The Pelicans would be wise to employ a similar strategy in their impending negotiations with Cousins, who is rehabbing a career-threatening injury of his own.
History hasn't been kind to NBA players who rupture their Achilles tendons. Few have returned to the same level of productivity after suffering the injury.
But there are also reasons to believe the Pelicans' big man can recover and continue to be an All-Star-level talent.
The 27-year-old Cousins is still relatively young. His game is predicated on power and skill more than explosiveness. And Pelicans general manager Dell Demps recently said that Cousins is on schedule in his recovery and has experienced no setbacks in his rehabilitation.
Still, there are no guarantees. And the Pelicans must enter these negotiations with a maximum degree of caution.
It's a delicate situation, fraught with long-term implications.
Franchise player Anthony Davis is under contract for three more seasons and has stated his desire to bring back Cousins. The Pelicans need star-quality talent to compete in the Western Conference, and Cousins, when healthy, certainly qualifies.
For these reasons, the Pelicans almost have to make a run at re-signing Cousins. Yet they can't afford to hamstring the organization with a bad deal.
A maximum long-term contract is out of the question. There's too much on the line to take that kind of risk. Instead, a two- or three-year deal, as has been reported, makes sense.
For Cousins, it might be a bitter pill to swallow, considering how well he was playing before the injury. After averaging 25.2 points and 12.9 rebounds through the first 48 games of the season, he was months away from earning a maximum five-year, $175 million contract.
But his injury, just months before free agency, devastated his market. And with only a half-dozen teams even capable of offering him a maximum contract, leverage is not on his side. At this point, the Lakers, Mavericks and Wizards might be the only teams in the market for his services, and it's unclear what, if any, interest they have.
The Pelicans' offer is likely to be the best deal he receives. And it would be surprising if that offer was for maximum compensation and years.
In 2006, Brees was just one season removed from going to the Pro Bowl and leading the Chargers to a 12-4 record. But his injury changed everything. And the Dolphins and Saints were his only real suitors in free agency.
In the end, Brees' deal with the Saints worked out spectacularly well for both sides.
The business models of the NBA and NFL are obviously different. NBA teams don't have the luxury of non-guaranteed contracts. So Pelicans management will need to be extra cautious with the offer to Cousins.
Structurally, it will need to be different than the offer the Saints made Brees. But it should follow the same philosophy: fair but financially prudent.
A Brees-like deal for Cousins makes sense for the Pelicans. Whether it makes sense - and enough cents - for Cousins, remains to be seen.
https://www.nola.com/pelicans/index..._would_be_wise_to_make.html#incart_most-read_
The New Orleans Pelicans have a blueprint for their upcoming negotiations with free-agent-to-be DeMarcus Cousins.
Director of Basketball Operations Mickey Loomis established a strategic precedent for them 12 years ago as general manager of the New Orleans Saints.
In 2006, the Saints were pursuing another star free agent athlete on the mend from a major injury. His name was Drew Brees.
Brees was two months removed from major shoulder surgery, and at the time, even Saints head coach Sean Payton admitted there were "no guarantees" about Brees' long-term recovery.
The Saints believed in Brees and pursued him aggressively in free agency. They offered Brees a six-year, $60-million deal that paid him an average of $10 million a year, the market rate for an elite quarterback at the time.
But the Saints shrewdly included an escape clause in the contract that allowed the club to opt out of the deal after a year if for whatever reason they weren't happy with the investment.
It was a fair deal for both sides, the gridiron equivalent of a pre-nup.
If healthy, Brees stood to earn $60 million over the span of the contract, fair compensation for an elite quarterback.
The Pelicans would be wise to employ a similar strategy in their impending negotiations with Cousins, who is rehabbing a career-threatening injury of his own.
History hasn't been kind to NBA players who rupture their Achilles tendons. Few have returned to the same level of productivity after suffering the injury.
But there are also reasons to believe the Pelicans' big man can recover and continue to be an All-Star-level talent.
The 27-year-old Cousins is still relatively young. His game is predicated on power and skill more than explosiveness. And Pelicans general manager Dell Demps recently said that Cousins is on schedule in his recovery and has experienced no setbacks in his rehabilitation.
Still, there are no guarantees. And the Pelicans must enter these negotiations with a maximum degree of caution.
It's a delicate situation, fraught with long-term implications.
Franchise player Anthony Davis is under contract for three more seasons and has stated his desire to bring back Cousins. The Pelicans need star-quality talent to compete in the Western Conference, and Cousins, when healthy, certainly qualifies.
For these reasons, the Pelicans almost have to make a run at re-signing Cousins. Yet they can't afford to hamstring the organization with a bad deal.
A maximum long-term contract is out of the question. There's too much on the line to take that kind of risk. Instead, a two- or three-year deal, as has been reported, makes sense.
For Cousins, it might be a bitter pill to swallow, considering how well he was playing before the injury. After averaging 25.2 points and 12.9 rebounds through the first 48 games of the season, he was months away from earning a maximum five-year, $175 million contract.
But his injury, just months before free agency, devastated his market. And with only a half-dozen teams even capable of offering him a maximum contract, leverage is not on his side. At this point, the Lakers, Mavericks and Wizards might be the only teams in the market for his services, and it's unclear what, if any, interest they have.
The Pelicans' offer is likely to be the best deal he receives. And it would be surprising if that offer was for maximum compensation and years.
In 2006, Brees was just one season removed from going to the Pro Bowl and leading the Chargers to a 12-4 record. But his injury changed everything. And the Dolphins and Saints were his only real suitors in free agency.
In the end, Brees' deal with the Saints worked out spectacularly well for both sides.
The business models of the NBA and NFL are obviously different. NBA teams don't have the luxury of non-guaranteed contracts. So Pelicans management will need to be extra cautious with the offer to Cousins.
Structurally, it will need to be different than the offer the Saints made Brees. But it should follow the same philosophy: fair but financially prudent.
A Brees-like deal for Cousins makes sense for the Pelicans. Whether it makes sense - and enough cents - for Cousins, remains to be seen.
Any team his signs with will probably include some percent ownership in the team
Raptors not sold on Ibaka-Valanciunas pairing
Serge Ibaka could be on the move this summer.
JUNE 29, 2018
The Toronto Raptors are not sold on the Serge Ibaka–Jonas Valanciunas pairing and will listen to trade offers for both players this offseason, according to a report from TSN.ca.
The report states that no player on the roster is untouchable, including All-Star guards Kyle Lowryand DeMar DeRozan.
The Raptors had the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference this past season with a regular season record of 59-23, but were swept by LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round of the playoffs for the second consecutive year.
The early exit cost coach Dwane Casey his job, as he was fired and replaced by assistant Nick Nurse.
If the Raptors had it their way, they would trade Ibaka and keep Valanciunas.
Nurse and Valanciunas have a strong relationship, as the two spent hours working on improving Valanciunas’s three-point shot this year.
In 2017-18, Valanciunas shot 74 three-pointers, hitting 30 of them. He spoke many times about how Nurse’s philosophy was something he would have to adapt to considering the traditional big man game in the post is not something that is utilized often in today’s NBA.
The 26-year-old Valanciunas is set to make $16.5 million in 2018-19 and has a player option worth $17.6 million for 2019-20.
There is optimism within the Raptors organization that Valanciunas will have more confidence in his perimeter game and won’t be hesitant to shoot more threes now that Nurse is the head man in charge.
In 77 games this year, Valanciunas averaged 12.7 points and 8.6 rebounds, shooting 56.8 percent from the field and 40.5 percent from beyond the arc.
Ibaka, meanwhile, has been a huge disappointment since the Raptors traded for him in 2017. Finding a trade partner willing to absorb the $44.9 million Ibaka is owed over the next two seasons would likely require Toronto to take back a bad contract or cost them additional assets.
In 99 games with the Raptors, Ibaka is averaging 13.0 points and 6.4 rebounds, shooting 47.7 percent overall and 37.0 percent from three.
As a Raptors fan I'm glad to hear this. We need to make some changes.
Russell Westbrook hosting 'summer hype house party' with Paul George in town
Durant still isnt locked into GS LONG TERM, and is keeping his options open.