Pacific Division Preview
2015-09-14
[Editor’s Note: This is the first in our annual six part series of division previews, here at C:tB. EvilGenius tips it off with a Pacific Division preview. Key to every team in this series will be the teams’ additions, subtractions, storylines, a prediction of how far they’ll go this season, and a new wrinkle for this year… a spotlight on a player we’d love to have and a player we love to hate from each team.]
Even though football season has just kicked off in earnest, we here at C:tB believe it’s never too early for hoop dreams and roundball ruminations. Okay, we’re actually still about two weeks out from the official start of training camp, but hey, if LeBron can assemble all the King’s men (minus TT, Moz and Delly) to Miami to get to work a little early, then we can absolutely dive into some previews for the coming season.
While the NBA voted to make the divisions in each conference even less relevant than they’ve been in the past, we’ll still group them accordingly (since it’s just easier to compile them geographically anyway). We hit the ground running with the Pacific Division, that includes: the defending NBA Champions; the hijack of the summer; the Mamba’s Last Ride?; the fiery wrath of a separated twin; and the nuttiest looney bin this side of Salem, Oregon.
Saddle up with us, and let’s take a trip out west…
Golden State Warriors
I’m not sure there’s a more annoying reigning NBA champion I can remember having to be subjected to during the course of one summer than the Warriors (and I lived through all five Kobe Laker championships here in LA!). Granted, I am undoubtedly biased as a Cavs fan, but there’s just something about these Warriors and their fanbase that irritates the senses. Be it Draymond Green’s victory parade antics, having Klay’s dad and all of the adoptive Warrior fans in Los Angeles fawn over the Splash Brothers, watching Riley Curry whip and then nae nae, or having to listen to countless local and national media honks predicting a Golden State dynasty. Heck, even Sir Charles is fed up with fans of the jump-shooting team. And if that wasn’t bad enough, they also seem to have no issues re-signing their stars to contracts (even for less than the max!), or be subjected to wild speculation about them possibly leaving in free agency down the road.
As they say, “when it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” so, it comes as little surprise that Golden State did only very minor tinkering with their roster from their championship season, returning nearly all of their rotation players (minus David Lee) while adding Jason Thompson, returning Brandon Rush, and drafting a versatile future piece in Kevon Looney.
Additions: Draymond Green (re-signed), Leandro Barbosa (re-signed), Kevon Looney (draft), Jason Thompson (Sacramento), Chris Babb (Boston)
Subtractions: David Lee (Boston), Justin Holiday (Atlanta), Ognjen Kuzmić (Greece)
Storylines:
1. The biggest question facing the Warriors isn’t whether or not they can defend their title against a fully-loaded, fully-healthy (and augmented) Cavs squad, but if they can even make a return trip to the Finals in what should prove to be a much tougher Western Conference to navigate. The Clippers, Spurs, Rockets and Grizzlies all got better, and the Thunder look to be healthy again and a force with which to be reckoned. Golden State’s versatility and torrential outside shooting should still keep them near the top of the conference, but their path is much more treacherous, particularly once they get to the playoffs. It’s unlikely they’ll encounter the same level of injured opposing PGs.
2. And speaking of injuries, the Warriors had few (if any) befall them last year (although rookie Looney will miss 4-6 months with hip surgery this season). Like the Cavs, they have a young core, but they do have several aging complementary players (Iggy, Livingston, Speights, Bogut, Barbosa) who may be more susceptible to the wear and tear of the regular season. Fortunately for Golden State, their system allows for the kind of plug-and-play personnel shifts that should keep them fresh. It remains to be seen if Brandon Rush will ever return to his early career form.
3. Will their three young stars continue to flourish? Steph Curry was the MVP… Green was the runner-up Defensive Player of the Year and Most Improved Player of the Year… Thompson was an All-Star and set an NBA record with 37 points in a quarter. Will these accomplishments be the ceiling for these players, or will they continue to grow together and turn this team into a dynasty?
Player I’d Love to Have: Andre Iguodala. Iggy earned every bit of his Finals MVP award. He’s a superlative defender, and has enough offensive skill left to be dangerous (just ask the Cavs). There would be arguably no better back-up for LeBron than Andre. And, he seems like a pretty nice guy to boot (maybe the only Warrior I can actually stand if I’m being honest).
Player I Love to Hate: Draymond Green. Maybe the most loathsome player in the NBA.
Prediction: 60-22 Eliminated in Western Conference Finals
With so many other teams in the WC improving (some dramatically), I have a hard time seeing the Warriors getting back to the Finals to defend their crown. It gets too easily discounted the run of good luck they had through the post-season last year, when Curry got to face the likes of Norris Cole, an injured Mike Conley, Pablo Prigioni (filling in for an injured Patrick Beverly), and Delly (filling in admirably for Kyrie after Game 1). Not to mention, the seeding quirks that forced a first round heavyweight bout between the next best teams in the conference (Spurs and Clippers), which went seven grueling games and essentially took both out of the mix of opponents for Golden State. This is not to underestimate the ability of the Warriors to shoot their way back into a Finals rematch with the Cavs, but there will be pot-holes aplenty, and even some Thunder on the horizon.
Los Angeles Clippers
As the ultimate “Hack-a-DJ” played out in Texas on July 8th, with members of the Clippers camping out barricading themselves in at DeAndre’s house (which Mark Cuban supposedly could not find — at least according to Chris Broussard’s sources), I couldn’t keep the following ditty by the Boys of Beastie from running amok through my brain…
I can’t stand it I know you planned it
I’m gonna set it straight, this watergate
I can’t stand rocking when I’m in here
Because your crystal ball ain’t so crystal clear
So while you sit back and wonder why
I got this f—-ing thorn in my side
Oh my God, it’s a mirage
I’m tellin’ y’all it’s sabotage
So listen up ’cause you can’t say nothin’
You’ll shut me down with a push of your button?
But yo I’m out and I’m gone
I’ll tell you now I keep it on and on
‘Cause what you see you might not get
And we can bet so don’t you get souped yet
You’re scheming on a thing that’s a mirage
I’m trying to tell you now it’s sabotage
Why our backs are now against the wall
Listen all of y’all it’s a sabotage
Listen all of y’all it’s a sabotage
Listen all of y’all it’s a sabotage
Listen all of y’all it’s a sabotage!
And, just like that, the Clippers went from disaster to deliverance… collapse to contender. Not only did they manage to hang onto their big man, but they also added a slew of potentially great (and potentially volatile) pieces around their big three of DJ, CP3 and Blake Griffin.
Additions: DeAndre Jordan (re-signed), Paul Pierce (Washington), Austin Rivers (re-signed), Josh Smith (Houston), Lance Stephenson (Charlotte), Chuck Hayes (Toronto), Cole Aldrich (New York), Wesley Johnson (LAL)
Subtractions: Matt Barnes (Memphis), Spencer Hawes (Charlotte)
Storylines:
1. After the best drama of the summer, have DJ and CP3 finally put their friction behind them? More than likely, things got hashed out pretty well while they were holed up together. But, who knows what will happen the first time DJ forgets how much time is on the shot clock, or refuses to practice his free throw shooting. Paul is still the alpha of this team, and likely won’t be shy about getting on DJ’s case, especially now that he’s locked up to a long-term deal.
2. Will the complementary players the Clips brought in be the missing veteran pieces that help finally push LA over the top and into the Finals? Or will they prove to be too old (Pierce), unpredictable (Stephenson) or boneheaded (Smith) to make a positive impact. Only time, and Doc’s patience, will tell…
3. Since the DJ catastrophe was averted, which will be the biggest disaster of the season for the Clips… their awful new logo, or Doc’s continued steadfast commitment to nepotism?
Player I’d Love to Have: Paul Pierce. Veteran leadership, clutch shooting, solid defense and heady play all rolled up into one cocky, chip-on-his-shoulder package. Plus, having him on the Cavs would mean that he wouldn’t be able to hit miracle shots for the opposing team.
Player I Love to Hate: (tie) Paul Pierce, Lance Stephenson, Josh Smith (two or three of the top LeBron rivals all reside in one place now).
Prediction: 57-25 Eliminated in Finals
This is the Clippers’ year. Doc has all of the tools he needs now to finally get LA to the promised land. He doesn’t, however, have enough to derail the freight train that is the Cavaliers. I debated with myself for a while on this, and as much as I’d love for the Cavs to finally win their title by getting revenge on the team that ousted them last year, it would actually be sweeter to get it against old foes Doc and Pierce. I, for one, hope it happens…
Phoenix Suns
The Suns lived up to their name for much of last season, rising and sinking several times during the year. Their initial prospects looked promising, and they were nearly ten games over .500 at the end of January, before the bottom fell out. A 3-10 run knocked them back down to just above even in February, and they shipped out Goran Dragic and Isaiah Thomas before the trade deadline, bringing back Brandon Knight. It took a little while, but they eventually looked like they might make a run at the 8th playoff seed in the West, as they won seven of ten at the beginning of March. They were even slightly ahead of the Thunder and Pelicans for the final spot, until they finished the season on a brutal 1-10 streak, fading past the horizon.
Despite the rough finish, the Suns had positioned themselves well with their mid-season trades and young assets to be a big time player in free agency, and even a dark horse contender for LaMarcus Aldridge. To further entice LMA, they manage to quickly lock down big man Tyson Chandler for $52 million over four years. Chandler’s presence wasn’t enough to lure Aldridge, and the Suns might not have traded Marcus Morris away if they knew LaMarcus would go elsewhere. And if they hadn’t traded Morris, they might not have incurred the wrath of his twin brother Markieff… but that’s life.
Additions: Devin Booker (draft), Tyson Chandler (Dallas), Brandon Knight (re-signed), Jon Leuer (Memphis), Ronnie Price (Indiana), Mirza Teletovic (Brooklyn), Sonny Weems (CSKA Moscow)
Subtractions: Gerald Green (Heat), Marcus Morris (Detroit), Brandan Wright (Grizzlies)
Storylines:
1. The contract the Suns gave Chandler is at least a decent sized risk, especially given Chandler’s age and up-and-down career. But he’ll be a major upgrade defensively, and if anyone can keep him on the court into his mid-30s, it’s Phoenix’s legendary training and medical staff.
2. The Suns were able to use Marcus Morris’ salary slot to sign Mirza Teletovic as a replacement and keep their cap clear for a potential run at Kevin Durant in 2016. However, the cost of doing so is the happiness of the other Morris twin, Markieff, who has publicly campaigned to be traded (and been fined $10K by the NBA for doing so). The question will be whether or not the Suns can hang onto their talented forward, or if they are forced to part ways with him.
3. Do the Suns have enough parts to get a grip on that final playoff spot this year? And, more importantly, if they do, would they even want it?
Player I’d Love to Have: Markieff Morris. In the wake of the TT/Rich Paul standoff with the Cavs, Morris would be an ideal replacement for Tristan, if it could somehow be figured out. He’s got the tools to be a double-double machine, and has quite a bit more upside offensively.
Player I Love to Hate: Markieff Morris. It bothers me when young forwards try and get up or over on LeBron in meaningless regular season games (which happened in LBJ’s first game back after his two week sabbatical last year). Check yourself before you wreck yourself, Kieff…
Prediction: 42-40 Eliminated in first round
If the Suns can hang onto Morris, or trade him for another valuable piece, it seems like they’ll have just enough to reach the post-season… and get the snot beat out of them in round one. With both Portland and Dallas likely regressing substantially this year, there should be room for two others. OKC will take one of those spots, and the Suns are my pick for the other.
Los Angeles Lakers
Another year… another lost season for the Lakers. Well, at least they won’t have Kobe Bean Bryant to kick around for much longer… right? Right?!
Poor Mamba. It’s easy to forget that he’s actually still in the league after his rash of season-ending injuries over the last few years. Still, all that time off has probably done wonders for his mood (I mean, he even buried the hatchet with Shaq… so, progress?). In any event, much of the spotlight will be on Kobe as the season unfolds, with many asking whether or not it will be his last (Jim Buss isn’t going to say so).
Meanwhile, after striking out once again with the top free agents on the market (despite their terrific audio-visual presentations — just ask LMA or Melo), the Lakers regrouped by preserving their flexibility at another run at free agency next summer. They did sign Brandon Bass and Lou Williams to modest deals, but most of the Lakers’ cap space went to acquiring Roy Hibbert’s expiring contract from the Pacers. Adding Hibbert means the Lakers have at least a marginal shot at being more competitive this season, especially with the additions of D’Angelo Russell and Julius Randle (and minus all the Lin-sanity!).
Additions: Brandon Bass (Washington), Anthony Brown (draft), Roy Hibbert (Indiana), Larry Nance Jr. (draft), D’Angelo Russell (draft), Lou Williams (Toronto)
Subtractions: Ed Davis (Portland), Wayne Ellington (Brooklyn), Jordan Hill (Indiana), Wesley Johnson (LAC), Jeremy Lin (Charlotte)
Storylines:
1. Kobe. Will this be his last year? Will he pass the torch to the young guys like Russell and Randle? Is he capable of riding off into the sunset gracefully? Or will he try to gun and pistolwhip this rag-tag bunch into a marginal playoff spot?
2. Does Roy Hibbert have anything left, and will a change of scenery be good for the big man? Or will he get exposed in the fast-paced, small-ball West?
3. How long until the Lakers recover from the Kobe contract and get good again? It’s painfully obvious that no established stars are going to get all that excited about LA until the Mamba has slithered off into retirement. Are Russell and Randle the stars of the future, or just place-holders for the next imports?
Player I’d Love to Have: Jordan Clarkson. A PG with great size, good floor vision and a decent shot. Would be the perfect young backup to Kyrie.
Player I Love to Hate: Kobe Bryant. Hate’s probably too strong a word anymore. It’s decayed into a lazy dislike and a hope that the end is finally in sight. Although, I’ll probably miss the Mamba when he’s gone… (but not really).
Prediction: 40-42 Miss the playoffs
Despite a surprisingly healthy Kobe’s best efforts, the Lakers fall just short of the playoffs. However, they’re good enough to keep the Lakers mired in mid-first-round mediocrity. Kobe finally announces his retirement at the end of the season. Kevin Durant schedules a visit to LA as his first stop. In the meeting, Jim and Jeannie Buss tell KD they have a surprise for him. In walks the Mamba, and he informs a dumbfounded Durant that the retirement was just a smokescreen, and that they’re going to win one last ring for Kobe together. KD smiles awkwardly, pretends he’s getting a call and excuses himself. A half hour later, KD is on a plane to Washington. At their wits end, the Buss family agrees to sell the team to Kobe. Checkmate.
Sacramento Kings
Rather than rehash the insanity that is the Sacramento Kings, I think I summed it up pretty well earlier this summer…
It makes you wonder what George Karl must have done in a past life to karmically deserve the hellish sentence of coaching both Boogie Cousins AND Rajon Rondo… TOGETHER. Though he may not make it to opening day, it could just be that Vivek Ranadive just wants to see if he can push GK far enough so that he’ll quit and forfeit his salary. The Rondo signing (even though it’s just for one year at $9.5M) is probably neither a good fit, nor a sound business decision. The Kings did try to throw money at several other Free Agents (like Wes Matthews), and at potential Karl replacements (like John Calipari), but they were roundly snubbed by most. Aside from Rondo, they did somehow con Marco Belinelli into signing up (three years, $19M), but the real focus seems to be finding a way to Apocalypse Now their way out by jamming their powder keg and rigging it to blow.
Additions: Rajon Rondo (Dallas), Caron Butler (Detroit), Quincy Acy (New York), James Anderson (Philadelphia), Marco Belinelli (Spurs), Omri Casspi (re-signed), Willie Cauley-Stein (draft), Kosta Koufos (Memphis), Seth Curry (Phoenix)
Subtractions: Carl Landry (Philadelphia), Ray McCallum (Spurs), Nik Stauskas (Philadelphia), Jason Thompson (Golden State), Derrick Williams (New York)
Storylines:
1. If I lived in Sacramento, I might buy season tickets to this Sleep-Train wreck, if only to catch the potential fireworks in person (sometimes SportsCenter just doesn’t convey the sheer moments of rage and frustration a coach experiences when being asked to run this kind of asylum). Actually, even though I don’t live there, I’ve talked myself into making my way to at least a couple of games in Sacto.
2. Stranger things have happened, but I could be completely wrong, and maybe somehow Rondo and Boogie will be dynamite together (I just re-read this line and giggled uncontrollably to myself… maybe the crazy is rubbing off on me). But still, they do have a lot of defensive big men to play next to the Boogie man now, like Koufos and Cauley-Stein.
3. Will George Karl end up a) In the playoffs; b) In the unemployment line; or c) In-stitutionalized?
Player I’d Love to Have: Boogie Cousins. With the right coach, DeMarcus has the potential to be a transcendent talent. With him and LBJ on the court together, they’d be juggernauts.
Player I Love to Hate: Rajon Rondo. Some people speculated that LeBron quit on the Cavs in Game 5 against Rondo and the Celtics in 2010. There is no need for speculation on whether or not Rondo quit on the Mavs last year. Rondo is the poster child for quitters.
Prediction: 30-52 Lottery bound
Sacto… the new Cuckoo’s Nest…
I WILL BE THERE FOR THE SCRIMMAGE ——GETTING THE FEVER ALREADY !!!
GET EXCITED!!!!
http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2015/09/cleveland_cavaliers_announce_d_2.html#incart_river
MOST OF THE SO CALLED EXPERTS ARE SAYING THE TRIBE HAS TO FINISH LIKE 17 -5 TO HAVE A LEGIT SHOT AT THE PLAYOFFS —–IT’S A LONGSHOT BUT 2 YRS AGO THEY DID FINISH WITH 11 WINS IN A ROW —WHO KNOWS ?
The season can’t start soon enough. After watching the Browns first game, football season is over. When is the first Cavs game?
Joey, don’t forget about the Lindor era Indians! They are in range of the last wildcard spot, and right now no one can beat them.
Unless Bauer is pitching… ;)
I admire your faith in the Tribe, Raoul, and they have definitely played much better since they traded away Bourn, Swisher and Rzepczynski and turned the team over to the youngsters (Lindor is the stud I hoped he’d be), but being 4 games back in the loss column with just 20 to go and three teams to jump over is probably too tall of an order…
Huh. Never picked you for a frontrunner.
How do you mean? I’ve always been a Tribe fan and hope for the best, but the reality of the situation is that their early season woes plus the injury to Gomes put them in an almost impossible hole to climb out of. They control their destiny with the Twins (since they have six more head to heads against them), but need to probably go 15-5 in their remaining games, and then pray for both the Rangers and Angels to go cold…
This should help their odds at least…
I am being optimistic!
This could be the start of a great era. The Dolan’s have to spend some money this off season. It is probably impossible to get a slugger, but a couple good bull pen guys could make the difference next year.
These Dolans must be related to Larry and Paul…
The Dolans should have some extra cash to play with this offseason: French company agrees to buy Cablevision for $17.7 billion.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/17/business/international/altice-in-deal-to-take-over-cablevision.html?ref=business
Don’t sleep on Memphis. They were two big injuries from knocking out the Dubs last year. Brandan Wright will give them a new dimension off the bench, and Jeff Green will have a full offseason to get integrated. Plus, look for Jordan Adams to improve in year two after a solid, if unspectacular, rookie outing.
Yessir. Griz are a couple breaks away from playing in the Finals every year. They have the most dominant frontcourt and most imposing defense in the league.
Both the Griz and Cavs have enormous teams that will always be tough outs in the playoffs. Like a pendulum, the league will eventually shift back away from small ball as coaching strategy adapts.
OH geez, They have zero shot unless a ton of injuries happen to other teams. Sorry dude.
You’re so easy to troll.
Zero shot? Would you give me 100:1 odds?
Yes. Of course I would. But in real life you’d never get those odds
Grizzlies are currently at 33/1 on Bovada.
Cavs/Grizzlies Finals. Just you wait. Return of the Big Man.
If not, Cavs/Clips.
Dream scenario: Cavs/Warrios, win 4-0, 32 point avg. margin of victory, Draymond Green cries and poops himself on national TV and then quits the NBA.
Grizzlies have no shot.
OKC, Houston, Clippers are the teams to beat in the West.
I don’t love OKC. I think they could definitely get there but I have questions about the bench, new coach, style of play, and defense. I think these three teams are Tier 2 teams in the West. I’d put SAS and the Warriors above them.
When you say “questions about the bench” is that just code for “Dion is on their bench?”
If healthy, OKC has the talent to be the best team in the West. Even when they weren’t healthy (Durant only played 27 games, Westbrook 67 but about 15 with a broken face, Ibaka 64) they still tied the Pelicans for the 8th best record and missed out on the playoffs on tiebreakers. They competed over the last month of the season with busted-face Westbrook throwing up insane triple-doubles on the nightly to try and carry the team by himself into the playoffs. Don’t be the victim of a short memory. Don’t sleep on the Thunder. Injuries are always a… Read more »
Sure injuries are always a factor. But the Cavs wound up with worse injuries, and went six games in the finals, and would have won with competent referees.
The Cavs did not have worse injuries. Losing Durant was essentially their equivalent of losing LeBron. Westbrook is an All-Star, but he’s not an MVP like Durant. They also lost their third wheel, and best defensive player in Ibaka. I wonder if the Cavs would have made the playoffs if their losses were to LBJ and KLove and they were just reliant on Kyrie having massive games to try and will them into the post-season…
cwzagger – that was hilarious, I just laughed out loud at that comment. And EG, that’s what I’m saying. I can’t believe people are actually questioning OKC’s chances of making the playoffs. They have the ability to rip apart anyone on any night. I think the Thunder are a top three seed and go to the finals.
I’ve got a SAS/Cavs finals. I think the Spurs are the best team in the west.
I think a lot of people will pick the Spurs, but they have real questions at PG if Parker has another year like last year…
Spurs are older and worse than they were last year when they got dumped in the first round yet again. Poppovich gets a lot of press, but his teams have a habit of getting beat in the first two rounds of the playoffs.
Actually, I don’t think you can say that they are worse… since they did add LaMarcus Aldridge and David West and re-signed Kahwi Leonard and Danny Green. The only place where they might be worse is at the PG position if Tony Parker can’t turn things around. They still have Patty Mills, who is okay, but they lost Corey Joseph to Toronto…
Habit of getting beat in the first two rounds? That sounds like the Clippers, who have never even made it to the conference finals. Meanwhile, the Spurs and Pop have won 5 titles.
They Have Aldridge, Duncan, and a top five NBA player in Leonard. They’ll be fine.
They won’t get to the Finals, too old.
Their core of Leonard, Aldridge, and Danny Green are all in their prime, but ok. Look for a breakout year from Kyle Anderson off the bench, and look for them to make a deal for a guard if Parker/Mills isn’t cutting it by mid-season.
I think the Spurs have a good chance of making the finals, BUT:
You have Leonard in the NBA top five? That sounds like an argument starter. Who else you have there? Is Danny Green a core player? Would he be a starter on the Cavs?
I’m with you on a Cavs/Clippers Finals.
For those looking for a well-argued article on how TT/Paul are screwing around with a good thing see:
http://kingjamesgospel.com/2015/09/13/tristan-thompson-alienating-cavalier-teammates/?utm_source=FanSided&utm_medium=Network&utm_campaign=RecentPosts
Yup. Sure, it’s totally within TT’s right as a free American to ask for as much money as he can possibly get. It’s also within Dan Gilbert’s right to refuse to pay him tens of millions of $ that he hasn’t earned.
Offers were made. Stances were set. Now that TT hasn’t shown up at LeBron’s mini camp, this holdout is affecting basketball operations. TT needs to sort his stuff out. Asking for Kyrie Irving money is just a warped point of view.
KING JAMES GOSPEL / SAM AMICO REPORTING POSSIBLE CAVS INTEREST IN NORRIS COLE ( WHO IS PRACTICING WITH LEBRON ) —-NOT SURE WHERE HE WOULD FIT IN / PLUS COST TO SIGN ?
No thanks. We currently have 2 better options at backup PG in Delly and Mo.
I would love it if they picked him up. He can create offense, shoot, and defend… and he’s a champion. Also, could be interest in him if Irving needs the time to heal.
Only way they’re signing him is if he’s giving CLE the hometown deal… that’s why I don’ think it’ll happen.
The Cavs are a team that can’t have too many PGs. Each one on the roster has enormous strengths but very obvious flaws.
I agree with you DaveR… can’t never have too many PGs, especially one like Cole who’s agile and quick, with championship experience.
He’s not a very good shooter. The Cavs could use one more guy who can play point for emergency purposes early in the season, but I imagine he’d be buried later in the season. And yeah, the Cavs can only sign him on the minimum.
He might not be a very good shooter, but his 3pt shooting performance (53% 3pt/46% from the field) during the 2012-13 playoff/championship run shows he can hit a lot of big shots at the most crucial time. Further, he’s young and I think he has a legit shooting stroke. For the minimum? The Cavs should be all over that.
Zero chance of that happening… since Cole is also a client of Klutch Sports and one Rich Paul…
Different situation. If Cole had an offer of more than the minimum, he’d be on a roster right now. I could see him ending up in Cleveland.
True, but still hard to see Rich Paul allowing a client to give a “home town discount.” Would be too damaging to the Klutch brand…
For some reason, this discussion about Cole’s agent makes me LOL… I don’t know why.
I recall Miami fans were pretty happy to dump Cole. I really don’t think he’s that good. He’s not a good finisher and can’t shoot. I’d take Delly over him any day.
Couldn’t have said it better myself.
I see the Jazz taking that 8th seed. And the Clippers winning the west seems like an annual preseason prediction now by analysts and enthusiasts, but I just don’t see the mental toughness there from anyone besides Paul Pierce. Even with all their talent, I can’t see them out lasting the Spurs, Warriors and Thunder; not enough mental fortitude on the Clippers’ roster.
As a fan. really hope for the best of health across the league, could be a tremendous season seeing the hyper-competitive battle of juggernauts out west and dominance of the Cavs in the east.
I just don’t get the Utah love. Who scores for that team? I like Gobert and Favors, but think Hayward is overrated and their guard play is not terrific. And by the way, I actively root against the Clips and have never been a believer in their ability to get to the next level. However, I was there for Game 7 of their series against the Spurs last year, and they were really close to turning the corner last year. I would say if they had someone like Pierce in the series against the Rockets, they would have closed that… Read more »
Utah will struggle to score at times. The closest thing they have to a “go to” guy is Hayward. But they certainly have a lot of guys who are capable of scoring. Last year they had five guys average double digits. This year look for Rodney Hood and Gobert to up their scoring to double digits now that Kanter’s gone. They do need a bigger starting guard to allow Trey Burke to come off the bench, and that may end up being being Alec Burks. But with the Stifle Tower, Favors, Withey, and Tibor Pleiss, they will continue to have… Read more »
I just think you have to be able to score to make the playoffs in the loaded Western Conference. The stifle towers are great, but I don’t think they’re enough…
Eh. I’m picking Portland, Dallas, and/or the Thunder to miss the playoffs. Utah trades for Rubio before mid-season and their defense gets even better.
No chance Thunder miss the playoffs. They will be the 4 seed, at worst.
I am just skeptical they can stay healthy.
In the latter part of the season, Utah turned into one of the best defenses in the league. Their offense is really balanced, as Nate points out, but will most likely struggle at times against other elite defenses. Hanging their hat on their own length and grit on defense should get them the eighth seed. LAC are just underwhelming every postseason. Against the Thunder in 2014 and then Houston this past postseason, they seem to always manage to lose series they are undoubtedly in the position to win. They will most likely have to go through at least two of… Read more »
Hard to find too many guys more mentally tough than The Truth. If he has anything left in the tank, he’ll be a difference maker for them on the court and in the locker room… And as far as impeccable talent, CP3 and Blake match up pretty favorably against every other PG/PF tandem in the WC…
No one is questioning their talent, everyone is unanimously in love with their talent. I’m talking about getting it done, taking advantage of an opportunity when it’s on a silver platter. Hence why i stated SA, GS, OKC as teams with not just impeccable talent.
Well, like I said… I have been among the skeptics of the Clips for a few years now. I saw two Clips games in person last year. The first was against the Cavs in January where the talent was on display, but not the mental fortitude. The second was Game 7 of round one against the Spurs, where both talent and mental fortitude were on display. Pierce should only add to that mindset. They proved to themselves they could win a tough series. I think this is the year where they finally translate talent and experience into a long playoff… Read more »
The Alaskan Assassin! Back in Cleveland!
As I recall, he had one great game, and a couple of good games, in a few years in Cleveland.
Any idea what Dir. of Player Administration does?
Well, I was a huge fan of his at Duke and/because we’re from the same home town.
Lakers made some sneaky good moves. I like Clarkson a lot, and that back-court could become dynamic.
They won’t be unwatchable this year, but Byron will spend a lot of time snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
Count me among those who think that while the salaries work, Markieff would not be a great TT replacement. He’s nowhere near the rebounder or defender TT is. And while he can shoot, he’s only %33 for his career; he can be a chucker. He’s also seems like a complete a-hole who thinks he’s much better than he actually is. Suns won’t make the playoffs with the internal turmoil they have. That spot’s reserved for Utah. Sacramento boggles my mind. Vivek said he wanted a faster paced offense (of course, that was before Mullin and D’Allesandro left), and now they’ve… Read more »
He’s an inch taller than TT, he’s definitely a better shooter and scorer, his PER is nearly identical, his scoring and rebounding averages have gone up every season he’s been in the league. He shoots 45% from the field, 76% from the line and the aforementioned 33% from three. He’s also just as much of an iron man as TT, missing only one game in the last three years. Totally agree that he seems like an a-hole (I did name him also as the player on the Suns I love to hate), but in a world where the Cavs might… Read more »
I’d be fine with that trade. Morris’ deal is a bargain. His bro will be close enough in Detroit for off day get togethers at Kalahari in Sandusky. The Suns organization has been a mess since Sarver bought the team. They are the 90s Warriors. Even when they find talent, they find a way to mess it up. The Cavs have structure. Morris could thrive here.
Interesting thoughts. I don’t love anyone in this division, but Golden State will remain a tough out. It will be interesting to see if they can survive the letdown that comes with winning a championship. Their contracts have mostly helped them avoid the “disease of more,” but that is coming next year. With the right draw, they could get to the finals again, and they have the depth to post the best regular season record again. The Clips will be good, but there are so many questions. How long will Paul Pierce be able to play at an above average… Read more »
I went back and forth a lot, but I just couldn’t get past the fact that GSW got such a lucky draw injury wise last year. But yes, certainly feasible they repeat their trip to the Finals…
There’s a certain critical mass that I believe the Clips have reached. Could the whole thing blow up in their faces, sure… but I don’t know what more they could have done to strengthen their team for a Finals run than what they did this off season…
The Warriors absolutely will not repeat. They got extremely lucky and if the Cavs had a non-injured Irving or a non-injured Love, or a non-fat Delly, they would have not even won one title.
OKC is the best in the west, but the Clippers or Rockets can take it if OKC is injured. Warriors are way down on the list of teams to win the west.
YOU THE MAN EVIL —-GREAT INSIGHT ON THE TEAMS DONE IN YOUR ” USUAL / UNIQE EVIL FLARE “—-MARKIEF ( LIKE MANY ATHLETE’S ) WITH THE RIGHT ATTITUDE/ ENVIRONMENT COULD BE A SOLID FORCE / IF WE KNEW THIS WOULD BE THE PLAYER WE GET IN A TRADE I WOULD MAKE THE KIEF / T.T. TRADE NOW ( SORRY COLS )—-HEY EVIL SINCE YOU ARE A WEST COAST PERSON AND ME LIVING HERE ( CEDAR POINT –NORTHCOAST ) I NEEED TO SEE IF I CAN HOOK UP WITH YOU ON SOME ” PLINY THE ELDER ” BEVERAGE / GREAT REPUTATION… Read more »
The Browns are probably the worst run organization in professional sports.
I’ll see what I can do on the Pliny the Elder, NOMAD…
Have you ever had the younger? It’s hard to get.
Never have. I’ve heard it’s great though
I’ve got tickets to the Cavs/Lakers in LA this year. Looking forward to it! My prediction is that I’ll get a face-full of Lakers fans telling me how much better Kobe is than Lebron in the first quarter, followed by Lebron and crew opening up a double-digit lead by the second quarter. The third quarter should see Laker fans telling me to ignore the scoreboard and look instead at the dusty Championship banners in the rafters, and by the 4th quarter, I should be able to move down to the floor level seats .
LOL! See you there Excl!
Great job EG. Makes me glad we don’t have to listen to all the West coast NBA (fill in here with derogatory noun of choice). I agree Markieff is a good replacement for TT talent-wise. TT/Rich Paul continue to work their way up the Cavs villains list.
TT/Rich Paul are not villains. They are just trying to get TT paid. I hope he does get paid. I’d rather the money go to the players than the billionaire owners.
Gilbert makes money regardless how much he pays TT.
Cols I also hope he gets paid and is back with the Cavs…for a long time. I just think what he/Paul are asking for is way out of line with reality.
So what. They are allowed to ask for whatever they want. A contract will eventually get done and TT will get lots of money. There’s no reason to care if he is overpaid or underpaid as long as he is back. The Cavs will have zero room under the cap either way.
Sure! Just give the entire team the max. Also the dancers and the waterboy.
Huh?
1. Why would you care if they did this? It’s Gilbert’s money, I don’t see why I am supposed to care how much he spends as long as he spends it on winning
2. That would be dumb.
Thanks Tom! Yes, it does get tedious being surrounded by the west coast bias on the daily…
Clippers will win this division. Golden state had everything go right for them last year. They are due for a tumble.
Cols, we are in agreement on this…
We will see I believe golden state will repeat Steve Kerr with another year under his belt. Klay Thompson and Draymond Green will continue to develop, Curry will have another mvp season the sky is the limit for this team. I realize this website would be little bias, since we are still feeling the sting of the finals. But you have to give credit where credit is due that was an historically great team and there is no reason they shouldn’t repeat.
Get real. That was a historically lucky team.