Justin Jaudon

Last season, Gordon was virtually equal per 36, but more efficient . Even inefficient Gordon was basically just as good a scorer. Gordon is Young and should improve. Thomas is older and injured, less likely to bounce back.

There is almost no chance he's not capable of being in the rotation. Do you know anything about this kid? He was one of the better backup PGs in the league last year. He's just about to enter his prime, and he's improved every year. Even if it does happen that he can't contribute, you're considering risking a second round pick on a guy who's almost definitely at least a really solid back-up to be a big risk? Really? What do you think we should be getting with second round picks?

Isaiah Thomas, Kyle Lowry, and Goran Dragic all played on three teams by the time they were 26. Just saying. Sometimes it takes a while for a PG to get it all together, and often guys who haven't put it together but look like they have potential get traded because they have value.

I feel like there's a good argument to be made that Jerian was the better PG on the Bulls last year. And the age difference between him and Dunn is negligible. If we'd gotten Kris Dunn, people would be very excited, acting like we got a possible future starter. What is really the difference between the two? Dunn gets more steals, but he turns the ball over way more. Jerian is coming off a very solid season, and he's improved visibly every year in the league.

I disagree so far. But only because I have a very high opinion of Dipo. I think he'll get better against double teams (why not? He's gotten better at everything else), and be a top 10 guy in the league. He's a rare two-way guard who can be an elite scorer and defender. There are very few of those in history.

For the record, I really like Grant. I'm excited to see him get an opportunity to start (I assume he'll at least be given the chance).

And you could absolutely be right. But I never thought scoring was what made EP bad (at least, not the biggest thing). EP couldn't/wouldn't (both?) defend consistently. The problem with Smart is that his offense is actually worse than EP's, because he takes just way too many bad shots. EP knew his limitations (perhaps too well) on offense, and thus played timid. That hurt. But is it worst to be timid or overconfident? Depends just how bad a shooter you are, I guess.

I just can't help but think of what a lineup with Smart/Ross/Isaac/Gordon/Bamba could do on defense. How do you score on that team? At all? We'd be beating teams 85-75 on a regular basis.

He was a weird player in college, too. Very different from his NBA role so far. He ran the offense, but he was very high-usage (29% as a soph), inefficient shooter. He did have a good assist % and a decent TO% that sophomore year, though. I think he can run an offense, and it's conceivable that it might actually help him take fewer bad shots. Just the change in mind-set might help.

I wish I could understand my weird love for Marcus Smart as a basketball player, but I want us to get a deal done for him so bad. He just fits the defensive nastiness that I want to see from a PG. And I guess my thinking is that no one's shooting can stay bad for that long - hell, even Rubio is downright average now. He's a solid FT shooter. He just seems to take awful shots. I keep thinking that a change of coaching staff, different direction offensively, could really help him. Kemba improved his shooting quite a bit under Clifford. Aaron has improved here. If Smart could just improve to Rubio's level - look at the similarities in shooting their first 4 years, for reference - he could be a very, very good player. I guess my point is that I'd give up Vuc and the OKC pick in a sign-and-trade for Smart and call this off-season glorious. Smart seems pissed that Boston is playing games with his RFA. Rumors are he might take the QO and then Boston would likely lose him for nothing next year as he'd be unrestricted; they'd have to lock up Rozier, especially if they can't re-sign Kyrie - doubt they'd have the ability to spend big on Smart. They get Vuc's expiring and a cost-controlled player with OKC's pick, and they don't have to worry about salary for their future. Between Terry, Tatum, and Brown, they have some big contract decisions to worry about.

****

Y'all don't hate on Briscoe. Dude has looked solid.

I hope so. We'll see long term. I still really like DSJ.

Isaac mid-range beast

Birch looks bigger

Everyone loves Samsungs for reliability, but I've had nothing but trouble with them. My Visio is great.

He was. Apparently, the Nets plan to buy him out, and Washington plans to sign him. Because Washington figures, "Hey, our chemistry can't get any worse, right?"

Any internet message board where I'm one of the harsher people around isn't just civil, it's downright sterile. Which I appreciate, frankly.

I can understand Isaiah Thomas. I don't think it makes our team better, necessarily, but I can get behind taking a chance on him being a #1 option scorer so Gordon and Fournier don't fight over that. Maybe that can work for their long-term development.

I don't really care what it looks like if it doesn't translate to results. This isn't a knock on Lonzo. Payton has very good passing instincts. Honestly, I think Lonzo probably is a better passing PG prospect than Payton. My point is simply that he isn't on some wholly different level. I think Payton's assists are somewhat inflated by his fear of shooting because he can't and fear of driving because he can't hit FTs if he gets fouled. I think Lonzo is similar, except he's less terrified to call his own number. So I give Lonzo the benefit of the doubt that he's a somewhat better passer. But Payton taught me not to trust defensive potential in a PG, only production, and to understand the limitations of a PG who can't hit shots, even FTs. I'll talk myself into Ball if we trade for him, but I don't want him at this point. Too many flaws for this flawed offensive team to cover for, in my opinion.

Wanna guess which rookie had a higher assist %?

The fact that anyone wants to let him leave is ridiculous. Worst case scenario (meaning matching the max and he doesn't improve much), he's the equivalent of Kevin Love for the Cavs. Big contract. Good but not great player. His contract isn't hurting you, really. If he doesn't improve much at all, he's still a solid 3rd option on offense and a decent defender on defense. Any contract we match will be done by the time Mo is off his rookie deal.

For the record, I have no problem with LeBron/PG/Kawhi on a team, I just wish it would be a team in the East. Two straight years of boring finals and I'm already tired of it. Conference-less playoffs would help, but I would hate to see it come to that. Here's hoping Boston can finally stay healthy!!

The original post mentioned KD on a team with LeBron, Paul George, and Kawhi. Without KD, Godlen State doesn't make the finals against that squad, unless they literally have G-Leaguers playing every other spot (which we know they wouldn't, because all the slightly past-it guys would play there on minimum contracts like they have at times in Golden States. Fortunately, this is never going to happen. KD isn't leaving Golden State. He has nothing to gain leaving. He's dominating and sweeping championships where he is. Why leave to play with LeBron, the only guy less likely to pass it to KD with more than 5 seconds on the clock than Westbrook?

I cannot for the life of me think of why anyone would love this. I mean, I guess as a LeBron fan you would just like watching LeBron's team dominate; but, as a basketball fan, as a sports fan, what exactly is fun about watching a team you know basically can't lose? All of the fun of sports and basketball in particular is taken out of the game at that point. And don't tell me you just like watching great players make great plays. Go watch the Globetrotters if you just want to see some crazy shots and awesome dunks. Sports are fun because they are unpredictable. Sports leagues go out of their way to instill parody in their leagues for a reason. Competition requires some level of parody. Are you the type of person who likes getting your grown men friends together and challenging a bunch of middle-schoolers? Don't get me wrong. Dominant teams can be great, under the right circumstances. But the Showtime Lakers were only fun because they had the Celtics right there with them. Jordan won six championships, but there was reason to believe he could have lost any one of them. LA had Magic, and a better supporting cast than people remember. Portland had Clyde and one of the most balanced lineups I've ever seen. Phoenix had Charles and Kevin Johnson and a good supporting cast behind them. the 72-win team was a pretty good bet, sure. But the Jazz were better teams throughout the season and took them to six hard-fought games. The NBA will not survive one team hammering everyone else like a nail year after year. This trend of everyone just getting together to form the most dominant team... it has to end sometime, or the NBA will fade.