The Neighborhood Bully 266 Report post Posted April 30, 2015 So you're saying that Enes Kanter is worth more than the 14th pick, lamb, Novak, and Jones? Not sure about that They need to determine if Kantner, $5.5M in 2015 tax savings, and even more 2016 tax savings due to repeater is worth more than pick 14, Lamb, Novak, and Jones. If it was just about talent, they never would have traded Harden. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Secretly Space Jesus 670 Report post Posted April 30, 2015 Holy me, there is no trade the Thunder can make that will change their tax liability for this season. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Catman 380 Report post Posted April 30, 2015 Also, just from a quick glance, I'm pretty certain we could still do that deal anyway. Yes we definitely could and this is why I keep saying that people overreact way too much about this Frye deal. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Neighborhood Bully 266 Report post Posted April 30, 2015 That's not what that part of the link means. It means that, for instance, the Magic's CAP holds for Vasquez and Richardson aren't counted in determining the Magic's tax liability. Enes Kanter was a member of the team this year. His salary for this season is very much counted towards whether or not the team pays the tax. The Thunder's CAP hold for Kanter won't go into effect until the FA period begins. You're right, my bad. I misinterpreted. OKC is definitely a taxpayer this year, they would be trying to avoid paying the repeater tax next year if they made the deal. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Neighborhood Bully 266 Report post Posted April 30, 2015 I am expecting Russell to get off to a fast start to his NBA career even though he will play the first half of his rookie season as a teenager. In his only season at Ohio State, he showed that he not only possessed great skills, but also maturity and confidence well beyond his age. Although he has not physically matured yet and there will be a learning curve for Russell as a point guard at the league's most dynamic position, he is likely to be put on the floor immediately and be allowed to grow into the position. By my count, there are at least five teams who will pick in the early part of the lottery that desperately need a point guard. Point guards are used to having the ball in their hands and are not as reliant on their teammates for them to have success, so it may be easier for Russell to have an immediate impact. And because the NBA is officiated more closely with less contact on the perimeter than in college, strength is not the factor that it is in the low post. http://insider.espn....-fast-nba-draft Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Neighborhood Bully 266 Report post Posted April 30, 2015 It doesn't take a brain surgeon to determine that a player likely selected in the first three picks will get off to a fast start to his NBA career, though players like Derrick Williams, Hasheem Thabeet and Michael Beasleycould be classified as "busts." I expect the 6-foot-11 Towns to start strong as an NBA rookie in part because he played his best basketball at the end of the season and rapidly improved. Keep in mind that he did not have a game with double-figure field-goal attempts until Feb. 3. That changed down the stretch of Kentucky's season. In Towns' last five games, all in the NCAA tournament, he played 23 minutes per game and averaged 14.2 points and 6.8 rebounds while shooting 63 percent. And although he was part of Kentucky's season-long platoon system, he evolved into a major offensive weapon for the Wildcats. Towns' freshman season per-40-minute numbers were remarkably similar to those of former Kentucky player and rising NBA star Anthony Davis, and just behind fellow former Wildcat DeMarcus Cousins. http://insider.espn....-fast-nba-draft Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jason Funderburker 111 Report post Posted May 1, 2015 If Aaron Gordon becomes the super-athletic Boris Diaw we talked about last year I would be super okay with that Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CTMagicUK 1,488 Report post Posted May 2, 2015 Wow. Cal keeps Tyrone Wallace who was a fringe, first round guard and gets Ivan Rabb and Jaylen Brown. Huge. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mauro Pedrosa 1,032 Report post Posted May 2, 2015 super-athletic Boris Diaw That would be the best player in the NBA Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Neighborhood Bully 266 Report post Posted May 3, 2015 Pelton: I went with shooting here. The Magic have loaded up on good athletes like Aaron Gordon, Victor Oladipo and Elfrid Paytonthe past two drafts, but at the expense of shooting. Orlando hoped to get that from Channing Frye, but the veteran free agent was something of a disappointment in his first season with the Magic. Chad Ford:I think shooting and rim protection are the two areas where I see the most need. Obviously, if the Magic get the No. 1 pick, I love Karl-Anthony Townshere because he does both so well. I think D'Angelo Russell's shooting would be welcome, though there might be a logjam at guard if they take him. Assuming they pick around No. 5, Willie Cauley-Stein is an obvious choice because of his defensive and rim-protection abilities, but I don't see how you can draft him after taking Aaron Gordon last year. So two other names interest me: Kristaps Porzingis and Myles Turner. Both are essentially higher-upside versions of Channing Frye with the added benefit of being rim-protectors. I have Porzingis ranked ahead of Turner, and the Latvian would be my choice, but Turner would be very intriguing as well. Pelton: I think we're going to hear Justise Winslow a lot if Orlando ends up outside the top four. Winslow's athleticism is intriguing with the Magic's guards, but despite his 41.8 percent 3-point shooting at Duke, he doesn't project as a good outside shooter. He made just 64.9 percent of his free throws. http://insider.espn....rnets-nba-draft Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Catman 380 Report post Posted May 3, 2015 Im sorry, but Ford is on drugs if he thinks the obvious choice is WCS at pick 5. That just makes no sense to me. I think the Magic would take Winslow, and if he was already taken that means that Okafor or Mudiay or Russell is there and they would take one of them. If we took turner at 5 I'd be stunned. Porzingis I could see. But I still think Mario would be a better pick than both of them. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TrueBlueDrew 75 Report post Posted May 3, 2015 Im sorry, but Ford is on drugs if he thinks the obvious choice is WCS at pick 5. That just makes no sense to me. I think the Magic would take Winslow, and if he was already taken that means that Okafor or Mudiay or Russell is there and they would take one of them. If we took turner at 5 I'd be stunned. Porzingis I could see. But I still think Mario would be a better pick than both of them. I don't get why you think WCS is a horrible pick at 5? He fills a need on defense and we have other offensive options, so he wouldn't have the pressure of needing to put up points each night. WCS > Turner x 1000000 I know you're all aboard the slashing SG/SF train, but we also need a defensive big man and WCS is arguably the best on the board. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
