2019-2020 Official Regular Season Thread

[TheNameIsOrlando 310]

9 minutes ago, ?4thewin said:

 

What does this mean for us and how likely is it to be granted? Isn't he playing overseas? 

[Magicfan1987 266]

36 minutes ago, magicblue said:

Holy crap....that would be huge for us! Edit to say that $16.7M is stretched over this season and the next two. It's still something...but is it anything?

5.5 mil a year is definitely something 

[Fultz4thewin 2,464]

30 minutes ago, TheNameIsOrlando said:

What does this mean for us and how likely is it to be granted? Isn't he playing overseas? 

We'd get his salary removed from our cap sheet. 5.6m this year and the next 2 years. 

He's signed to another team but hasn't played. 

I have no idea how likely it is. 

 

[OnlyFranz 289]

2 hours ago, magicblue said:

Yes, I agree. If you watch his college videos he's got a nice high release (like on his current mid-range shot) all the way out to beyond the college 3pt line. As noted his spot up shot from behind the NBA arc is a totally different release (as is his FT shot for whatever reason). In general it appears to me that he prefers to shoot off the dribble, which is good seeing as how he's going to have the ball in his hands and creating his own shot most of the time. Hopefully we'll see improvement as he regains strength and confidence.

Well said sir! I didn’t watch him in college but just from knowing the game of basketball I can tell that’s not his natural shooting form on those 3’s. There’s no hitch in his midrange shot but a noticeable one from the 3 and he doesn’t have that high release either like you pointed out. 

[jmmagicfan 299]

2 hours ago, ?4thewin said:

It's tough because there's really no alternative excuse for why a diuretic (at least the ones they test for) would be in his system. 

Yeah, there is that confusion about how the aforementioned diuretic "accidentally" ended up in his system. Maybe he was suffering from constipation and took something not realizing it was on the banned substances list? Who knows? It sucks for Phoenix regardless. 

[~O~ 565]

On 10/24/2019 at 11:41 AM, jmmagicfan said:

First, I think you leaving Lebron out of your top 5 is crazy. I am not a Lebron fan, by any stretch of the imagination, but seriously both Leonard and Embiid have missed way too much time "since 2016" to knock him out of that group. Does Lebron play top defense, no, not like he used to. Does he pick and choose his spots more, yes. Is he still, night in and night out, one of the toughest players in the league to play against on both ends, absolutely. If I had to pick a top 5 "since 2016", I would have to go with Durant, James, Curry, Antetokounmpo, and either Paul George or James Harden. I think with injuries taken into account, this list has to change on a yearly basis. Having said that, my top 5 for this year, in no particular order would have to be - Anthony Davis, Lebron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Stephen Curry, and Joel Embiid. Obviously, Durant is going to miss most of this season, so that takes him off my list for this year. I think the Davis/James team-up just makes them both tougher to play against, as you have less help available on either. 

Yes.  2016.  James is able to stuff the stat sheet but I'm not talking about just stats.  James has been a terrible teammate to have since 2015.  He's gotten players traded away and thrown under the bus.  Coaches fired and thrown under the bus.  I wouldn't be surprised if had investments in public transportation.  Star B or C on his team takes most of the blame.  When he's on your roster, he literally strips the gm of all power and dictates what happens to the team.  Look at the Lakers now?  No patience on the future by trading away all their picks.  

 Just a whole bunch of LeBron's past rivals on his team that don't even mesh well together or past their declines as well.........JUST LIKE THE CAVS TEAM.  Lmao.  The situation should be foreseeable as I was excited when they got Dwight since I hate the damn Lakers so much.  LeBron already stripped away another team's franchise player and ruined New Orleans season.  He's not even on their damn team and his cancer spread to their organization.  

Delusion is something I don't feed into as a critical thinker.  James has been on a steady decline since 2017-18 season.  He gets his stats off being in control of possessions and playing point.  How else will he rack up assists in order to stat stuff for triple doubles.  His teammates even complained about his stat stuffing.  It also been clear that LeBron does not play defense but maintains an illusion of being this  "great defender" by highlights of one single play; chase down block.  He doesn't even guard the best player on the opposing team and people make the predictable excuse that he's conserving energy.  He wasn't even guarding Kawhi the other night.  When he was mismatched on him, he was blown by just like.  The fiction of his "defense" is a mirage.  Don't make me bring out the highlight of Kuzma pushing him because he wouldn't close out on three point shooters.  There's even highlights of him blaming teammates for losing his own man.  

The West proved too much for him last year as I thought it would.  Didn't even make the playoffs and already, the talking heads are saying "FINALS" as they say every year.  The east had no heart nor gumption to eliminate those mediocre Cavs teams from going to the finals.  Toronto, Boston, Indiana, Washington, Chicago; all perennial failures against a roster of the Cavs that got swept and backdoor swept once reaching the highest stage.  Chicago was the closest but kept taking injury blows.  

My memory of James' career isn't volatile or any player in the league I've watch and witnessed for that matter.  James is a past player who continues to be forced upon the fans as the greatest player in the league and world annually when its clear he's not when you watch him.    He was that, the BEST player in the league, in 2009 to 2013.  LeBron could blow by ANYBODY....except Kawhi Leonard during that period. 

Derrick Rose challenged him in one season after winning MVP with a lesser team and that was only challenge he had during that period.  His past failures of being constantly eliminated and double standards get swept under the rug.   James is not best anymore with the relevant talent that has progressed the league.  

Notice I didn't mention Anthony Davis or James Harden or even Russell Westbrook.  I mentioned players who aren't fully about themselves.  I mentioned player's who style of play contribute to winning basketball or overall team success.  Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Stephen Curry, Joel Embiid, and Giannis Antetokounmpo.  Kevin Durant is probably the closest exception to this but after he came back playing on a injured leg to motivate the Golden State Warriors, he redeemed.  Dude tore his Achilles in a finals game for his teammates.  

Kawhi Leonard could be an exception as well but its becoming ever so clear that he truly DID want to go home.  He could been the king of Canada of he wanted to but he sacrificed that just to go home to Los Angeles.  He did throw the Spurs under the bus but its been clear his injuries were mismanaged by the Spurs.  

 

[ML6 520]

3 minutes ago, ~O~ said:

 

You have a serious problem

[Fultz4thewin 2,464]

11 minutes ago, ~O~ said:

Yes.  2016.  James is able to stuff the stat sheet but I'm not talking about just stats.  James has been a terrible teammate to have since 2015.  He's gotten players traded away and thrown under the bus.  Coaches fired and thrown under the bus.  I wouldn't be surprised if had investments in public transportation.  Star B or C on his team takes most of the blame.  When he's on your roster, he literally strips the gm of all power and dictates what happens to the team.  Look at the Lakers now?  No patience on the future by trading away all their picks.  

 Just a whole bunch of LeBron's past rivals on his team that don't even mesh well together or past their declines as well.........JUST LIKE THE CAVS TEAM.  Lmao.  The situation should be foreseeable as I was excited when they got Dwight since I hate the damn Lakers so much.  LeBron already stripped away another team's franchise player and ruined New Orleans season.  He's not even on their damn team and his cancer spread to their organization.  

Delusion is something I don't feed into as a critical thinker.  James has been on a steady decline since 2017-18 season.  He gets his stats off being in control of possessions and playing point.  How else will he rack up assists in order to stat stuff for triple doubles.  His teammates even complained about his stat stuffing.  It also been clear that LeBron does not play defense but maintains an illusion of being this  "great defender" by highlights of one single play; chase down block.  He doesn't even guard the best player on the opposing team and people make the predictable excuse that he's conserving energy.  He wasn't even guarding Kawhi the other night.  When he was mismatched on him, he was blown by just like.  The fiction of his "defense" is a mirage.  Don't make me bring out the highlight of Kuzma pushing him because he wouldn't close out on three point shooters.  There's even highlights of him blaming teammates for losing his own man.  

The West proved too much for him last year as I thought it would.  Didn't even make the playoffs and already, the talking heads are saying "FINALS" as they say every year.  The east had no heart nor gumption to eliminate those mediocre Cavs teams from going to the finals.  Toronto, Boston, Indiana, Washington, Chicago; all perennial failures against a roster of the Cavs that got swept and backdoor swept once reaching the highest stage.  Chicago was the closest but kept taking injury blows.  

My memory of James' career isn't volatile or any player in the league I've watch and witnessed for that matter.  James is a past player who continues to be forced upon the fans as the greatest player in the league and world annually when its clear he's not when you watch him.    He was that, the BEST player in the league, in 2009 to 2013.  LeBron could blow by ANYBODY....except Kawhi Leonard during that period. 

Derrick Rose challenged him in one season after winning MVP with a lesser team and that was only challenge he had during that period.  His past failures of being constantly eliminated and double standards get swept under the rug.   James is not best anymore with the relevant talent that has progressed the league.  

Notice I didn't mention Anthony Davis or James Harden or even Russell Westbrook.  I mentioned players who aren't fully about themselves.  I mentioned player's who style of play contribute to winning basketball or overall team success.  Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Stephen Curry, Joel Embiid, and Giannis Antetokounmpo.  Kevin Durant is probably the closest exception to this but after he came back playing on a injured leg to motivate the Golden State Warriors, he redeemed.  Dude tore his Achilles in a finals game for his teammates.  

Kawhi Leonard could be an exception as well but its becoming ever so clear that he truly DID want to go home.  He could been the king of Canada of he wanted to but he sacrificed that just to go home to Los Angeles.  He did throw the Spurs under the bus but its been clear his injuries were mismanaged by the Spurs.  

 

In the 17-18 playoffs LeBron averaged 34/9/9 on high efficiency and led all players in almost every comprehensive advanced stat. 

[Odin 137]

3 hours ago, ?4thewin said:

We'd get his salary removed from our cap sheet. 5.6m this year and the next 2 years. 

 He's signed to another team but hasn't played. 

 I have no idea how likely it is. 

  

Don't think it is likely, but worth the shot.

[Fultz4thewin 2,464]

24 minutes ago, Odin said:

Don't think it is likely, but worth the shot.

I agree

[jmmagicfan 299]

4 hours ago, ?4thewin said:

We'd get his salary removed from our cap sheet. 5.6m this year and the next 2 years. 

He's signed to another team but hasn't played. 

I have no idea how likely it is. 

 

Probably not very likely - remember with Grant Hill we couldn't even get an injury exception back in the day. It would be great if we did get it, it would certainly put us in a better position, but I'm not holding my breath.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't all of the salary cap numbers, tax thresholds, etc tied to league revenues? Won't the decrease in revenues from the fallout of the China/Hong Kong issue adversely affect those numbers?

[Fultz4thewin 2,464]

22 minutes ago, jmmagicfan said:

Probably not very likely - remember with Grant Hill we couldn't even get an injury exception back in the day. It would be great if we did get it, it would certainly put us in a better position, but I'm not holding my breath.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't all of the salary cap numbers, tax thresholds, etc tied to league revenues? Won't the decrease in revenues from the fallout of the China/Hong Kong issue adversely affect those numbers?

Yes. This is a big worry for teams. I think they're talking about a 6 million reduction in cap figures but I don't remember the exact number