Second round draft picks are becoming the new first round draft picks.
It was a bit of a salary dump for Phoenix (they couldn’t do the trade otherwise) and a draft grab for Charlotte.
And they both have expiring contracts.And I think they can both be traded before the deadline (just not aggregated).
I’m not sure if this opens up a Nurkic trade. Beal trade is still a long shot.
I expect he’ll be back and playing.
A $50mil contract who isn’t injured isn’t just going to sit out until he’s traded (this deadline or during pre-season). It doesn’t meet the NBA rules around player participation.
Jimmy needs to learn that a $50mil contract means you have obligations to fulfil. Not that you just instantly deserve another 3 year extension.
He’s gonna mail it in. Play like Ben Simmons offensively and LeBron James defensively.
Yeah. He can do that.
That’s a sure way for a 35 year old to get that $50mil contract extension he’s so desperately seeking…
It’ll work perfectly fine for Ben’s next contract…
I still think his best chance to get what he wants is a sign and trade in the off-season.
With or without Jimmy, Miami aren’t getting to the Conference Finals this season. Regardless of which Jimmy turns up.
If he wants to be traded by the deadline, he’ll have to actually play. And play well.
I’m glad Miami are holding firm on this.
He would start at many teams. Very good defensively and attacks the paint. Needed to improve his outside shooting and has this year.
I’m sad to lose him but it made sense for both teams.
Nurk is on $18mil so Charlotte wanted a 2031 rd1 pick thrown in to take on his contract.
They can trade like for like or for anything less. Okogie on $8mil for Richards on $5mil works.
Really like the new Suns front office despite things not working out well this year.
They can build a team around Booker, Dunn, Oso and now Richards. So there’s some good core youth there. Plus Bridges and Washington who are in the Gleague but both look like decent prospects.
KD is still a freak so if he doesn’t re-sign then he will still have value elsewhere and Suns can cash in.
Beal will still give value off the bench if nobody takes on his contract. It hasn’t worked out with him but applaude the front office for trying.
Still lots of valuable pieces in Nurk (expiring contract), Allen, Tyus, Monte and Royce that could all be traded away and cashed in for picks or other options.
Plumlee, Bol Bol and Lee are depth and probably don’t get anything in return on the market but can understand why they’re on the roster.
A failed season makes everyone think blow it up, but there’s some tweaks and too many good pieces to give up on the whole squad so quickly.
I like the moves too.
I like that teams are showing a bit more patience than get into a win now frenzy. You did that and gave up a lot of draft capital. It was worth going for it. At least you have an opportunity to recover some of those picks with expiring contracts. The majority of expiring contracts are going for second round picks, but I think someone will be willing to gamble on Durant. A team like OKC or Houston would prefer to give up a draft pick for him than someone like Butler.
A Durant return to OKC would be great to see come to think of it. And they have plenty of draft capital that they can give up without denting their short term chances even if it doesn’t pay off. You just might find it difficult to hand on to the younger players as they come out of contract.
How’s that Clippers-Nets score!!
The heat on offence at least is herros team
They weren’t playing D’Lo, Bogdan and Cam Johnson. Cam Thomas is out for a little while longer.
Brooklyn are a tad late on the tank. They’ve probably won 2 or 3 too many games.
They’ll give Washington, Charlotte and Toronto a run for the best shot at pick 1.
The odds are pretty flat aren’t they? So as long as they are in the bottom group that’s all that matters …
Been busy today so I haven’t seen any of it, but Mark Williams putting up 31 in a comeback win over Utah both underlines his potential, and provides the reason Charlotte were willing to trade Richards. If he stays fit and gets continuity, we are so much better.
Bottom 3 get equal chance for the first pick.
It’ll be Washington and two of Portland, Utah, New Orleans, Brooklyn, Toronto and Charlotte.
Brooklyn and Portland have the best record (13/14 wins). The others have 9 or 10 wins so far.
If injury finally falls Charlotte’s way, they’d have to actually tank to be bottom three imo. I’m actually really curious as to how Lee treats the rest of this season now. We’ll lose our first pick if we aren’t in the first 14 selections, but I think we are far too good to finish in the bottom few if we have a run of good health.
SGA turning it on against the Cavs
OKC out by nearly 40 now 
OKC took that loss to Cavs last week personally
