NBA Off Season 2022

[Vermont Green]

So it looks like Jeff Bezos put his hat in the ring to buy the suns. I wish this ownership team up for sale so we can get a billionaire of our own to buy it

This team doesn't need a billionaire owner. It's self sustaining. It makes massive profit every year. The group bought the team for $360 million. It's now worth $3.55 billion. The team grew in value $3.195 billion in 20 years.

All they need to do is allow Brad to spend. They have gobs of money and will probably still make profit with deep playoff runs while having a very large tax bill.

The Celtics currently have the 5th highest active cap value at about $172M.  How much more should we spend?  Do people want us to be the Clippers?  I totally agree we don't need Jeff Bezos.  This ownership is doing just fine.  There is more to owning a successful professional sports franchise than spending.

[sgrogan]

So it looks like Jeff Bezos put his hat in the ring to buy the suns. I wish this ownership team up for sale so we can get a billionaire of our own to buy it

This team doesn't need a billionaire owner. It's self sustaining. It makes massive profit every year. The group bought the team for $360 million. It's now worth $3.55 billion. The team grew in value $3.195 billion in 20 years.

All they need to do is allow Brad to spend. They have gobs of money and will probably still make profit with deep playoff runs while having a very large tax bill.

The Celtics currently have the 5th highest active cap value at about $172M.  How much more should we spend?  Do people want us to be the Clippers?  I totally agree we don't need Jeff Bezos.  This ownership is doing just fine.  There is more to owning a successful professional sports franchise than spending.

We should spend what it takes to win. We are now a true competitor. For example GS, the team that beat us in the finals, is spending $17M+ more than us. That $17M+ rings a bell?

[Vermont Green]

So it looks like Jeff Bezos put his hat in the ring to buy the suns. I wish this ownership team up for sale so we can get a billionaire of our own to buy it

This team doesn't need a billionaire owner. It's self sustaining. It makes massive profit every year. The group bought the team for $360 million. It's now worth $3.55 billion. The team grew in value $3.195 billion in 20 years.

All they need to do is allow Brad to spend. They have gobs of money and will probably still make profit with deep playoff runs while having a very large tax bill.

The Celtics currently have the 5th highest active cap value at about $172M.  How much more should we spend?  Do people want us to be the Clippers?  I totally agree we don't need Jeff Bezos.  This ownership is doing just fine.  There is more to owning a successful professional sports franchise than spending.

We should spend what it takes to win. We are now a true competitor. For example GS, the team that beat us in the finals, is spending $17M+ more than us. That $17M+ rings a bell?

Last season, 11 teams spent more than us but only one of those made it to the finals like us.  I want the team to spend and contend but spending just for the sake of spending doesn't help win championships.

This season we are spending a lot more than last and are much closer to the top of the league spenders.  We have done that by continuing to spend smart.  I am OK with that.  Too many teams that spend recklessly end up being bad and bad for a while.  I don't want to be one of those teams.  I don't know what kind of owner Bezos would be but I would rather not take the chance.

[liam]

So it looks like Jeff Bezos put his hat in the ring to buy the suns. I wish this ownership team up for sale so we can get a billionaire of our own to buy it

This team doesn't need a billionaire owner. It's self sustaining. It makes massive profit every year. The group bought the team for $360 million. It's now worth $3.55 billion. The team grew in value $3.195 billion in 20 years.

All they need to do is allow Brad to spend. They have gobs of money and will probably still make profit with deep playoff runs while having a very large tax bill.

The Celtics currently have the 5th highest active cap value at about $172M.  How much more should we spend?  Do people want us to be the Clippers?  I totally agree we don't need Jeff Bezos.  This ownership is doing just fine.  There is more to owning a successful professional sports franchise than spending.

We should spend what it takes to win. We are now a true competitor. For example GS, the team that beat us in the finals, is spending $17M+ more than us. That $17M+ rings a bell?

Last season, 11 teams spent more than us but only one of those made it to the finals like us.  I want the team to spend and contend but spending just for the sake of spending doesn't help win championships.

This season we are spending a lot more than last and are much closer to the top of the league spenders.  We have done that by continuing to spend smart.  I am OK with that.  Too many teams that spend recklessly end up being bad and bad for a while.  I don't want to be one of those teams.  I don't know what kind of owner Bezos would be but I would rather not take the chance.

Didn't the highest spending team win last year?

[nickagneta]

So it looks like Jeff Bezos put his hat in the ring to buy the suns. I wish this ownership team up for sale so we can get a billionaire of our own to buy it

This team doesn't need a billionaire owner. It's self sustaining. It makes massive profit every year. The group bought the team for $360 million. It's now worth $3.55 billion. The team grew in value $3.195 billion in 20 years.

All they need to do is allow Brad to spend. They have gobs of money and will probably still make profit with deep playoff runs while having a very large tax bill.

The Celtics currently have the 5th highest active cap value at about $172M.  How much more should we spend?  Do people want us to be the Clippers?  I totally agree we don't need Jeff Bezos.  This ownership is doing just fine.  There is more to owning a successful professional sports franchise than spending.

We should spend what it takes to win. We are now a true competitor. For example GS, the team that beat us in the finals, is spending $17M+ more than us. That $17M+ rings a bell?

Last season, 11 teams spent more than us but only one of those made it to the finals like us.  I want the team to spend and contend but spending just for the sake of spending doesn't help win championships.

This season we are spending a lot more than last and are much closer to the top of the league spenders.  We have done that by continuing to spend smart.  I am OK with that.  Too many teams that spend recklessly end up being bad and bad for a while.  I don't want to be one of those teams.  I don't know what kind of owner Bezos would be but I would rather not take the chance.

Didn't the highest spending team win last year?

The team was mediocre to start the year so not spending into the tax last year was no big deal. That the team got to the Finals without spending into the tax was a bonus.

Seeing what they had, ownership did the right thing in spending this year to get over the top. However, they needed to go all in and have squandered a $17 million TPE that could have added someone that could have put the team over the top.

How great would it be for the team right now, but also for quality depth come the playoffs, if players that got traded that fit in the TPE, like Kelly Olynyk, Nerlens Noel(I know limited to start the season), Derrick Favors,  Lauri Markkanen, Justin Holiday, Kevin Huerta or Kentavious Caldwell-Pope we're acquired? Heck, Holiday and Olynyk could both have been added using different TPEs.

Lots of money? Yup. But they haven't paid tax in years and have sacked away a ton of profit in those years. Investing it now on the first year of paying extra high tax for several years might have been the thing that puts the team over the top. Not because of adding one or two players. Individually the 8th and 9th guys don't put teams over the top. But adding two 8th and 9th guys to a team already 10 deep but possibly needing depth 11 or 12 deep due to injury prone players on the roster could be the difference of getting home court advantage through the playoffs and being able to play game 7s at home. A very key thing in a league with possibly 8 teams with realistic shots at the title.

So, yeah, I don't think they spent enough this year and it could come back to bite them.

[Moranis]

So it looks like Jeff Bezos put his hat in the ring to buy the suns. I wish this ownership team up for sale so we can get a billionaire of our own to buy it

This team doesn't need a billionaire owner. It's self sustaining. It makes massive profit every year. The group bought the team for $360 million. It's now worth $3.55 billion. The team grew in value $3.195 billion in 20 years.

All they need to do is allow Brad to spend. They have gobs of money and will probably still make profit with deep playoff runs while having a very large tax bill.

The Celtics currently have the 5th highest active cap value at about $172M.  How much more should we spend?  Do people want us to be the Clippers?  I totally agree we don't need Jeff Bezos.  This ownership is doing just fine.  There is more to owning a successful professional sports franchise than spending.

We should spend what it takes to win. We are now a true competitor. For example GS, the team that beat us in the finals, is spending $17M+ more than us. That $17M+ rings a bell?

Last season, 11 teams spent more than us but only one of those made it to the finals like us.  I want the team to spend and contend but spending just for the sake of spending doesn't help win championships.

This season we are spending a lot more than last and are much closer to the top of the league spenders.  We have done that by continuing to spend smart.  I am OK with that.  Too many teams that spend recklessly end up being bad and bad for a while.  I don't want to be one of those teams.  I don't know what kind of owner Bezos would be but I would rather not take the chance.

Didn't the highest spending team win last year?

The team was mediocre to start the year so not spending into the tax last year was no big deal. That the team got to the Finals without spending into the tax was a bonus.

Seeing what they had, ownership did the right thing in spending this year to get over the top. However, they needed to go all in and have squandered a $17 million TPE that could have added someone that could have put the team over the top.

How great would it be for the team right now, but also for quality depth come the playoffs, if players that got traded that fit in the TPE, like Kelly Olynyk, Nerlens Noel(I know limited to start the season), Derrick Favors,  Lauri Markkanen, Justin Holiday, Kevin Huerta or Kentavious Caldwell-Pope we're acquired? Heck, Holiday and Olynyk could both have been added using different TPEs.

Lots of money? Yup. But they haven't paid tax in years and have sacked away a ton of profit in those years. Investing it now on the first year of paying extra high tax for several years might have been the thing that puts the team over the top. Not because of adding one or two players. Individually the 8th and 9th guys don't put teams over the top. But adding two 8th and 9th guys to a team already 10 deep but possibly needing depth 11 or 12 deep due to injury prone players on the roster could be the difference of getting home court advantage through the playoffs and being able to play game 7s at home. A very key thing in a league with possibly 8 teams with realistic shots at the title.

So, yeah, I don't think they spent enough this year and it could come back to bite them.

Not only that, that salary could have been used to get a guy like Buddy Hield who is clearly on the block and wants out.  And players like Hield come available every season, so if Hield isn't your cup of tea, someone else would come along that would work.

As I've been saying for months, not using the big TPE was a gigantic mistake.  There was absolutely no reason to let it expire other than being cheap, and for all of the reasons you point out, there was no reason for Boston to be cheap.

[celticsclay]

So it looks like Jeff Bezos put his hat in the ring to buy the suns. I wish this ownership team up for sale so we can get a billionaire of our own to buy it

This team doesn't need a billionaire owner. It's self sustaining. It makes massive profit every year. The group bought the team for $360 million. It's now worth $3.55 billion. The team grew in value $3.195 billion in 20 years.

All they need to do is allow Brad to spend. They have gobs of money and will probably still make profit with deep playoff runs while having a very large tax bill.

The Celtics currently have the 5th highest active cap value at about $172M.  How much more should we spend?  Do people want us to be the Clippers?  I totally agree we don't need Jeff Bezos.  This ownership is doing just fine.  There is more to owning a successful professional sports franchise than spending.

We should spend what it takes to win. We are now a true competitor. For example GS, the team that beat us in the finals, is spending $17M+ more than us. That $17M+ rings a bell?

Last season, 11 teams spent more than us but only one of those made it to the finals like us.  I want the team to spend and contend but spending just for the sake of spending doesn't help win championships.

This season we are spending a lot more than last and are much closer to the top of the league spenders.  We have done that by continuing to spend smart.  I am OK with that.  Too many teams that spend recklessly end up being bad and bad for a while.  I don't want to be one of those teams.  I don't know what kind of owner Bezos would be but I would rather not take the chance.

Didn't the highest spending team win last year?

The team was mediocre to start the year so not spending into the tax last year was no big deal. That the team got to the Finals without spending into the tax was a bonus.

Seeing what they had, ownership did the right thing in spending this year to get over the top. However, they needed to go all in and have squandered a $17 million TPE that could have added someone that could have put the team over the top.

How great would it be for the team right now, but also for quality depth come the playoffs, if players that got traded that fit in the TPE, like Kelly Olynyk, Nerlens Noel(I know limited to start the season), Derrick Favors,  Lauri Markkanen, Justin Holiday, Kevin Huerta or Kentavious Caldwell-Pope we're acquired? Heck, Holiday and Olynyk could both have been added using different TPEs.

Lots of money? Yup. But they haven't paid tax in years and have sacked away a ton of profit in those years. Investing it now on the first year of paying extra high tax for several years might have been the thing that puts the team over the top. Not because of adding one or two players. Individually the 8th and 9th guys don't put teams over the top. But adding two 8th and 9th guys to a team already 10 deep but possibly needing depth 11 or 12 deep due to injury prone players on the roster could be the difference of getting home court advantage through the playoffs and being able to play game 7s at home. A very key thing in a league with possibly 8 teams with realistic shots at the title.

So, yeah, I don't think they spent enough this year and it could come back to bite them.

Not only that, that salary could have been used to get a guy like Buddy Hield who is clearly on the block and wants out.  And players like Hield come available every season, so if Hield isn't your cup of tea, someone else would come along that would work.

As I've been saying for months, not using the big TPE was a gigantic mistake.  There was absolutely no reason to let it expire other than being cheap, and for all of the reasons you point out, there was no reason for Boston to be cheap.

I give you props when you  are right. I agree.

[Goldstar88]

Couple interesting updates….


The Los Angeles Lakers will bring Russell Westbrook off the bench for their final preseason game, a move that may be a precursor to a longer look at the nine-time All-Star guard quarterbacking the second team, sources told ESPN on Friday. Lakers coach Darvin Ham and Westbrook discussed the possibility of him serving as a sixth man throughout the offseason, and sources said the two discussed it again Thursday ahead of Friday’s game against the Sacramento Kings. – via Adrian Wojnarowski, Dave McMenamin @ ESPN

Shams Charania: The Detroit Pistons are likely to waive four-time All-Star Kemba Walker before Monday’s deadline to set regular season roster, sources tell me and @James Edwards III. The move will bring Detroit’s roster to 15 guaranteed spots. – via Twitter ShamsCharania

[Celtics2021]

Couple interesting updates….


The Los Angeles Lakers will bring Russell Westbrook off the bench for their final preseason game, a move that may be a precursor to a longer look at the nine-time All-Star guard quarterbacking the second team, sources told ESPN on Friday. Lakers coach Darvin Ham and Westbrook discussed the possibility of him serving as a sixth man throughout the offseason, and sources said the two discussed it again Thursday ahead of Friday’s game against the Sacramento Kings. – via Adrian Wojnarowski, Dave McMenamin @ ESPN

Shams Charania: The Detroit Pistons are likely to waive four-time All-Star Kemba Walker before Monday’s deadline to set regular season roster, sources tell me and @James Edwards III. The move will bring Detroit’s roster to 15 guaranteed spots. – via Twitter ShamsCharania

Regarding Kemba, this is a reminder that Woj gets things wrong sometimes, too.

Adrian Wojnarowski

@wojespn
Kemba Walker and the Pistons are expected to discuss a contract buyout that will allow him to become a free agent, sources tell ESPN. Walker landed with Detroit as part of three-way trade with Charlotte and New York.
9:47 PM · Jun 23, 2022
·Twitter Web App

https://mobile.twitter.com/wojespn/status/1540149665395625996

[Roy H.]

Couple interesting updates….


The Los Angeles Lakers will bring Russell Westbrook off the bench for their final preseason game, a move that may be a precursor to a longer look at the nine-time All-Star guard quarterbacking the second team, sources told ESPN on Friday. Lakers coach Darvin Ham and Westbrook discussed the possibility of him serving as a sixth man throughout the offseason, and sources said the two discussed it again Thursday ahead of Friday’s game against the Sacramento Kings. – via Adrian Wojnarowski, Dave McMenamin @ ESPN

Shams Charania: The Detroit Pistons are likely to waive four-time All-Star Kemba Walker before Monday’s deadline to set regular season roster, sources tell me and @James Edwards III. The move will bring Detroit’s roster to 15 guaranteed spots. – via Twitter ShamsCharania

Regarding Kemba, this is a reminder that Woj gets things wrong sometimes, too.

Adrian Wojnarowski

@wojespn
Kemba Walker and the Pistons are expected to discuss a contract buyout that will allow him to become a free agent, sources tell ESPN. Walker landed with Detroit as part of three-way trade with Charlotte and New York.
9:47 PM · Jun 23, 2022
·Twitter Web App

https://mobile.twitter.com/wojespn/status/1540149665395625996

I think that there's some intervening reporting.  Essentially, the reason that a buyout was never worked out is because there was no reason for Kemba to give money back without a team ready to sign him to guaranteed money.

[Vermont Green]

Couple interesting updates….


The Los Angeles Lakers will bring Russell Westbrook off the bench for their final preseason game, a move that may be a precursor to a longer look at the nine-time All-Star guard quarterbacking the second team, sources told ESPN on Friday. Lakers coach Darvin Ham and Westbrook discussed the possibility of him serving as a sixth man throughout the offseason, and sources said the two discussed it again Thursday ahead of Friday’s game against the Sacramento Kings. – via Adrian Wojnarowski, Dave McMenamin @ ESPN

Shams Charania: The Detroit Pistons are likely to waive four-time All-Star Kemba Walker before Monday’s deadline to set regular season roster, sources tell me and @James Edwards III. The move will bring Detroit’s roster to 15 guaranteed spots. – via Twitter ShamsCharania

Westbrook off the bench?  Yeah, I don't see it.  If Ham can make that work, he will deserve coach of the year.  I guess if Westbrook's problem is that he doesn't like playing with LeBron and/or Davis, this is a way to have him on the court on his own, at least for much of the time.

But who is going to sit in the 4th quarter?

[Donoghus]

I hope whatever team inevitably bails the Lakers out of this situation is able to extort an arm & a leg from them in the process.

[Vermont Green]

The Minnesota Timberwolves will name third-year wing Jaden McDaniels as the starting small forward to begin the 2022-23 season, league sources told Yahoo Sports. McDaniels, 22, has been preparing for the role during this preseason in what will be his first opportunity as a full-time starter. The 6-foot-9 wing will be tasked with defending the opposition’s best perimeter scorers and adding versatility and athleticism to a starting unit that will feature D’Angelo Russell, Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns and newly acquired Rudy Gobert.

Boy, that is a lot of length:

Russell (6'-4")
Edwards (6'-4")
McDaniels (6'-9")
Towns (6'-11")
Gobert (7'-1")

They gave up some depth but that is a formidable starting 5.  Towns was over 40% from 3 last season.  Edwards and Russell in the 35% range.  Big opportunity for Towns to emerge as a MVP contender.  A team to watch in my opinion.

[Moranis]

The Minnesota Timberwolves will name third-year wing Jaden McDaniels as the starting small forward to begin the 2022-23 season, league sources told Yahoo Sports. McDaniels, 22, has been preparing for the role during this preseason in what will be his first opportunity as a full-time starter. The 6-foot-9 wing will be tasked with defending the opposition’s best perimeter scorers and adding versatility and athleticism to a starting unit that will feature D’Angelo Russell, Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns and newly acquired Rudy Gobert.

Boy, that is a lot of length:

Russell (6'-4")
Edwards (6'-4")
McDaniels (6'-9")
Towns (6'-11")
Gobert (7'-1")

They gave up some depth but that is a formidable starting 5.  Towns was over 40% from 3 last season.  Edwards and Russell in the 35% range.  Big opportunity for Towns to emerge as a MVP contender.  A team to watch in my opinion.

Yeah, I think people have let the fact that they overpaid for Gobert cloud their judgment on this one.  The Wolves, on paper at least, have gotten a lot better and they were already a young rising team that was in the playoffs last year.  I think they could be a darkhorse contender if Edwards keeps progressing.  There is a lot of talent in that top 4.

[liam]

Couple interesting updates….


The Los Angeles Lakers will bring Russell Westbrook off the bench for their final preseason game, a move that may be a precursor to a longer look at the nine-time All-Star guard quarterbacking the second team, sources told ESPN on Friday. Lakers coach Darvin Ham and Westbrook discussed the possibility of him serving as a sixth man throughout the offseason, and sources said the two discussed it again Thursday ahead of Friday’s game against the Sacramento Kings. – via Adrian Wojnarowski, Dave McMenamin @ ESPN

Shams Charania: The Detroit Pistons are likely to waive four-time All-Star Kemba Walker before Monday’s deadline to set regular season roster, sources tell me and @James Edwards III. The move will bring Detroit’s roster to 15 guaranteed spots. – via Twitter ShamsCharania

Westbrook off the bench?  Yeah, I don't see it.  If Ham can make that work, he will deserve coach of the year.  I guess if Westbrook's problem is that he doesn't like playing with LeBron and/or Davis, this is a way to have him on the court on his own, at least for much of the time.

But who is going to sit in the 4th quarter?

mmmm Ham....