The Celtics have the Pelicans 26' 2nd that projects to be 31-35...

Man what were the pelicans thinking trading their unprotected first this year. Queen has been really good but thats just malpractice.

Quote from: Phantom255x on Yesterday at 08:46:45 PM

https://x.com/Fullcourtpass/status/1996331978652799248

Quote

Multiple teams have called the Clippers about Ivica Zubac?s availability, per  @BrettSiegelNBA
 
The starting price for the center is two first-round picks

https://x.com/APH00PS/status/1996331174961271256

Quote

There have been ?mixed signals? about Ivica Zubac?s availability, but the starting price for the star center is two first-round picks, per @BrettSiegelNBA.

Boston has Simons who is a guard LA has expressed interest in and multiple picks.

Honestly if Simons + 2 future protected first round picks nets you Zubac, I'd really consider it. I'd prefer to do Simons + 1 FRP + 2 seconds but if it gets to a bit of a bidding war I'd do it. This roster + Tatum AND Zubac in the frontcourt makes us a contender again.

If we can nab him by the deadline without giving up too much, and if Tatum is serious about coming back this same season, I think the C's can go to the Finals this season lol

The Celtics have the Pelicans 26' 2nd that projects to be 31-35, so almost as good as a first rounder. So package that pick, Simons and the Celtics own 26' 1st and that should get you close.

Zubac I think would be a great fit, 2nd team all defense center who is 28 and under team control for 2/40 after this year. Between him and Queta you could get a full 48 minutes of really awesome center play.

Quote from: Phantom255x on Yesterday at 09:30:30 PM

So the Hawks have played 23 games, and Porzingis has missed 11 of them. He just missed his 4th straight game with... illness. Has it not gone away??

KP's medical issue should put him in medical retirement. Its like random fatigue/dizziness but he he doesn't completely faint. Fast moving up and down report says can trigger it.. They also say it started with respiratory symptoms but sounds more heart or nervous system to me. Only reason he isn't retired is because they don't know if it's temporary or long term illness.

I have a friend who got POTS as a COVID side effect 3 or so years ago.  She?s one of those doctors who runs 7 miles a day before working 10-12 hours.  POTS knocked her out of commission for about 3 months.  We would take slow walks around her block for 15 minutes before she had to go lie down.  Whenever she got sick for 12-18 months after that, she would have flare ups.  But they got shorter and shorter, from weeks to days to now she just takes a day as a precaution.

Anyway, I do not think medical retirement would be necessary, but I also do think he will have this issue for the rest of this season at least.  It is a manageable condition, but it will impact his availability.

https://x.com/Fullcourtpass/status/1996331978652799248

Quote

Multiple teams have called the Clippers about Ivica Zubac?s availability, per  @BrettSiegelNBA
 
The starting price for the center is two first-round picks

https://x.com/APH00PS/status/1996331174961271256

Quote

There have been ?mixed signals? about Ivica Zubac?s availability, but the starting price for the star center is two first-round picks, per @BrettSiegelNBA.

Boston has Simons who is a guard LA has expressed interest in and multiple picks.

Honestly if Simons + 2 future protected first round picks nets you Zubac, I'd really consider it. I'd prefer to do Simons + 1 FRP + 2 seconds but if it gets to a bit of a bidding war I'd do it. This roster + Tatum AND Zubac in the frontcourt makes us a contender again.

If we can nab him by the deadline without giving up too much, and if Tatum is serious about coming back this same season, I think the C's can go to the Finals this season lol

Giannis + Kuzma + Prince
for
Towns + Bridges + McBride

Could be done on Feb 1 I believe.

The Knicks should target Myles Turner in the trade. They need a stretch 5 to play with Giannis. Or even Bobby Portis as a 2nd option. To have a legit big man next to Giannis who can shoot.

NY after that trade without M Turner

(1) Brunson, J Hart, Anunoby, Giannis, M Robinson

M Robinson is a non-shooter. Giannis has a midrange shot but not an outside shot. Hart is a dodgy shooter. Maybe they start a more limited specialist in Landry Shamet instead of J Hart. It still isn't a team with great (or even middle of the pack) shooting.

(2) Brunson, Shamet, J Hart, Anunoby, Giannis

Their best team will probably be Giannis at center. They do not have much interior muscle to help him though. Anunoby is more of a SF/PF. Portis was a legit PF. It is more like what MIL had with Kuzma at PF next to Giannis at C which did not work well. OG much better than Kuzma though.

(3) Brunson, J Hart, Anunoby, Yabusele, Giannis

Yabu is a big body but I don't he provides enough help defensively or rebounding wise to start him. He is slow footed as a team defender and puts pressure on others. I would keep him on the bench.

---------------------

2nd line of thought on this ...

Why is Brunson & Giannis any better than Lillard & Giannis?

Brunson is even more ball dominant. Even less of a shooter. And more of a one-on-one player than Lillard is.

Is that even a good pairing? It looks dysfunctional to me.

I don't think the Knicks are a genuine title contender with Giannis and Brunson. I don't think the pairing will work. I don't think the rest of the lineup works well with Giannis. I think they would have more work to do to readjust the lineup. Getting Myles Turner in the deal would go a long way to achieving.

But ... I'd probably trade Brunson for a different co-star to play alongside Giannis than keep the two of them.