NBA Season 2022-23

[Vermont Green]

Have people here seen the clips on Twitter of Zion doing windmill dunks and other moves during practice and shootarounds right before games, even as recent as a few days ago?

Idk… maybe I’m overreacting but that just seems like a terrible look and a bad message to send to the fans and organization that you are seemingly fine, but still choosing to miss games because you’re not “100%” and “not Zion”. Pels could have used him even if off the bench for some minutes.

Next year’s a big one for him and the organization. If he is barely on the court again then I’ll really consider him a bust. But I hope he isn’t, he seems like an awesome guy and is gifted

This is a little off topic but would people trade Jaylen Brown for Zion straight up?  Assume that Brown takes an extension and is perfectly happy to stay in Boston.  That you are evaluating the trade purely on the players.

Absolutely not.

This is the only correct answer.

Given the injury concern, I'd say yes, but as an actual on court player, Zion is better.  He is just never on the court.

Zion has become a real enigma.  I remember seeing him play before all this and he was an absolute beast.  A true PF that can run, jump, shoot, rebound, defend, etc.  But that was back in 2021.  This season, he played 29 games, put up 27/7 with 37% 3pt shooting.    Chipped in 4.6 assts to boot.

Only 22 years old and actually on a fairly reasonable 5 year contract for the player he could realistically be.  Pairing the 2021 Zion with Tatum for the next 5 years would be an absolutely killer 1-2 punch.

I don't think Zion is going to end up being another Ben Simmons.  I don't see it getting that bad.  Embiid is another model to consider.  He missed even more games at the start of his career and look at him now.  So the range for Zion is somewhere between Simmons and Embiid.  How do you assess that?

I agree that the Celtics are not the team that should be taking a chance on Zion, at least not if the price is Brown (which it would be).  It is very bizarre that Zion did not at least try to play at the end of the season, if it is true that he was cleared medically.  Even if he played 5-10 games and then shut it down, he would be that much better off going into next season.  Seems like a real warning flag.

[Vermont Green]

NBA fines Dallas 750k.. they got off easy

Oh yeah they really showed them! 

750K is chump change for Cuban and the Mavs. They don't regret tanking the last few games

Yeah, I think if the NYK had called and said give us $750,000 and you can keep the first round pick, DAL would have accepted that in about a second.

[Goldstar88]

Have people here seen the clips on Twitter of Zion doing windmill dunks and other moves during practice and shootarounds right before games, even as recent as a few days ago?

Idk… maybe I’m overreacting but that just seems like a terrible look and a bad message to send to the fans and organization that you are seemingly fine, but still choosing to miss games because you’re not “100%” and “not Zion”. Pels could have used him even if off the bench for some minutes.

Next year’s a big one for him and the organization. If he is barely on the court again then I’ll really consider him a bust. But I hope he isn’t, he seems like an awesome guy and is gifted

I took the clips (happened last year too) as Zion showing the world that he's fine, but it's the organization keeping him on the sidelines.

I haven't heard it's Zion choosing to miss games ( à la Ben Simmons).

I don't know how legit this is, but: https://nba.nbcsports.com/2023/04/13/zion-throwing-down-windmill-in-pregame-workout-then-skipping-play-in-game-sums-up-his-career/

He said:

“Physically, I’m fine,” Zion said Tuesday (via the Associated Press), referring to the right hamstring he injured in January. “Now it’s just a matter of when I feel like Zion.

“I can pretty much do everything, but it’s just a matter of the level that I was playing at before my hamstring,” Zion said. “I don’t want to go out there and be in my own head and affect the team when I can just be on the sideline supporting them more, because I know myself. If I was to go out there, I would be in my head. I would hesitate on certain moves and it could affect the game.”

It does sound like it was his decision

That was part of the quote above. Here’s the other half:

Williamson called it a "collective decision" between himself and the team about when he's able to make his return.

"It's tough. I can't lie," Williamson said. "From my perspective, I just want to play basketball. I want to hoop, I want to play the game I love. But the reality of it is whether I check my phone, whether I'm just watching TV, no matter what it is, I can't really escape what the world thinks, what people's opinions are. So, it's frustrating."

Williamson played in 29 games this season, missing the final 45 because of the hamstring injury. He averaged 26 points and 7 rebounds while shooting 60.8% from the field. He was named an All-Star starter, although the injury kept him out of the game.

He has been engaged on the sidelines watching his team as it tries to make it back to the playoffs for a second consecutive year, but it hasn't made the situation any easier.

"I mean, this s--- sucks," Williamson said. "I don't know how else to say it. It just sucks. I love this game. I say it over and over. For those people that think that I just want to sit on the sideline just to sit over there, I don't know why people think that, but nah, it sucks. I want to be playing basketball for real

[SparzWizard]

Looks like Dallas Mavericks has been fined $750k as a result of NBA's investigation.

Still got their first-round pick!

[Phantom255x]

Looks like Dallas Mavericks has been fined $750k as a result of NBA's investigation.

Still got their first-round pick!

I'm pretty sure you can purchase a 2nd round pick from a team for more than 750K 

[gouki88]

Have people here seen the clips on Twitter of Zion doing windmill dunks and other moves during practice and shootarounds right before games, even as recent as a few days ago?

Idk… maybe I’m overreacting but that just seems like a terrible look and a bad message to send to the fans and organization that you are seemingly fine, but still choosing to miss games because you’re not “100%” and “not Zion”. Pels could have used him even if off the bench for some minutes.

Next year’s a big one for him and the organization. If he is barely on the court again then I’ll really consider him a bust. But I hope he isn’t, he seems like an awesome guy and is gifted

I took the clips (happened last year too) as Zion showing the world that he's fine, but it's the organization keeping him on the sidelines.

I haven't heard it's Zion choosing to miss games ( à la Ben Simmons).

He did not look fine at all, he looked like he was moving in mud. About 30lbs off playing weight from that clip.

[RodyTur10]

NBA thinks fining a billionaire pocket change as punishment is hilarious. If you don't want this to happen, DQ them from the lottery.

This just goes to show that the NBA should reward teams who don't make the playoffs with more balls than those who lose out.

TP, that would have been a great penalty. DQ from the lottery is in itself a small punishment for the (expected) #10 pick, but the "What if"-factor would be enormous as they can't get a top four pick.

[Phantom255x]

Have people here seen the clips on Twitter of Zion doing windmill dunks and other moves during practice and shootarounds right before games, even as recent as a few days ago?

Idk… maybe I’m overreacting but that just seems like a terrible look and a bad message to send to the fans and organization that you are seemingly fine, but still choosing to miss games because you’re not “100%” and “not Zion”. Pels could have used him even if off the bench for some minutes.

Next year’s a big one for him and the organization. If he is barely on the court again then I’ll really consider him a bust. But I hope he isn’t, he seems like an awesome guy and is gifted

I took the clips (happened last year too) as Zion showing the world that he's fine, but it's the organization keeping him on the sidelines.

I haven't heard it's Zion choosing to miss games ( à la Ben Simmons).

He did not look fine at all, he looked like he was moving in mud. About 30lbs off playing weight from that clip.

And right on cue, OOF:

https://www.nola.com/sports/pelicans/zion-williamson-was-never-medically-cleared-to-play-griffin-says/article_0fdb357c-db07-11ed-9008-4749e52d02ae.html

https://twitter.com/cclark_13/status/1646994477280575488

Basically the tweet + report saying Zion is out of shape which kept him out and that "it's on him". Pretty [dang]ing thing for a GM to say

[gouki88]

Have people here seen the clips on Twitter of Zion doing windmill dunks and other moves during practice and shootarounds right before games, even as recent as a few days ago?

Idk… maybe I’m overreacting but that just seems like a terrible look and a bad message to send to the fans and organization that you are seemingly fine, but still choosing to miss games because you’re not “100%” and “not Zion”. Pels could have used him even if off the bench for some minutes.

Next year’s a big one for him and the organization. If he is barely on the court again then I’ll really consider him a bust. But I hope he isn’t, he seems like an awesome guy and is gifted

I took the clips (happened last year too) as Zion showing the world that he's fine, but it's the organization keeping him on the sidelines.

I haven't heard it's Zion choosing to miss games ( à la Ben Simmons).

He did not look fine at all, he looked like he was moving in mud. About 30lbs off playing weight from that clip.

And right on cue, OOF:

https://www.nola.com/sports/pelicans/zion-williamson-was-never-medically-cleared-to-play-griffin-says/article_0fdb357c-db07-11ed-9008-4749e52d02ae.html

https://twitter.com/cclark_13/status/1646994477280575488

Basically the tweet + report saying Zion is out of shape which kept him out and that "it's on him". Pretty [dang]ing thing for a GM to say

[gouki88]

This Miami crowd is genuinely pathetic

[Who]

https://twitter.com/cclark_13/status/1646994477280575488

I was scrolling down that guy's twitter and he talks about CJ McCollum playing 3 months with a right thumb injury that needs surgery and played the final 7 games of the season with a torn labrum in his shoulder.

And Zion can't even get his fat ass in shape.

That has got to suck as a teammate.

Ingram and Zion played only 10 games together this season. Sheesh.

[Phantom255x]

This Miami crowd is genuinely pathetic

I still remember last year's ECF, it'd be like half-empty most of the time. Hell, even Game 7, it did fill up towards the end but at the start it was only like 60% filled. FOR A GAME 7 ON SUNDAY NIGHT

[Phantom255x]

Heat with a good first quarter

Maybe DeRozan should have let his daughter come to this game too 

[blink]

This Miami crowd is genuinely pathetic

I still remember last year's ECF, it'd be like half-empty most of the time. Hell, even Game 7, it did fill up towards the end but at the start it was only like 60% filled. FOR A GAME 7 ON SUNDAY NIGHT

I couldn't believe when I turned on the game, so many empty seats in the first 20 rows....seriously?  that is the best crowd they can get in an elimination game?  lol

[blink]

Heat with a good first quarter

Maybe DeRozan should have let his daughter come to this game too 

I just dislike the heat.  I am rooting for the Bulls.