NBA Season 2022-23

[Moranis]

Nurse lost the locker room because of the front office.

He spent 2 and a half years without a proper center on his roster (since M Gasol left) which hamstrung their interior defense & rebounding.

Add in that Nurse hasn't had a 2nd PG to backup VanVleet for 2 years since Lowry left for the Heat and you see how their front office screwed over their offense. VanVleet was the only guy who could run the team and he was being run into the ground because he had no live backup PG on the roster.

They had another year where they had 4-5 good players and then nothing. No decent bench players. In addition to having no center and I can't remember if Lowry was still there or not. The whole thing has been poop-show.

When you are continually putting ill-fitting lineups on the floor and getting bad results, guys lose hope / morale and stop putting in as much effort. It is darn near impossible to keep them going. He kept them going for the best part of 3 years despite the complete and utter ineptitude of TOR's front office.

Nurse did a great job there. He was screwed over by his front office and sent out to pasture so the FO could scapegoat someone else instead of taking the blame they deserved to take.

They had that in 20-21 and won 27 games.  They went away from that and won 48 games the next year.  Perhaps you are giving Nurse more credit than he deserves.

[gouki88]

Nurse lost the locker room because of the front office.

He spent 2 and a half years without a proper center on his roster (since M Gasol left) which hamstrung their interior defense & rebounding.

Add in that Nurse hasn't had a 2nd PG to backup VanVleet for 2 years since Lowry left for the Heat and you see how their front office screwed over their offense. VanVleet was the only guy who could run the team and he was being run into the ground because he had no live backup PG on the roster.

They had another year where they had 4-5 good players and then nothing. No decent bench players. In addition to having no center and I can't remember if Lowry was still there or not. The whole thing has been poop-show.

When you are continually putting ill-fitting lineups on the floor and getting bad results, guys lose hope / morale and stop putting in as much effort. It is darn near impossible to keep them going. He kept them going for the best part of 3 years despite the complete and utter ineptitude of TOR's front office.

Nurse did a great job there. He was screwed over by his front office and sent out to pasture so the FO could scapegoat someone else instead of taking the blame they deserved to take.

Agreed. Their micro-ball roster was so flawed. You can’t have no size and little shooting

[Ed Monix]

[Phantom255x]

I am very curious to see what the Lakers do this offseason. Focus on supplementing the roster around AD/Lebron with a bunch of good shooters/role players, or push all the other chips in for a legit 3rd star (Kyrie, Lillard, etc.). Can they keep Hachimura + Reaves? Reaves was probably their best and most consistent player in the WCF, he'll get paid but I also think if LAL loses him that's a pretty big, underrated loss.

[Goldstar88]

I am very curious to see what the Lakers do this offseason. Focus on supplementing the roster around AD/Lebron with a bunch of good shooters/role players, or push all the other chips in for a legit 3rd star (Kyrie, Lillard, etc.). Can they keep Hachimura + Reaves? Reaves was probably their best and most consistent player in the WCF, he'll get paid but I also think if LAL loses him that's a pretty big, underrated loss.

I’d love to get Hachimura for the MLE. He’s a legit 6’8” and played really well for LA in the postseason. I’d much prefer having him over Grant.

[celticsclay]

I am very curious to see what the Lakers do this offseason. Focus on supplementing the roster around AD/Lebron with a bunch of good shooters/role players, or push all the other chips in for a legit 3rd star (Kyrie, Lillard, etc.). Can they keep Hachimura + Reaves? Reaves was probably their best and most consistent player in the WCF, he'll get paid but I also think if LAL loses him that's a pretty big, underrated loss.

From everything I have read it is literally impossible for them to fit another max slot salary (which Lilliard is locked up under) Kyrie would have to take one of biggest pay cuts in NBA history for him to end up there. The whole CBA is set up to stop this kind of thing also. Why do people keep acting like it is possible for them to get someone like Lilliard.?

[Vermont Green]

I am very curious to see what the Lakers do this offseason. Focus on supplementing the roster around AD/Lebron with a bunch of good shooters/role players, or push all the other chips in for a legit 3rd star (Kyrie, Lillard, etc.). Can they keep Hachimura + Reaves? Reaves was probably their best and most consistent player in the WCF, he'll get paid but I also think if LAL loses him that's a pretty big, underrated loss.

From everything I have read it is literally impossible for them to fit another max slot salary (which Lilliard is locked up under) Kyrie would have to take one of biggest pay cuts in NBA history for him to end up there. The whole CBA is set up to stop this kind of thing also. Why do people keep acting like it is possible for them to get someone like Lilliard.?

I don't think Kyrie is going to have a ton of options.  DAL can pay him but who else is going to use up their cap space offering Kyrie a big contract?  Trying to predict what Kyrie will do is not easy but I could see him taking a 1 year deal with LAL, at a price that still allows the team to sign a decent supporting cast.  Kyrie would make them much better team.

[Birdman]

How great is it that Lakers got sweep?!?!? But u know NBA, tv shows, networks, etc. wanted Celtics vs Lakers 😞

[Phantom255x]

I am very curious to see what the Lakers do this offseason. Focus on supplementing the roster around AD/Lebron with a bunch of good shooters/role players, or push all the other chips in for a legit 3rd star (Kyrie, Lillard, etc.). Can they keep Hachimura + Reaves? Reaves was probably their best and most consistent player in the WCF, he'll get paid but I also think if LAL loses him that's a pretty big, underrated loss.

From everything I have read it is literally impossible for them to fit another max slot salary (which Lilliard is locked up under) Kyrie would have to take one of biggest pay cuts in NBA history for him to end up there. The whole CBA is set up to stop this kind of thing also. Why do people keep acting like it is possible for them to get someone like Lilliard.?

There is a possibility of sign and trades aiding them in that regard. Maybe not Lillard but someone else. I think they have a decision to make though. Go all-in for a 3rd piece, or just keep it mostly the same with Lebron/AD and supplementing them. I doubt that's gonna work though, Lebron is 39 and AD is always an injury risk. They'd really need a few others to step up big time. Reaves and Hachimura did for stretches but I still think they benefitted from an easy path to the WCF (beat up and drama-filled Grizz, then a Warriors team that looked off all year). Idk if they can replicate it again for a whole season. And they might not even keep both or either.

[celticsclay]

I am very curious to see what the Lakers do this offseason. Focus on supplementing the roster around AD/Lebron with a bunch of good shooters/role players, or push all the other chips in for a legit 3rd star (Kyrie, Lillard, etc.). Can they keep Hachimura + Reaves? Reaves was probably their best and most consistent player in the WCF, he'll get paid but I also think if LAL loses him that's a pretty big, underrated loss.

From everything I have read it is literally impossible for them to fit another max slot salary (which Lilliard is locked up under) Kyrie would have to take one of biggest pay cuts in NBA history for him to end up there. The whole CBA is set up to stop this kind of thing also. Why do people keep acting like it is possible for them to get someone like Lilliard.?

There is a possibility of sign and trades aiding them in that regard. Maybe not Lillard but someone else. I think they have a decision to make though. Go all-in for a 3rd piece, or just keep it mostly the same with Lebron/AD and supplementing them. I doubt that's gonna work though, Lebron is 39 and AD is always an injury risk. They'd really need a few others to step up big time. Reaves and Hachimura did for stretches but I still think they benefitted from an easy path to the WCF (beat up and drama-filled Grizz, then a Warriors team that looked off all year). Idk if they can replicate it again for a whole season. And they might not even keep both or either.

I actually don’t think it is possible for them to get a max player unless everyone in their site is wrong about this. Even if they renounce everyone they can get around a million slot. Lilliard makes about 40. I think because of salary cap rules they can’t even offer russell 40 million if they wanted to, not to mention portland doesn’t want him at that number. If someone can come up with a feasible example of them getting a third max player that follows cap rules I would love to see it cause everything I have read it isn’t possible (unless they are getting rid of ad or Lebron).

[Goldstar88]

John Clark: Source says Frank Vogel interviewed with the Sixers today for their head coaching job. Frank is a Wildwood native and won an NBA Championship with the Lakers 3 years ago – via Twitter

[JSD]

I am very curious to see what the Lakers do this offseason. Focus on supplementing the roster around AD/Lebron with a bunch of good shooters/role players, or push all the other chips in for a legit 3rd star (Kyrie, Lillard, etc.). Can they keep Hachimura + Reaves? Reaves was probably their best and most consistent player in the WCF, he'll get paid but I also think if LAL loses him that's a pretty big, underrated loss.

From everything I have read it is literally impossible for them to fit another max slot salary (which Lilliard is locked up under) Kyrie would have to take one of biggest pay cuts in NBA history for him to end up there. The whole CBA is set up to stop this kind of thing also. Why do people keep acting like it is possible for them to get someone like Lilliard.?

There is a possibility of sign and trades aiding them in that regard. Maybe not Lillard but someone else. I think they have a decision to make though. Go all-in for a 3rd piece, or just keep it mostly the same with Lebron/AD and supplementing them. I doubt that's gonna work though, Lebron is 39 and AD is always an injury risk. They'd really need a few others to step up big time. Reaves and Hachimura did for stretches but I still think they benefitted from an easy path to the WCF (beat up and drama-filled Grizz, then a Warriors team that looked off all year). Idk if they can replicate it again for a whole season. And they might not even keep both or either.

I actually don’t think it is possible for them to get a max player unless everyone in their site is wrong about this. Even if they renounce everyone they can get around a million slot. Lilliard makes about 40. I think because of salary cap rules they can’t even offer russell 40 million if they wanted to, not to mention portland doesn’t want him at that number. If someone can come up with a feasible example of them getting a third max player that follows cap rules I would love to see it cause everything I have read it isn’t possible (unless they are getting rid of ad or Lebron).

Many ways. I’ll give one:

Find a team that wants to sign Russell (say 30 a year for 4 years) attach Beasley who the new team could instantly opt out of. $45 Million TPE created.

[celticsclay]

I am very curious to see what the Lakers do this offseason. Focus on supplementing the roster around AD/Lebron with a bunch of good shooters/role players, or push all the other chips in for a legit 3rd star (Kyrie, Lillard, etc.). Can they keep Hachimura + Reaves? Reaves was probably their best and most consistent player in the WCF, he'll get paid but I also think if LAL loses him that's a pretty big, underrated loss.

From everything I have read it is literally impossible for them to fit another max slot salary (which Lilliard is locked up under) Kyrie would have to take one of biggest pay cuts in NBA history for him to end up there. The whole CBA is set up to stop this kind of thing also. Why do people keep acting like it is possible for them to get someone like Lilliard.?

There is a possibility of sign and trades aiding them in that regard. Maybe not Lillard but someone else. I think they have a decision to make though. Go all-in for a 3rd piece, or just keep it mostly the same with Lebron/AD and supplementing them. I doubt that's gonna work though, Lebron is 39 and AD is always an injury risk. They'd really need a few others to step up big time. Reaves and Hachimura did for stretches but I still think they benefitted from an easy path to the WCF (beat up and drama-filled Grizz, then a Warriors team that looked off all year). Idk if they can replicate it again for a whole season. And they might not even keep both or either.

I actually don’t think it is possible for them to get a max player unless everyone in their site is wrong about this. Even if they renounce everyone they can get around a million slot. Lilliard makes about 40. I think because of salary cap rules they can’t even offer russell 40 million if they wanted to, not to mention portland doesn’t want him at that number. If someone can come up with a feasible example of them getting a third max player that follows cap rules I would love to see it cause everything I have read it isn’t possible (unless they are getting rid of ad or Lebron).

Many ways. I’ll give one:

Find a team that wants to sign Russell (say 30 a year for 4 years) attach Beasley who the new team could instantly opt out of. $45 Million TPE created.

Can they actually do this? Or do they have to renounce players first. Also this would assume a team is 45 million under the cap? I know it is a bit more complicated especially with new cba going into effect after this year.

Also for what it is worth I’m not sure any team wants to pay russell anything close to 30.

[LatterDayCelticsfan]

If I'm Houston, I am comfortable throwing away my rebuild for a short window run. If I can get Harden in FA and then line up two big trades for stars, I go for it.

I am not convinced by their youth. Jalen Green is their most talented player but is far from complete. Jabari Smith looks more like a 3rd option than a top 2 dude on a title team and that is if he pans out which is no guarantee. Sengun is skilled and smart but lacks athleticism, can't play defense and doesn't shoot the ball well.

It is a good start to a rebuild but it is not overwhelming talent. It is not Durant and Westbrook and dreams of a decade of title contention. It is closer to the Magic with Oladipo, Vucevic, A Gordon and E Payton. Is Houston's rebuild really so promising that you would be worried about walking away from it? Not for me its not.

A trade package built around J Green should net you a very strong veteran player. A 2nd package built around some combination of Jabari Smith, Sengun and maybe picks could be quite attractive also depending on how much you stack the package with Sengun and/or picks.

Houston could build a very good team around James Harden. Compete for 3-4 years. Restart their rebuild then.

I do wonder if they could get to a title contender via big trades. Maybe. Maybe not. But they should be able to build a very good team. A 50-55 win team. Maybe better.

What if Houston make a run for Durant?

[SHAQATTACK]

I am very curious to see what the Lakers do this offseason. Focus on supplementing the roster around AD/Lebron with a bunch of good shooters/role players, or push all the other chips in for a legit 3rd star (Kyrie, Lillard, etc.). Can they keep Hachimura + Reaves? Reaves was probably their best and most consistent player in the WCF, he'll get paid but I also think if LAL loses him that's a pretty big, underrated loss.

I’d love to get Hachimura for the MLE. He’s a legit 6’8” and played really well for LA in the postseason. I’d much prefer having him over Grant.

Yes to this . Energy guy .