2024 NBA Offseason News

[SCeltic34]

Sorry if this has already been addressed earlier in this thread, but am I the only person that thinks that Dallas signing Klay wasn't a great move?  He's a nice off-ball target for Luka, but I don't see him as a good fit next to Kyrie.

Dallas' biggest problem against us was that they had no solid perimeter defenders.  With the loss of Jones, that got even worse.  Their defense will be porous in the playoffs, especially if they get a bad matchup.  Lively and Gafford are going to have their hands full.  Klay, Luka, and Kyrie will all get toasted off the dribble.

The problem with Klay is that he's in denial about his physical decline.  I'm not sure what Dallas' other options were because I haven't had time to follow the offseason that closely, but they needed a more versatile 2-way player than Klay. (You know who'd be better than Klay?  Derrick White.)

[Who]

Sorry if this has already been addressed earlier in this thread, but am I the only person that thinks that Dallas signing Klay wasn't a great move?  He's a nice off-ball target for Luka, but I don't see him as a good fit next to Kyrie.

Dallas' biggest problem against us was that they had no solid perimeter defenders.  With the loss of Jones, that got even worse.  Their defense will be porous in the playoffs, especially if they get a bad matchup.  Lively and Gafford are going to have their hands full.  Klay, Luka, and Kyrie will all get toasted off the dribble.

The problem with Klay is that he's in denial about his physical decline.  I'm not sure what Dallas' other options were because I haven't had time to follow the offseason that closely, but they needed a more versatile 2-way player than Klay. (You know who'd be better than Klay?  Derrick White.)

I think Dallas swapped in Naji Marshall for Derrick Jones Jr as their starting SG/SF and defensive stopper on the wing. And then swapped in Klay for Josh Green as their main backup wing. I expect Klay will be a 6th man.

I don't see Klay making a big impact there either. He looked good at times last season but I don't trust him in big games. His defense is bad. His offense is streaky. He doesn't get easy scores anymore. Too reliant on his jumper.

I don't think he is a great fit for their offense either. Too much standing around watching Luka & Kyrie dribble instead of a ball-movement offense that he is used to. And of course not a good fit for their defense. Very difficult to play those three guys together in the same lineup against quality opponents in the playoffs.

Seems like side-ways steps to me. They would have been better off spending that money on someone else.

I just read that Caleb Martin was looking for $15mil a year. He would have been a better option than Klay as their bench wing. Two way player. Solid shooter. Athletic.

[Phantom255x]

Sorry if this has already been addressed earlier in this thread, but am I the only person that thinks that Dallas signing Klay wasn't a great move?  He's a nice off-ball target for Luka, but I don't see him as a good fit next to Kyrie.

Dallas' biggest problem against us was that they had no solid perimeter defenders.  With the loss of Jones, that got even worse.  Their defense will be porous in the playoffs, especially if they get a bad matchup.  Lively and Gafford are going to have their hands full.  Klay, Luka, and Kyrie will all get toasted off the dribble.

The problem with Klay is that he's in denial about his physical decline.  I'm not sure what Dallas' other options were because I haven't had time to follow the offseason that closely, but they needed a more versatile 2-way player than Klay. (You know who'd be better than Klay?  Derrick White.)

I don't really blame them though for making it. I mean what else could they have realistically done? But I agree, a lot is gonna depend on if Klay is willing to sacrifice a bit, or if he wants to "prove the doubters" wrong and act like an alpha. He's not that good defensively anymore either. Dallas is probably gonna just hope to outscore teams. I do think they missed having a legit 3rd option and consistent scorer. PJ Washington is just not that guy. That said, Klay has had some shooting duds in recent years too.

Ultimately I think Luka is gonna have to grow his own game and body. He needs better conditioning and he also needs to actually be "okay" defensively. He doesn't have to be elite on that end but he also can't be a human traffic cone out there. It's like Harden, he's been a little bit better on that end but one of his primary knocks was poor defense even when he was MVP-caliber in the Rockets days. Harden's also made some conference finals and a Finals, so Doncic is kind of trending in that direction.

[tonydelk]

Sorry if this has already been addressed earlier in this thread, but am I the only person that thinks that Dallas signing Klay wasn't a great move?  He's a nice off-ball target for Luka, but I don't see him as a good fit next to Kyrie.

Dallas' biggest problem against us was that they had no solid perimeter defenders.  With the loss of Jones, that got even worse.  Their defense will be porous in the playoffs, especially if they get a bad matchup.  Lively and Gafford are going to have their hands full.  Klay, Luka, and Kyrie will all get toasted off the dribble.

The problem with Klay is that he's in denial about his physical decline.  I'm not sure what Dallas' other options were because I haven't had time to follow the offseason that closely, but they needed a more versatile 2-way player than Klay. (You know who'd be better than Klay?  Derrick White.)

I think Dallas swapped in Naji Marshall for Derrick Jones Jr as their starting SG/SF and defensive stopper on the wing. And then swapped in Klay for Josh Green as their main backup wing. I expect Klay will be a 6th man.

I don't see Klay making a big impact there either. He looked good at times last season but I don't trust him in big games. His defense is bad. His offense is streaky. He doesn't get easy scores anymore. Too reliant on his jumper.

I don't think he is a great fit for their offense either. Too much standing around watching Luka & Kyrie dribble instead of a ball-movement offense that he is used to. And of course not a good fit for their defense. Very difficult to play those three guys together in the same lineup against quality opponents in the playoffs.

Seems like side-ways steps to me. They would have been better off spending that money on someone else.

I just read that Caleb Martin was looking for $15mil a year. He would have been a better option than Klay as their bench wing. Two way player. Solid shooter. Athletic.

Klay will start and playing with Luka and Kyrie will be a good fit.  I'd have been a lot more worried with Klay shooting those open 3s in the finals over Washingron, Jones and green.  Klay scored 15ppg last year.  He's a  great floor spacer and should open up the lane for Luka and Kyrie.  I would not underestimate this signing.  I hope I'm wrong but for the money it was a good signing.

[Phantom255x]

Sorry if this has already been addressed earlier in this thread, but am I the only person that thinks that Dallas signing Klay wasn't a great move?  He's a nice off-ball target for Luka, but I don't see him as a good fit next to Kyrie.

Dallas' biggest problem against us was that they had no solid perimeter defenders.  With the loss of Jones, that got even worse.  Their defense will be porous in the playoffs, especially if they get a bad matchup.  Lively and Gafford are going to have their hands full.  Klay, Luka, and Kyrie will all get toasted off the dribble.

The problem with Klay is that he's in denial about his physical decline.  I'm not sure what Dallas' other options were because I haven't had time to follow the offseason that closely, but they needed a more versatile 2-way player than Klay. (You know who'd be better than Klay?  Derrick White.)

I think Dallas swapped in Naji Marshall for Derrick Jones Jr as their starting SG/SF and defensive stopper on the wing. And then swapped in Klay for Josh Green as their main backup wing. I expect Klay will be a 6th man.

I don't see Klay making a big impact there either. He looked good at times last season but I don't trust him in big games. His defense is bad. His offense is streaky. He doesn't get easy scores anymore. Too reliant on his jumper.

I don't think he is a great fit for their offense either. Too much standing around watching Luka & Kyrie dribble instead of a ball-movement offense that he is used to. And of course not a good fit for their defense. Very difficult to play those three guys together in the same lineup against quality opponents in the playoffs.

Seems like side-ways steps to me. They would have been better off spending that money on someone else.

I just read that Caleb Martin was looking for $15mil a year. He would have been a better option than Klay as their bench wing. Two way player. Solid shooter. Athletic.

Klay will start and playing with Luka and Kyrie will be a good fit.  I'd have been a lot more worried with Klay shooting those open 3s in the finals over Washingron, Jones and green.  Klay scored 15ppg last year.  He's a  great floor spacer and should open up the lane for Luka and Kyrie.  I would not underestimate this signing.  I hope I'm wrong but for the money it was a good signing.

He definitely helps them as he provides a legit 3rd scoring option, and as you said some of the open 3s that their guys brick, Klay could knock down. I don't think he can give them much on the defensive end though, so yeah, Dallas is gonna have to hope to outscore teams or hope that somehow a guy like Doncic can not remain a true liability there. In the Finals, as good as Luka was he was also getting torched defensively. The West is also only getting better.

[cman88]

sure offensively, klay is abit deadlier than who they had last year jacking up 3's

but you would have 3 defensive liabilities on the court at all times. we saw what happened in the finals with 2 defensive liabilities.

[No Nickname]

Sorry if this has already been addressed earlier in this thread, but am I the only person that thinks that Dallas signing Klay wasn't a great move?  He's a nice off-ball target for Luka, but I don't see him as a good fit next to Kyrie.

Dallas' biggest problem against us was that they had no solid perimeter defenders.  With the loss of Jones, that got even worse.  Their defense will be porous in the playoffs, especially if they get a bad matchup.  Lively and Gafford are going to have their hands full.  Klay, Luka, and Kyrie will all get toasted off the dribble.

The problem with Klay is that he's in denial about his physical decline.  I'm not sure what Dallas' other options were because I haven't had time to follow the offseason that closely, but they needed a more versatile 2-way player than Klay. (You know who'd be better than Klay?  Derrick White.)

I don't really blame them though for making it. I mean what else could they have realistically done? But I agree, a lot is gonna depend on if Klay is willing to sacrifice a bit, or if he wants to "prove the doubters" wrong and act like an alpha. He's not that good defensively anymore either. Dallas is probably gonna just hope to outscore teams. I do think they missed having a legit 3rd option and consistent scorer. PJ Washington is just not that guy. That said, Klay has had some shooting duds in recent years too.

Ultimately I think Luka is gonna have to grow his own game and body. He needs better conditioning and he also needs to actually be "okay" defensively. He doesn't have to be elite on that end but he also can't be a human traffic cone out there. It's like Harden, he's been a little bit better on that end but one of his primary knocks was poor defense even when he was MVP-caliber in the Rockets days. Harden's also made some conference finals and a Finals, so Doncic is kind of trending in that direction.

There have been moments where Luka has shown some good effort on the defensive end.

I wonder if part of his lackluster performance on that end comes from him exerting so much energy on offense (and being so ball-dominant).  He's not a guy who is just standing in the corner like his counterparts.

So yeah, he needs to get in better shape.  Not necessarily because he doesn't burn as many calories as his teammates, but because his team's success depends on him being so ball-dominant and not a sieve on the other end.

[Kernewek]

Sorry if this has already been addressed earlier in this thread, but am I the only person that thinks that Dallas signing Klay wasn't a great move?  He's a nice off-ball target for Luka, but I don't see him as a good fit next to Kyrie.

Dallas' biggest problem against us was that they had no solid perimeter defenders.  With the loss of Jones, that got even worse.  Their defense will be porous in the playoffs, especially if they get a bad matchup.  Lively and Gafford are going to have their hands full.  Klay, Luka, and Kyrie will all get toasted off the dribble.

The problem with Klay is that he's in denial about his physical decline.  I'm not sure what Dallas' other options were because I haven't had time to follow the offseason that closely, but they needed a more versatile 2-way player than Klay. (You know who'd be better than Klay?  Derrick White.)

I don't really blame them though for making it. I mean what else could they have realistically done? But I agree, a lot is gonna depend on if Klay is willing to sacrifice a bit, or if he wants to "prove the doubters" wrong and act like an alpha. He's not that good defensively anymore either. Dallas is probably gonna just hope to outscore teams. I do think they missed having a legit 3rd option and consistent scorer. PJ Washington is just not that guy. That said, Klay has had some shooting duds in recent years too.

Ultimately I think Luka is gonna have to grow his own game and body. He needs better conditioning and he also needs to actually be "okay" defensively. He doesn't have to be elite on that end but he also can't be a human traffic cone out there. It's like Harden, he's been a little bit better on that end but one of his primary knocks was poor defense even when he was MVP-caliber in the Rockets days. Harden's also made some conference finals and a Finals, so Doncic is kind of trending in that direction.

There have been moments where Luka has shown some good effort on the defensive end.

I wonder if part of his lackluster performance on that end comes from him exerting so much energy on offense (and being so ball-dominant).  He's not a guy who is just standing in the corner like his counterparts.

So yeah, he needs to get in better shape.  Not necessarily because he doesn't burn as many calories as his teammates, but because his team's success depends on him being so ball-dominant and not a sieve on the other end.

I think a reasonable comparison for the modern Dallas squad is a team like the IT4 Celtics. The difference, at least in team makeup, is that Dallas hasn't built a team where guys like Avery Bradley and Jae Crowder are able to expend twice as much effort on D to cover for him.

[Who]

?Those guys are super talented, super athletic,? Heat forward Cole Swider said after practicing alongside Ware and Larsson for the first time, when Miami?s summer league team opened training camp Thursday in San Francisco. ?Both have a good basketball IQ. They seem like they?re hungry and eager to learn, which is always good for first-year players. I?m excited.?

But Swider can already see their potential.

?Kel?el is a physical monster,? Swider said. ?You can throw the ball anywhere and he?s going to catch it and finish it. He reminds me a lot of Dereck Lively and what he was able to do this year. He has all the measurables and definitely wants to learn and get better.

?Then Pelle has unbelievable talent. You can tell he has a great nose for the basketball and he?s deceivingly athletic. It was well-noted in his predraft process of who he is as a shooter and some of the things that he can do on the defensive end. But he was throwing down some dunks today and I was like, ?Wow, this guy?s athleticism is underrated.??

Kel'el Ware getting quite a few D Lively comparisons.

Miami and Ware have both said they already have him on a weight program. They want to get him up from 230lbs to 240-245lbs in time. 7 feet. 7-5 wingspan. Quick. Mobile. Can leap.

I don't know anything about Pelle Larsson

But Larsson, 23, also brings an NBA-ready combination of size and athleticism. He?s listed at 6-foot-6 and 215 pounds, and recorded the eighth-highest max vertical leap at the NBA Draft combine (38 inches).

?For Pelle, we?re extremely excited at the versatility he can bring on both the offensive and defensive ends,? Bisaccio said. ?... A lot of the different things of guarding different positions. On offense, yeah he can shoot it. But we want to see that next level. What else could you do with the ball? Can you be a playmaker for us? Can you make reads from there??

Larsson grew up in Sweden and moved to the United States in 2020 to begin his college basketball career at Utah before transferring to Arizona after his freshman season. Now, he?s adjusting to the Heat?s way of doing things.

?I think my play style fits very well with this team,? Larsson said. ?I think every guy on the Heat does a lot of things. It?s not just one specific thing. There?s a lot that goes into it. All guys are two-way guys on two ends of the floor, defense and offense. They can do a lot of things in a lot of different situations. That?s just the type of player I am ? I fit into that category. I?m just a guy that can do a lot of things and play on both ends.?

They seem pretty excited him.

Hmm ... his stats are not so impressive. Only 12ppg as a college senior. 23yrs old. 12.8ppg 4.1rpg 3.7apg as a wing. His shooting numbers are good. Shot 52% from the field and 47-48% in previous seasons. Shot 42.6% from three. Shot 36% the two previous years and 46% as a freshman. Almost 40% for his college career. 81% career FT%. About a 2:1 AST:TOV ratio. Low steals, low blocks.

Not a lot there that stands out. He was the 44th pick of the draft.

Those Swedish guys tend to be good competitors. I always think of Jonas Jerebko. Good team orientated players. Size, athleticism, shooting. If he has those other good qualities in competitiveness and team focused, he could be a guy that sticks around.

Maybe even cracks the Heat rotation this year or next. A possible replacement for Highsmith if Highsmith leaves. Or Josh Richardson while injured. An alternative to Alec Burks who you never know what you are going to get out of (either really good or really bad).

[Who]

Lakers GM Rob Pelinka on re-signing LeBron James: ?Alongside fellow team captain Anthony Davis, LeBron and new Lakers head coach JJ Redick will together lead a championship-caliber team that will play with great pride every time they take the floor.?

Delusional.

[Birdman]

Chicago May end up worst record in NBA..Ball & LaVine probably miss more games than play..have no idea who?s on the roster & don?t think they do either lol

[Roy H.]

Lakers GM Rob Pelinka on re-signing LeBron James: ?Alongside fellow team captain Anthony Davis, LeBron and new Lakers head coach JJ Redick will together lead a championship-caliber team that will play with great pride every time they take the floor.?

Delusional.

IST Championship-caliber.

[Donoghus]

Chicago May end up worst record in NBA..Ball & LaVine probably miss more games than play..have no idea who?s on the roster & don?t think they do either lol

They need to bottom out. They?ve been treadmilling for too long.

The problem they had was being complacent and not moving guys earlier for more value.

[Birdman]

Lakers GM Rob Pelinka on re-signing LeBron James: ?Alongside fellow team captain Anthony Davis, LeBron and new Lakers head coach JJ Redick will together lead a championship-caliber team that will play with great pride every time they take the floor.?

Delusional.

Gotta try to win that great play in tournament

[Who]

Chicago May end up worst record in NBA..Ball & LaVine probably miss more games than play..have no idea who?s on the roster & don?t think they do either lol

I was disappointed they didn't bring DeRozan back. I thought that group had the chance to be an entertaining team. The best team they have had since they won 46 games with Lonzo Ball playing a leading role. This group would have been the deepest set of forwards they have had during DeRozan's time there.

G: Coby White, Ayo Dosunmo
G: Z LaVine
F: J Giddey, Pat Williams
F: DeRozan, M Buzelis
C: Vucevic, Jalen Smith

That is actually a solid group. DeRozan and Pat Williams have been trying to lock down the forward slots by themselves these last few years. No help. They finally had some help with Giddey coming in for Caruso and with their exciting new draft pick Matas Buzelis. 4 legit forwards. For the 1st time since DeRozan has been there! Finally some depth at forward. Nope. Dump DeRozan.

I was thinking back about that 46 win Lonzo Ball team. The previous good Bulls team before that was the Rondo, D-Wade and J-Butler team. That was in 2016-17.

They have only had 1 decent team since then. Every other year they have sucked. They could have had a decent team this year but they blew it.

A proper rebuild is the best option but selfishly I just wanted to see a decent team in Chicago. They have some individual players I enjoy to watch. I would have liked to have seen that group play together.