NBA Season 2024-25

[DefenseWinsChamps]

Pacers in 5 or 6.

Jeez - really? Why do you think that?

[mobilija]

Pacers in 5 or 6.

Jeez - really? Why do you think that?

He?s just saying

[Vermont Green]

Pacers in 5 or 6.

Jeez - really? Why do you think that?

This series is a tough call.  It is hard to know what to expect from either team.  IND has the style of play that can give OKC some trouble.  I will predict OKC in 6.

[celticinorlando]

OKC in an easy 5. Will be uncompetitive like the last 2 previous finals. Ratings will be an all time low.

[Vermont Green]

OKC in an easy 5. Will be uncompetitive like the last 2 previous finals. Ratings will be an all time low.

It could go that way but the way that IND pushes the ball, keep the pressure on the defense, is the wild card.  I didn't think IND had a chance vs. CLE and I thought NYK would be more even.  IND has been a surprise all along.  I think it could be a good style of play.  The games should be entertaining.

[Donoghus]

Shams Charania
@ShamsCharania
?
35s
The Utah Jazz are hiring Boston Celtics assistant general manager Austin Ainge as the franchise's president of basketball operations, sources tell me and
@TimBontemps
. Ainge has spent the past 14 years working in Boston's front office, including the last six in his current role.

[Phantom255x]

Shams Charania
@ShamsCharania
?
35s
The Utah Jazz are hiring Boston Celtics assistant general manager Austin Ainge as the franchise's president of basketball operations, sources tell me and
@TimBontemps
. Ainge has spent the past 14 years working in Boston's front office, including the last six in his current role.

Must have been an exhaustive search! His dad hired him after all lol

[Phantom255x]

Now that our "inside man" is placed in Utah along with his Dad, lets get Kessler + more

Porzingis + 2 future first rounders for Kessler + Sexton + Sensabaugh

[Vermont Green]

Shams Charania
@ShamsCharania
?
35s
The Utah Jazz are hiring Boston Celtics assistant general manager Austin Ainge as the franchise's president of basketball operations, sources tell me and
@TimBontemps
. Ainge has spent the past 14 years working in Boston's front office, including the last six in his current role.

Must have been an exhaustive search! His dad hired him after all lol

I think we should get some draft pick compensation for that.  Utah has a bunch of picks stockpiled, although many of them are from CLE that you don't expect to be all that great for a while.

[Moranis]

Pacers in 5 or 6.

Jeez - really? Why do you think that?

I think the Pacers are a very unique challenge for the Thunder. They can't key on Haliburton like they could with Edwards. He is just such a brilliant ball handler and passer and is often at his best distributing and not scoring. I know they did well on him in the regular season, but I think Tyrese has found his groove.  I also think Chet is almost a detriment in the series.  I expect Turner to actually play pretty well.  Now SGA is a problem for the Pacers, he is going to have big numbers, but I think the Pacers will do enough on the others to win.

[Who]

Pacers in 5 or 6.

Jeez - really? Why do you think that?

I think the Pacers are a very unique challenge for the Thunder. They can't key on Haliburton like they could with Edwards. He is just such a brilliant ball handler and passer and is often at his best distributing and not scoring. I know they did well on him in the regular season, but I think Tyrese has found his groove.  I also think Chet is almost a detriment in the series.  I expect Turner to actually play pretty well.  Now SGA is a problem for the Pacers, he is going to have big numbers, but I think the Pacers will do enough on the others to win.

How so?

[perks-a-beast]

Rumor has it Giannis and Toronto have mutual interest.

I know the east is weak, but I still dont think getting Giannis puts the Raptors in contention to even get out of the conference.

Let?s say hypothetically the trade is this?.

TOR gets: Giannis Antetokounmpo & Kyle Kuzma
MIL gets: Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, Gradey Dick, 9th overall pick, 2026 1st, 2028 1st, 2030 1st round pick.

Leaves the Raptors with

PG- I. Quickly
SG - O. Agbaji
SF - B. Ingram
PF - G. Antetokounmpo
C - J. Poeltl

Bench

J. Shead
J. Walter
K. Kuzma
J. Mogbo

IMO that doesnt put them ahead of Indiana, New York, or even Cleveland next year, and its not much better than the team Giannis has right now in MIL.

[Moranis]

Pacers in 5 or 6.

Jeez - really? Why do you think that?

I think the Pacers are a very unique challenge for the Thunder. They can't key on Haliburton like they could with Edwards. He is just such a brilliant ball handler and passer and is often at his best distributing and not scoring. I know they did well on him in the regular season, but I think Tyrese has found his groove.  I also think Chet is almost a detriment in the series.  I expect Turner to actually play pretty well.  Now SGA is a problem for the Pacers, he is going to have big numbers, but I think the Pacers will do enough on the others to win.

How so?

I think they are better off with the bigger guy in Hartenstein getting way more minutes.  I think the Pacers can go right at Chet and cause him issues defensively and Turner is better able to guard him then he is Hartenstein.  I know there were some changes, but 2 years ago Chet was terrible against the Pacers and the Pacers won both regular srason games (1 sga didn't play, the other he did). While this past year Chet didn't play in either game and the Thunder won both (hartenstein was pretty good in one and mostly a nonfactor in the other). I just think the way to cause the Pacers issue is a bigger more bruising center.

[Who]

Rumor has it Giannis and Toronto have mutual interest.

I know the east is weak, but I still dont think getting Giannis puts the Raptors in contention to even get out of the conference.

Let?s say hypothetically the trade is this?.

TOR gets: Giannis Antetokounmpo & Kyle Kuzma
MIL gets: Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, Gradey Dick, 9th overall pick, 2026 1st, 2028 1st, 2030 1st round pick.

Is Giannis really worth that much?

He is 31 years old next season.

(1) A young star in Scottie Barnes
(2) A low level / quasi star in RJ Barrett
(3) 4 first round picks including a lotto pick
(4) Getting out of Kuzma's deal

That is a hefty asking price for a guy that old.

I would leave out the RJ Barrett and Kuzma parts. I would take away one future 1st. So Scottie Barnes, lotto pick, and 2 future firsts. That sounds more reasonable to me.

G: I Quickley
G: RJ Barrett
F: B Ingram
F: Giannis
C: J Poeltl


That is a team that is more interesting. Not worth gutting a team to end up with a squad that as you say wouldn't be as good as NY or Indiana.

[Vermont Green]

The MIL team with Lillard and Middleton both healthy was a pretty good team.

I like Ingram with Giannis.  And Giannis is at his best when he has a big center next to him (Poeltl).  I think that is a pretty good start to a team.  Quickley and the rest may leave them a good player away from a true title contender, but the team would a decent start.