NBA Season 2024-25

[radiohead]

Sixers look mega toast

Where do they go from here? Do they tank and hope they get the #7 pick? I think they should just clean house and try to collect as much assets as possible. Trade everyone including Maxey, PG, and Embiid  and go for a full blown rebuild? Will there be takers for Embiid and PG though?

[SparzWizard]

So there's rumor going on that Jimmy Butler could land in Phoenix and Bradley Beal joining Milwaukee? Say waht

[Kernewek]

So there's rumor going on that Jimmy Butler could land in Phoenix and Bradley Beal joining Milwaukee? Say waht

Moving Bradley Beal's contract would be a massive win for Phoenix, but I am not 100% up to date on how this three-way trade would have to work out.

[Surferdad]

Sixers look mega toast

Where do they go from here? Do they tank and hope they get the #7 pick? I think they should just clean house and try to collect as much assets as possible. Trade everyone including Maxey, PG, and Embiid  and go for a full blown rebuild? Will there be takers for Embiid and PG though?

I do not care. Daryl Morey will sleep in his own stinky bed, no trades.

[Celtics2021]

So there's rumor going on that Jimmy Butler could land in Phoenix and Bradley Beal joining Milwaukee? Say waht

Moving Bradley Beal's contract would be a massive win for Phoenix, but I am not 100% up to date on how this three-way trade would have to work out.

Unless I?m missing something, the only players Milwaukee could trade in such a deal would be Lillard or Giannis, so that seems unlikely.

[perks-a-beast]

So, it appears the Butler to PHX trade may actually be happening. But PHX would almost certainly have to part with the 3 late firsts they just acquired from the Jazz and Ryan Dunn. And of course Bradley Beals contract, which I'm guessing Miami would re-route to another team like Milwaukee or Toronto.

[Phantom255x]

So, it appears the Butler to PHX trade may actually be happening. But PHX would almost certainly have to part with the 3 late firsts they just acquired from the Jazz and Ryan Dunn. And of course Bradley Beals contract, which I'm guessing Miami would re-route to another team like Milwaukee or Toronto.

It would probably be something like Butler to Phoenix, Beal to Milwaukee, and Middleton, Dunn, maybe 1-2 more young players from each team, and then a handful of picks including 2-3 from Phoenix that they recently acquired.

Truth be told though that feels like a "lose-lose" trade for everyone lol. Maybe Phoenix "wins" I guess but it depends if Butler-Booker-Durant works in the short term. Though it'd definitely a win to get out of Beal's deal.

More I think about it, idk why MIL would want to do this. Do they love Beal that much at the expense of Middleton + more?

So in that case, how will it work with Toronto if he's willing to waive his NTC there

[perks-a-beast]

So, it appears the Butler to PHX trade may actually be happening. But PHX would almost certainly have to part with the 3 late firsts they just acquired from the Jazz and Ryan Dunn. And of course Bradley Beals contract, which I'm guessing Miami would re-route to another team like Milwaukee or Toronto.

It would probably be something like Butler to Phoenix, Beal to Milwaukee, and Middleton, Dunn, maybe 1-2 more young players from each team, and then a handful of picks including 2-3 from Phoenix that they recently acquired.

Truth be told though that feels like a "lose-lose" trade for everyone lol. Maybe Phoenix "wins" I guess but it depends if Butler-Booker-Durant works in the short term. Though it'd definitely a win to get out of Beal's deal.

More I think about it, idk why MIL would want to do this. Do they love Beal that much at the expense of Middleton + more?

So in that case, how will it work with Toronto if he's willing to waive his NTC there

I agree. It?s a lose-lose. It would be the trade of two extremely desperate teams with massive payrolls and short title contention windows (although you could argue neither are true title contenders (even post-trade).

However, I could see both teams talking themselves into it. For MIL: Beal is having a good season from an efficiency standpoint and is definitely an upgrade over Middleton at this juncture. For PHX: Butler brings a much needed defensive presence to the Suns and it sounds like he actually wants be there and could be rejuvenated by the new scenery.

But like I said, I?d be surprised if such a trade actually benefited either team in a significant way. Significant meaning it would catapult either team to at least the Finals. Not happening.

If the trade is between MIA-MIL-PHX, and I had to guess what team would end up ?winning the trade? it would be Miami. If they can get back Middleton, Dunn, expirings, and a few of that late 1st rounders from the Suns, they should do it. It?s actually not a bad return for a guy who doesnt want to be there, is an ongoing distraction, and whose trade value is currently in the toilet.

[keevsnick]

The Bucks could do a Beal trade if they packaged Middleton, Pat Connaughton and Bobby Portis along with probably 1+2 other smaller contracts. That would allow them to fill out the back end of their roster with minimums and stay below the 2nd apron.

Whether the Beal for Middleton swap is worth taking on an extra 88 million dollars on Beals contract vs Middleton's contract is another question altogether, but it is doable.

I'd imagine the Phoenix swap of a 31' first for three lesser firsts in 25', 27' and 29' is probably part of the maneuvering for a Beal/Middleton/Butler swap with one of those firsts and Middleton going to Miami.

[kraidstar]

I don't see Milwaukee getting in on this trade. They'd have to gut whatever depth they currently have in fabor of another undersized no-defense guard.

And does Miami really want Middleton + whoever? If I'm Miami I'd rather roll the dice with Beal + picks OR get a third team like Brooklyn involved, take on Ben Simmons' expiring, then have loads of cap space.

Heat receive: Simmons expiring, Melton expiring, Phoenix 1st round swap, Brooklyn 2nd

Phoenix receives: Jimmy

Brooklyn receives: Beal, 3 Phoenix firsts, Phoenix 2nd

Brooklyn waits 2 years then flips Beal's expiring for more assets

Miami retains Simmons and Melton's bird rights. Try to sign them to low-money, team-friendly "show me" deals then use cap space to land a good player. Maybe wait till '26 offseason and try to poach Doncic.

For Phoenix they're probably screwed no matter what they do. But Butler is about the best hail mary play they can make.

[trickybilly]

Wild one in Houston.

But lo and behold. Cavs are losing games now with Mobley out.

EDIT: Gerald Green is on the Rockets commentator team!!!!!!! If Scal moves on, I'll gladly take Green

[Goldstar88]

Mark Williams is a beast. In 33 minutes of play tonight he had 38pts, 9rebs, 5ast.

SGA also went off tonight. 54pts, 8rebs 5ast.

[Phantom255x]

Wild one in Houston.

But lo and behold. Cavs are losing games now with Mobley out.

Still think they are the team to beat in the East, but I will say between the injuries and even just tougher competition they are facing, they haven't looked as dominant in the last two weeks. Besides blowing out Phoenix, they've mostly had just close wins or losses, and some brutal losses (like the OKC game where they fell behind by 40+ at one point)

[jpotter33]

Wild one in Houston.

But lo and behold. Cavs are losing games now with Mobley out.

EDIT: Gerald Green is on the Rockets commentator team!!!!!!! If Scal moves on, I'll gladly take Green

Just watched the ending of that game. Crazy. Pretty big choke by Garland to miss two out of three free throws there.

This is why I still have so much skepticism around both OKC and Cleveland. Until you've done it in high pressure games in the playoffs, you haven't done it. And neither team has really even threatened to even get out of the second round yet.

[Silas]

Starting tonight, Cleveland will have a difficult upcoming 10 games:
2- OKC
2- HOU
2- IND
1- MINN
1- PHILLY
1- PHOENIX
1- TORONTO

Maybe 6-4

Well maybe 7-3...

A visit back to Jan. 8....Currently the Cavs are 5-3 on this 10 game stretch, with another Houston game still to play.  It's a long season and injuries do make a difference.