NBA Season 2024-25

[kraidstar]

Dallas look like they might be near a total rebuild.

Kyrie = 33yr old, coming off ACL injury
Klay = 35yr old, well past his best
A Davis = 32yr old in a week, injury prone

What is the ceiling of that team? One and done playoff squad? 2nd round if they are lucky? All while the wheels start falling off their offensive stars? With the team declining year on year?

It looks like Dallas will be spending many years in the lottery trying to rebuild their squad in the near future.

Instead of having Luka and a perennial contender whenever you give him a quality supporting cast. Such an awful decision to trade Luka.

Unfortunately for Dallas they only own their '25 first (if the season ended today they'd receive the 15th pick), their '26 first, the Lakers' '29 1st, and San Antonio's '30 first (swap). Their '27, '28, '29, and '30 (swap) firsts are all gone.

They also don't own a second-round pick until 2032.

It's too late this season to do a proper tank. They are 32-30 with 20 games left in the season. They have 7 more wins than the Spurs, which are the team with the 9th-worst record. It will be near-impossible for Dallas to get a better pick than 10th.

There's a good chance Kyrie misses all of next season. Assuming Day-to-Davis also misses major time they could theoretically get into the top-10. But so much for getting Davis to "win now," eh?

They had better hit on both of these upcoming 2 picks. Because all they will have after that are a likely late Lakers 1st and a likely late Spurs 1st. All the way to 2031.

What a fiasco. Whatever payoff the Adelsons received to do this, I hope it was worth gutting the value of their franchise by hundreds of millions and permanently losing many fans.

[Donoghus]

The Luka trade gave them a much narrower window here and they needed several things to work in their favor which really wasn't realistic to begin with.  As Who mentioned, you have three guys in their early to mid 30s who have a history of injuries and you're banking on that? The issue is also compounded by the fact their draft war chest isn't great and they got a crap return on the Luka trade.  Nico had such a short sighted view of things.  His name is gonna live in infamy.

Just an utter disaster.  Talk about screwing over your fanbase and p---ing off the basketball gods.

[Phantom255x]

If I were a Mavs fan or season ticket holder I would genuinely stop going to games and paying for the product. Seriously, what this ownership and Nico Harrison has done in the last 2-3 months is absolutely sinister.

[Birdman]

If Mavs traded Luka to say, Phoenix for Booker or Miami for Herro & butler than u can say okay but the Davis trade will always be a head scratcher

[Goldstar88]

I wonder how much Jeanie paid Nico to get that trade to go through. $50m to an offshore account? 

Think about how much Luka is worth to a franchise. A 25 year old, global superstar who is a top 5 player in the league. $1B? Maybe more. 

[kraidstar]

Tim Legler was on a podcast today saying the Mavs need to trade Davis during the offseason. He thinks Kyrie will miss all of the '25-'26 season and will not be 100% in the '26-'27 season either.

Meaning he wouldn't be fully healthy until the '27-'28 season,  during which he will be turning 36. Davis would turn 35 during that season.

Davis is under contract for 3 more years after this season at $185m. Is Dallas going to pay he and Kyrie $110m together to MAYBE be healthy for one season at ages 35 and 36?

I do wonder what the Mavs could get for AD in a trade. Theoretically they should be able to get a top-5 player for Davis + the Lakers 1st + Max Christie. Lolol just kidding.

It would be hilarious if they did end up trading him for a bucket of bolts. IMO that contract is an albatross.

[Phantom255x]

Tim Legler was on a podcast today saying the Mavs need to trade Davis during the offseason. He thinks Kyrie will miss all of the '25-'26 season and will not be 100% in the '26-'27 season either.

Meaning he wouldn't be fully healthy until the '27-'28 season,  during which he will be turning 36. Davis would turn 35 during that season.

Davis is under contract for 3 more years after this season at $185m. Is Dallas going to pay he and Kyrie $110m together to MAYBE be healthy for one season at ages 35 and 36?

I do wonder what the Mavs could get for AD in a trade. Theoretically they should be able to get a top-5 player for Davis + the Lakers 1st + Max Christie. Lolol just kidding.

It would be hilarious if they did end up trading him for a bucket of bolts. IMO that contract is an albatross.

Lol so that Doncic trade was a complete waste for Dallas then. Jesus...

[Who]

Knicks vs Warriors is a good test for both sides. On now.

[Who]

Western Conference

Title Contenders = OKC, LAL, GSW

Mid Level Playoff Teams = could win a playoff series, or two if lucky = DEN, MIN, MEM

Just Making Up the Numbers = PHX, HOU, LAC, SAC


That is how it is looking to me right now.

I am surprised by how much separation LAL and GSW look to have over the other midlevel West playoff teams and how much ground they are closing in on OKC. GSW makes more sense to me than LAL. I do not understand how LAL's defense can be good enough to be a title contender but we will find out more about that over next few weeks. Early returns are positive though.

[radiohead]

If I were a Mavs fan or season ticket holder I would genuinely stop going to games and paying for the product. Seriously, what this ownership and Nico Harrison has done in the last 2-3 months is absolutely sinister.

It?s so unbelievable that I?m starting to think that David Silver really had a hand in this Luka trade. He needs the Lakers to be relevant to make the league interesting again. Before the trade Dallas was the #2 seed? And now the Lakers are the #2 seed thanks to being gifted with Luka and Dallas will probably not even make the playoffs.

[Who]

Kerr back doing his strange rotations.

Kevin Knox is playing. Only just joined the team. Why is he playing? Why is Kerr playing no guards off his bench? So far he has only played 2 guards both of whom started in Steph & Podz. He has Gary Payton II on the bench, doesn't use him. He is Pat Spencer who is their 3rd string guard, doesn't use him.

GSW going with a lot more wing / forwards today. I don't know why. Some of those 2nd unit type lineups late in Q1 looked weak. Gui Santos, Looney and Kevin Knox. None of them bring much offense to the table (or defense). Lobsided lineups.

[Who]

Knicks 2nd unit

G: Cam Payne
G: M McBride
F: L Shamet
F: OG Anunoby
C: P Achiuwa

That is not a good lineup. Is Anunoby your go-to guy? Miles McBride is the only other guy who can score. 2 scorers. Both limited. Shamet a limited spot up shooter. Achiuwa is not good at, well anything. Cam Payne has been a basic function backup PG.

No Towns tonight. Maybe that is part of the problem. You'd think their 2nd unit should have at least 2 of their 4 main scorers (plus McBride) on the floor. Maybe it is just Towns being out.

[Who]

Jimmy has been quiet. OG Anunoby has bottled him thus far. Kept him under wraps and outscored Jimmy on the other end. 10 to 4 in favour of OG.

GSW relying heavily on Steph tonight. Nobody helping him. Jimmy is quiet. Draymond is quiet. Hield is quiet.

Hield is the only good offensive player off their bench tonight. Everyone else is limited. GSW have gone 10 deep. Moody and Draymond are low utility offensive players. A lot of responsibility on Steph and Jimmy. And when one of those guys is having an off-night, the Warriors offense does not look good. Like Jimmy is tonight. Podz is the only other plus offensive threat in the 10 man rotation.

GSW will benefit from getting Kuminga back from injury. They need another scoring option. Someone who can get their own offense.

Brunson is having a great game for NY. His footwork is incredible.

Anuoby eats up Butler again. Jimmy tries to drive, nothing doing. Jimmy moves into a post up, nothing doing. Jimmy backs it out. Panics. Bad pass. Deflectio. Steal Anunoby. Anunoby goes coast to coast. Great sequence by OG.

[Goldstar88]

Good game between NY and GS on TNT.

[Phantom255x]

I have to give @Who and a few others here credit. I still had my doubts GSW would come together and become a legit contender, but they might very well be. Butler has simply given them another option that teams have to account for, and in a way I also think it's made life a bit easier for Curry and the others. Curry's also looked like prime Curry for a bit now. Golden State probably is the 4th best team in the West IMO behind OKC, LAL and Denver. Maybe 5th depending on how you view Memphis, but around there.

I still think their frontcourt is a bit weak, but if they did end up playing a series against a non-OKC or Denver (iHart, Jokic, Chet) team I think they have a solid chance. Yes, I include the Lakers in that. Lebron has owned them with AD, but I do think the combination of Butler-Curry could give the Lakers guards/wings some fits too. I'm also not sold Len and Hayes will do much in the postseason, they'll have to rely heavily on Lebron, Rui and Vanderbilt in the frontcourt.