Offseason Thread

[Roy H.]

[Daryl] Morey said he and many others don't consider the Lakers' 2019-20 title a "genuine championship," according to The Athletic.

"Had the Rockets won the title, I absolutely would have celebrated it as legitimate, knowing the immense effort and resilience required. Yet, everyone I speak to around the league privately agrees that it doesn?t truly hold up as a genuine championship. Perhaps the lasting legacy of the NBA bubble is that the NBA should be proud of its leadership at both the beginning and end of the pandemic, even though the champion will forever be marked by an asterisk."

It was a really odd championship, but I still consider it legitimate.

[Moranis]

[Daryl] Morey said he and many others don't consider the Lakers' 2019-20 title a "genuine championship," according to The Athletic.

"Had the Rockets won the title, I absolutely would have celebrated it as legitimate, knowing the immense effort and resilience required. Yet, everyone I speak to around the league privately agrees that it doesn?t truly hold up as a genuine championship. Perhaps the lasting legacy of the NBA bubble is that the NBA should be proud of its leadership at both the beginning and end of the pandemic, even though the champion will forever be marked by an asterisk."

It was a really odd championship, but I still consider it legitimate.

Morey just taking a shot at Lebron. 

[SparzWizard]

[Daryl] Morey said he and many others don't consider the Lakers' 2019-20 title a "genuine championship," according to The Athletic.

"Had the Rockets won the title, I absolutely would have celebrated it as legitimate, knowing the immense effort and resilience required. Yet, everyone I speak to around the league privately agrees that it doesn?t truly hold up as a genuine championship. Perhaps the lasting legacy of the NBA bubble is that the NBA should be proud of its leadership at both the beginning and end of the pandemic, even though the champion will forever be marked by an asterisk."

It was a really odd championship, but I still consider it legitimate.

It's not legit imo. More than half the league couldn't play/had to stay home. The Lakers were all fully healthy at the right time. LeBron has two asterisks on his rings. And the Lakers, post-Kobe, for some reason can only win mickey mouse trophies like the Summer League in 2017, the 2020 bubble chip, and the IST in 2024.

[radiohead]

https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1951036775868080529

Some Knicks fans aren?t happy about this.

[Who]

https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1951036775868080529

Some Knicks fans aren?t happy about this.

That is not too bad. $150mil / 4 years. Around $37.5mil per year for Mikal Bridges. That is not All-Star money. Sub-All-Star which is what Mikal Bridges has been for them.

[Neurotic Guy]

https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1951036775868080529

Some Knicks fans aren?t happy about this.

That is not too bad. $150mil / 4 years. Around $37.5mil per year for Mikal Bridges. That is not All-Star money. Sub-All-Star which is what Mikal Bridges has been for them.

I guess there is still money out there for good non-stars. So if this is market-setting to some extent it?s really at least a notch below Bridges who will bear the brunt of the enormous top tier salaries.

[Csfan1984]

Mikal Bridges reminds me of Jeff Green. Good player with plenty of talent doesn't go after it every game and settles to just being there. And now like Jeff Green got a bag based on his upper limit potential but will probably never live up to that salary.

[Vermont Green]

For next season, NYK have Brunson at $35M and Bridges at $25M.  Those two contracts are very good value.  The problem is that they are also paying Anunoby $40M and Towns $53M for the next few seasons also.  They are almost at the 2nd apron with only 12 players ($3.7M under).

[Who]

According to some league executives, Mikal Bridges could have potentially signed for approximately $200 million if he decided to wait until the 2026 offseason to test the open market.

Bridges instead signed a four-year, $150 million extension with the Knicks on Thursday, which was slightly below the max he could have extended for currently of $156 million.

The 2026 free agency class is expected to be short on big name players despite an anticipated deep pool of teams with cap space.

Compared to Anunoby's deal

New York teammate OG Anunoby signed a five-year, $212.5 million extension during the 2024 offseason with the threat of the open market looming.

There wasn't much difference between the two of them last year. If OG could get $200mil, I believe that report that Mikal Bridges stood a good chance of getting $200mil next summer if he waited for FA. So he passed up on $50mil of earnings in order to lock in and secure his payday early.

[Who]

Johnny Juzang and the Minnesota Timberwolves have agreed to a one-year deal. Juzang was waived by the Utah Jazz before the start of free agency.

A 3rd string wing.

G: Ant, DiVincenzo, Jaylen Clark
F: J McDaniels, T Shannon, Juzang

So he would be the 6th man in the wing rotation behind Jaylen Clark who looked good for Minny last year.

[Who]

The New Orleans Pelicans have signed Jaden Springer.

Springer, 6-4, 204, has appeared in 110 career games (six starts) with Philadelphia, Boston and Utah, averaging 2.9 points, 1.4 rebounds and 0.8 assists.

Old friend Jaden Springer hangs on and gets another NBA gig. New Orleans have Jordan Poole, Jose Alvarado (quality backup PG), and lotto pick Jeremiah Fears at the PG position already. Along with Dejounte Murray who is out injured for the season. Not even 3rd string but a 4th string PG. So it doesn't look like Springer has much of a chance at playing time.

[Kernewek]

[Daryl] Morey said he and many others don't consider the Lakers' 2019-20 title a "genuine championship," according to The Athletic.

"Had the Rockets won the title, I absolutely would have celebrated it as legitimate, knowing the immense effort and resilience required. Yet, everyone I speak to around the league privately agrees that it doesn?t truly hold up as a genuine championship. Perhaps the lasting legacy of the NBA bubble is that the NBA should be proud of its leadership at both the beginning and end of the pandemic, even though the champion will forever be marked by an asterisk."

It was a really odd championship, but I still consider it legitimate.

It's not legit imo. More than half the league couldn't play/had to stay home. The Lakers were all fully healthy at the right time. LeBron has two asterisks on his rings. And the Lakers, post-Kobe, for some reason can only win mickey mouse trophies like the Summer League in 2017, the 2020 bubble chip, and the IST in 2024.

I think the 2020 can be fairly called a bubble chip, but every NBA champion has good luck with health.


------------

What are we making of this NBA-in-Europe-expansion chatter? Selfishly I'd love a London team (if only to get cheapish  tickets) but it feels very strange to me.

[Who]

Ricky Council IV has agreed to sign a one-year contract with the Brooklyn Nets.

Council appeared in 73 games with the Philadelphia 76ers last season, averaging 7.3 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 17.1 minutes.

[tazzmaniac]

Luka signs three-year, $165 million extension
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/45884572/luka-doncic-agrees-3-year-165m-extension-lakers

Mikal Bridges signs 4-year 150 million extension
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/45872784/knicks-mikal-bridges-agree-4-year-150-million-extension

[Who]

DeMarcus Cousins hasn't played for the Sacramento Kings in over seven years, but the former All-Star still believes he left a legacy worth honoring. In a recent interview, Cousins made his case for having his jersey retired by the franchise, pointing to his accolades and impact during one of the darkest eras in Kings history.

"That was something that I definitely wanted and strived for as far as why I tried to go out and perform every single night. Accolade-wise, I feel like I did all the right things while I was in that jersey," said Cousins. "As far as All-Stars, as far as All-NBA selections, numbers, gold medals. I put my work in. I think I earned my stripes."

The Kings have retired 11 jersey numbers to honor legends like Nate Archibald (No. 1), Chris Webber (No. 4), Vlade Divac (No. 21), and Mitch Richmond (No. 2), among others. As it stands now, Cousins (No. 15) has yet to join that elite company, but he believes he's done enough to earn the recognition.

"Obviously, it's a political thing," said Cousins. "But as far as the work being done, I think I did what needed to be done to join the others up in the rafters."

Cousins is out of his dang mind. He didn't do enough to get his jersey retired. They never even made the playoffs. They never played .500 ball.

1st year = 24 wins 58 losses
2nd = 22 wins 60 losses
3rd = 28 wins 54 losses
4th = 28 wins 54 losses
5th = 29 wins 53 losses
6th year = 33 wins 49 losses

Traded midway through 7th year. Team finished with 32 wins 50 losses. SAC were 23 wins 32 losses when they traded him.

Never even close to making the playoffs.

Total = 187 wins 360 losses. So they won 1 out of every 3 games while Cousins was there.

It is very difficult to get your jersey retired for only 6 years work with your team. It is even more difficult when you have had any team success in those 6 years. And even in terms of individual success, Cousins was mostly an empty-stat player at the start of his career. I forget when he began to outgrow. Probably 2-3 years into his career. So only 3-4 years of high quality basketball with no team success to speak of. That doesn't get your jersey retired.

Some of these guys have no clue.