NBA Season 2025-26

[Celtics2021]

Thinking about Cleveland, and I cannot help but remember how they scapegoated Bickerstaff a couple of seasons ago.  Two years later he brought Detroit from 14 wins to the playoffs to the best record in the conference while Cleveland lost in the second round and is now making desperation moves.

[celticinorlando]

Sounds like Mitchell forced the Cavs into this deal. All this for him to leave after this season.

[celticinorlando]

Man would love for Boston to get in on this:

NBACentral

@TheDunkCentral
?
2s
There?s a strong possibility the Kings will buy out DeMar DeRozan if they?re unable to find a trade for him, per
@SIChrisMannix
 

?Keon Ellis may not be the only Kings player on the move. Sacramento has not had much success generating interest in veteran wings Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. DeRozan is a strong candidate to be bought out after the deadline while the Kings will likely try again to move LaVine in the offseason.?

[Donoghus]

I feel like Cleveland has been playing kind of soulless this year and now they have one the all time great soulless players on board.  Maybe it?s an opportunity for Harden to step up for a contender but I don?t see it moving the needle for them.  I almost hope I?m wrong, because I?ve always enjoyed watching Harden?d
unique game.  But ultimately if the Cavs are the Celts competition I?m happy to see them fail again.

A wise man once said that "Desperation is a stinky cologne".  That's where Cleveland is at right now.

[SparzWizard]

I feel like Cleveland has been playing kind of soulless this year and now they have one the all time great soulless players on board.  Maybe it?s an opportunity for Harden to step up for a contender but I don?t see it moving the needle for them.  I almost hope I?m wrong, because I?ve always enjoyed watching Harden?d
unique game.  But ultimately if the Cavs are the Celts competition I?m happy to see them fail again.

Harden is pretty cancerous to any team he's on. Maybe except to the Clippers since they've started rolling but that's also cuz they have Zubac and Leonard holding it together. But overall, Harden is the problem

[Moranis]

If Boston doesnt win, I think it would be hilarious if Harden got a title on the Cavs. 

[Birdman]

Man would love for Boston to get in on this:

NBACentral

@TheDunkCentral
?
2s
There?s a strong possibility the Kings will buy out DeMar DeRozan if they?re unable to find a trade for him, per
@SIChrisMannix
 

?Keon Ellis may not be the only Kings player on the move. Sacramento has not had much success generating interest in veteran wings Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. DeRozan is a strong candidate to be bought out after the deadline while the Kings will likely try again to move LaVine in the offseason.?

DeRozan would probably would win another title with the Celtics but I think he stay on West Coast with either Warriors, Lakers or Clippers

[Birdman]

If DeRozan was bought out & signed with us:

Big Q
Vucevic
Brown
DeRozan
White

Hauser
Pritchard
Garza
Walsh
Hugo
Minnott

Pretty solid team best in East

[Roy H.]

If DeMar DeRozan remains with the Sacramento Kings past the trade deadline, they have zero plans to buy him out of his current contract, team sources said.

Following a report that mentioned DeRozan as a "strong possibility" to become a buyout candidate in the next month, league sources said there have not been any discussions with DeRozan's side about that path.

[Who]

If Boston doesnt win, I think it would be hilarious if Harden got a title on the Cavs.

Why so?

[Who]

Man would love for Boston to get in on this:

NBACentral

@TheDunkCentral
?
2s
There?s a strong possibility the Kings will buy out DeMar DeRozan if they?re unable to find a trade for him, per
@SIChrisMannix
 

?Keon Ellis may not be the only Kings player on the move. Sacramento has not had much success generating interest in veteran wings Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. DeRozan is a strong candidate to be bought out after the deadline while the Kings will likely try again to move LaVine in the offseason.?

DeRozan would probably would win another title with the Celtics but I think he stay on West Coast with either Warriors, Lakers or Clippers

Lakers -- I don't like the fit for DeRozan.

Warriors -- I can see the Warriors selling themselves on DeRozan being a Jimmy Butler replacement. DeRozan can't replace Jimmy. But DeRozan can keep them in the playoff picture (play-ins). At least they will be entertaining to watch.

Clippers -- this could be fun. DeRozan and SF and Kawhi at PF. Two iso-kings. Zubac in the middle. Two defensive guards alongside them. Then Garland when / if he gets healthy. I like that fit for DeRozan and for the Clippers.

[Who]

Cleveland are the best team in the East.

G: Donovan Mitchell, D Schroder
G: J Harden, S Merrill, Keon Ellis
F: Jaylon Tyson, Max Strus
F: Evan Mobley
C: Jarrett Allen, Dean Wade

Harden can play SF defensively when Tyson rests. Let Merrill / Strus / Keon Ellis stay on SGs defensively. Harden has a nice big body for matching up against bigger SFs. He can do that better than any of those guys can.

That Cleveland backcourt no longer looks so small and easy to bully with Harden there instead of D Garland. That team looks nice.

[slamtheking]

Cleveland are the best team in the East.

G: Donovan Mitchell, D Schroder
G: J Harden, S Merrill, Keon Ellis
F: Jaylon Tyson, Max Strus
F: Evan Mobley
C: Jarrett Allen, Dean Wade

Harden can play SF defensively when Tyson rests. Let Merrill / Strus / Keon Ellis stay on SGs defensively. Harden has a nice big body for matching up against bigger SFs. He can do that better than any of those guys can.

That Cleveland backcourt no longer looks so small and easy to bully with Harden there instead of D Garland. That team looks nice.

I don't see them as that much better than before the trade.  Harden's healthier and  can really be a nightmare trying to defend him but I don't see him improving the D that much. 

Cleveland still has the issue of trying to get consistency out of Mobley.  A lot of talent that can't be depended on night to night

[DefenseWinsChamps]

Cleveland are the best team in the East.

G: Donovan Mitchell, D Schroder
G: J Harden, S Merrill, Keon Ellis
F: Jaylon Tyson, Max Strus
F: Evan Mobley
C: Jarrett Allen, Dean Wade

Harden can play SF defensively when Tyson rests. Let Merrill / Strus / Keon Ellis stay on SGs defensively. Harden has a nice big body for matching up against bigger SFs. He can do that better than any of those guys can.

That Cleveland backcourt no longer looks so small and easy to bully with Harden there instead of D Garland. That team looks nice.

Maybe. I don't know. Has Harden ever played well on a winning team that had another all-star guard/wing? I don't think so.

Mitchell will have to adjust. He's a player that gets more dangerous with more usage, not more efficient with less usage. I'm not sure how that duo will work.

Both Mobley and Allen project to be more effective with Harden, as every lob-catching big gets a bump from playing with him.

They are more interesting with Harden. It was proven that Garland/Mitchell just could not work.

[Moranis]

If Boston doesnt win, I think it would be hilarious if Harden got a title on the Cavs.

Why so?

like all the teams he is on with all those great players him winning on a team than can't get past the 2nd round would just be funny to me.