ESPN - East Race Predictions post-Kawhi Trade

[Fafnir]

Why wouldn't he play in the NBA even with a broken shot?  Lots of players have broken shots.  He looked pretty good otherwise when he came back for the last 10 games of the season.

Exactly, if he doesn't fix his shot he will not live up to his expectations coming in as a number one pick, but no reason he can't become a solid NBA player without one.

[Smitty77]

In general, these are statements that imply that Fultz has a lot of trade value. He doesn't. That is why these journalists here are hacks.

These journalists don't agree with me, therefore they are hacks is a heck of a statement.

Anyways there are lot of other journalists at ESPN who've done a lot of good work on the Fultz situation over a full year of reporting. Not shockingly they have a variety of opinions on what Fultzs potential and value is currently.

I don't think that is what is being thought or said at all.  Hayward is a PROVEN top 40 player and an All-Star and Fultz has not YET proven he is even an NBA talent!!  Those are simply the FACTS!!

Smitty77

[Smitty77]

In general, these are statements that imply that Fultz has a lot of trade value. He doesn't. That is why these journalists here are hacks.

These journalists don't agree with me, therefore they are hacks is a heck of a statement.

Anyways there are lot of other journalists at ESPN who've done a lot of good work on the Fultz situation over a full year of reporting. Not shockingly they have a variety of opinions on what Fultzs potential and value is currently.

In Hayward's last healthy full year he averaged just under 22 PPG in the regular season and over 24 PPG in the playoffs and he had over a 22 PER for that year.

Fultz played in ONLY 14 games and had a modest (solid for a rookie) PER of 12.4 and only averaged 1.7 PPG in the playoffs.

To compare the two is truly asinine!!  Any reporter doing that IMMEDIATELY loses ALL credibility with me!!

Smitty77

[Moranis]

Again, you gotta read between the lines:
"I would've considered trading away Gordon Hayward if I were Danny Ainge. And I would've been open to moving Markelle Fultz if I were Philly." - Herring

He's A) implying that Philly wasn't willing to part with Fultz for Leonard and that's why the deal didn't work out and B) that Fultz has relatively the same trade value as Gordon Hayward.

I know that for Philly there would be additional filler, but Fultz would be the main attraction -- lol. Just absurd.

"A package built around last year's No. 1 pick Markelle Fultz" - Snellings

Last year's No. 1 pick who coincidentally doesn't remember how to shoot a basketball.


In general, these are statements that imply that Fultz has a lot of trade value. He doesn't. That is why these journalists here are hacks.

there is no where near an implication that Fultz and Hayward have the same or similar trade value. Those statements are all based on rumors for the last month that Philly wasn't including Fultz in a trade offer with Saric, Covington, and picks.  He us merely saying the Sixers should have done that to get the trade done.  If the Celtics were willing to trade Hayward he would have been traded alone.  2 entirely different things

[cman88]

There was a weird tendency to view Kawhi as likelier to be healthy than Hayward/Kyrie by some analysts.

Not sure why. I guess the C's have two all-stars instead of one to worry about. Both teams should be better this year. Lowry will likely decline some but the rest of Toronto's age curve should improve.

All three of the top teams in the east should improve.

yeah, im not sure why the media assumes kawhi will be healthy and ignores that he missed essenetially a whole season...but always mentions kyrie/haywards health.

at least to be fair they should say you have to see how healthy he is. Let alone motivated...because reports before the trade were he has no desire to play there

[saltlover]

There was a weird tendency to view Kawhi as likelier to be healthy than Hayward/Kyrie by some analysts.

Not sure why. I guess the C's have two all-stars instead of one to worry about. Both teams should be better this year. Lowry will likely decline some but the rest of Toronto's age curve should improve.

All three of the top teams in the east should improve.

yeah, im not sure why the media assumes kawhi will be healthy and ignores that he missed essenetially a whole season...but always mentions kyrie/haywards health.

at least to be fair they should say you have to see how healthy he is. Let alone motivated...because reports before the trade were he has no desire to play there

Do you believe Kawhi was legitimately hurt, or do you believe he and his uncle were trying to force a trade?  If you think it’s more the former, sure, there’s no reason to give Kawhi more presumption than Kyrie/Hayward (except that pre-injury Kawhi was the best of the three).  If you think it’s more the latter, as I do, then yeah, it’s reasonable to be less concerned about his health than it is either Kyrie or Hayward, who both underwent multiple significant surgeries in the past year.