NFT: NBA Talk: Lakers shift focus to 2019

The book is still out on Lonzo.

The Lakers are always going to be an attractive destination because it's LA, but don't just assume Kawhi, Butler, or Thompson will end up there.

Thompson strikes me as someone who is comfortable in the role he's in. Butler is 'the man' in Minnesota right now. Leonard's the most interesting; he obviously has ties to So. Cal & there's reportedly tension between him & the Spurs FO right now. Also, SA is getting up there in age.

I really like the young core. They are an easy group to root for.

Lakers have nice young core and are wise to let in develop - hopefully the Knicks will have a good draft and do the same next year with their young guys. Lebron probably has his bags packed for Houston.

make things really interesting.

is that they end up with the number 2 pick in the draft.

In comment 13823435 bceagle05 said:

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Lakers have nice young core and are wise to let in develop - hopefully the Knicks will have a good draft and do the same next year with their young guys. Lebron probably has his bags packed for Houston.

If LBJ is smart, he stays in the East. I could really see him ending up in Philly. I think there's no chance in hell he's a Cavalier after this season.

He may just stay in OKC after all.

The Lakers don't have a 2018 pick right? I think this is a smart move by them.

right. No pick for the upcoming draft.

And said Irving and leonard were talking about teaming up with kp in New York, take fwiw

In comment 13823441 bceagle05 said:

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He may just stay in OKC after all.

Paul George recently said that he likes OKC and might stay. He really liked the way the organization reacted when he was snubbed for the All-Star Game.

In comment 13823452 nygiants16 said:

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And said Irving and leonard were talking about teaming up with kp in New York, take fwiw

So they are both taking less money to leave top 3 NBA franchises to come to one of the most dysfunctional ones? Why would they do that? Sign me up but that's not happening.

In comment 13823424 SFGFNCGiantsFan said:

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The book is still out on Lonzo. The Lakers are always going to be an attractive destination because it's LA, but don't just assume Kawhi, Butler, or Thompson will end up there. Thompson strikes me as someone who is comfortable in the role he's in. Butler is 'the man' in Minnesota right now. Leonard's the most interesting; he obviously has ties to So. Cal & there's reportedly tension between him & the Spurs FO right now. Also, SA is getting up there in age.

Ball was starting to play better before he was hurt. His non shooting stats (Steals, Assists, Rebounds, Blocks). If he get his percentages to 40% or slightly above will be the difference between All-Star and solid NBA starter.

In comment 13823458 TyreeHelmet said:

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In comment 13823452 nygiants16 said: Quote: And said Irving and leonard were talking about teaming up with kp in New York, take fwiw So they are both taking less money to leave top 3 NBA franchises to come to one of the most dysfunctional ones? Why would they do that? Sign me up but that's not happening.

Knicks can easily clear enough salary to fit both...

And if kyrie and kawhi join kp are the knicks dysfunctional anymore?

Look at the Celtics before kg and Ray joimed...

Look at the cavs before LeBron came back..

Really not surprising if kyrie wants to come to the knicks, kawhi is the surprise...

Like I said take fwiw

Are they a playoff team? No but they have some young players, they have a young all star, how are they dysfunctional?

I don’t really get a chance to watch the Knicks like I use to, I have barely watched at all this season. However, a coworker keeps telling me that Frank was the worst pick in the draft. He carries on about it all day and even claims Phil did it to spite the Knicks. Has he been that bad? Was it a terrible pick? I apologize if this has been discussed non stop already.

In comment 13823448 GiantFilthy said:

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right. No pick for the upcoming draft.

I think that they are still obligated to tank to the second overall pick though. Right?

They've suffered too long.

In comment 13823547 mattyblue said:

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I don’t really get a chance to watch the Knicks like I use to, I have barely watched at all this season. However, a coworker keeps telling me that Frank was the worst pick in the draft. He carries on about it all day and even claims Phil did it to spite the Knicks. Has he been that bad? Was it a terrible pick? I apologize if this has been discussed non stop already.

Your coworker listens to the national media to much...

Has he set the world on fire? No has he struggled? Yes but we knew he would...

Is there some worry? Yes but the kid can be the best defensive player in the league if he wants to be..

Worst pick in the draft? Absolutely not

In comment 13823487 nygiants16 said:

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Are they a playoff team? No but they have some young players, they have a young all star, how are they dysfunctional?

NY Giants - I definitely agree, the Knicks are not dysfunctional right now, they have a young core and all their future draft picks. The Noah thing is annoying, but not this group's fault. They need to play their younger players and not play Jack, Thomas and O'Quinn. They need to trade Lee as well.

aren't disfunctional?? They are the most disfunctional team in all of sports until they are not. They have some promise and they certainly could move into functionality, but lets see what they do in the near future.

they are disfunctional.

In comment 13823551 BrettNYG10 said:

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They've suffered too long.

In comment 13823578 Keith said:

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aren't disfunctional?? They are the most disfunctional team in all of sports until they are not. They have some promise and they certainly could move into functionality, but lets see what they do in the near future.

I do agree Knicks will have a stigma of being dysfunctional until they garner some success but I don't think this group in particular is dysfunctional..

By all accounts the tram is sticking together and sticking up for each other, Knicks team's in the past became a bunch of individuals, this one is not...

Book it.

In comment 13823578 Keith said:

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aren't disfunctional?? They are the most disfunctional team in all of sports until they are not. They have some promise and they certainly could move into functionality, but lets see what they do in the near future.

I think that's an exaggeration. In the NBA if you have a young star like KP you're basically one player away from legitimacy and possibly title contention. if the Knicks are dysfunctional then so are about 15 other teams.

Below average is one thing. Dysfunctional is quite another.

In comment 13823580 Keith said:

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they are disfunctional.

I get why people hate Dolan but look at the rangers he owns them and they have success...

It is about getting the players, they get another superstar in this draft is anyone going to care that Dolan is the owner?

Was Dolan still the owner?

In comment 13823439 Bill L said:

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is that they end up with the number 2 pick in the draft.

Me as well.

they are as disfunctional as a team can be. I guess you can argue that they have promise with their roster, but that is a different discussion. Complete and utter disfunction.

In comment 13823606 Keith said:

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they are as disfunctional as a team can be. I guess you can argue that they have promise with their roster, but that is a different discussion. Complete and utter disfunction.

Why are they dysfunctional? What has this new management and team done to be dysfunctional?

You want to call them a bad team? Fine but why are they dysfunctional?

But hasn’t he basically been a non factor since Phil took over? Maybe he’s doing things behind the scenes that I don’t see but it seems to me at least that he’s let the other guys run the team. Perhaps I’m wrong?

We got Noah getting into a verbal spat with Hornacek, an owner who accuses all his detractors to be alcoholics, a young star player who was nearly dealt this summer by an aging executive who did everything he could to smear a former superstar out the door.

Thankfully, it appears we have the right people at the top to turn this team around.

then Lakers are throwing an offer to Capela that the Rockets would have trouble matching.

Lets see how this trade deadline goes for the latest examples. How about signing Baker to some ridiculous contract when they didn't need to. How about giving THJR $71M before we had a GM. How about the coaching carousel with JH as a disaster. How about Dolan trying to control the media behind the scenes. How about saying we want to focus on youth and development and then sitting WH all season. How about drafting a guy that fits the triangle and then firing the guy who wants to run the triangle. This is all this season. There are thousands of examples. Success means nothing. They are completely disfunctional and Dolan runs his business with an iron fist. You don't even know half the crap that goes on behind the scenes.

to get him to go. Of course, he was the one who gave him the NTC in the first place, but

It is funny before this bad 3 game stretch everyone was saying how hardaway was becoming a bargain now 3 bad games and it is horrible contract again?

By all accounts Dolan has stayed away these past 4 years, Perry himself when he was hired said he didn't even meet with dolan...

Losing? Sure dysfunction I just don't see it with this group

Kanter is 25 and averaging a double double on the season...

The only players over the age of 30 that are playing is jack and lee...

Kp 22
Frank 19
Burke 24
Beasley 28
Tim 25
Kanter 25
Oquinn 27
Lance 29
Mcdermott 25

Pretty young rotation all things considered

the disfunction with THJR was signing him to a massive contract that apparently nobody was coming close to, before we hired a GM who had their own vision. By the way, please show me where anyone said his contract is a bargain. You are making things up to make a point. Lets take a look at every single GM the knicks have had since the the start of the 21st century...Layden, Isiah, Walsh, Phil Jackson and now this regime. All of a sudden things are going to change? Just stop, the one constant is James Dolan and it doesn't matter who is the face of the decisions.

of "dysfunction" might be. To some, giving $60 million to an old coach who has zero experience building rosters or negotiating contracts and no CBA experience...and asking that guy to be your team president might be considered something less than functional.

team means they aren't disfunctional? Two things that have nothing to do with each other.

In comment 13823646 Keith said:

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team means they aren't disfunctional? Two things that have nothing to do with each other.

No I am responding to your point saying it was supposed to be about youth development this year...

Dysfunction to me is the giants this year, players getting suspended no one listening to the coach, the coach completely losing the locker room...

By all accounts that has not happened with this group besides noah...

Last year was dysfunctional

In comment 13823644 Enzo said:

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of "dysfunction" might be. To some, giving $60 million to an old coach who has zero experience building rosters or negotiating contracts and no CBA experience...and asking that guy to be your team president might be considered something less than functional.

Funny because Lakers just did the same thing and everyone has praised them...

When it was first rumored Jackson was coming everyone loved it

Getting a trade down before deadline unless Clevleand cannot do better than what knicks have to offer, which is:

Knicks get
Frye
Shump
Osman
Any necessarily fillers
Cavs 2018 pick (not brooklyn pick)

Cavs Get
Lee
Quinn
Thomas or Beasley, Thomas being dream scenario
Jack

Knicks clear cap space for 2019, Get a pick and Get osman who may or may not be good.
I would actually do this without the 1st rounder if it included lance Thomas over Beasley.

Cavs Get players that fit better, Than some of th current players, but tho still doesn’t get them over the top.

you just made a list of all the youth. Now lets narrow the list down to who will be here in 2 years...

KP, THJR and Ntilikina. Great, we are giving big minutes to a bunch of guys that aren't in our future plans.

KP and Timmy play big minutes, and Frank is very much a project who happens to be nursing a sore knee - 20mpg is OK for now. Lee and KOQ should be traded to open up some playing for Willy and Dotson (and McD and Beasley). Let's see where we are in 48 hours.

I'm going to give Perry a chance to end the dysfunction. I think Mills realizes that in the past the Knicks equated to dysfunction, but I feel they are looking to change that.

The hardaway signing was Mills trying to prove to Dolan that he can sign somebody, don't love the contract, but last game not withstanding, he is an athletic wing, which they needed.

I have not had an issue with anything Perry has done so far and that includes trading Melo to OKC instad of Houston.

The trading deadline will be interesting, if he stands pat, I'm ok with that, I just don't want to see them trade a draft pick for the playoff push.

We can look into trading Lee at the draft or in the offseason.

I don't see them getting anything for O'Quinn, he is close to worthless in the modern day NBA.

If they can get trade Willy for something of value, then do it, if not hold on to him.

We just can't trade future draft picks or for bad contracts for a quick fix to make a run at the 8th seed.

If that is accomplished, I'm willing to keep on hoping the dysfunction is ending.

In the offseason, a new coach is the top priority, along with a smart draft pick.

In comment 13823619 GiantFilthy said:

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then Lakers are throwing an offer to Capela that the Rockets would have trouble matching.

Those are the types of moves that might be the better option in 2018. Makes no sense to spend for the sake of spending, they've got to pick the right puzzle pieces to make the cap structure work, as well as chemistry.

Once Westbrook re-signed and Boogie's Achilles took a hike, I turned the page on UFAs. LBJ will be 34 eary next season, is PG3 worth $30M per? I don't see it.

Keep building.

how is oquinn worthless? I'll give Perry a chance too, but my point remains, it doesn't matter who the GM is. There will always be disfunction with Dolan.

enough to build a package to flip for Anthony Davis, I'm all ears.