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2021 NBA Offseason Thread

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Kevin Durant handle is unreal for a guy his size. He might be able to pull off a shamgod. That’s crazy.
 
Middleton is probably the most underrated player in the NBA while Budenholzer maybe the most overrated coach.

Just don't understand why he refuses to put Giannis onto the best offensive player: he lives and dies with him as an off ball rim protector. Meanwhile Durant and Harden gets to against Connaughton or some other smurf while Giannis on the floor guarding Jeff Green
 
I think they have a major leg up in "what it takes to make it". Just knowing what the process is and what scouts are looking for goes a long way.

Genetics totally has something to do with it, but being connected and familiar with the NBA game goes a long way.
Agree: I would probably add these guys are probably a lot of basketball and skill very early in life. Lots of evidence that early start to any sport be it tennis to chess and those kids will do better
 

Kyrie Irving deserves praise and support, not scorn​



The world is falling apart. How can I write about basketball?

There are days I turn on the television and think this. I worry about my parents getting sick. I worry about my kids learning online. Lately, I worry irrationally that the scary guy with face paint and horns is hiding in my closet.

These are difficult times for all of us emotionally and mentally, and I can only imagine how much more difficult they would be if I was a person of color. It’s only human for all of us to look at the world and wonder if we are doing the right thing.

This is why I think we should cheer for Kyrie Irving rather than chastise him as he rejoins the Nets on Wednesday night after taking a seven-game "pause" from playing basketball. The 28-year-old Irving is expected to return tonight in Cleveland for what will be the first game he, Kevin Durant and James Harden play together.

The game will be Irving’s first since riots in the nation's capital on Jan. 6. In his first public comments since taking a leave of absence, Irving explained his time away as "a lot of family and personal stuff" without going into details. He acknowledged that he had reached out for help and was getting it. And he made it clear that he had been deeply impacted by what is going on outside of the basketball arena.

"I would be lying if I didn’t say I wasn’t affected by what’s going on in this world," said Irving said in an emotional 12-minute news conference after practice on Tuesday. "I want to make changes daily. There are so many oppressed communities and so many things going on that are bigger than a ball going in a rim."

Some people just seem to feel things super deeply, and Irving seems to be one of them. Yet, because he makes an obscene amount of money — he has a four-year contract worth up to $141 million — and is playing at such an elite level, we expect him to be able to compartmentalize and just play basketball.

It is true that Irving did not handle his absence in the most graceful of ways. Most egregiously, he violated the NBA’s coronavirus health and safety protocols by attending a family birthday party at a crowded club without wearing a mask. Irving potentially put his teammates and opponents in danger by doing this, and he deserved the $50,000 he was fined and the $816,898 he was docked in salary for doing so.

What he did not deserve was the outpouring of vitriol and casual cruelty he has received on Twitter and other places these past two weeks. I don’t know if it’s because it’s just incredibly hard for fans to see someone with an incredible talent choose not to use it. Or if there is something deeper operating here. Whatever the case, Irving has been a lightning rod for nastiness with his personal life, intelligence, integrity and love of basketball all being questioned.





One thing that can’t be questioned is that Irving has put his money where his mind is. In his news conference Tuesday, he confirmed a recent report that he had bought a house for the family of George Floyd, the black man who died in police custody in Minneapolis after a police officer kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes.

Irving has donated more than $2 million in the past year to COVID-related causes, including protective gear for essential workers of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, meals for New Yorkers in need and $1.5 million for WNBA players who were forced to opt out of last season because of health issues.

Irving probably can help the world a lot more by doing what he does best, playing basketball and using the money and platform that comes with it to support the cause he believes in. While it’s clear he understands that, it’s also clear that it is a struggle for him. Irving has admitted that he had reached out for mental health counseling, which is a good thing.

"This world is a wacky place at times," he said. " . . . It’s been a lot to balance."

Irving is a person going through a difficult time. Like any other person going through the same thing, he deserves a little space and encouragement.

Newsday sports writer Barbara Barker is photographed in

By Barbara Barker @meanbarb
Barbara Barker is an award-winning columnist and features writer in the sports department at Newsday. She has covered sports in New York for more than 20 years.
 
Some thoughts on the Nets...

- Durant looks phenomenal.
- Harden is still a statue on defense. and looked to be the third wheel on offense tonight. Lots of ball watching.
- they have no depth.

If any of the "big 3" go down, they're fucked. They may be in trouble regardless. The NBA playoffs are full of teams like the Cavaliers, only better. Deep and play really hard in the playoffs. the nets have their work cut out for them.
 
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When do the Celtics start thinking about a new coach? They’ve been stuck in the same spot since LeBron was in Cleveland. Brad Stevens has had the Celtics treading water through an entire cavs rebuild.
TT and Teague have been terrible for them too.
 
Some thoughts on the Nets...

- Durant looks phenomenal.
- Harden is still a statue on defense. and looked to be the third wheel on offense tonight. Lots of ball watching.
- they have no depth.

If any of the "big 3" go down, they're fucked. They may be in trouble regardless. The NBA playoffs are full of teams like the Cavaliers, only better. Deep and play really hard in the playoffs. the nets have their work cut out for them.
I guess they’ll be hoping to improve their depth in the buy out market like we use to do but I’m not really sure that’s as attractive as it use to be
 
Harden may be the most skilled basketball player ever. He’s on such a different level with the ball in his hands.
 

Kyrie Irving deserves praise and support, not scorn​



The world is falling apart. How can I write about basketball?

There are days I turn on the television and think this. I worry about my parents getting sick. I worry about my kids learning online. Lately, I worry irrationally that the scary guy with face paint and horns is hiding in my closet.

These are difficult times for all of us emotionally and mentally, and I can only imagine how much more difficult they would be if I was a person of color. It’s only human for all of us to look at the world and wonder if we are doing the right thing.

This is why I think we should cheer for Kyrie Irving rather than chastise him as he rejoins the Nets on Wednesday night after taking a seven-game "pause" from playing basketball. The 28-year-old Irving is expected to return tonight in Cleveland for what will be the first game he, Kevin Durant and James Harden play together.

The game will be Irving’s first since riots in the nation's capital on Jan. 6. In his first public comments since taking a leave of absence, Irving explained his time away as "a lot of family and personal stuff" without going into details. He acknowledged that he had reached out for help and was getting it. And he made it clear that he had been deeply impacted by what is going on outside of the basketball arena.

"I would be lying if I didn’t say I wasn’t affected by what’s going on in this world," said Irving said in an emotional 12-minute news conference after practice on Tuesday. "I want to make changes daily. There are so many oppressed communities and so many things going on that are bigger than a ball going in a rim."

Some people just seem to feel things super deeply, and Irving seems to be one of them. Yet, because he makes an obscene amount of money — he has a four-year contract worth up to $141 million — and is playing at such an elite level, we expect him to be able to compartmentalize and just play basketball.

It is true that Irving did not handle his absence in the most graceful of ways. Most egregiously, he violated the NBA’s coronavirus health and safety protocols by attending a family birthday party at a crowded club without wearing a mask. Irving potentially put his teammates and opponents in danger by doing this, and he deserved the $50,000 he was fined and the $816,898 he was docked in salary for doing so.

What he did not deserve was the outpouring of vitriol and casual cruelty he has received on Twitter and other places these past two weeks. I don’t know if it’s because it’s just incredibly hard for fans to see someone with an incredible talent choose not to use it. Or if there is something deeper operating here. Whatever the case, Irving has been a lightning rod for nastiness with his personal life, intelligence, integrity and love of basketball all being questioned.





One thing that can’t be questioned is that Irving has put his money where his mind is. In his news conference Tuesday, he confirmed a recent report that he had bought a house for the family of George Floyd, the black man who died in police custody in Minneapolis after a police officer kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes.

Irving has donated more than $2 million in the past year to COVID-related causes, including protective gear for essential workers of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, meals for New Yorkers in need and $1.5 million for WNBA players who were forced to opt out of last season because of health issues.

Irving probably can help the world a lot more by doing what he does best, playing basketball and using the money and platform that comes with it to support the cause he believes in. While it’s clear he understands that, it’s also clear that it is a struggle for him. Irving has admitted that he had reached out for mental health counseling, which is a good thing.

"This world is a wacky place at times," he said. " . . . It’s been a lot to balance."

Irving is a person going through a difficult time. Like any other person going through the same thing, he deserves a little space and encouragement.

Newsday sports writer Barbara Barker is photographed in

By Barbara Barker @meanbarb
Barbara Barker is an award-winning columnist and features writer in the sports department at Newsday. She has covered sports in New York for more than 20 years.

Fuck Irving.
 
When do the Celtics start thinking about a new coach? They’ve been stuck in the same spot since LeBron was in Cleveland. Brad Stevens has had the Celtics treading water through an entire cavs rebuild.
TT and Teague have been terrible for them too.

They've been treading water because despite having shitloads of assets, Ainge has never managed to bring in the talent you'd expect.
 
Whether I’m hiring a salesman, a bean counter or a ditch digger I’m looking to their job performance and not outside activities. I’d rather hire a great salesman who was a greedy SOB and never did shit for his family or community rather than a model citizen who couldn’t sell clothes to naked eskimos.

Kyrie‘s outside activities are wonderful for him and he’s doing some good things for others but the Nets are paying him to play basketball. In the end he has to do that or it won’t work. He doesn’t have to play, he can retire or take a sabbatical, but either he’s committed to being an NBA player or he’s not. If not, then Steve Naismith is right and he should retire.

Glad he’s not our problem anymore. We replaced him with someone who actually wants to play basketball all the time.
 
Harden really turned into a pumpkin last night. He had trouble at the rim from the Cavs size and he did end up getting his numbers, but it was from FT's( at least 2 that were completely undeserved of that travel) and making some tough tough shots, which you gotta give to him.

Very interesting that he deferred so much to Kyrie. I think those 2 are not a great fit. Is Kyrie going to give up the ballhandling responsibility that much? Worth watching going forward.

I was shocked I'll admit by their point totals. Yeah, it was double overtime so all stats were inflated, but the Cavs looked like the better team all night and tough shot making and a lot of favorable calls went their way. The Harden travel against Cedi and the rescinded elbow from Irving were the most egregious. I thought that was a flagrant in fact.
 
Harden is so good running the PnR that you have to consider trading Irving for some depth is Durant won't throw a fit.

Those two alone will be able to score enough to be a title teM
 
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