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2022 Off-season Thread - The Future is Bright

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I'll say this, a lot of pundits are glossing over some pretty glaring concerns regarding the teams listed ahead of us.

The Heat are old and getting older. Lowry looks d-u-n done to me.

Harden was straight garbage in the playoffs last season, and everyone, including apparently his agent, is anticipating improvement from a guy who hasn't had a good post season series in half a decade.

The Nets are team chaos.

The Raptors have 1.5 guys on their entire roster who can run an offense, and opposing teams have exploited that switch everything philosophy in seven game series, because no team is actually built to switch everything.

Everyone is assuming that Murray/Young back court is going to pay big dividends when Murray has yet to demonstrate he's an effective off-the-ball player. Also, Huerter and Gallo gave them a lot of offense off the bench.

I have the Celtics/Bucks as the clear top two in the conference. Maybe the Nets join them if they can get it together and stop being a bunch of messy bitches. After that, it's pretty wide open.
This is why they are pundits and we are just guys on the internet. Your expectations are too realistic.
 
Fedor had this (his personal opinion):

James still wants to win. There’s no doubt about that. He used social media to express the pain of watching the playoffs this year. He isn’t spending the waning years of his storied career playing out the string, soaking up the sun, counting his billions and reflecting on the glory days with a middling team that has no chance at a championship.

At this point, based on last year's 33-49 record, the lack of cap space to improve the roster, the lack of a first round pick this year, and an aging Russell Westbrook, the Lakers look like "a middling team that has no chance at a championship".

Maybe not even a middling team. They were 11th in a 15-team conference last year That is not middling. Middling is their ceiling.

So if there is "no doubt" that LeBron still wants to win, he needs to go somewhere else. Somewhere with a young, deep roster so he doesn't have to play 37 minutes for 82 games just to get his team to the play-in. Somewhere where he can play 25-28 minutes a game and take off the second night of back-to-backs and still end up on a top four seed. A team where he can coast through the season and then ramp it up in the playoffs. A team that will have cap space next year when a certain $30 million power forward salary comes off the books.

Any suggestions as to where he might go?
Boston?
 
Based on LeBron's recent comments on The Shop (said that Boston is the worst place to play because "they racist as fuck"), I can't imagine he'd ever consider playing for that franchise.
Fair enough. The young roster at a high competitive level makes sense but its also...Boston so...
 
I do not like Mobley as MIP. Unless he becomes a superstar they wont give it a 2nd year player. That being said, both his odds & current team odds are good plays to make some money via Prop Swap.
all these big odds on the cavs....not trying to sound condescneding....but they dont have to cash outright as you could have hedge scenarios where 40/1s....50/1s...cash as 10/1s....15/1s......when i made the MIP bet i saw two names taht stood out...haliburton and simmons....bcz both these guys could make a six-seven point increase in scoring (admittinlgy, i did not see the two year angle taht you pointed out which very well could be valid)...a number that most prior MIPs have in common.

anthony edwars is teh new flavor of the month.....good luck for those betting on him at 10/1 and him going form 21 to 27 when he is below the league average at mid-range, fwir, and teams are now going ot crowd him at the three ..he very well could go back down to 33 this year.


mobely puts up 21/10/4/2....a steal a game...all realistic numbers from the people that are saying this guy is the real deal....hes rihgt there as a co-favorite come april
 
Fanduel won't let you parlay those two bets for whatever reason. But Draftkings does, even though they give the Cavs a slightly better shot.

Draftkings lets you parlay:
Cavs winning the east (+3000, or 30x what you wager)
and
Mobley gets MIP (+4200, or 42x with you wager)

Combined parlay odds: +142500, that's 1,425x what you wager. That means a $5 bet wins $7,125 lol. $100 wins $142,500.

Not saying it's likely but IF the Cavs were to have a top 4 seed, it's almost definitely because Mobley had a huge, highly visible improvement. And if they are a top 4 seed, there is a punchers chance at winning the east with some luck.

Edit: It's at least worthy of throwing the $5 at haha
the 42/1 cavs ecf does not have ot cash outright....it jsut has to get close.....the cavs get ot the second round you can start the hedge at what im assuming would be even an money series in round two.....depending on injuries....should they get past teh second round....rinse and repeat in teh ecf where they could also be a pikem...at worse a +180... depending on the healthof williams/celtics and lopez/ibaka/bucks

if youve ever hedged out on a 50/1+ ticket wiht an even money or close to it.....its incredible....playing both sides....you just drink beers and enjoy the series.
 
Here's The Athletic's view of the teams ranked above the Cavs in their pre-season power poll. One team per post.

2. Boston Celtics

Major additions: Malcolm Brogdon (trade), Danilo Gallinari (free agent)

Major subtractions: Daniel Theis (Indiana), Aaron Nesmith (Indiana)

Did this team get better? They definitely got better. The Boston Celtics will have to worry about the availability of Brogdon. He hasn’t been reliable in years when it comes to staying on the court. But considering what the Celtics gave up in exchange for Brogdon to join the squad, it was a no-brainer. When he’s available to play, he gives them one of the deepest backcourts in the NBA. Coming off an NBA Finals appearance, Brad Stevens made the team better. And maybe they even keep trying to get Kevin Durant? What will be interesting is the effect of reports continuing over the years of Jaylen Brown being dangled to acquire superstars. It happened with Danny Ainge, and it’s happening with Stevens. You can make an argument for keeping this core together after the first-year run under Ime Udoka. You can make an argument for getting someone like Durant even if it means giving up Brown. The Celtics aren’t just assuming they remain the best team in the East because they made the finals.
 
4. Milwaukee Bucks

Major additions: Joe Ingles (free agent), MarJon Beauchamp (draft)

Major subtractions: None

Did this team get better? Just with being healthy, the Milwaukee Bucks are better. I don’t think we should expect anything from Beauchamp as a rookie, and he’ll probably spend a lot of time in the G League still. Ingles is coming off an ACL injury, so we don’t know when he’ll be back and contributing. But the Bucks get a healthy Giannis Antetokounmpo, a healthy Khris Middleton (assuming he heals from the wrist surgery on time) and a healthy Jrue Holiday. They brought back their key role players. And this team was still giving Boston hell in the postseason without its second-best player. I almost had Milwaukee above Phoenix and Boston, but I want to see the health of Middleton and Brook Lopez to start the season. Let’s not forget how great this Bucks team is.
 
5. Miami Heat

Major additions: Nikola Jović (draft)

Major subtractions: P.J. Tucker (Philadelphia)

Did this team get better? They did not. The Miami Heat are a little bit in limbo with their offseason. Tucker is gone, and that’s a big loss. The only new player they’ve really brought in is a rookie who is currently most notable for having a name one letter away from the two-time reigning MVP. The Heat are waiting to see if they have a realistic shot at Kevin Durant (less likely) or Donovan Mitchell (do they want to give up all those picks?) in a trade. Otherwise, they’ll probably just expect advancements from the young guys and hope the bounce that didn’t go their way in trying to get back to the finals falls for them this time. The most notable thing for the Heat this offseason has been Jimmy Butler’s new hair.
 
7. Philadelphia 76ers

Major additions: De’Anthony Melton (trade), P.J. Tucker (free agent), Danuel House (free agent)

Major subtractions: DeAndre Jordan (Denver), Paul Millsap (free agent), Danny Green (Memphis)

Did this team get better? Oh my god, yes. Daryl Morey and Elton Brand had a brilliant offseason. This team had no depth last season after the James Harden trade. Picking up Melton for an injured Danny Green (and a pick) was massive. Tucker getting a three-year deal was a surprise, but a necessary pickup for the Sixers. Danuel House is a really nice role player. If this team is healthy, it’ll be a contender. Joel Embiid is too good not to be. However, we need to see a better Harden than we’ve seen over the last year or so. Great offseason for them though.
 
10. Atlanta Hawks

Major additions: Dejounte Murray (trade), Mo Harkless (trade), Justin Holiday (trade), AJ Griffin (draft), Frank Kaminsky (free agent), Aaron Holiday (free agent)

Major subtractions: Kevin Huerter (Sacramento), Danilo Gallinari (Boston), Kevin Knox (Detroit), Delon Wright (Washington), Gorgui Dieng (San Antonio)

Did this team get better? The Atlanta Hawks had a brilliant offseason and very much improved. The trade for Murray gives them a great complement to Trae Young in the backcourt on both ends of the floor. Losing Huerter and Gallinari can be tough, but bringing in Justin Holiday is a good plug for the perimeter in this rotation. The Hawks knew they couldn’t just bring the group back that disappointed last season under expectations. They needed some new blood, and now they have a real chance to build something dangerous in the loaded Eastern Conference.
 
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