Nba

[jeemak]

Given my age I'm still on Facebook as it provides a good calendar service. The algorithm doesn't understand me anymore so I keep getting posts about the competence of millionaire boat "captains" exiting a Florida inlet, some "lite bodied misogyny", ski videos, stuff about the Bulldogs (both of which I like), and non-stop comparisons of Michael Jordan and LeBron James for the best basketballer of all time.

So I go into the Jordan and LeBron stuff because I'm a bit strange like that, and then that makes more NBA content show up. And honestly, I can't believe the game is as it is today and how people didn't think it was obviously going to turn out this way.

Yanks are getting stuck into the European players, banging on about how soft they are, diving and travelling are massive topics. All of that misses the point. Everyone is well paid enough for there not to be a need for scrapping and fighting for every loose ball, every crumb to keep a career, and all that. If I had the choice between being a hard working terrier or a hard working shooter/ skills technician, I'm choosing the latter if I'm still getting paid the same.

[Brody23]

OKC v Cleveland yesterday was unreal! Albeit OKC were without Caruso and Chet, the cavs are absolutely flying and it’s great to see.

KD wants Jimmy, so it’ll happen I reckon

[The Underdog]

NBA coming up with the absolute craziest WTF out of the blue trade. Luka for AD.
Pretty rare for a trade like this to drop with no warning. Also, the Mavericks management should all be fired immediately.

[jazzadogs]

NBA coming up with the absolute craziest WTF out of the blue trade. Luka for AD.
Pretty rare for a trade like this to drop with no warning. Also, the Mavericks management should all be fired immediately.

I only speak one sporting language, so asked my NBA mad friend to help me understand the magnitude of this...he said it's like the dogs initiating the trade of Bont post 2021, for someone like a 31yo injury prone Dusty.

I don't follow NBA but I love stuff like this, where everyone's minds are blown. It seems like the craziest parts are:
Doncic is only 25.
He's one of the top 4-5 players in the comp and has been for a few years.
They made the finals last year, basically carried by Doncic.
They initiated the trade, and only approached one club.
They have received back a 31yo all-star and one first round pick, which is seen as massive unders.
There was no rumour or discussion about this being a possibility, it just popped up out of nowhere.

[The Underdog]

I had an audible reaction to reading this trade and I only follow the league tangentially. Both completely out of the blue and absolutely mystifying.

[angelopetraglia]

How you can trade a guy who can do this? https://x.com/NBA/status/1794203009490014642

[BontlowSzn]

The trade itself is shocking. Unbelievable really.

But its also bizzare and makes no sense for both parties.

Reports are Dallas aren't thrilled with Luka's conditioning and worried he will leave next year anyway. That's all well and good, but Anthony Davis!? Not exactly mr reliable for staying on the court.

Lakers were short a quality big, now they've traded their only quality big. Its obviously likely they aren't done and will pick up another big, but wowza.

LeBron, Luka and Reeves? Not sure how that works short term..

Absolutely stunned by this.

[jeemak]

Be interesting to see how James copes with being the second banana.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

I only speak one sporting language, so asked my NBA mad friend to help me understand the magnitude of this...he said it's like the dogs initiating the trade of Bont post 2021, for someone like a 31yo injury prone Dusty.

I don't follow NBA but I love stuff like this, where everyone's minds are blown. It seems like the craziest parts are:
Doncic is only 25.
He's one of the top 4-5 players in the comp and has been for a few years.
They made the finals last year, basically carried by Doncic.
They initiated the trade, and only approached one club.
They have received back a 31yo all-star and one first round pick, which is seen as massive unders.
There was no rumour or discussion about this being a possibility, it just popped up out of nowhere.

A 31 yo banged up Dusty is a better trade than this scenario. Davis has never been the best in the league and is 32 and always injured.

This is a horrible trade for Dallas. No one can make sense of it. And their GM tried to justify it this morning and it was just bizarre.

Even if they're sick of Lukas conditioning, you don't trade him for a bag of chips. 28 other teams would have offered the world for him. Yet they do this on the downlow to the lakers for a banged up 32yo. It's insane.

[angelopetraglia]

There is something we must not be seeing here in relation to his conditioning and how he lives his life off the court that results in him carrying so much weight. I'm sure more will come out.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

There is something we must not be seeing here in relation to his conditioning and how he lives his life off the court that results in him carrying so much weight. I'm sure more will come out.

But why do it quietly with just the lakers? Why not start a bidding war? Even a fat Luka would have commanded a bounty. Unless there's something so bad that the mavs didn't want leaking that would have severely reduced his trade currency to zero. I just can't imagine there's anything like that with him.

I think the mavs owner is incompetent.

[angelopetraglia]

But why do it quietly with just the lakers? Why not start a bidding war? Even a fat Luka would have commanded a bounty. Unless there's something so bad that the mavs didn't want leaking that would have severely reduced his trade currency to zero. I just can't imagine there's anything like that with him.

I think the mavs owner is incompetent.

It is hard to disagree with the points you make on the information that we have. It will be interestsing to hear if there is more to the story. They definiltey did it fast and secretly.

[angelopetraglia]

AC Mlan traded fan favourite Tonali for a massive transfer. It happened quickly, they got good coin, but he looked like a generational talent. Then not too long after the trade goes through. it comes out that he had broken FA rules more than 50 times by betting on matches and was given a lenghy ban https://www.skysports.com/football/n...ng-rules-by-fa

[EasternWest]

How you can trade a guy who can do this? https://x.com/NBA/status/1794203009490014642

It's not hard for a decent point guard to put a seven footer on skates one on one. You or I could make Gobert dance.

I completely understand wanting him gone. Luka's a lazy out of shape one way player who's only interested in himself. He's an unbelievable gun player, but strong Jake Stringer vibes in his carriage.

Not sure how he goes at the Lakers with LeBron who also is a one way stat padder.

That being said, as good as Davis is it's a weird trade.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

There was a relationship with AD through Nike, which might explain their bias towards him, but even still ... The package they got for a 25 y.o Luka is poor. Consider what my Knicks gave up for Mikal Bridges.......

I can understand trading Luka if he's out of shape consistently, not listening to advice, and if they think he won't win them a chip. What I don't understand is them not creating a bidding war and dealing only with the Lakers. How does this get signed off on?

Would love to know what Cuban is thinking.

For the Lakers it absolutely makes sense. They had F all in terms of assets to trade, they ain't winning anything with LeBron and AD, and this means they can now plan for life after LeBron by building around Luka. They aren't concerned with winning it this year.

[mjp]

Would love to know what Cuban is thinking.

Isn't he out of there? I thought he sold the Mavs and retained only a small slice of the pie???

Just feels like the Mavs are placing a big bet that life will not be rosy with "Future Luka" and they believe the AD/Kyrie partnership is 'something'...let's face it, the West is pretty open right now with OKC the only stand-out and maybe they're right.

As great as Luka is, he is depressingly annoying to watch - the constant whining to the refs has him firmly on my shitlist and he can stay there until something changes. Lakers games are gonna go for 4-hours if he and Lebron are on the court at the same time...every play will be debated and argued and it's going to be excrutiating.