The Swamp

Joe K wrote: ↑Wed Feb 05, 2020 9:48 pm

Rex wrote: ↑Wed Feb 05, 2020 8:35 pm Over the last 3 games, the Rockets have given 0, 0, and 3 total minutes to people taller than 6’6”. I thought I saw somewhere that this had not happened in any game since the 1960s. Covington is 6’7” but that doesn’t really change the point. How far will they take this? I don’t think, for instance, that you can stay within 25 points of the Bucks with that lineup.

It's certainly a bold gambit in a conference where Anthony Davis, Jokic, Gobert, Stephen Adams and Porzingis will all be on playoff teams this year.

And then what after that? It's not like Capela was an anchor dragging that roster down. It won't be easy or cheap to find a replacement. This feels more like a long term bet.

Zach Kleiman, the grizzlies 30-year-old GM is absolutely killing it. Exec of the year if that award means anything.

To expound ( from a Geoff Calkins article):

You remember last year’s trade deadline, don’t you? The Grizzlies decided to send Marc Gasol to Toronto but to hold on to Mike Conley until summer in the hope that better deals might come along.

It was a demoralizing time for everyone. The decision itself involved real risk. Conley could have gotten hurt. A better deal might never have materialized. But the Grizzlies concluded it was their best chance to jump start their rebuild.

Sure enough, when summer arrived, the Grizzlies traded Conley to Utah for a collection of assets that is becoming more bountiful by the day.

The Grizzlies got Grayson Allen, Kyle Korver, Jae Crowder, two first round picks and (this is important) a massive traded player exception out of the original deal.

Nice, right?

That was just the start.

The Grizzlies then used one of those first-round picks to move up and select Brandon Clarke in last year’s draft.

They then used the traded player exception to take on Iguodala’s contract from Golden State, picking up another future first-rounder for their trouble.

They then used the rest of the traded player exception to take on Josh Jackson’s contract from the Phoenix Suns, getting De’Anthony Melton and two second-round picks in the process.

And now ESPN is reporting that the Grizzlies are swapping Iguodala to Miami as part of a not-yet-finalized three-team deal (also involving Oklahoma City) that will bring Winslow to the Grizzlies.

So the haul for Conley now includes — at the very least — Clarke, Winslow, Melton, Allen, two future firsts and two future seconds.

...

Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson are 20, Melton is 21, Tyus Jones, Clarke and Winslow are 23, Dillon Brooks is 24. That’s seven gifted Grizzlies who are 24 or under

The difference between this front office and Chris Wallace’s front office is staggering. They caught a massive break with lottery odds to get in position to take Morant, but holy crap have they done work to build on that. Knicks Twitter was rather salty last night...lots of sign another power forward jokes.

Wait, the Grizzlies are getting Winslow for Iggy? Holy shut, that is a great trade for them. Holding Iggy until the trade deadline is going to work out great for them. I don't see an upside in this trade for Miami. Going all-in this year with Butler I guess. Just don't see it happening for them. Not with the Bucks, Raptors and Celtics this year. Or even the Pacers if Oladipo can find himself after being out for a year

Three-team deal - Gallinari heading to Heat too. I assume OKC getting picks as their real asset? That end is unclear. Grizzlies eating James Johnson and dion waiters money into 2021 is the rumor - but, worth it to add Winslow to the young core at this point.

Until Johnson and /or waiters arrive their oldest player is Jonas Valuncinis who is still just 27 - they also have Josh Jackson at 22 and Grayson Allen at 24. I’ve never seen this swift a makeover frankly.

And, after winning at Dallas last night they are 26-25 on the season. Remarkable.

tennbengal wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2020 6:45 am Three-team deal - Gallinari heading to Heat too. I assume OKC getting picks as their real asset? That end is unclear. Grizzlies eating James Johnson and dion waiters money into 2021 is the rumor - but, worth it to add Winslow to the young core at this point.

I'm guessing that OKC sees itself as solidly enough in the playoffs to trade Gallinari and add picks. Granted, I don't think that the Thunder's goal entering the season was to make the playoffs, but given where they are now there's absolutely no point in throwing away the playoffs.

Rex wrote: ↑Wed Feb 05, 2020 10:26 pm

Joe K wrote: ↑Wed Feb 05, 2020 9:48 pm

Rex wrote: ↑Wed Feb 05, 2020 8:35 pm Over the last 3 games, the Rockets have given 0, 0, and 3 total minutes to people taller than 6’6”. I thought I saw somewhere that this had not happened in any game since the 1960s. Covington is 6’7” but that doesn’t really change the point. How far will they take this? I don’t think, for instance, that you can stay within 25 points of the Bucks with that lineup.

It's certainly a bold gambit in a conference where Anthony Davis, Jokic, Gobert, Stephen Adams and Porzingis will all be on playoff teams this year.

And then what after that? It's not like Capela was an anchor dragging that roster down. It won't be easy or cheap to find a replacement. This feels more like a long term bet.

One of the podcasts I was listening to recently (either Lowe Post or Full 48) had the speculated a theory that Daryl Morey views the things Capela does (rim-running, rebounding, and shot-blocking) as easily replaceable with cheaper cost options.

Tyson Chandler, baby!

The Grizzlies are still killing it.

tennbengal wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2020 2:49 pm The Grizzlies are still killing it.

The analysis on the Jump (a very good show in the pantheon of ESPN daily shows) used the term "jedi mind tricks" for what Miami did to the Grizz to get them to do the deal.

Not sure I agree with that -- and that was also before the Grizz flipped Johnson.

Brontoburglar wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2020 5:50 pm

tennbengal wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2020 2:49 pm The Grizzlies are still killing it.

The analysis on the Jump (a very good show in the pantheon of ESPN daily shows) used the term "jedi mind tricks" for what Miami did to the Grizz to get them to do the deal.

Not sure I agree with that -- and that was also before the Grizz flipped Johnson.

The national media is in thrall to Iguodala - the grizzlies got a first to take him off Golden state’s hands and then flipped him to get back a 23-year-old with four years experience and then flipped James Johnson for Dieng. I am not sure what the Jump folks think Miami got over on memphis.

tennbengal wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2020 6:53 pm

Brontoburglar wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2020 5:50 pm

tennbengal wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2020 2:49 pm The Grizzlies are still killing it.

The analysis on the Jump (a very good show in the pantheon of ESPN daily shows) used the term "jedi mind tricks" for what Miami did to the Grizz to get them to do the deal.

Not sure I agree with that -- and that was also before the Grizz flipped Johnson.

The national media is in thrall to Iguodala - the grizzlies got a first to take him off Golden state’s hands and then flipped him to get back a 23-year-old with four years experience and then flipped James Johnson for Dieng. I am not sure what the Jump folks think Miami got over on memphis.

I honestly think that a lot of the NBA people who work for ESPN are pretty pro-Heat because they just like spending May and June in Miami and they get to do that if the Heat make a deep run.

Igudola is 36, lost a step or two, and hasn't played all year. I don't see how that helps a team at all. All the pundits say is that he brings leadership and experience. I guess, but giving up youth and then extending Iggy for two years is not jedi mind tricks. It is living in the past. He can't guard the wings in the East. No way, no how. And Gallinari isn't a difference maker either.

They were not able to pull off the gallanari piece in the end. It’s Iguodala and salary relief for 2021.

tennbengal wrote: ↑Fri Feb 07, 2020 6:20 am They were not able to pull off the gallanari piece in the end. It’s Iguodala and salary relief for 2021.

Then that is worse for them. Memphis is now my favorite Western Conference team. Love how they have rebuilt their roster in such a short amount of time.

Bill Simmons doesn’t seem to like the Rockets’ experiment:

Rockets hit a bunch of 3s, only got outrebounded by 1, and Westbrook went nuts on his drives with a spread floor. So at least for one game it seemed pretty effective!

Joe K wrote: ↑Fri Feb 07, 2020 10:52 am Rockets hit a bunch of 3s, only got outrebounded by 1, and Westbrook went nuts on his drives with a spread floor. So at least for one game it seemed pretty effective!

It's the NBA equivalent of being a midmajor that relies on threes to beat the big guys. But it's being run with guys who are just as good athletes as the other team, so it works more often. Interesting to see how teams adjust.

I basically haven't watched the NBA in about 10 years, but I went to the Jazz-Nuggets game the other night. (Which sucked for the Jazz, but oh well.)

All I can say is, after all those years I had to endure comments about how Rick Reuschel wasn't an athlete - you're telling me Nikola Jokic is a damn all-star? That fat slob single-handedly won the game, too, with 31-20-10.

Skilled 7 footers have a lot of room for error. Went to a high school game the other week and saw a 7 foot UNC commit. Guy is not that good and the davidson PG commit on his team was way way better. But he is 7 feet, can shoot it and is varied offensively so 5 star elite recruit.

I think what the Rockets are doing will work well for them until they run into another team who can go small with them like the Clippers.

Steve of phpBB wrote: ↑Fri Feb 07, 2020 11:46 am I basically haven't watched the NBA in about 10 years, but I went to the Jazz-Nuggets game the other night. (Which sucked for the Jazz, but oh well.)

All I can say is, after all those years I had to endure comments about how Rick Reuschel wasn't an athlete - you're telling me Nikola Jokic is a damn all-star? That fat slob single-handedly won the game, too, with 31-20-10.

Jokic is a rare, rare athlete. Can't remember another player like him. I guess in some ways, he's like Bird. All coordination, strength, and savvy; no quickness, speed, or jumping ability.

Giff wrote: ↑Fri Feb 07, 2020 1:18 pm I think what the Rockets are doing will work well for them until they run into another team who can go small with them like the Clippers.

They're constructed very similarly to the D'Antoni Suns team when Amare was injured, only with the iso-ball themes replacing the up-tempo at almost all costs. Happy he's going down swinging with his style. I will miss him when he is not brought back when they don't win a title.

Was in DC for the Grizzlies /Wizards game. Got to see Morant’s first career triple double (27/10/10) and a come from behind grizzlies win. Morant went 10/7/3 in the fourth alone. So damn good.

Lillard hurt his groin late in the Portland loss to Memphis. Even with the week off for the all-star game, I am guessing he’s gonna miss additional time. Would really hurt Portland’s chances. Memphis hits the break four up on Portland and five up on New Orleans and San Antonio. Memphis also has a legit brutal schedule left. If I had to guess I would think the pelicans with Zion back are the likeliest to be able to track Memphis down for 8th seed.

That said, at the break at 28-26 is an absolute goddamn delight for me as a grizzlies fan and just beyond uncooked for.

I don’t know how the best NBA game of the year is happening without Ja Morant, but it is

He’s probably watching.

Ryan wrote: ↑Thu Feb 13, 2020 10:56 pm I don’t know how the best NBA game of the year is happening without Ja Morant, but it is

I was watching the pelicans / thunder - Zion is as advertised for sure - so I was late to the other one. Two great games - too bad they couldn’t have been stacked one after the other.

Ink just dried on Tatum's max offer.

Because ja and Zion are both in the western in addition to so many of the highest profile players, I would wager next year that voting will be independent of conference.

They want those guys in the game.

DeAndre Ayton is 8th in the league in 15+ rebound games

Ryan wrote: ↑Thu Feb 27, 2020 1:28 pm DeAndre Ayton is 8th in the league in 15+ rebound games

Bagley is better than Darko but it sure looks like the Kings will end up playing the role of the Pistons from the 2003 draft.

I shared an office with this guy 8 years ago. LMAO.



And Joel is still the best on Twitter:

Oh dear lord, this is amazing - jump ahead to the 3:30 mark to get to the Dream a Dream parody:



Still laughing over "Starks he bricked a million times, he wouldn't stop it was insane"

Standing ovation!!!

That's impressive all around.

I spent Kenny Atkinson's entire tenure as Nets coach thinking he was Kenny Gattison.

So I guess this thread title finally fits the "implicit death announcement" model?