If the Dubs do part with Podz in a LM trade, the followup trade I think could make a lot of sense is Wiggins for Brogdon. Brogdon would fill the backup PG role as well as more scoring. Wing defense is probably the team's ultimate undoing (that or injuries), but you're never gonna plug every hole.
Why would Portland take on Wiggins' multi-year deal? Brogdon is on an expiring deal, and they're rebuilding. If we trade for LM, we probably won't have picks left to sweeten a Brodgon deal either.
I wouldn't go by one game. Good Ingram is much better than Bad Wiggins. Average Ingram is about as good as Good Wiggins. It's a slight to big improvement but at a huge cost in both picks and future salary. I can't see it unless it is minimal cost for a 1 year rental.
BI was also 4-12 for 11pts in their play in game against Lakers which they only lost by 3pts, although he was good in the game vs Kings. I wouldn't say he's a big time improvement over Wiggins I think many will be disappointed if he was on the Warriors.
Some would argue the same with our current roster. BI is a consistent scorer and can play defense…not sure how different he is than old man PG these days, and that (almost) trade supposedly made us “contenders again”
Same goes for LM and his 55 games played per year with no defense. Contenders without Moody and JK? 🤷🏼♂️
BI scored 12pts shooting 5-17fg game 1 against okc, game 4 he scored 8pts going 2-12 fg. This is with Zion out where he needed to step up, consistent scorer he is not. His career defensive rating is 113, below average at best. Kerr does not like players taking a bunch of midrange shots, he benched him in the world cup for a reason. PG is a way better 3pt shooter that can actually space the floor, BI is a worse floor spacer than Wiggins.
Moses Moody offseason work. More on his Instagram stories if you have it but I'm officially starting the #MosesBreakoutSzn movement because of some offseason training clips
I don't think we'll ever see someone like Lebron again as far as consistency and longevity goes. To play at a consistently high level from age 18 to 40 and counting with no real down years is freaking unheard of. The breaking of news of him using some performance enhancing substance not of this planet is going to come out at some point, right?
I know you're joking, but if LeBron had used performance enhancing drugs, he probably would have broken down by now. The guy is just a freak of nature.
You know I never spread rumors and conspiracy theories, but if I did, I'd tell you that LeBron is part Klingon. The government has covered it up so there won't be a panic about an alien invasion. Don't tell anyone. You didn't hear it from me.
What PED allows for his longevity? He's also clearly adapted his training to the times; like he looks like he carries less weight now than e.g. 26. Contrast that with my personal favorite baseball player, who conspicuously looks like he went from a skinnier Lebron to he-man from like 1996 to 2003.
No, it doesn't mean you were on PEDs, and it doesn't mean LeBron was or wasn't... it's just interesting that he bulked up and then slimmed down al of a sudden the same year the league started more testing... it's not like LeBron just stopped working out, it was clearly a conscious decision to mold his body in a different way.
There's also tons of stories about NFL lineman retiring and becoming half their size pretty quickly, lol... I do assume all those guys are on PEDs (and hella toradol).
Yeah, that'd make sense to me Sab! I just don't think stem cell injections or platelet-rich plasma injections are PEDs. IIRC Kobe flew to like Germany to get them way back
I don't know. I think even with the continuing improvment in knowledge/regimens around sports health, I think it's more likely than not that we won't see another player anywhere close to as dominant as Lebron in his first few years, these last few years, and every year in between.
On top of what you mentioned about knowledge, nutrition & regimens, Lebron's had amazing injury luck when you consider the length of his career. But I think a hugely underrated part of his fitness is his mental make-up. Look at other great players that have come since then, including the Jokic, Luka, Tatum etc. that arguably have their best days ahead of them. Nobody comes to mind that has cared as much, as consistently, from the moment they entered the league, about their fitness and conditioning. It feels like a surprisingly rare characteristic, even among players with the potential to be generational.
Definitely! Steph seems to have done so later on, just unfortunately hasn't been lucky enough to have an injury-free career. Wemby looks like someone who deeply cares about this from the start, but I think there's a lot of worry that his physique won't be as resilient to injuries either.
Agreed. It’s just a matter of paying him PG type money that he desires. That’s why his trade interest in general this off season has been tepid at best
Honest question: why not just try and send the NBA champs to the Olympics sans any foreign born players. Celtics could send Jrue/Tatum/Brown/White and some throwaway center in their starting lineup and 30 piece most of these international squads.
The International Federation changed the policy regarding pro athletes in the Olympics in 1986. The first USA Olympics basketball team that included NBA players was the Dream Team in 1992. So while I have no idea when you grew up or what you consider "recent," it has been this way for 32 years.
1992 is still recent to me. For the prior 45 years that I watched Olympic games, no pros played. I saw Cassius Clay box. Capitalism finally grabbed its neck. Much corruption involved around the Olympics. I don't expect any change, just expressing my view. It changed the feeling of the games.
Ah, I didn't get to see Clay/Ali until he turned pro.
Re pros in the Olympics, what I remember (accurately or not) was that in sports like basketball, the USA had a pro league and most other countries did not, so they were sending their best athletes, and we were sending our best amateurs but not our best overall athletes in certain sports. So it wasn't a level playing field in those sports.
Not disagreeing, but it reminds of the time I caught the ferry over to Shelbyville. I needed a new heel for my shoe, so, I decided to go to Morganville, which is what they called Shelbyville in those days. So I tied an onion to my belt, which was the style at the time. Now, to take the ferry cost a nickel, and in those days, nickels had pictures of bumblebees on ’em. “Give me five bees for a quarter,” you’d say.
I think this falls into the category of it seeming like a good idea at the time...
For me, the problem is that the champions are the tiredest team in the league, having played the longest. Then we're going to add international travel and a high level competition on top of that? When would they rest?
This. The NBA is professional league based here but with many international players, so it doesn't really represent the USA. The NBA champion also is not necessarily going to be as good as a team of USA all stars, although that depends on which all stars.
The problem we have is that Team USA changes too much from year to year, and in recent years many of our best players haven't played. If we had a team of elite players who played together every year with just a few changes, which is what most countries do, we wouldn't have the problem of great players who don't mesh.
Yes, and they always worry people in the early games, and then usually put it together by the elimination round because it takes a week to get used to playing together.
It could make some degree of sense to free up money for next year. But I wouldn't want to part with additional draft capital. And it would leave a gaping wing defender hole.
I think Grant is a much better fit than BI and he would also cost less. I guess Warriors are looking more for someone that can create or score more as a second/third option.
Part of a bigger move I can see it. Let’s say if the Warriors part with Podz and Moody for LM then you’re left with a backcourt of Curry/Melton/Hield which could easily absorb Bruce Brown and free Wiggins salary commitment. Question is: what is the additional draft compensation we’d have to give up
I don’t think Brown can replace Podz’ passing/playmaking skills at all. We’d basically be going into the season with either one or zero point guards, depending on how you define Steph’s position.
It is interesting how all these teams of recent years, some with no good NBA players and some with a few close to average NBA players like Germany, can play the star studded USA team to a standstill.
The USA is often outcoached because the competition has played together more.
It also is partly because all these stars are use to being the man and it is unnatural for them to just be another guy and the 4th option. I really think that is a big factor. Totally different mindset going from being the top dog, give me the ball, to that much lesser role. This is my theory at least as to why they look so mediocre against teams with much less talent. They are not comfortable.
I wonder how it would fly if they handled roster construction differently. You can have a few elite guys, but then grab some guys who are known for doing the dirty work and connecting other guys, who have high motors and play excellent defense, guys who have had to fight for it and are willing to accept a role, etc. They have one in Jrue, but I wonder if they have enough of those guys.
I will go further and say any good coach will take the players he has and create a style of play that fits that group, period. I am not judging Kerr because I have casually watched maybe a third of one game, vs Germany, so I really wasn’t paying close attention to what they were running.
Many would say I’m nuts but when you have that much talent and so limited to time to practice they would be better off running nothing and just play on instinct with a few set plays for situations.
And one of Kerr's strengths is listing to and respecting his assistant's opinions. We don't know what goes on in the coaches' meetings, but you are assuming it happens in a way that doesn't match previous situations.
I believe you have never even heard of the truly best coaches. The guy at some D2 college somewhere or even at the HS level. I am talking purely X’s and O’s.
There are many coaches out there could out X and O Kerr and Phil Jackson.
What Kerr and Jackson have is the ability to deal with NBA personalities and manage people.
"The Los Angeles Clippers signed Kris Dunn to a three-year, $16.28 million contract, which is non-guaranteed Year 3 of the deal. Year 3 can become fully guaranteed if Dunn is named to All-Defensive First or Second Team during the 2024-25 or 2025-26 season"
I'll admit that LeBron has won my grudging respect. I haven't liked him because he's passive-aggressive, blames his teammates, is a drama queen, etc. but he's just been so good for so long. It's impressive.
I don’t know what it’s going to happen within a week, but:
Despite the sum of talents of each player overcome any other team’s, this USA team doesn’t seem anymore Gods of Olympic Peak, landed on Earth to show their magnificence, as happened in the past.
Perhaps they’ll gain focus for official games.
A German win would have been acceptable this evening, like South Sudan’s.
People keep thinking of the Dream Team, but US wins over the closest competitor in past Olympics have been close. Add in more three point variance than ever and the single-elimination format after group play and it's going to be close multiple times, assuming the US wins.
I was not thinking about Dream Team. For me the real point is that now several players of different nations play in NBA, and the delta has become smaller than the past. Difference is made by team’s chemistry, and this can be the weak point.
OT: After a month in Spain, I am back in the US, sitting in a hotel next to LGA.
Let me tell you ... it's not encouraging when you tell your cabbie you're going to the LaGuardia Plaza Hotel, and he asks if you want to go to Manhattan.
I am back, baby! to lower the BBIQ of the North American continent (my ignorance is pretty overpowering).
All I can say is that the Spanish I encountered were cheerful, delightful, and tolerant of my newbie Euro-tourist stupidity. And, they know how to live. Madrid and Granada are numbers 1 and 2 on my 'nicest cities I've ever seen in my life' list.
Your travel videos had something to do with pushing me over the edge to actually make the trip. Thank you for that.
BTW, I don't think you got to Malaga, but if you have a chance, it's kind of interesting. It's basically a ritzy beach town ... might remind you of where you live a bit. :)
Think I'm going back in the winter to see the north of Spain, in the spirit of seeing it at it's worst (since I'm thinking of moving, not just visiting).
Galicia and Asturias are the main places I'm going to go. I would consider Pais Vasco (Basque Country), but I want to learn Spanish, and they are busy de-emphasizing Spanish in favor of Basque. Same with Barcelona (Catalunya). Galicia and Asturias have their own local language autonomy movements, too, but they seem to be less militant about it.
It makes both of us feel good that we played a part in your deciding to make the trip. The primary reason we started making public videos (as opposed to previously just sharing with family) was to inspire others to see the world, or at least see it through our lens if they’re not able.
You’re right; we skipped Malaga in favor of Sevilla on our trip. We’d already been to beaches in Valencia, Barcelona and on Mallorca, so opted for the old world history and charm in Sevilla.
I definitely want to go back and if we move to another country, Spain is high on our list of possible destinations.
I sort of see why Mike is holding steady on the Moody+Filler+1sts trade offer(as reported). Ainge finally settled with the draft rights to a fringe starting 5 in Kessler + three 1sts + the needed filler (Vanderbilt is a good piece) in the Gobert trade. One could argue that LM is more valuable as a scorer and is an all star…plus the large contract differences between the two players. But it’s somewhat on a similar playing field. Mike is likely towing this same line in negotiations.
We’ll see who blinks first leading up to August 6th, but it’s looking more and more like neither side will do any blinking at all.
Anyone know why Steph's leg sleeve had blood all over it in the game vs Germany?
no one got called for foullowing steph curry?
If the Dubs do part with Podz in a LM trade, the followup trade I think could make a lot of sense is Wiggins for Brogdon. Brogdon would fill the backup PG role as well as more scoring. Wing defense is probably the team's ultimate undoing (that or injuries), but you're never gonna plug every hole.
Why would Portland take on Wiggins' multi-year deal? Brogdon is on an expiring deal, and they're rebuilding. If we trade for LM, we probably won't have picks left to sweeten a Brodgon deal either.
Brogdon was traded to Washington...
If all it took to get BI was Moody+ Wiggins+two 1sts(or swap), we doin that? He’s going to get $40m+ annually, right? Big time *gulp*
Nope. I don’t think BI is enough of an improvement over wiggs to justify moody, the picks, and future money.
Don't think BI improved us much over Wiggins, and especially not with 2 1sts and Moody. We have almost 0 chance to win a title with BI, jk and Steph.
BI is a big time improvement over Wiggins, go watch how horrible wigs was in the sac play in game.
I wouldn't go by one game. Good Ingram is much better than Bad Wiggins. Average Ingram is about as good as Good Wiggins. It's a slight to big improvement but at a huge cost in both picks and future salary. I can't see it unless it is minimal cost for a 1 year rental.
Everyone was horrible I’m that game so we should blow it up.
BI was also 4-12 for 11pts in their play in game against Lakers which they only lost by 3pts, although he was good in the game vs Kings. I wouldn't say he's a big time improvement over Wiggins I think many will be disappointed if he was on the Warriors.
Yea can’t say I disagree there. Betting on wigs returning to form on a consistent level is much more iffy…
But also paying BI that much to ascend past being a chucker type is also iffy
*disagree
Some would argue the same with our current roster. BI is a consistent scorer and can play defense…not sure how different he is than old man PG these days, and that (almost) trade supposedly made us “contenders again”
Same goes for LM and his 55 games played per year with no defense. Contenders without Moody and JK? 🤷🏼♂️
Paul George +5.7 EPM
Lauri +3.7 EPM (+5.0 in 2023)
Brandon Ingram EPM: +2.1.
There's levels to this. Also, games played last three years: Lauri 182, George 161, Ingram 164.
Put him with Steph Podz JK and Dray, those numbers could sky rocket IMO.
Hes been caught in the log jam on that team
BI scored 12pts shooting 5-17fg game 1 against okc, game 4 he scored 8pts going 2-12 fg. This is with Zion out where he needed to step up, consistent scorer he is not. His career defensive rating is 113, below average at best. Kerr does not like players taking a bunch of midrange shots, he benched him in the world cup for a reason. PG is a way better 3pt shooter that can actually space the floor, BI is a worse floor spacer than Wiggins.
Well, like I said, no one is going to pay him what he is looking for for a reason.
That Nola team without Zion was trash. He’d be in a much better spot w Steph’s spacing
Agreed on Kerr not liking a bunch of mid range shots..and I’ve said before also how his benching wasn’t some fluke.
https://x.com/TheWarriorsTalk/status/1815526699804864642
Moses Moody offseason work. More on his Instagram stories if you have it but I'm officially starting the #MosesBreakoutSzn movement because of some offseason training clips
He’d really get to break out on either UT or NO…tons of minutes available. He's buried on GS.
If he:
1. Can shoot better than 36% from 3
2. Can handle bigger wings defensively
Then he plays over GP2, and is 3rd in the wing rotation (Wiggins, Kuminga, Moody), or 4th if you include Melton, but he's more of a guard.
Bonus points if he's more comfortable dribbling and finishing with his left hand.
Moody could be a 2/3 wing in that case and play alongside either Wiggins or Kuminga.
I don't think we'll ever see someone like Lebron again as far as consistency and longevity goes. To play at a consistently high level from age 18 to 40 and counting with no real down years is freaking unheard of. The breaking of news of him using some performance enhancing substance not of this planet is going to come out at some point, right?
I know you're joking, but if LeBron had used performance enhancing drugs, he probably would have broken down by now. The guy is just a freak of nature.
Yep. There won’t ever again be another like Bron Bron or Tommy Boy for the nfl. Just absolutely unprecedented longevity
You know I never spread rumors and conspiracy theories, but if I did, I'd tell you that LeBron is part Klingon. The government has covered it up so there won't be a panic about an alien invasion. Don't tell anyone. You didn't hear it from me.
You should pitch this story to Paramount. They've made every other possible Star Trek series.
Star Trek meets Space Jam!
Isn't there a young possibility who was just drafted by the Lakers in the 2nd round ... ?
nope
or some performance enhancing substance not of this screening regime
What PED allows for his longevity? He's also clearly adapted his training to the times; like he looks like he carries less weight now than e.g. 26. Contrast that with my personal favorite baseball player, who conspicuously looks like he went from a skinnier Lebron to he-man from like 1996 to 2003.
LeBron hella bulked up in the mid-late 2,000s... then hella slimmed down in one offseason.
I lost like 10 lbs of carrying muscle in the span of a like a couple months of not working out, does that mean I'm on PEDs?
No, it doesn't mean you were on PEDs, and it doesn't mean LeBron was or wasn't... it's just interesting that he bulked up and then slimmed down al of a sudden the same year the league started more testing... it's not like LeBron just stopped working out, it was clearly a conscious decision to mold his body in a different way.
There's also tons of stories about NFL lineman retiring and becoming half their size pretty quickly, lol... I do assume all those guys are on PEDs (and hella toradol).
Stem cell injections maybe.
Yeah, that'd make sense to me Sab! I just don't think stem cell injections or platelet-rich plasma injections are PEDs. IIRC Kobe flew to like Germany to get them way back
Those would be for healing certain injuries, not overall longevity. They're not PEDs.
That same substance was used in the laboratory that grew him from a test tube…top secret Area 51 level stuff…so I doubt we’ll be afforded that info
I don't know. I think even with the continuing improvment in knowledge/regimens around sports health, I think it's more likely than not that we won't see another player anywhere close to as dominant as Lebron in his first few years, these last few years, and every year in between.
On top of what you mentioned about knowledge, nutrition & regimens, Lebron's had amazing injury luck when you consider the length of his career. But I think a hugely underrated part of his fitness is his mental make-up. Look at other great players that have come since then, including the Jokic, Luka, Tatum etc. that arguably have their best days ahead of them. Nobody comes to mind that has cared as much, as consistently, from the moment they entered the league, about their fitness and conditioning. It feels like a surprisingly rare characteristic, even among players with the potential to be generational.
I know he’s had more injury history, but Steph’s commitment to his body, as well as his physical transformation, are pretty amazing.
I don’t how to measure “cares”, but he would seem to be right up there.
Definitely! Steph seems to have done so later on, just unfortunately hasn't been lucky enough to have an injury-free career. Wemby looks like someone who deeply cares about this from the start, but I think there's a lot of worry that his physique won't be as resilient to injuries either.
Now the Dubz have been linked as a potential destination for BI…per some random NOLA beat writer named @NOLAJake 😅
think BIs game will translate to the playoffs better then LM, imagine his midrange game with Curry's gravity and not having the defense focused on him
Agreed. It’s just a matter of paying him PG type money that he desires. That’s why his trade interest in general this off season has been tepid at best
not a bad idea to remind Ainge that our offer might not be indefinite
I feel pretty sure that's why it is 'leaking' out. Either that, or MDJ grew tired of Ainge's act and is ready to move on.
We’ll see if this interest grows any real legs. Woj bomb or nothin
Honest question: why not just try and send the NBA champs to the Olympics sans any foreign born players. Celtics could send Jrue/Tatum/Brown/White and some throwaway center in their starting lineup and 30 piece most of these international squads.
How about going back to the original Olympics standard barring professionals?
I think that horse has left the barn. Players from many countries play pro ball.
It's not how it used to be when I grew up. It's a fairly recent change.
The International Federation changed the policy regarding pro athletes in the Olympics in 1986. The first USA Olympics basketball team that included NBA players was the Dream Team in 1992. So while I have no idea when you grew up or what you consider "recent," it has been this way for 32 years.
1992 is still recent to me. For the prior 45 years that I watched Olympic games, no pros played. I saw Cassius Clay box. Capitalism finally grabbed its neck. Much corruption involved around the Olympics. I don't expect any change, just expressing my view. It changed the feeling of the games.
Ah, I didn't get to see Clay/Ali until he turned pro.
Re pros in the Olympics, what I remember (accurately or not) was that in sports like basketball, the USA had a pro league and most other countries did not, so they were sending their best athletes, and we were sending our best amateurs but not our best overall athletes in certain sports. So it wasn't a level playing field in those sports.
Not disagreeing, but it reminds of the time I caught the ferry over to Shelbyville. I needed a new heel for my shoe, so, I decided to go to Morganville, which is what they called Shelbyville in those days. So I tied an onion to my belt, which was the style at the time. Now, to take the ferry cost a nickel, and in those days, nickels had pictures of bumblebees on ’em. “Give me five bees for a quarter,” you’d say.
Governments subsidizing athletes is the way it used to be.
I think this falls into the category of it seeming like a good idea at the time...
For me, the problem is that the champions are the tiredest team in the league, having played the longest. Then we're going to add international travel and a high level competition on top of that? When would they rest?
If the Olympics had happened a year earlier, then they would have had to send the Nuggets without Jokic and Murray...
This. The NBA is professional league based here but with many international players, so it doesn't really represent the USA. The NBA champion also is not necessarily going to be as good as a team of USA all stars, although that depends on which all stars.
The problem we have is that Team USA changes too much from year to year, and in recent years many of our best players haven't played. If we had a team of elite players who played together every year with just a few changes, which is what most countries do, we wouldn't have the problem of great players who don't mesh.
Yes, and they always worry people in the early games, and then usually put it together by the elimination round because it takes a week to get used to playing together.
https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-lakers-warriors-get-eye-opening-links-to-bruce-brown-trade
Andrew Wiggins.... AND draft capital for.... Bruce Brown??
I'm maybe one of the bigger Wiggins detractors on this board, but is this as f-ing stupid as it sounds?
It could make some degree of sense to free up money for next year. But I wouldn't want to part with additional draft capital. And it would leave a gaping wing defender hole.
Yes.
So Bruce Brown is in the Lakers wish list. Let's see how their wish list looks like right now:
James Harden ❌
Jonas Valanciunas ❌
Klay Thompson ❌
Buddy Hield ❌
DeMar DeRozan ❌
Jerami Grant ❓
Bruce Brown ❓
Did I miss any?
I love this.
I wonder why we don’t show interest in Grant? Not a good fit?
I think Grant is a much better fit than BI and he would also cost less. I guess Warriors are looking more for someone that can create or score more as a second/third option.
he's not good enough
He might be a good fit, but we would need to give up more than just Wiggins for him. Grant is making $29.8 million in the upcoming season.
Bronny ✅
Not only did they get their man, they locked him up for years to come...
And his kid to boot! The La La Land special baby!
If the team needs to pay JK the big bucks and stay below aprons, they will need to move off a big contract. Bowen is on his last year.
it's probably just rage bait for clicks and I did just what they wanted by copy/pasting the link. stupid internet
Let’s just hope it’s stupid rumors and nothing more.
A 6-3 guard who can’t shoot fills what need, exactly? He’s basically Melton if he couldn’t shoot, or a slightly better passing GP2.
Part of a bigger move I can see it. Let’s say if the Warriors part with Podz and Moody for LM then you’re left with a backcourt of Curry/Melton/Hield which could easily absorb Bruce Brown and free Wiggins salary commitment. Question is: what is the additional draft compensation we’d have to give up
I don’t think Brown can replace Podz’ passing/playmaking skills at all. We’d basically be going into the season with either one or zero point guards, depending on how you define Steph’s position.
Exactly why Podz will remain a Warrior. He’ll get big minutes leading the 2nd unit and at the 2 with Steph
He’s the red headed step splash bro
right? wtf?
It is interesting how all these teams of recent years, some with no good NBA players and some with a few close to average NBA players like Germany, can play the star studded USA team to a standstill.
The USA is often outcoached because the competition has played together more.
It also is partly because all these stars are use to being the man and it is unnatural for them to just be another guy and the 4th option. I really think that is a big factor. Totally different mindset going from being the top dog, give me the ball, to that much lesser role. This is my theory at least as to why they look so mediocre against teams with much less talent. They are not comfortable.
Germany looked very comfortable.
I wonder how it would fly if they handled roster construction differently. You can have a few elite guys, but then grab some guys who are known for doing the dirty work and connecting other guys, who have high motors and play excellent defense, guys who have had to fight for it and are willing to accept a role, etc. They have one in Jrue, but I wonder if they have enough of those guys.
Team USA definitely would be better as a whole if guys like Booker, Embiid, possibly Ant was replaced with star role players instead.
I will go further and say any good coach will take the players he has and create a style of play that fits that group, period. I am not judging Kerr because I have casually watched maybe a third of one game, vs Germany, so I really wasn’t paying close attention to what they were running.
Many would say I’m nuts but when you have that much talent and so limited to time to practice they would be better off running nothing and just play on instinct with a few set plays for situations.
https://www.usab.com/staff-members/erik-spoelstra
And one of Kerr's strengths is listing to and respecting his assistant's opinions. We don't know what goes on in the coaches' meetings, but you are assuming it happens in a way that doesn't match previous situations.
I believe you have never even heard of the truly best coaches. The guy at some D2 college somewhere or even at the HS level. I am talking purely X’s and O’s.
There are many coaches out there could out X and O Kerr and Phil Jackson.
What Kerr and Jackson have is the ability to deal with NBA personalities and manage people.
"The Los Angeles Clippers signed Kris Dunn to a three-year, $16.28 million contract, which is non-guaranteed Year 3 of the deal. Year 3 can become fully guaranteed if Dunn is named to All-Defensive First or Second Team during the 2024-25 or 2025-26 season"
https://x.com/MikeAScotto/status/1815519151420498383
The NBA 2K25 All-Summer League First Team:
GG Jackson II, @memgrizz
Jordan Miller, @LAClippers
Scotty Pippen Jr., @memgrizz
Reed Sheppard, @HoustonRockets
Kel’el Ware, @MiamiHEAT
https://x.com/NBAPR/status/1815500900917825860
The NBA 2K25 All-Summer League Second Team:
Bub Carrington, @WashWizards
Donovan Clingan, @trailblazers
Jaime Jaquez Jr., @MiamiHEAT
Jarace Walker, @Pacers
Jalen Wilson, @BrooklynNets
https://x.com/NBAPR/status/1815502147565605073
Damn. Lebron just physically dominated Germany in the closing moments. That is a strong ass dude.
He turns freaking 40 in five months! It’s just beyond reason how good he still is.
I'll admit that LeBron has won my grudging respect. I haven't liked him because he's passive-aggressive, blames his teammates, is a drama queen, etc. but he's just been so good for so long. It's impressive.
Maybe Kerr isn’t the right coach for this forum…
He’s got Ty Lue and Spoelstra on the coaching staff with him. Don’t think coaching is an issue with this team tbh
Yeah, he keeps playing a 3 critic lineup!
I don’t know what it’s going to happen within a week, but:
Despite the sum of talents of each player overcome any other team’s, this USA team doesn’t seem anymore Gods of Olympic Peak, landed on Earth to show their magnificence, as happened in the past.
Perhaps they’ll gain focus for official games.
A German win would have been acceptable this evening, like South Sudan’s.
> as happened in the past.
People keep thinking of the Dream Team, but US wins over the closest competitor in past Olympics have been close. Add in more three point variance than ever and the single-elimination format after group play and it's going to be close multiple times, assuming the US wins.
I was not thinking about Dream Team. For me the real point is that now several players of different nations play in NBA, and the delta has become smaller than the past. Difference is made by team’s chemistry, and this can be the weak point.
OT: After a month in Spain, I am back in the US, sitting in a hotel next to LGA.
Let me tell you ... it's not encouraging when you tell your cabbie you're going to the LaGuardia Plaza Hotel, and he asks if you want to go to Manhattan.
I am back, baby! to lower the BBIQ of the North American continent (my ignorance is pretty overpowering).
All I can say is that the Spanish I encountered were cheerful, delightful, and tolerant of my newbie Euro-tourist stupidity. And, they know how to live. Madrid and Granada are numbers 1 and 2 on my 'nicest cities I've ever seen in my life' list.
And on top of the fin, they are also dominating some sports - euro soccer. Tennis..wow
Dude! Glad you enjoyed Spain so much. Can certainly identify.
Goofus,
Your travel videos had something to do with pushing me over the edge to actually make the trip. Thank you for that.
BTW, I don't think you got to Malaga, but if you have a chance, it's kind of interesting. It's basically a ritzy beach town ... might remind you of where you live a bit. :)
Think I'm going back in the winter to see the north of Spain, in the spirit of seeing it at it's worst (since I'm thinking of moving, not just visiting).
Galicia and Asturias are the main places I'm going to go. I would consider Pais Vasco (Basque Country), but I want to learn Spanish, and they are busy de-emphasizing Spanish in favor of Basque. Same with Barcelona (Catalunya). Galicia and Asturias have their own local language autonomy movements, too, but they seem to be less militant about it.
It makes both of us feel good that we played a part in your deciding to make the trip. The primary reason we started making public videos (as opposed to previously just sharing with family) was to inspire others to see the world, or at least see it through our lens if they’re not able.
You’re right; we skipped Malaga in favor of Sevilla on our trip. We’d already been to beaches in Valencia, Barcelona and on Mallorca, so opted for the old world history and charm in Sevilla.
I definitely want to go back and if we move to another country, Spain is high on our list of possible destinations.
I sort of see why Mike is holding steady on the Moody+Filler+1sts trade offer(as reported). Ainge finally settled with the draft rights to a fringe starting 5 in Kessler + three 1sts + the needed filler (Vanderbilt is a good piece) in the Gobert trade. One could argue that LM is more valuable as a scorer and is an all star…plus the large contract differences between the two players. But it’s somewhat on a similar playing field. Mike is likely towing this same line in negotiations.
We’ll see who blinks first leading up to August 6th, but it’s looking more and more like neither side will do any blinking at all.