AROUND THE 2024 NBA PLAYOFFS: Eastern & Western Conference Finals

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I want Boston because I think Boston is our best chance at denying Kyrie another ring.
 
what fueled Boston's big comeback?

Defense, 12 blocks, 7 steals. Celtics splashed a pocket full of 3's with a sprinkle of strong finishes in the paint.
 
wizenheimer said:
it's early in the series still, but..

Dallas big man rotation of Gafford + Lively = 17M in salary (28M if you count Kleber)

Minny big man rotation of KAT + Gobert + Reid = 90M

that fits a bias I've developed about bigs in the NBA over the last few years. That bias being, yeah, if you have a generational talent like Jokic or Embiid (assuming they aren't injury prone), then spend and pay the market price of generational talent. But if you have sub-all-star bigs, you shouldn't be spending more than 20-22% of the cap on the big rotation, and shouldn't be paying any of them much more than 20M a year

I like Sabonis a lot as a player, but I question if his impact is worth the 47M/year the Kings will be paying him over the next 4 seasons. Would a team, any team, be better with a Gafford at 13M/year than with a Sabonis at 47M/year?

Valunciunas has never made more than 16.5M/year. Nic Claxton's highest salary was this season's 9.6M; of course, he's UFA this summer and likely to get a big raise. This was the first season Clint Capela hit the 20M mark, and he'll make 22M next season but then be a 31 year old UFA C. Kevon Looney's high salary over 9 seasons has been 8M. I believe Nurkic was overpaid on his last deal, but it caps out at 19.4M in 2025-26; that summer he'll be a 32 year old UFA C with an extensive injury history. Ivica Zubac is playing for a 3 year deal averaging under 11M/year. Nick Richards is making 5M/year. Myles Turner 20M/year. Jarett Allen 20M/year

Blazers will be paying 46.5M for the injury prone duo of Ayton+Timelord, and will likely end up close to 50M with an insurance big or two; more if they spend a lottery pick on a big. That's 35% of the cap. That probably doesn't matter much considering what the team's trajectory is; and it may self-correct when both C's are UFA's in 2026. But it still seems out of balance
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The problem though is you are always going to be looking for new centers who play above their price tag. You don't think Dallas' duo is going to get paid more or leave? They got some time on Lively for sure. But, eventually, guys playing at this level are going to get paid. Also, you can't bank on getting this kind of production out of a 10th pick on a regular basis right off the bat.
 
theprunetang said:
The problem though is you are always going to be looking for new centers who play above their price tag. You don't think Dallas' duo is going to get paid more or leave? They got some time on Lively for sure. But, eventually, guys playing at this level are going to get paid. Also, you can't bank on getting this kind of production out of a 10th pick on a regular basis right off the bat.
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yes and no. Valunciunas is a 12 year vet who has never topped the 17M/year mark. Apela's high will be 22M next year and that's the final year of his last big contract. Looney will be a 10 year vet at the end of next season with a high salary of 8M. He won't be getting some giant raise when he's 30. How much do you think Nic Claxton will get as UFA? Will he even hit the 20M mark?

compare Ayton with Zubac:

upload_2024-5-25_21-45-37.png

Zubac is better pretty much across the board. A better rebounder and rim protector. A much more efficient shooter (he actually gets to the FT line unlike Ayton). The only area Ayton has a big advantage is usage and FGA's. He takes 6.4 more shots per 100-possesions, to only score 3.6 more points.

Zubac's salary is 10.9M this season and 11.7M next season. Ayton's is 32.5M this season and 34M next season. Is Ayton really 3 times as good as Zubac? Will Zubac make more than 17M/year on his next contract?

yes, some of these bigs are going to get paid way too much. But a lot of them don't
 
Whyachi said:
It's the Blazers theme. All-international. They just need to draft a kid from Poland, and search the Sri Lanka region to complete their World Circuit.
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Except most of the euros we draft end up being crap.
 
beast crnjo said:
Except most of the euros we draft end up being crap.
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Like Sabonis, Batum (Via trade), Rudy, Petrovic, Patty Mills (Aussie) ?
Yes Victor Claver and Omar Asic were poor choices. Joel Freeland wasn't terrible but probably not considered a good pick.

In this draft I'd welcome an unknown Euro player.
 
kjironman1 said:
Like Sabonis, Batum (Via trade), Rudy, Petrovic, Patty Mills (Aussie) ?
Yes Victor Claver and Omar Asic were poor choices. Joel Freeland wasn't terrible but probably not considered a good pick.

In this draft I'd welcome an unknown Euro player.
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Drazen and Patty did very little as Blazers, and as far as Sabonis: a) we weren't even the first team to draft him, and b) we missed out on by far his best years. Batum was obviously a win, and Rudy probably would have been if not for the back injury.
 
handiman said:
Drazen and Patty did very little as Blazers, and as far as Sabonis: a) we weren't even the first team to draft him, and b) we missed out on by far his best years. Batum was obviously a win, and Rudy probably would have been if not for the back injury.
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The point is that Euro players are much much more credible now than they have ever been and the Blazers have indeed drafted well when it comes to European players.
 
kjironman1 said:
Like Sabonis, Batum (Via trade), Rudy, Petrovic, Patty Mills (Aussie) ?
Yes Victor Claver and Omar Asic were poor choices. Joel Freeland wasn't terrible but probably not considered a good pick.

In this draft I'd welcome an unknown Euro player.
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You're going back 40 years there bub (and to another continent).


I'm talking about what's happened since 1986. Rudy, Sergio, Khyrapa, Monia, Claver, Sinanovic...
 
I wonder what the back story is on why they drafted Monia and Khryapa back to back. John Nash was having some kind of Russian fetish.

Players that were drafted after those two: Tony Allen, Kevin Martin, Beno Udrih, Trevor Ariza, Anderson Varejao
 
beast crnjo said:
You're going back 40 years there bub (and to another continent).


I'm talking about what's happened since 1986. Rudy, Sergio, Khyrapa, Monia, Claver, Sinanovic...
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This what you said.
beast crnjo said:
Except most of the euros we draft end up being crap.
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My answer was to that statement.
the Blazers have drafted extremely well from Euro players. Remember Mills played in Europe before being drafted so I added him.
The point remains that Euro players are much much better now than ever before and they are also better scouted.
I have absolutely no problem whatsoever with them seeking out European Players for this draft.
 
handiman said:
Drazen and Patty did very little as Blazers, and as far as Sabonis: a) we weren't even the first team to draft him, and b) we missed out on by far his best years. Batum was obviously a win, and Rudy probably would have been if not for the back injury.
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who drafted Sabonis originally?
 
kjironman1 said:
the Blazers have drafted extremely well from Euro players.
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summer of 2009 Trailblazers, Roy, Aldridge just put in a helluva season. The Blazers drafted Rudy's Euro guard buddy Victor Claver over Forwards Omri Casspi & Taj Gibson.... because, you know, Oden's knees will get better. Meanwhile, 162lb Travis Outlaw can swing up to PF. This allowed Coach McMillan to swarm the court with guards, and leave Channing Frye on the DNP list.

I tried looking up Victor Claver's stats, but Google laughs at me, and sends me pictures of Lakers winning championships.
 
I think we drafted the white guys because of how good teams were drafting Peja and Manu.
 
beast crnjo said:
I wonder what the back story is on why they drafted Monia and Khryapa back to back. John Nash was having some kind of Russian fetish.

Players that were drafted after those two: Tony Allen, Kevin Martin, Beno Udrih, Trevor Ariza, Anderson Varejao
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Nash fucked up so much. I remember I used to chat with him on email from time to time.

That tells you everything you need to know about his priorities.
 
beast crnjo said:
You're going back 40 years there bub (and to another continent).


I'm talking about what's happened since 1986. Rudy, Sergio, Khyrapa, Monia, Claver, Sinanovic...
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Peterei Koponen was another. There's probably been more, used to be super common for 2nd round picks.

Federeico Kamerics or something was a guy on the unrenounced free agent list for decades.
 
kjironman1 said:
The point is that Euro players are much much more credible now than they have ever been and the Blazers have indeed drafted well when it comes to European players.
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The first part, no question. The league is more or less dominated by international players today. The second part is debatable. Your list of hits is still a pretty mixed bag.
 
handiman said:
The first part, no question. The league is more or less dominated by international players today. The second part is debatable. Your list of hits is still a pretty mixed bag.
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Blazers mixed bag of success with Euro drafts is probably better than their mixed bag of US born picks.
 
SharpesTriumph said:
Blazers mixed bag of success with Euro drafts is probably better than their mixed bag of US born picks.
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Doubtful. Clyde, Walton, Dame, CJ, Aldridge, Roy, Kersey, Porter... The hits are far more frequent and far more successful on that side of the ledger.
 
I don't have an issue with drafting Euros. But they tend to be more high-maintenance than the Americans. They have less patience sitting on the bench while being in a foreign country. I am more leery of the Spaniards because playing back home is a nice option to go back to. We think playing in Miami is a draw for U.S. players......playing in Madrid or Barcelona isn't too shabby either.
 
BigGameDamian said:
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Toppin is playing like Caleb Martin did last year. Obi got in really good shape, and is covering many areas for Indiana.

The Pacers got Toppin from Knicks for 2 second round picks. Similar to the Matisse Thybulle deal.

I'm pretty sure i heard Blazer fans using the term useless bench scrub to describe Obi Toppin. Hmmm.. it was probably me.

Oh well, we got picks! Go Blazers !!
 
just turned the game on, and heard a resounding Refs U suck! chant. At least me and Mavs fans can agree on 1 thing
 
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