OFFICIAL AROUND THE NBA: APRIL 2023

[DDolla]

Udoka new Rockets coach

 

[Predator]

Murray suspended for a game. (Hawks)

Ime Udoka hired as HOU coach.

 

[Whyachi]

Murray suspended for a game. (Hawks)

 

[Haakzilla]

Udoka new Rockets coach

Hide yo wife, hide yo kids!!

 

[Cugel]

Can the Bucks come back from a 3-1 deficit?

 

[inconceivable]

Can the Bucks come back from a 3-1 deficit?

I don't think so. Knicks will be in the ECF

 

[Chris Craig]

Can the Bucks come back from a 3-1 deficit?

Sure.

 

[Cugel]

Playoffs are crazy.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

19 points from Butler in the final 5:16. Amazing

 

[Predator]

This is a horrible use of the challenge

 

[KingSpeed]

Can you imagine if there had been 2 secs left and LeBron’s shot counted??

 

[Chris Craig]

Can you imagine if there had been 2 secs left and LeBron’s shot counted??

No

 

[James lamphear]

There are two problems, yes the Blazers didn't get draft picks or assets for rotational level player(s). So yes the initial asset return was basically non-existent.

Second problem with trading away Norm, Nance, Roco for virtually nothing and then Jody pocketing the cash from Bledsoe, Ingels, trade exceptions...... is the Blazers now don't even have contracts to acquire the vets Dame urgently wants. If the Blazers were to offer their lottery pick or future picks for a quality starter this summer they can't just throw in dead salary. The Blazers also have to part with a starting level player in Ant/Nurk, even if the other team doesn't care and would be happy with an expiring contract.

Joe claimed the Clippers trade gave the Blazers future "flexibility" but it didn't; it did the exact opposite! The Blazers won't be under the cap, they need player on contracts that are not overpaid for "flexibility".

If the Blazers had Norm they could flip him and an asset for a star, or keep Norm as the first guard off the bench and flip Ant for a forward. Multiple options to add rotational players to this roster would be "flexibility". Instead Joes trades saved the Blazers cash and reduced his future options. As a result of Joes trades there are less possibilities of bringing multiple winning players onto the roster.

We just had so many fans blinded by Neil Olshey hate they wanted to celebrate any moves that seemingly went against what Olshey had built.

The Clippers trade was the start to the disaster that has been this franchise since Neil was fired. I'm super grateful Joe has done a single good move in taking the risk to draft Sharpe. But I'm afraid we have mostly bad moves coming as in dumping Norm and signing Hard Cap GP2. I'm afraid we have far fewer of the smart moves coming such as taking a chance on Sharpe. Would love to be proven wrong, but if you look at all of the Cronin moves, and where the team is now vs when he was hired it's very discouraging.

Actually the only one he blew the trade is probably is Powell. Roco can't even get off the bench with the clippers and Nance he just not that good and always hurt.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

Actually the only one he blew the trade is probably is Powell. Roco can't even get off the bench with the clippers and Nance he just not that good and always hurt.

My point wasn't just that the talent return was poor, which yes Powell is probably the worst in that regard.

Not having role players, even if overpaid, or players on medium sized contracts hurts the Blazers "flexibility" to improve the roster. Even if Nance is overpaid, if he is on an expiring contract he could've been traded with a pick to bring in a starter. Ingels could've been resigned without using any MLE or trade exception. Bledsoe could've been flipped for a player on a longer contract. Ant and dead salary could've been traded to a rebuilding team to bring in two veteran role playing starters with superior defense.

The Blazers lost flexibility to upgrade the roster a year and half ago at the trade deadline, lost more last summer, lost more flexibility month ago at this season trade deadline; and now in the years ahead have far fewer options to upgrade players. Cronin claims the Blazers received flexibility in the Clippers trade; while the team actually now has the exact opposite. That is why the recent rhetoric of trying to "go for it" now and win with Dame is so ridiculous. The time to make those decisions and start taking actions to achieve those goals was when the Blazers fired Neil. Instead the team took actions that primarily and secondarily cut costs; and finally reduced flexibility to add win now veteran players. Cronin has put himself in a corner with no way out. Its ridiculous that so many fans have supported his poor actions while blaming everything on bad luck, injuries, unfair trade partners, or Olshey

 

[Hoopguru]

Glad to see IME get hired.

 

[AldoTrapani]

Actually the only one he blew the trade is probably is Powell. Roco can't even get off the bench with the clippers and Nance he just not that good and always hurt.

I agree. Roco and Nance are trash. You probably don’t get much for them. But Powell? He’s a damn good player. He was let go for nothing. Not even for a protected 1st

 

[KingSpeed]

Glad to see IME get hired.

He won’t last long if they don’t get Harden back or win the lottery.

 

[tlongII]

https://8points9seconds.com/2023/04/21/pacers-raptors-desperate/

Pacers should look to capitalize after Raptors desperation move

The Pacers will be able to spend big money on player this offseason, but the question is, who should they go after? While many have speculated across many teams in the league, one name that is continuously brought up is our friends to the north in Toronto.

On Friday, the Raptors fired Nick Nurse as the head coach in a league-signaling move that big changes may be coming down the road. And because of this, the Pacers should be looking to potentially cash in on a Raptor rebuild.

There are two player in particular that many Pacers fans would be salivating to acquire, mainly, OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam. Both play a position of need for the Pacers and both are significantly better true power forwards than the Pacers have had in decades.

We the North! Not Toronto.

 

[Hoopguru]

He won’t last long if they don’t get Harden back or win the lottery.

Thye have some nice young players but yeah winning the lottery would be huge for him or any team.
Harden?

 

[Haakzilla]

 

[Propagandist]

I've enjoyed these playoffs. Lots of storylines.

 

[Propagandist]

Talking about Russ, no?

 

[THE HCP]

Talking about Russ, no?

No dude….Dillon Brooks

 

[THE HCP]

I've enjoyed these playoffs. Lots of storylines.

Just left the arena down here in PHX. My NBA season is officially over. Ran into Coach Monty in the back hallway and I told him RipCity was rooting for him. Such a cool dude.

 

[Chris Craig]

Just left the arena down here in PHX. My NBA season is officially over. Ran into Coach Monty in the back hallway and I told him RipCity was rooting for him. Such a cool dude.

No team is picking you up for the second round?

 

[Chris Craig]

Reaves?

 

[Chris Craig]

No dude….Dillon Brooks

Awesome avatar. Westbrook to Portland? Him and Dame don't get along.

 

[THE HCP]

No team is picking you up for the second round?

After the first round, the broadcast are no longer regional, strictly networks. TNT/ESPN. As of right now, not crewed for any more games. Who knows, but looks like some time off at home and Timbers games all MAY.

 

[THE HCP]

Awesome avatar. Westbrook to Portland? Him and Dame don't get along.

How about those two with Pat Beverly coming off the bench?

 

[Chris Craig]

After the first round, the broadcast are no longer regional, strictly networks. TNT/ESPN. As of right now, not crewed for any more games. Who knows, but looks like some time off at home and Timbers games all MAY.

Oh ok. Haven't the networks called you up before and had you work? Well you put in a lot of games anyway. Enjoy those Timbers.