Re: The 11th Annual NBA Random Thoughts Thread 2014-2015: Bowties Are Cool
Not sure where to put this, but was funny and sad nonetheless:
http://grantland.com/the-triangle/th...nkings-part-1/
Not sure where to put this, but was funny and sad nonetheless:
http://grantland.com/the-triangle/th...nkings-part-1/
Indiana Pacers
Simmons: This made me sad.
Lowe: It’s so, so sad. I mean, this offense was borderline unwatchable in high-stakes playoff games — and that was with Paul George and Lance Stephenson. Guys were straight-up dropping the ball and dribbling it out of bounds. I love defense. Defense can be entertaining. Roy Hibbert clashes at the rim are entertaining. George going toe-to-toe with LeBron or Durant was entertaining. But offense drives the real fun, and Indy could be working in molasses.
Simmons: They have to trade David West within the next three months, right? In the Bill and Jalen Preview for the Pacers (coming Wednesday!), Jalen smartly pushes for a West-to-Charlotte trade for former Hoosier Noah Vonleh or former Hoosier Cody Zeller. The Pacers should bottom out for a year and get a meaningful asset for West … right?
Lowe: Hmm … West has a $12.6 million option for the 2015-16 season, and it’s the rare option that presents an interesting choice for the player. As a 34-year-old on a semi-expiring deal, West just doesn’t have a lot of trade value. I don’t see the Hornets giving up a potential good young big for him, but they are the right sort of team for a trade like this — a longtime sad sack with some irrational exuberance and/or desperation to accelerate their rise.
Simmons: We disagree — it’s difficult enough to find a playoff-proven veteran/locker room leader that West’s value might be higher than you think. I would flip Zeller for him in 2.2 seconds. Imagine Charlotte becoming a genuine contender. And even better, imagine West and Lance improbably reuniting. If it happens, I hope someone takes a cell phone video of West rejoicing upon hearing that he got traded to a contender … and then realizing that he has to play with Lance again.
Lowe: West doesn’t make Charlotte a legitimate contender. But Zeller–Gerald Henderson is a workable trade package in terms of salary, and I could see Henderson becoming disgruntled as he loses minutes. I just don’t think West has much trade value as a rotation wing on another semi-expiring deal.
Simmons: Come on … Big Al, West, Lance, Kemba, Gary Neal, P.J. Hairston, Marvin “Veteran Leader” Williams and MKG Who Now Allegedly Shoots Correctly in the messy East? That’s not a contender? They couldn’t win two straight playoff series in the East? Careful, you’re gonna **** off the 2,500 Charlotte fans.
Lowe: Winning two series in the East means beating Chicago or Cleveland, and I don’t see your theoretical Hornets roster doing that if both of those teams are healthy.
Simmons: To be fair, I factored in the whole “Derrick Rose hasn’t played a healthy month of basketball since a week before my daughter’s seventh birthday” subplot into that projection. My daughter is now 9½.
Lowe: Well, that was depressing. That’s ultimately why you have to go for it sometimes, though. No one thought the Pacers would be a game from the Finals in 2013. I just don’t think the current Hornets core is as good as you do. As for other places, West would be a good triangle big if the Knicks had anything to trade, and Sacramento is leading the “irrational exuberance/desperation scale.” But West is hard to deal, and Indy really values his leadership. They seem to mean it when they say they’re not tanking this one random non-George season.
Simmons: If Larry Legend weren’t involved, I’d be writing the words “That’s the dumbest thing I have ever heard.” The Pacers need to emulate the 1996-97 Spurs by bottoming out for six months and hoping for their own Duncan-type miracle. By the way, if West gets traded, Indiana’s already unwatchable 2014-15 offense would revolve around Hibbert and Rodney Stuckey.
Lowe: In my “33 Crazy Predictions” column, I predicted that Stuckey would lead this team in scoring. Think about that.
Simmons: Translation: CLICK.
Simmons: This made me sad.
Lowe: It’s so, so sad. I mean, this offense was borderline unwatchable in high-stakes playoff games — and that was with Paul George and Lance Stephenson. Guys were straight-up dropping the ball and dribbling it out of bounds. I love defense. Defense can be entertaining. Roy Hibbert clashes at the rim are entertaining. George going toe-to-toe with LeBron or Durant was entertaining. But offense drives the real fun, and Indy could be working in molasses.
Simmons: They have to trade David West within the next three months, right? In the Bill and Jalen Preview for the Pacers (coming Wednesday!), Jalen smartly pushes for a West-to-Charlotte trade for former Hoosier Noah Vonleh or former Hoosier Cody Zeller. The Pacers should bottom out for a year and get a meaningful asset for West … right?
Lowe: Hmm … West has a $12.6 million option for the 2015-16 season, and it’s the rare option that presents an interesting choice for the player. As a 34-year-old on a semi-expiring deal, West just doesn’t have a lot of trade value. I don’t see the Hornets giving up a potential good young big for him, but they are the right sort of team for a trade like this — a longtime sad sack with some irrational exuberance and/or desperation to accelerate their rise.
Simmons: We disagree — it’s difficult enough to find a playoff-proven veteran/locker room leader that West’s value might be higher than you think. I would flip Zeller for him in 2.2 seconds. Imagine Charlotte becoming a genuine contender. And even better, imagine West and Lance improbably reuniting. If it happens, I hope someone takes a cell phone video of West rejoicing upon hearing that he got traded to a contender … and then realizing that he has to play with Lance again.
Lowe: West doesn’t make Charlotte a legitimate contender. But Zeller–Gerald Henderson is a workable trade package in terms of salary, and I could see Henderson becoming disgruntled as he loses minutes. I just don’t think West has much trade value as a rotation wing on another semi-expiring deal.
Simmons: Come on … Big Al, West, Lance, Kemba, Gary Neal, P.J. Hairston, Marvin “Veteran Leader” Williams and MKG Who Now Allegedly Shoots Correctly in the messy East? That’s not a contender? They couldn’t win two straight playoff series in the East? Careful, you’re gonna **** off the 2,500 Charlotte fans.
Lowe: Winning two series in the East means beating Chicago or Cleveland, and I don’t see your theoretical Hornets roster doing that if both of those teams are healthy.
Simmons: To be fair, I factored in the whole “Derrick Rose hasn’t played a healthy month of basketball since a week before my daughter’s seventh birthday” subplot into that projection. My daughter is now 9½.
Lowe: Well, that was depressing. That’s ultimately why you have to go for it sometimes, though. No one thought the Pacers would be a game from the Finals in 2013. I just don’t think the current Hornets core is as good as you do. As for other places, West would be a good triangle big if the Knicks had anything to trade, and Sacramento is leading the “irrational exuberance/desperation scale.” But West is hard to deal, and Indy really values his leadership. They seem to mean it when they say they’re not tanking this one random non-George season.
Simmons: If Larry Legend weren’t involved, I’d be writing the words “That’s the dumbest thing I have ever heard.” The Pacers need to emulate the 1996-97 Spurs by bottoming out for six months and hoping for their own Duncan-type miracle. By the way, if West gets traded, Indiana’s already unwatchable 2014-15 offense would revolve around Hibbert and Rodney Stuckey.
Lowe: In my “33 Crazy Predictions” column, I predicted that Stuckey would lead this team in scoring. Think about that.
Simmons: Translation: CLICK.
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