NBA '17

[MUBurrow]

Yeah, really hard to make any sense of organizational philosophy here.  Its been awhile since I sat down and watched the Bulls for a prolonged period of time, but looking at their roster, Jimmy and DWade's frustration equating results with lack of effort seems a little bit oversimplified. Outside of Rondo (everyone could see that was going to be a disaster from the moment it was announced) that roster isn't composed of low motor guys. 

I wonder if the real problem is that none of the role players actually know what their roles are, and the lack of confidence and assertiveness that grows out of that is being misinterpreted by Jimmy and DWade as just a lack of effort. Being the stars, its much easier for those two to understand what they need to do than if you're MCW, Canaan, Grant, Portis or Valentine trying to figure out what the hell to do with your 15 mpg.

[wadesworld]

Plumlee to the Hornets for Hibbert (expiring contract) and Hawes (contract up after next year).

Leave it to MJ to save us from that joke of a contract.

Novak cut.

[JWags85]

Plumlee to the Hornets for Hibbert (expiring contract) and Hawes (contract up after next year).

Leave it to MJ to save us from that joke of a contract.

Novak cut.

Novak supposedly is likely to be resigned if they free up another roster spot in moves to come.

[reinko]

Novak supposedly is likely to be resigned if they free up another roster spot in moves to come.

Probably a Hibbert buy out?  Don't think a team needs 5 centers

[GGGG]

Probably a Hibbert buy out?  Don't think a team needs 5 centers

Hibbert has an expiring contract. 

[4everwarriors]

Maybe der finally gonna move da Moose? Vaughn ain't much ether, hey?

[GGGG]

Vaughn doesn't make anything either this year or next.  He's worth holding on to.

[4everwarriors]

Da Dears don't haveta bee any good dis season orr next. Just gotta represent wen the knew buildin' opens up and ducat prices sky rocket, ai na?

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

What benefit do the Hornets get out of that trade?

[4everwarriors]

MJ's in bed wit Hammond, hey?

[GGGG]

What benefit do the Hornets get out of that trade?

A serviceable center.  Reading the Charlotte Observer article on the trade, it sounds like desperation to hold onto a playoff spot.

[wadesworld]

What benefit do the Hornets get out of that trade?

Plumlee was actually pretty good when he got consistent minutes last year.  But with Kidd as coach, beyond Giannis and Jabari getting 32+ minutes/night, none of these guys know if they'll play 30 minutes or 0 minutes from night to night.

Now was he worth 4 years and $44M?  Nope.  Which is why this trade is great for the Bucks, especially given that they have Henson, Thon, and probably Moose for antoher year.  But he's better than whatever he's shown this year.

[GGGG]

Ugh. Jabari hurt his knee again...

[Dish]

The Kings got 40 cents on the dollar for Boogie, with 4 days to spare before the trade deadline. Huh.

[GoldenDieners32]

The Kings got 40 cents on the dollar for Boogie, with 4 days to spare before the trade deadline. Huh.

Kings made a terrible trade

[MUBurrow]

That deal is complete insanity.  Even if you don't think you can win with Cousins, and even with the contract complications that kick in this summer, you just have to get more.  If they had done nothing now, not signed him to the contract that kicks in under the new CBA and then dealt him this summer, they would have gotten more, even on a one year rental. Likely a worse draft class in 2018, but who cares? The pick they got back is going to come in the high single-low double digits anyway.

[wadesworld]

We'll see.

[GGGG]

I don't think the problem was trading Cousins.  I can understand why the Kings would have done that.  The problem is they really didn't get equal value in return and there were supposedly better offers out there.  Tyreke Evans is a solid player but hardly a super-star.  Hield is a 23 year old rookie who at best will be a dime a dozen NBA shooter.

Cousins is a 26 year old, 6'11" NBA all star.  That is a terrible return for someone like that when you had time to get even better offers.

[MUfan12]

Cousins is a 26 year old, 6'11" NBA all star.  That is a terrible return for someone like that when you had time to get even better offers.

Yeah, it's not great. But he's eligible for the new super max contract, which I'm guessing shrunk the market for him. Teams didn't want to give up a ton of assets for a rental.

[wadesworld]

I don't think the problem was trading Cousins.  I can understand why the Kings would have done that.  The problem is they really didn't get equal value in return and there were supposedly better offers out there.  Tyreke Evans is a solid player but hardly a super-star.  Hield is a 23 year old rookie who at best will be a dime a dozen NBA shooter.

Cousins is a 26 year old, 6'11" NBA all star.  That is a terrible return for someone like that when you had time to get even better offers.

We'll see.  Hield could be a 13-16 ppg guy in a couple years.  Tyreke averages 16 ppg for his career.  Gallaway could average 12-15 ppg as well.  Then you get a first round pick in a great draft class.  You could be adding someone like Bam Adebayo, De'Aaron Fox, TJ Leaf, Lauri Markkanen, etc.

I don't know what other offers the Kings had on the board, but if a team makes it pretty evident that they are willing to trade a player and aren't very confident they can resign him when he becomes a FA, go ahead and get what you can for him.  They very well may end up with 3 starters over the next 10 years in exchange for 1 starter for the next 15 months.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

We'll see.  Hield could be a 13-16 ppg guy in a couple years.  Tyreke averages 16 ppg for his career.  Gallaway could average 12-15 ppg as well.  Then you get a first round pick in a great draft class.  You could be adding someone like Bam Adebayo, De'Aaron Fox, TJ Leaf, Lauri Markkanen, etc.

I don't know what other offers the Kings had on the board, but if a team makes it pretty evident that they are willing to trade a player and aren't very confident they can resign him when he becomes a FA, go ahead and get what you can for him.  They very well may end up with 3 starters over the next 10 years in exchange for 1 starter for the next 15 months.

Doesn't matter if the starters aren't anything more than average NBA players.  You've gotta get a difference-maker back, or at least a very high draft pick, if you're going to deal someone like Cousins, even with some of the headaches he causes. And I don't think they did.     

Too bad the Bulls didn't have the assets to pull something like this off. 

[wadesworld]

Doesn't matter if the starters aren't anything more than average NBA players.  You've gotta get a difference-maker back, or at least a very high draft pick, if you're going to deal someone like Cousins, even with some of the headaches he causes. And I don't think they did.     

Too bad the Bulls didn't have the assets to pull something like this off.

I'm not sure anybody is giving up a difference maker for DeMarcus Cousins. And the 8th pick in this year's draft will be better than the 4th in next year's draft. This trade isn't amazing, but it's not as bad as people are saying it is.

[brandx]

Doesn't matter if the starters aren't anything more than average NBA players.  You've gotta get a difference-maker back, or at least a very high draft pick, if you're going to deal someone like Cousins, even with some of the headaches he causes. And I don't think they did.     

Too bad the Bulls didn't have the assets to pull something like this off.

You infer than Cousins is a difference maker. I contend that the Kings will miss the playoffs with Cousins and they will miss the playoffs without Cousins.

He is a stat machine. A 7-year player who has never been to the playoffs. A great, great guy to have on your fantasy team.

Hield, Evans, and a couple draft picks will, at minimum, be at least as successful as Cousins in leading the Kings to the playoffs.

[wadesworld]

The more I think about it the more I like it.  Between having 2 top 15 draft picks in one of the better draft classes in a long time and getting back 3 players who could all be solid, but probably will never be great, players, the Kings actually have some pieces for the future.  By this time 2 years from now they could be minus Cousins but plus 5 solid rotational guys.

But again, this is with no knowledge of what was offered.  If the Bulls offered Butler, another solid rotational guy, and their first round pick this year then maybe it is a bad trade.  But I have no idea what else they could've gotten.

[MerrittsMustache]

Doesn't matter if the starters aren't anything more than average NBA players.  You've gotta get a difference-maker back, or at least a very high draft pick, if you're going to deal someone like Cousins, even with some of the headaches he causes. And I don't think they did.     

Too bad the Bulls didn't have the assets to pull something like this off.

The Bulls would never take a chance like that, which is a big reason why they have been in NBA purgatory for so long. They don't want to tank but don't want to take a risk on a player like Cousins. They're more than happy maxing at being a middle of the pack playoff team.

Sidenote: The Kings don't want Cousins but DO want the guy who recently punched him in the junk.