NBA Thread 2020-21

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

Harden added Milwaukee to his list of destinations. Probably similar to AD adding the Bucks to show he wasn't just focused on the Lakers.

Other than trading Middleton, which is still far below what's needed, I don't know what the Bucks could offer to have Houston not hang up immediately.Plus, I don't know if we have the gentleman's clubs to make a Harden trade successful.

Gary Payton would say no.

[wadesworld]

A coworker of mine said before Giannis even returned from Greece that he did an interview with some Greek media where he basically said if he was going to sign the supermax it'd be in the time between the last preseason game and the first regular season game.  He wanted to focus on basketball during the preseason.  I always thought, and still do, that he would sign the supermax shortly before the deadline.

If the Bogdan thing is what sours Giannis to Milwaukee so be it.  Bogdan is a good player, but he's not some superstar that Milwaukee lost out on.  If winning titles is what Giannis wants to sign long term, the Bucks got the far better player (Jrue) this offseason.  And they were always getting only one of those two players.

[Spotcheck Billy]

IMO he's going to have to go to another team if he wants a ring.

[cheebs09]

If you told me 2 years ago that we'd make the ECF and be one of the top 2 or 3 teams the last 2 years, I would have said he signs no doubt.

I was worried we'd be hovering in that 5-7 seed range while Giannis developed and still have a huge gap to being a contender. For all the issues the Bucks FO has that make them shoot themselves in the foot, they have gotten the team to be a contender. They really couldn't have done a ton more to get him to stay.

Now, Giannis can see that it's a crap show in the management and we are successful in spite of the FO, then maybe that's causing him to pause. But until he develops a jumper, I don't know how many teams he can go to that are in a better situation than Milwaukee.

[wadesworld]

I just don't see how anybody can reasonably say "Giannis can't win a title in Milwaukee," or "Giannis can't be the best player on a title team."  The Bucks were up 2-0 on the Raptors, who went on to win the Finals, in the ECF 2 years ago, and pushed game 3 to double overtime.  They were also up 16 in the 3rd quarter of game 6, which would've led to a home game 7.  At the end of the day they didn't win the title, but let's not act like that team had no chance to win the title.  Quite honestly, they choked it away.

And last year, while not trying to take away from what the Lakers or the Heat did, I don't know what to take away from the bubble.  It was a weird situation.  Unfortunately this season will be as well.  But the Bucks were clearly not the same team in the bubble that they had been prior to the bubble.  They struggled in the "seeding games" and they lost a game to the freaking Magic before the Heat dominated them.  I'm just not convinced the Bucks were that much worse than the Heat if covid doesn't hit and the teams aren't sent to a bubble after 2-3 months off.

And the Bucks are better this year than they were last year.  Jrue is a real, real player.  Bledsoe was a negative once it got to Playoff time.

[CreightonWarrior]

And last year, while not trying to take away from what the Lakers or the Heat did, I don't know what to take away from the bubble.  It was a weird situation.  Unfortunately this season will be as well.  But the Bucks were clearly not the same team in the bubble that they had been prior to the bubble.  They struggled in the "seeding games" and they lost a game to the freaking Magic before the Heat dominated them.  I'm just not convinced the Bucks were that much worse than the Heat if covid doesn't hit and the teams aren't sent to a bubble after 2-3 months off.

Bubble was tough to read. Bucks gave no indication that they had any desire to be there.

[The Sultan]

If you told me 2 years ago that we'd make the ECF and be one of the top 2 or 3 teams the last 2 years, I would have said he signs no doubt.

I was worried we'd be hovering in that 5-7 seed range while Giannis developed and still have a huge gap to being a contender. For all the issues the Bucks FO has that make them shoot themselves in the foot, they have gotten the team to be a contender. They really couldn't have done a ton more to get him to stay.

Now, Giannis can see that it's a crap show in the management and we are successful in spite of the FO, then maybe that's causing him to pause. But until he develops a jumper, I don't know how many teams he can go to that are in a better situation than Milwaukee.

Is the front office a problem in Milwaukee?

[MUfan12]

Is the front office a problem in Milwaukee?

I believe it is. Edens and Lasry couldn't agree on Justin Zanik so they took the cheapest in-house option and made him GM. And Horst has done good things, no doubt. But there have been some missteps that are pretty bad. Especially considering the cap situation.

They screwed up a draft day deal with Atlanta by leaking that they were gonna take DiVincenzo. They botched getting a $10 million trade exception from the Brogdon sign-and-trade by not slightly altering how George Hill's deal was structured. The Bogdan fiasco. And they ended up having to give Connaughton another year and more money because they forgot he wasn't eligible for a second year player option. The lack of knowledge around the cap rules is stunning, honestly. And with the limited space they have, all this stuff matters even more.

[hairy worthen]

I believe it is. Edens and Lasry couldn't agree on Justin Zanik so they took the cheapest in-house option and made him GM. And Horst has done good things, no doubt. But there have been some missteps that are pretty bad. Especially considering the cap situation.

They screwed up a draft day deal with Atlanta by leaking that they were gonna take DiVincenzo. They botched getting a $10 million trade exception from the Brogdon sign-and-trade by not slightly altering how George Hill's deal was structured. The Bogdan fiasco. And they ended up having to give Connaughton another year and more money because they forgot he wasn't eligible for a second year player option. The lack of knowledge around the cap rules is stunning, honestly. And with the limited space they have, all this stuff matters even more.

They also have a screwy system for who is head decision maker. Lasry for a certain number of years then Edens. They don't always agree on things so there is no long term continuity. Just stupid.

[cheebs09]

I believe it is. Edens and Lasry couldn't agree on Justin Zanik so they took the cheapest in-house option and made him GM. And Horst has done good things, no doubt. But there have been some missteps that are pretty bad. Especially considering the cap situation.

They screwed up a draft day deal with Atlanta by leaking that they were gonna take DiVincenzo. They botched getting a $10 million trade exception from the Brogdon sign-and-trade by not slightly altering how George Hill's deal was structured. The Bogdan fiasco. And they ended up having to give Connaughton another year and more money because they forgot he wasn't eligible for a second year player option. The lack of knowledge around the cap rules is stunning, honestly. And with the limited space they have, all this stuff matters even more.

Alex Lasry tweeted out a picture of their draft board at the start of the draft one year. I think it showed they had DJ Wilson as top 10 on their board.

[4everwarriors]

Lasry's also in bed with Clinton. Shows ya watt he knows, hey?

[Jockey]

Lasry's also in bed with Clinton. Shows ya watt he knows, hey?

Stop it!

[The Sultan]

Lasry's also in bed with Clinton. Shows ya watt he knows, hey?

Yeah. He's smart on political issues.

But this is the NBA thread so stuck to the topic please.

[The Sultan]

I believe it is. Edens and Lasry couldn't agree on Justin Zanik so they took the cheapest in-house option and made him GM. And Horst has done good things, no doubt. But there have been some missteps that are pretty bad. Especially considering the cap situation.

They screwed up a draft day deal with Atlanta by leaking that they were gonna take DiVincenzo. They botched getting a $10 million trade exception from the Brogdon sign-and-trade by not slightly altering how George Hill's deal was structured. The Bogdan fiasco. And they ended up having to give Connaughton another year and more money because they forgot he wasn't eligible for a second year player option. The lack of knowledge around the cap rules is stunning, honestly. And with the limited space they have, all this stuff matters even more.

Appreciate this.

[GB Warrior]

Appreciate this.

Different sport, but this is why Russ Ball has a job in the NFL. Bucks sorely need this attention to detail. Even amateurs like me knew they pissed away the TE opportunity from the Brogdon trade, and that would have fetched a legitimate player. 

[hairy worthen]

Lasry's also in bed with Clinton. Shows ya watt he knows, hey?

which one? wait, figuratively or literally? You just dont know with them

[Skatastrophy]

https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1337796510537441284

> "The NBA Competition Committee has unanimously recommended to expand the active roster list from dressing 13 players to 15 for games in upcoming season. The Board of Governors are slated to meet Dec. 17 to approve the change."

This will help keep rosters consistent given the pandemic. Could really help guys like Markus see a *ton* of games this year.

[The Sultan]

Giannis signing the extension.

https://twitter.com/Giannis_An34/status/1338912608662003715?s=20

[JWags85]

What a relief. Easily the most significant contract related event in Bucks history

[wadesworld]

What a freaking 24 hours of basketball.

[Jockey]

There was always a chance, but I figured it was at least 90% that he was gonna sign. He's comfortable here, plus that's a lot more money than he would have gotten anywhere else.

Just outstanding news!!

[Mr. Nielsen]

I'm not even an NBA fan. Hearing the news brought a tear to my eye. Wonderful news!!

[MU82]

Congrats to all of our Bucks fans friends. Freak is so fun to watch. Here's hoping he keeps getting better, and that the Bucks can continue to improve their roster around him.

[Galway Eagle]

What a relief. Easily the most significant contract related event in Bucks history

Well yeah, I mean there's what two other players in bucks history that would be on his level (or better) and both were traded away.

[The Sultan]

It would be just so nice for either the Bucks or Brewers to break through and PLAY for a championship.  Since the Brewers were in the 1982 World Series, the Bucks are 0-5 in the conference finals, and the Brewers are 0-2 in the LCS.