2021-22 NBA Thread: The Bucks are Reigning Champs

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

No way around it, Justin got really bad advice and took it. You can't skip out on the combine and then go undrafted, bad look all around.

Especially when players like Jalen Williams and Andrew Nembhard scrimmage, and get picked 12 and 31.

[Billy Hoyle]

Scotty Pippin, Jr. already signing a two way deal. News for Justin could be coming soon.

[MuggsyB]

Who advised Lewis?  I'm just curious.

[BM1090]

Justin signs a 2 way with the Bulls

[Dish]

Lewis on two way with Bulls.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

I was honestly fine until the
International players that will never play in the league were drafted.  I can't imagine Lewis is thrilled.

Happens every year. NBA teams just don't have enough roster spots to go around, so they draft and stash foreign players.

If the player develops, it's a bonus.

[MuggsyB]

Happens every year. NBA teams just don't have enough roster spots to go around, so they draft and stash foreign players.

If the player develops, it's a bonus.

Ya....I just feel bad for Justin.  He'll get an opportunity but it's a longshot.

[MU82]

Happens every year. NBA teams just don't have enough roster spots to go around, so they draft and stash foreign players.

If the player develops, it's a bonus.

Good point. The last several Euro players drafted probably will never see a second in the NBA, and for those who do it will be a couple/few years.

[martyconlonontherun]

Lewis will still end up making close to 1/2m next year if he sticks around on the 2-way. Not a bad living if you can get it.

[lawdog77]

No way around it, Justin got really bad advice and took it. You can't skip out on the combine and then go undrafted, bad look all around.

I'd be curious to hear the backstory on why he left the combine.

[Hards Alumni]

Is Banchero auditioning as the Riddler in a new Batman flick?  WTF?

Middle aged white guys from the Midwest criticizing apparel will always garner a hearty chuckle from me.

[StillAWarrior]

It's hard for me to imagine something that would be more fun than being 21 and 22 years old and playing on the same NBA team as your brother.  I hope Isaiah Mobley ends up with a roster spot for the Cavs.

I realize, of course, that Giannis and Thanasis are on the same team -- and that would be great -- but it would be even more fun at 21 and 22 with one a rookie and other a second year player.

[MuggsyB]

Middle aged white guys from the Midwest criticizing apparel will always garner a hearty chuckle from me.

I'm not middle aged yet and have perfect fashion sense. 

[MuggsyB]

So the Hornets hired Steve Clifford for the 2nd time?  Huh?  Why did they fire Borrego in the first place?

[MUBurrow]

So the Hornets hired Steve Clifford for the 2nd time?  Huh?  Why did they fire Borrego in the first place?

From what I've read, Clifford is respected as one of the top defensive coaches in the league, and Borrego's teams always played crappy defense.  Then again, boosting this group into a barely top half defensive unit has 7th seed written all over it. So I'm not exactly sure how he helps get them to real contention.

[MU82]

I understand why the Hornets re-hired Clifford, but it still seems wacky and a little despotic desperate to me.

[MuggsyB]

I understand why the Hornets re-hired Clifford, but it still seems wacky and a little despotic me.

Despotic?  Did Jordan have some henchmen visit Clifford's home?

[MU82]

Despotic?  Did Jordan have some henchmen visit Clifford's home?

That's a hilarious auto-correct. I meant desperate, darn it!

[lawdog77]

to paraphrase  Breaking Bad, it is very Kafkaesque

[JWags85]

I understand why the Hornets re-hired Clifford, but it still seems wacky and a little despotic desperate to me.

I'll say this.  Clifford made the playoffs in Charlotte with some truly horrible rosters.  Kemba, Al Jefferson's ancient corpse, and a bunch of guys.  Well I guess, Batum the second time.

Hes got some really impressive young talent this time around, not Frank Kaminsky and Michael Kidd Gilchrist.  So who knows.

[MuggsyB]

That's a hilarious auto-correct. I meant desperate, darn it!

What's not hilarious is we may need to get despotic when it comes to future recruits and transfers.  Fk this NIL bcrap,  I can organize the Instawarrior Operation quickly. 

[MU82]

I'll say this.  Clifford made the playoffs in Charlotte with some truly horrible rosters.  Kemba, Al Jefferson's ancient corpse, and a bunch of guys.  Well I guess, Batum the second time.

Hes got some really impressive young talent this time around, not Frank Kaminsky and Michael Kidd Gilchrist.  So who knows.

Jefferson was third-team All-NBA his first year in Charlotte -- 22 ppg, 11 rpg. Kind of an O.G. version of KAT - almost unstoppable on the block. But he got old fast after that, started getting hurt, and that one year was really all they got out of him. That wasn't a great team in 2013-14 but an OK roster -- Jefferson, a young but improving Kemba, Kidd-Gilchrist (a great defender), a rookie Zeller, Josh McRoberts (a good "connect-the-dots" guy), Biyombo, a hard-working backup big. Went 43-39 before getting swept by the Heat.

But yes, there were never any super-talented Charlotte teams during Clifford's time, that's for sure. Batum had a career year and then got a huge deal, and then he sucked, so the Hornets were burdened with a bad contract. Lots of other mediocre players.

I liked Clifford and thought he should have gotten another season, but when Jordan hired Kupchak to run the team, it was hard to blame the new GM for wanting his own man after that, especially given that the Hornets had gone 36-46 in each of Clifford's last two seasons.

Clifford said all the right things when he was canned -- thanked Jordan profusely for the opportunity, said he understood Kupchak wanting his own coach, said the business is about winning and they didn't win quite enough. It was smart of him to not burn bridges.

That classy exit helped Clifford land with Orlando, where he made the playoffs 2 out of 3 years.

Not a single player who was on the last Hornets team he coached (2017-18) is still with the franchise. Most are out of the league. So he gets a clean slate.

As I said, I understand the hire. But it was wacky in that his name was never mentioned either before Atkinson took the job or after Atkinson abruptly quit. Then ... all of a sudden ... he was back.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

Despotic?  Did Jordan have some henchmen visit Clifford's home?

No wonder Kenny Atkinson went back to the Warriors. He clearly didn't want to subject himself to Jordan's tyranny.

[MuggsyB]

This BrItney Griner situation is disturbing. 

[MU82]

Bradley Beal, who hasn't won a damn thing, is about to get almost $50M a year from the Wiz.