We got the #3 pick. Discuss the possibilities.

Dame will take waiting for Zion to get hurt. I just can't see Dame being cool with using our most valuable asset on a guy who was a one and done. Maybe I'm wrong but I could definitely see a press conference on Friday introducing Miller and pick 23 where Joe talks about trying to swing for the fences and not getting it done so them having to have a serious conversation with Dame that they'll have already had.

 

Curry sacraficed his personal game when Durant was there by taking less shots. He focused more on running the team and keeping everyone involved. He didn't stop being the best player in the world, he acquiested some of his game (mostly shots) so that the team could gell and be the best it could be. He still was insanely efficient. He still pulled defenses way out past the 3 point line because of his deep ball threat. And as soon as Durant moved on, he was back to being the same statistical scoring monster he was prior, because thats what the team needed from him again.

Predator's positional importance claims are nonsense. I enjoy how he contorts his views trying to justify things, and always has an excuse for every exception to his rules.

Top talent wins regardless of position.

STOMP

 

yeah...I think you're wrong

 

Yup I think your thinking is right. Hoping it’s Bridges instead of Siakam.

 

He wasn't better than Durant, and I said he was better than Igoudala although Iggy won FMVP. I've also said multiple times that Curry is one of the exceptions.

Raptors didn't win jackshit without Kawhi and Lowry had a pretty mediocre system averaging 14&8. (Kawhi most important.)
Parker (is maybe) one exception, although they had Kawhi and Duncan and Manu. (I'll give you Parker, although I don't truly believe it.)
Jason Kidd was 38(?) and averaged a whopping 8 & 8. (Dirk was most important.)
Jrue Holiday? Great? You can't be serious. (Giannis was more important).
Chauncey, sure.
Rondo? More important than Pierce, KG, Allen? Lol, ok.
Kyrie? The same Kyrie that couldn't do a fucking thing with Luka, loaded Boston teams, and actually achieved something with... LEBRON?

And I was originally looking at the last 10 years but it was overwhelmingly dominated by wings. So I started looking at 20. Then I started looking at 30 to try and get to Isiah Thomas and Magic (even though he wasn't a short guard) to make it even more favorable for points guards, at which point I still hadn't reached them so I gave up counting.

BTW - 21 of the last 21 NBA champions had an all-star at a position other than " point guard", but that's pretty open-ended so let's say taller than 6'7, so your little 14 of the last 21 titles had all-star PGs means diddly, including the most recent NBA champion. Celtics were also trying to do it with Kyrie and it wasn't working. Oh and by the way, the Celtics have constantly been in the conference finals and made it to the finals "without a PG". They also got beat by a team without a "great PG" in the Miami Heat. Interestingly enough, both the teams without a great PG made it to the ECF, but the teams with good-to-great PGs didn't... and in the WCF you had the Nuggets, who do have a good PG (never been an all-star though) and the Lakers who had horrific PG play.

Interesssssting...

So out of both conference finals and finals teams, there was a collective 0 all-star point guards.

Meanwhile, there were at least *8* all-stars who made it that weren't point guards and virtually all of them over 6'6...

Jokic
Bam
Butler
Tatum
Brown
Horford (lol)
Anthony Davis
Lebron James

Like I said, I didn't say point guards are worthless, but they're certainly not the most valuable position and you're almost certainly not winning a championship building a team around a point guard. It's almost like having an all-star taller than 6'6 or so is a requirement to even compete...

 

Bridges is one of the few players we could “realistically” get for 3 that I’d be happy with

 

Yeah but who would be better next to Grant? I would think Siakam.
The problem of course is his contract.

 

Yuck… 3rd pick for 27 year old who has never been an all star. Great defender but one player won’t turn one of leagues worst defenses around. He is a 3rd or 4th option on a contending team. Not worth sacrificing the future unless you are happy with play in games for next 3 years.

 

Maybe what I'm not explaining so well is that SIZE is part of talent.

There is a reason that the best talent(s), are almost always, players who are at least 6'6, if not taller.

So I agree that top talent wins, but part of my view is that size is part of talent.

Kobe agreed with this when he said "We're lucky Allen Iverson isn't (x amount) taller".

Or Michael when he said, "If my brother was (x) inches taller I'd be Larry's brother".

 

We need Bridges next to Grant, not Siakam.

Siakam and Grant are both average-at-best POA defenders.

 

Not for 3rd pick… better to give up Simons and 23 for Siakam.

 

Posture city

 

not really surprising at all and it certainly seems like the momentum is Portland keeping that pick rather than trading it

I don't think Portland would be leaning so strongly in that direction if they knew it would be the pivot point for Dame

 

sounds like a ton of posturing

also Woj doesn’t say we’re ready to take who is leftover between scoot and Miller. He specifically says we’re ready to take scoot or move ahead with scoot. No mention of Miller

 

You just don’t get it.

 

Thank you, Woj! That was our message to the Pelicans. I love it.

 

Agreed. Looks like Cronin learning on the job to me and Brass has finally grown a pair. We aren't going to be bullied.l

 

Factoring in age and rookie contract I don’t see a better forward option than Miller. He’s basically what we say we have been needing for years. If his ceiling is Tatum or George it’s crazy not to draft him. Trade Scoot or draft and keep Miller.

 

He alludes to Mille at the very beginning where he says we're going to take what's left of the two.