Around the NBA 2022 Playoffs: The Thread

has the simmons ship really sailed though?

 

maybe, to a degree; probably for gate receipts:





the Warriors are in a metro area that has several professional sports teams. So, if they aren't competitive there are other alternatives. They need great management and they've had it (including ownership). Portland had a completely shitty GM for a decade, and their current ownership sucks

but look at that 5 year period from 2015-16 thru 2019-20. Portland had 256M in gate receipts; Golden State had 769M. That's 103M year more Warriors generated in gate receipts alone. Then add in parking and concessions. How about luxury suites?...do they count toward gate receipts? And of course there are the local broadcast and streaming rights; and naming rights; and sponsorship deals. Warriors media market is a half million people larger than the entire state of Oregon

in other words, we could be looking at a 200-250M annual difference in local & international revenue, maybe more; maybe a lot more. Like I said, it's pretty easy for the Warriors to absorb 350M in payroll and tax, especially when they are winning championships

speaking of which, I have to wonder just how much of that GS revenue is due to the singular star-power of Stephen Curry? I'll bet it's a sizable share. People might consider that when they talk about why Portland doesn't seem interested in trading Lillard

 

A better question might be, "What 3 players would you eliminate to put Curry in the Top 10 that doesn't even include Jerry West?" Top 10 lists (especially as you get towards the bottom of that list) get ridiculously subjective, regardless of subject. But it does make for (literally) endless discussion and debate.......

 

Portland is pretty expensive but they cannot charge as much for tickets as you can here in SF. People here are much more wealthy. There are casual millionaires just walking the streets.

A shitty lunch here is like $20+.

 

I also thought gate receipts were a drop in the bucket and the real revenue comes from TV deals and sponsorships. And those are not nearly as lucrative in markets like Portland compared to SF, LA, etc.

 

No I am saying that they didn’t decide one day to go spend 350m. They realized they should because of the team. And they *could* because of market and success, tv, playoff revenue, etc. None of which Portland has. Golden State didn’t have to spend money initially because their stars weren’t on huge contracts yet.

 

and that was my point. The Warriors can absorb a 180M tax easier than Portland can absorb a 20M tax (approximately)

for that championship roster, Golden State is spending money they have. To match, the Blazers would be spending money they don't have

 

I dont get why people don’t like Mathurin. Shoots well, he’s 6’6’, athletic. Why are we allergic to those guys? Because of Simons? Mathurin can play SF and SG.

 

During that period from 2015-2019 the Warriors won five conference titles an three NBA championships. That was the prime of the Curry-era Warriors. It was also the prime of their earning power. Look what happened in 2020 though, earnings fell off a cliff for the entire league due to the pandemic, but the Warriors' earnings were actually less than the Blazers'; probably because Curry and Thompson were injured and the Warriors weren't contenders.

I think we probably agree with the basic premise that everybody loves a winner and stays home most of the time if the team is a loser. I expect that we're on the same page that a bigger market is always going to have significantly more earnings potential than a smaller market team of comparable talent. I think it would be fascinating to see what the Blazers' earning potential would be today if they were fielding a true contender. The age of streaming broadens a team's potential audience. To me, the lesson that I'd like the Blazers to draw from the Warriors model is that regardless of market size, earnings increase dramatically for a contender vs. a perennial also-ran. Those extra earnings can fund a team that's spending well over the tax threshold.

 

I wish they had Olshey for the second round picks

 

I wish they had Olshey so they could fire his ass for a second time.

 

he hit on every single second rounder in 10 yrs. it's quite an achievement that people like to dismiss. he had a very clear strategy-- pick players from strong college programs and had a definable skill, rather than high upside unknowns. it was a relatively low-risk strategy, but it worked.

i do like the infusion of Schmitz to the staff particularly for this context, though.

 

Kenny Smith said when Wiggins was traded to GS he would become an all star. I heard his reasoning today, it was because he didn't have to be that 25 ppg consistent scorer, that he could shine everywhere else in his game. Which is exactly what he did during the season and playoffs. Defend, assist, boards!

 

I think a lot of NBA teams like him. He could end up in Detroit if Ivey is gone by the 5th pick, or end up in Indiana.
Some Blazer fans are looking to plug holes in the lineup instead of trying to figure out who the best player available at the 7th pick is.

 

Yes, he really is 6'6". That was his measurement in shoes at the combine.
His standing reach of 8'8" is only one inch less than 6' 7.5" Dyson Daniels standing reach of 8'9".

 

I know it's a team game, and I'm admittedly a duck hater, but look at GPII getting a ring before that Pritchard guy! It almost makes it okay for me that the fucking warriors won. Ugh, I'm conflicted.

Go Beavs!

 

can you point to where this catch and shoot number is coming from? i saw that mentioned a few times but don't know where it's from. Doesn't match my eye test. His release looks terrific and i think very scalable to NBA range, and he moves really well off the ball with his cuts to the hoop.

 

those numbers don't make sense, or this description:

The off-ball scoring package here is pretty (transitions into ridiculous Eminem impression) phenomenal. There are few players in this class with his ability to hit difficult shots off the catch whether flying around screens or shooting over a heavy contest. His footwork and fluidity getting into his shot is really impressive off-ball and creates a floor of offensive value that should allow him to stick in the league on that alone. Off-ball shooters that provide gravity not just in spot-up situations but out of movement actions are worth their weight in gold and go a long way in driving offensive success.

this is what i saw from him when scouting. i don't see him shooting less than 37/38 % ever in his career even on decent volume. the footwork and release are picture perfect. And given his movement off the ball to the basket with perfect timing, i see him as an ideal fit next to ball dominant guard(s).