Basketball/NBA

[Windhook]

Yeah, no chance in hell Riley would take LeBron back.

There are very limited teams that LeBron would accept going to. Oddly enough, I think he would accept going to Phoenix to play with Durant. But I don't know what Phoenix would send the other way.

Lakers need to get a center somehow.

I expect LeBron will play out his contract with the Lakers until 2026 and then retire. He's the self-proclaimed GOAT, he's a brand and L.A. is where he belongs.

The alternative would be another return to Cleveland, but Cavaliers are fantastic this season. They don't need to ruin team atmosphere, because of some nostalgia.

I remember 2010, New York Knicks went hard to sign prime LeBron. That would have been a legacy move, New York is the mecca of basketball. I know the organization was/is badly run, but in few years they could have built a great team around him. Prime Carmelo Anthony was signed around the same time. LeBron wanted rings immediately, though.

I was listening to the funky pastor called Stephen A. Smith, he was talking about Kyrie Irving blah blah and a thought went through my mind all of a sudden. What if Luka Doncic move to Lakers was orchestrated by NBA itself, Adam Silver. The trade is so illogical it still sounds like a joke. Ratings are low, the game is boring and the league could benefit from renewed Celtics/Lakers rivalry.

 

[FCBfan22]

I was listening to the funky pastor called Stephen A. Smith, he was talking about Kyrie Irving blah blah and a thought went through my mind all of a sudden. What if Luka Doncic move to Lakers was orchestrated by NBA itself, Adam Silver. The trade is so illogical it still sounds like a joke. Ratings are low, the game is boring and the league could benefit from renewed Celtics/Lakers rivalry.

This is completely possible and I saw some opinions saying the same thing.

It's a pure business trade with 0 regard for player wishes. BTW, Mavs lost 700k followers on IG in 1 day.

 

[FCBfan22]

BTW, if Mavs don't win the ring this year, Harrison will look like a twat.

 

[khaled_a_d]

This is completely possible and I saw some opinions saying the same thing.

It's a pure business trade with 0 regard for player wishes. BTW, Mavs lost 700k followers on IG in 1 day.

It is Mavs trade.
Read Nico Harrison interview. That idiot has orchestrated the deal.

He is actually proud of it.


PS: Luka lost 116M in contract from this trade, and that's not counting the massive marginal tax rate between Texas and California (around 14%, but NBA players are taxed based on location of games, not entirely on where is their teams).

Mavs GM Nico Harrison on stunning Luka Doncic trade: ‘It’s my job to make tough decisions’

The Mavs are sending their star player to the Lakers in a stunning deal.

www.dallasnews.com

 

[Windhook]

Absurd to think Mavs will win a ring with this lineup ever. Not just this season. They got Anthony Davis, some nobody and a 2029 draft pick.

It is Mavs trade.
Read Nico Harrison interview. That idiot has orchestrated the deal.

I don't believe it, even if he swears on his mother. This is one of the most braindead deals in NBA history. Saw on Yahoo! Sports it's A+ deal for Lakers and F for Mavs.

 

[FCBfan22]

Absurd to think Mavs will win a ring with this lineup ever. Not just this season. They got Anthony Davis, some nobody and a 2029 draft pick.

This. But Nico Harrison seems to be convinced that they will now.

Imagine if Kyrie walks in the summer and Lively requests a trade. The self-inflicted implosion. All that's left is acient Klay and PJ.

 

[khaled_a_d]

Absurd to think Mavs will win a ring with this lineup ever. Not just this season. They got Anthony Davis, some nobody and a 2029 draft pick.

I don't believe it, even if he swears on his mother. This is one of the most braindead deals in NBA history. Saw on Yahoo! Sports it's A+ deal for Lakers and F for Mavs.

Everyone knew it was an F the moment it happened. Unless 2029 pick turns into the next Shaq or something.
But you can't underestimate a confident idiot. Which seems to be the entire Mavs hierarchy.

Nico only success came when Dennis Lindsey joined as Consultant. He was a competent GM with Utah. Suddenly, when he joined we are far better decision makers. He left to Pistons and they improve, while we get Klay and trade Luka.

He thought of himself as some kind of a genius, when he was carried by others.

 

[khaled_a_d]

Imagine if Kyrie walks in the summer and Lively requests a trade. The self-inflicted implosion. All that's left is acient Klay and PJ.

Kyrie, Lively and AD won't leave money on the table.
The Mavs will have good enough team to avoid lottery in the next few years.
Dallas is the 4th biggest metropolitan in the USA, with arguably the biggest sport Franchise in the planet, no state income taxes etc. They will never be FA destination but they really don't have a problem retaining their own players, when they want to. Though with Nash, Brunson, Devin Harris and Luka, they hate keeping talented guards there.

 

[FCBfan22]

Kyrie, Lively and AD won't leave money on the table.
The Mavs will have good enough team to avoid lottery in the next few years.
Dallas is the 4th biggest metropolitan in the USA, with arguably the biggest sport Franchise in the planet, no state income taxes etc. They will never be FA destination but they really don't have a problem retaining their own players, when they want to. Though with Nash, Brunson, Devin Harris and Luka, they hate keeping talented guards there.

That's true, but I think this out of the blue trade might spawn some questions in the locker room. Mavs are different now compared to Cuban times.

 

[Windhook]

Kyrie, Lively and AD won't leave money on the table.
The Mavs will have good enough team to avoid lottery in the next few years.
Dallas is the 4th biggest metropolitan in the USA, with arguably the biggest sport Franchise in the planet, no state income taxes etc. They will never be FA destination but they really don't have a problem retaining their own players, when they want to. Though with Nash, Brunson, Devin Harris and Luka, they hate keeping talented guards there.

Correct. I don't know though what's the deal with Mavs being unattractive destination for free agents. Does it have to do with the club focusing on European players in the last 25 years? Could be, meaning it's a cultural thing. At the end of the day Dallas is in top 5 on TV market.

Texas is a big market overall. Houston are also in top 10. The only team that is small, ironically the most successful, are San Antonio Spurs. No free agent would prioritize the Spurs. Gregg Popovich runs this team for 30 years now like a college basketball with fundamentals.

 

[khaled_a_d]

That's true, but I think this out of the blue trade might spawn some questions in the locker room. Mavs are different now compared to Cuban times.

Yeah.

I said on their forum last summer, that they got too excited about new owners and Nico, just because they hated Cuban and Donnie. But the new guards had long way to go to meet the resume of the old ones.

They fanbase now is between the Anger and Bargaining phase, in the phases of griefs.

Those who are in the bargain has some interesting theories though.

One, is Mavs identity under Kidd is indeed defense. They play good defense in the playoff, with Luka being the one that struggle most in this area. They (Front office and Kidd) bought too much into this, that they belief the trade between Luka's offense and AD is worth it for the defensive upgrade. That obviously ignores that Mavs ball movement was essentially Luka and Kyrie doing their thing. It isn't a trade of abilities alone, but a trade of an entire offensive system.

Another theory, is that Adelson's bought the franchise as a way of lobbying for Casino in Texas, mainly Dallas. But it seems they aren't getting it, so they are treating the Mavs as investment, the hedge fund way, and wanted to avoid luxury tax under any circumstances. Trading Luka ensures they can get that done, while still getting playoffs money with the trio of Kyrie, Lively and AD along the other pieces they had.

In the case the 0.01% that Mavs actually improves with AD, Nico will be seen as the next Pat Riley, as a no nonsense GM with culture first franchise. 99.99% he will get back to Nike in two years and never sniffs NBA front office again.

 

[FCBfan22]

Another theory, is that Adelson's bought the franchise as a way of lobbying for Casino in Texas, mainly Dallas. But it seems they aren't getting it, so they are treating the Mavs as investment, the hedge fund way, and wanted to avoid luxury tax under any circumstances. Trading Luka ensures they can get that done, while still getting playoffs money with the trio of Kyrie, Lively and AD along the other pieces they had.

I'd say this one is at least plausible. Especially with Nico's stupid excuses in the media that make little sense in the sporting department. BTW, Nico and Kidd are speaking to the media at the moment.

 

[khaled_a_d]

I'd say this one is at least plausible. Especially with Nico's stupid excuses in the media that make little sense in the sporting department. BTW, Nico and Kidd are speaking to the media at the moment.

It explains trading Luka, not only calling Lakers and not thinking about making bidding wars 🙄

 

[FCBfan22]

It explains trading Luka, not only calling Lakers and not thinking about making bidding wars 🙄

I think that was because they knew what kind of fuss it would make if it becomes public before it's done. The Dallas fans would have rioted. The only way they could keep it in secrecy is by talking only to the league and one team.

Speaking about the league, I think this one would get vetoed by them if it wasn't Lakers...

 

[FCBarca]

NBA is exempt from antitrust rules, it’s a very dirty game