Pretty much this. Would it shock me if the Thunder win it all next year? No, but im not betting on it for sure.
Fair points guys. IDK, I think you're overlooking the Clippers. I think they could easily make the finals this next year. I love the all-star power, with actual depth, unlike my team.
Im just not a Chris Paul fan. But if it was ever the year for the Clippers or Thunder to win a title, this is probably their best shot because whoever wins the west will be favored in the finals.
Yes they will, even if the Cavs make it imo. I feel like next year is the year it'll finally happen. The window is open for it.
I have a feeling this Kevin Love deal goes down with Cleveland. I think Cleveland will end up giving them Andrew Wiggins.
Clippers have depth on paper. Doc as a GM/Prez has made interesting decisions that basically were go after who he liked in 2008-2009 and try to get them. Really limited his teams depth last year. Spencer Hawes will be interesting because it will actually give LAC a backup center instead of the undersized glen big baby davis. The thing that hurts them is the big drop off between when Paul is out there and when he wasn't out there in the playoffs. They need that backup PG role to fill in a bit better and needed Crawford to stop ending possessions early in the shot clock. When CP3 was on the court in the playoffs, ORTG 113.4 and DRTG 107.6. When he was off the court, ORTG 97.9, DRTG 111.5 Their offense basically fell off a cliff. That big of a drop didn't happen in the regular season but in the playoffs the Clips were playing at a huge negative. The no PG also hurts Blake because even though for a big guy Blake can dribble, the offense going through him is initiated by the PG.
No, you need good coaching. I'm sure there might be a couple exceptions, but I cannot think of exceptions recently where there is a NBA championship team without a good coach. I'm not saying a good coach doesn't need talent though. You need both, a good coach and great talent. And coaches can go from good to bad, it isn't set in stone. You can be a great coach and not win like you can be a great player and not win. I just don't think Brooks is there yet. He doesn't need to turn into an all time great coach either. He just needs to push the right buttons earlier and more often one year and everything might fall into place for a title run. Brooks has a done a great job getting these guys here, he just needs to work on pushing them that one more step forward. I don't think Brooks should be fired or really on the hot seat in general. Coaches are replaced too much in the NBA, so I would give him more years unless a truly horrible season happens with a healthy roster. But the two high level things holding the Thunder back at this point are coaching and lack of depth. that might go hand in hand though. The lack of depth could force Brooks to play Westbrook and KD more and run more offense through them. Or the lack of depth is there because Brooks gave minutes to the older players in the regular season instead of the young ones to get them prepared and know their role in the system. EDIT: And that of course brings the idea of the whole team into player. Owner, FO, coach, and players all on the same page. Coach and team can only do so much if management is trying to tank the season and what not.
IMO this whole Wiggins thing is a huge ploy, Warriors are no threat to get Kevin Love because: A) Kevin Love hasnt stated publicly he would resign there B) Warriors wont give up Klay Thompson So the Cavs have an absolute stranglehold on this trade and they are going to offer Wiggins? Either the Cavs are the stupidest organization or they just dont have a clue (which explains why they havent won jack shit despite having the MVP on there team multiple years). I think they are throwing Wiggins name out there because it will keep the Twolves interested, the Twolves wont even consider a trade with Golden State if they have the opportunity to get Wiggins. So I think the Cavaliers are just baiting the Twolves, so the Twolves wont even negotiate seriously with any other team.
Why would they be the stupidest franchise if they traded Wiggins? In fact, everyone is saying they'd be the stupidest franchise if they don't trade Wiggins for Love. Wiggins has never played an NBA game and while everyone agrees that he will likely be a stud, how much of that is actual truth? And if he does, you won't see that for another 3-4 years. Kevin Love is a proven monster in this league. He averages 20+ points a game and is one hell of a passer and rebounder. The defense might have issues, but you can add pieces to help that. You pair LeBron with Love and Irving and they are one of the best trios in basketball, if not the best. This is a no brainer in my opinion. Almost every executive has said the same, if you have any basketball IQ, you trade Wiggins for Love ten times over.
How that work? Cavs leak they would trade Wiggins. Wolves call up saying okay we can discuss a package centered around Wiggins, Cavs so no we aren't offering Wiggins anymore, Wolves say okay end of negotiations?
I think it's the other way around. The TWolves are playing this well. People think that because Love openly wants to leave Minnesota that the TWolves have no leverage but Love is still a top 10 player and will cause bidding wars. That's what they have between the Warriors and Cavs. Word is the Cavs offered, Bennett, Wiggins and next year's 1st rounder and they want more for Love. And as the season goes on teams might get more desperate and even take the risk he won't resign with them. Minnesota can sit on this a little while.
LMAO This is hilarious! Here is an example of why Lebron's decision has influenced almost every NBA move this offseason: "James' signing in some way queued every item depicted, though the further we trace from James the more convoluted the causalities become. Take, for example, Vince Carter's choice to sign with the Grizzlies. This might at first seem so removed from James and the Cavaliers as to be irrelevant, but there is a distinct connection: LeBron's commitment to the Cavs changed the course of Chris Bosh's free agency, which then led Bosh to sign a five-year max deal to remain with Miami while turning down Houston, which then caused the Rockets to pass on matching the Mavericks' offer sheet to Chandler Parsons, which then led to Dallas landing Parsons and filling out its room under the cap, which then prevented the Mavs from making the necessary offer to entice Carter to return. Did LeBron cause Carter to sign in Memphis? No. But the four-time MVP's timing and decision set those events in motion, resulting in a much-needed wing complement for the Grizzlies."
At this point, Cleveland is in the drivers seat with this trade for Kevin Love. Like they are saying everywhere, the Timberwolves HAVE to trade Love now. Why? Because with this much public knowledge about wanting to trade him, it would be cruel to keep him and expect him to be happy playing for a team putting him through this, only to keep him around. So in turn, they would likely want to give him up and settle for the best offer available, which is Cleveland right now. Funny thing, Cleveland might be able to keep Wiggins and get Love, but give up their 3 first round picks next season. That would be one hell of a move for Cleveland.
I don't think the cruel angle is a worthy one but what if they get nothing in return? That's the fear for Minny. They need to pull the trigger at some point. It seems like this is a springboard towards building a young dynamic team for them.
From what I'm hearing, they feel they have to get rid of him because they've made it such public knowledge. How would any player feel welcome on a team that is desperately trying to get rid of him all offseason?
You're talking about feelings. He's made it known he wants out as well. This is a business, first and foremost.
Except the Warriors wont trade for Love if he wont commit. He has yet to commit publicly. Its like with Carmelo Anthony, there were deals on the table but teams wouldnt accept the trade because Carmelo wouldnt commit. No GM is going to trade for Love only to see him leave after the season. The GM would be destroyed if that happened. Love is aware of this to, he knows right now that he can force his way to Cleveland if he wants to go there. The Twolves HAVE TO trade Love, even if its for the Cavs 3 draft picks, its still better than watching him leave at the end of the year.
Cavs say yeah we will offer Wiggins if the deal is right. Thats all they have to say. Twolves wont trade for Klay Thompson if they have the chance to get Wiggins (which they dont, but thats why Cleveland is luring them in).
Just to add, the Timberwolves only have one trade partner right now. The Warriors are not a trade partner until Love says he would commit there. (He might have said it internally but I doubt that, because you think the trade talk would be hot, I havent heard much at all, only that the Warriors wont even give up Klay). So I have no clue why the Cavaliers even put Wiggins name out there, it just goes to show ya why the Cavaliers are and have been one of the worst run NBA franchises to date. (The fact that they didnt win last time with Lebron was pathetic enough, every other franchise that has had an all time great has managed to win for the most part).
You keep saying that, but you, just like all of us, have no idea what's going on behind closed doors. You can keep reiterating that you think they are the "stupidest" franchise, but you have no clue. In fact, most recent reports out of Cleveland say that they have never said Wiggins is available and don't plan on it. You choose what you believe but there is no fact anyone knows. You can't claim someone or something is stupid based solely on a "feeling".
