GDT: Charlotte Hornets and other NBA talk

[HisIceness]

They're in a no win position right now. Walker is good enough to get them enough wins in the bad East to get them into the playoff hunt, and out of serious lottery standing, but the rest of the team is bad enough that this is their ceiling.

As long as the draft lottery stays the way it is, they should legitimately blow it up, suck badly for multiple seasons, and see if they can't build a core to win around like OKC did with Durant, Westbrook, and Harden and PHI did with Embiid, Simmons, Saric, and Fultz.

I wouldn't count on that though. Even if somehow for once they strike gold on a Durant or Simmons type player that player will leave by the time he is 28.

Here is a fun fact, the only two NBA teams not named the LA Clippers to never reach the conference finals are the current Hornets and the old Hornets now known as the Pelicans. I bet when the Sonics eventually come back and the expansion Kentucky Colonels enter the league they too will get to the third round first.

 

[Svechhammer]

I wouldn't count on that though. Even if somehow for once they strike gold on a Durant or Simmons type player that player will leave by the time he is 28.

Here is a fun fact, the only two NBA teams not named the LA Clippers to never reach the conference finals are the current Hornets and the old Hornets now known as the Pelicans. I bet when the Sonics eventually come back and the expansion Kentucky Colonels enter the league they too will get to the third round first.

For starters they need to get their heads out of their asses when drafting. Adam Morrison, Cody Zeller, Frank Kaminsky. 3 wasted Top 10 picks in the span of 7 seasons won't get it done. That was their opportunity to build around Kemba and... yeah....

 

[HisIceness]

Yep those were bad picks although I stood by them at the time when they took Kaminsky over guys like Winslow and Devin Booker.

My favorite was 2005 when they took Raymond Felton 4th and then traded up to take an out of shape Sean May with the 13th pick over guys like Channing Frye, David Lee, Gerald Green, Danny Granger, and Montae Ellis. Hindsight and all but taking two guys simply because they played at a nearby university is a dumb strategy.

But yeah the Morrison pick was inexcusably bad.

 

[HisIceness]

The 76ers took Mikhail Bridges from Villanova. His mother works for the Sixers HR department.

45 minutes later, they traded him to Phoenix.

 

[Novacane]

The 76ers took Mikhail Bridges from Villanova. His mother works for the Sixers HR department.

45 minutes later, they traded him to Phoenix.

Ouch, she was so happy too........

 

[Brock Anton]

LeBron stans and Lakers fans together?

Go Warriors.

 

[Novacane]

How many days until Kemba is a Laker?

 

[Big Daddy Cane]

LeBron stans and Lakers fans together?

Go Warriors.

It's amazing. GS has just gone from the evil empire to America's team for millions of NBA fans with one press release.

 

[Svechhammer]

I hope LA has some other moves lined up because that Lakers squad isnt anywhere near good enough to content in the West. Even if they get Cousins, it's still not good enough.

This almost seems like LBJ is content with riding out the string on his career from here on out. Adjusting to being more of a celebrity going forward than a player.

 

[Brock Anton]

It's amazing. GS has just gone from the evil empire to America's team for millions of NBA fans with one press release.

Vince McMahon runs the NBA confirmed, because the Warriors just executed the best, unexpected face turn of all-time.

 

[The Faulker 27]

Me ITT...

 

[HisIceness]

f*** me the Eastern Conference is going to suck even more than it already does. It's going to be hilariously awful.

 

[HisIceness]

Lance Stephenson is now one of LeBrons teammates

 

[Brock Anton]

Cousins to the Warriors lmao

 

[DaveG]

Cousins to the Warriors lmao

LMAO they're going to make another run at the NBA wins record.

 

[Svechhammer]

Cousins to the Warriors lmao

It's funny, but GSW just effectively guaranteed another title. If you're a fan of a middling team, why would you even watch anymore?

The NBA is super popular right now but these super teams are going to end up killing the league if they're not careful.

 

[HisIceness]

I f***ing died laughing when I saw Warriors and not Lakers.

Jesus Christ, Golden State has all 5 starters achieve multiple all-star selections and 3 of the last 5 mvps. Let's not kid ourselves, they were winning next years championship anyways but now they are going to finish 74-8 and go a perfect 16-0 in the playoffs.

 

[HisIceness]

It's funny, but GSW just effectively guaranteed another title. If you're a fan of a middling team, why would you even watch anymore?

The NBA is super popular right now but these super teams are going to end up killing the league if they're not careful.

It sucks as a Hornets fan but they couldn't put it together anyways when there was some parity.

But teams like Utah, Indiana, Milwaukee, Portland, and Minnesota this hurts them more. They won't compete with these juggernauts.

Frankly though, the NBA deserves this. Kevin Durant isn't the sole reason for the league's hilariously awful parity but he made it worse.

Gary Bettman has to be loving the destruction the NBA is causing itself. These past finals ratings had a significant drop. I would bet next years Warriors/Celtics sweep drop even more.

 

[HisIceness]

Also LMAO, Trae Young in summer league against 2nd rounders and undrafted players went 0-9 from the field in his first game.

Seriously, between the superteams getting stronger and these college freshmen who are hyped as the next prodigy but instead bust hard, is it any wonder that the NBA is the dumpster fire that it is?

At this point I think I'm rooting for the impending death of the league. They've earned it.

 

[DaveG]

And I'll give you three guesses as to who was guarding him in that game.

 

[HisIceness]

Saw on Twitter it was Jevon Carter, the former Maywood, Illinois product

 

[Brock Anton]

The Warriors would even beat the East All-Star team.

Curry-Thompson-Durant-Green-Cousins vs. Irving-DeRozan-Giannis-Porzingis-Embiid

 

[HisIceness]

Washed up Tony Parker has joined the Hornets squad.

Next year will be washed up Carmelo Anthony's turn.

 

[HisIceness]

Kawhi Leonard to Toronto for DeRozan, like 2 days after the Raptors brass told DD they wouldn't trade him. Now it's being reported Leonard doesn't want to play in Toronto. The Raptors also fired the coach earlier who led them to the best regular season the franchise has ever had.

Just, lol. I don't like the Spurs but Raptors fans were clamoring that they would run the East when LeBron left. Yeah, good luck with that.

 

[vorbis]

Kawhi Leonard to Toronto for DeRozan, like 2 days after the Raptors brass told DD they wouldn't trade him. Now it's being reported Leonard doesn't want to play in Toronto. The Raptors also fired the coach earlier who led them to the best regular season the franchise has ever had.

Just, lol. I don't like the Spurs but Raptors fans were clamoring that they would run the East when LeBron left. Yeah, good luck with that.

as someone who lives here but just happens to follow other teams in the 3 major sports Toronto participates in, having a vested interest in Toronto sports misery is a pretty good gig.