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there This giant ball is in Vegas Sometimes it looks like a basketball, but it also looks like an eye that scares you.
waiting game
Delaying the departure of Mrs
Now that Damian Lillard has requested a trade from the Blazers and we’ve seen reports of the team he wants to go to (*cough, cough* Miami), this story is entering another commentary mode. The Blazers don’t like the best commercial package the Heat has to offer. We’ve got reports going left and right of the Blazers getting upset about the situation as the lady team tries to take it to Miami.
It has caused the internet to take sides. Lillard’s Q rating has always been appreciated by Teflon because of its commitment to the Blazers. Then, I’m sure the loyalty ebbs when you see a team bail two years in a row in order to make better draft picks for itself, leaving you to prioritize your own professional well-being. This is when people start calling you out for ex’s comments about not escaping a slack, and they might consider you selfish or whatever else might come your way.
Blazers General Manager Joe Cronin spoke to the media yesterday and gave us this quote:
“We’re going to be patient. We’re going to do what’s best for our team. We’ll see how this pans out. And if it takes months, it will take months.”
Trail Blazers GM Joe Cronin said Monday that he will be patient in finding the best returner for Portland as he seeks to trade Damian Lillard.
“We’ll see how this lands. And if it takes months, it will take months.”
more than @tweet: https://t.co/20ncyWycK2 pic.twitter.com/P85zkLQ4od
– The Athletic July 10, 2023
Cronin also mentioned that having so many potential destinations to work with made it easy to close the deal. This caught everyone’s attention, and you can’t blame him for this approach.
Personally, I think the front office has panicked in retooling the menu over the past year and a half – As I show here – by making horrible deals on low-level assets. So, patience is good for Blazer.
Portland does not want to settle for what Miami has to offer, and accommodating Mrs. Means has to trade him there. So, how do you maximize this return? It gets complicated because you have to find multiple teams to start moving some parts. It’s not easy to do.
Being patient with Ben Simmons deal led to James Harden winning in Philadelphia. She had no patience with the Bradley Bell deal that got a lot of second guesses Washington’s way back. It is not easy to trade a star or a high-profile player and get a good value back. We’ll see how uncomfortable Cronin is, and whether the lady and his agent try to make this an embarrassment to force a deal on Miami.
is reading: Why did the lady finally demand out of portland.
Observe the odds
A highlight for starters outside of Wimpy
With Victor Wimbanyama Now closed for the remainder of the Summer League And other notable nurse injuries (Scott Henderson’s shoulder, Amen Thompson’s ankle), let’s dig a little deeper into other first-year players making noise in Las Vegas:
- Derek Lively II, Dallas (12th pick): I’ve loved his defense so far, because he’s been a sure inside presence. I’d like to see him get the ball on the go more and measure his decision making by making plays for his teammates or just trying to rip the rim down.
- Casson Wallace, OKC (10th pick): We know he can score and shoot. Wallace really showed it, especially as he knocked down six three-pointers in his Vegas debut. We should see more of the gaming industry from him, because he and Shay Gilgos Alexander have an amazing future together.
Casson Wallace hits 5 times in the first half 🔥
Oklahoma City’s No. 10 overall pick appears at #NBA2KSummerLeague on ESPN2! pic.twitter.com/PpmCHZqD8D
– The NBA July 8, 2023
- Hunter Tyson, Denver (37th pick): At 23 years old, he has an age advantage over some of these guys, but we’re seeing a silly stroke right away. I’d like to see him do more dribbling and create from there. However, he could immediately play for Denver.
- Cam Whitmore, Houston (20th pick): He’s certainly not afraid to get some picks, but he hasn’t done much to differentiate himself from the flaws of the draft rating and what we see on the field. He may be destined to be the guy begging people to get more play time, even a decade from now.
- Leonard Miller, Minnesota (33rd pick): For a big guy, Miller is supremely nimble as he makes quick lunges on the big jump and scores goals with ease. He needs to play at a higher defensive level.
There is still a lot of action in Vegas, so these guys will have a chance to shine even more.
Get to know the new guys. pic.twitter.com/u4R2oz9au4
– Minnesota Timberwolves July 10, 2023
Leonard Miller should not fall into the second round
– Tony Jones (@Tjonesonthenba) July 11, 2023
A little whistle that speaks from Leonard Miller when you register through the connection
– Jon Krawczynski July 11, 2023
Salvation Mavs
Did they do enough to bounce back?
The Mavericks were bailed out at the end of last season with a 10-point Play-In Championship in hand. He certainly would have taken some help from losing the Thunder, but the Dallas shortstop picked the 10th pick in this year’s draft. Unlike that? This selection would have been headed to New York had it been 11th or lower.
It wasn’t the way the Mavericks envisioned their season after appearing in the Western Conference Finals in 2022. Nor was it a perfect ending after being traded for Kyrie Irving at the trade deadline. Dallas needed to find a deeper, more diverse roster with the size to complement Irving and Luka Doncic, all under the potential threat of a once unhappy Doncic.
This week, I saw longtime Mavs blogger Kirk Henderson Write about how well the Mavs did in the off-season. You might say, “Well, isn’t blogging usually conducive to the teams you love?” Yes, they usually are. However, Kirk isn’t often as positive about this team, which is what caught my eye and made me tick Dallas’ offseason moves:
Departure:
Acquisitions (including re-signing):
- Kyrie Irving: Re-signed for $126 million over three seasons
- Seth Curry: Signed for $9.2 million over two seasons (third DAL assignment)
- Richaun Holmes: Obtained from Sacramento
- Dereck Lively II: Drafted at #12 (trade with OKC)
- Grant Williams: Signed for $54 million over four seasons
- Olivier Maxence Prosper: Drafted 24th overall (trade with SAC)
- Dwight Powell: Re-signed for $12 million over three seasons
- Dante Exum: Signed for a minimum of one year
Our guy ♾️♾️♾️@tweet // #MFFL pic.twitter.com/lOT4x3PgMN
– Dallas Mavericks (dallasmavs) July 8, 2023
It gets lively 💪 pic.twitter.com/rqz3ITLupF
– Dallas Mavericks (dallasmavs) July 8, 2023
🎱-MAX pic.twitter.com/YLeKtAEZc1
– Dallas Mavericks (dallasmavs) July 8, 2023
These seem like very healthy upgrades for the Mavericks, though a lot hinges on the production of Irving, who will also be always be a question that goes into any season. I’m a big fan of Bullock and Holiday, who can be valuable wings. I’m also reluctant to give beginners any value when it comes to affecting wins right off the bat.
However, I still agree with Kirk. This was a great getaway for the Mavs, as long as Kyrie brings it up. Holmes was buried on the bench in Sacramento but he was big before. Curry’s deal may be the best non-starter contract in basketball. Williams will contribute immediately, and Exum has a chance to be a good defensive winger for them. At this point in his career, Wood is “blank stats on a bad team”.
With Lively and Prosper, they have two potential contributors coming into year 2. That means that front office helped Dallas’ immediate window to win and provided the Mavs chops for the future as well. Hopefully for them to resemble postseason 2022 form soon.
is reading: Williams discusses joining Dallas and why he left Boston behind.
Bounce passes
The Lakers did what they wanted in the off-season but they still want to add more size.
Mo Dakhil’s film focuses on “One Mo Thing” Wembanyama return His performance in his second summer league match.
Andrew Schlecht plays the great game of Whether or not the names of these French bands are real remains to be seen.
David Aldridge is in the Wizards plan which means their winning product comes much later.
Kelly Dwyer writes about the NBA Adding a mid-season championship next season.
Read Caitlin Cooper breaks down a lot of Fun work from the Summer Pacers.
Listen to Sam Vecenie Find out how this year’s Summer League lottery picks fared
Screen game (all times eastern)
- main screen: Rockets-Thunder (6:30 p.m. NBA TV). Even if we don’t get Jabari Smith Jr. Versus Chet Holmgren, there is a lot of talent among these teams to enjoy.
- Second screen: Nets Bucks (6 p.m. EST). Want to nerd? Jalen Wilson vs. Margo Beauchamp could be a great fight.
- night view: “Bar Rescue” (Paramount+). It’s the most absurd implementation of a business plan on an episode-by-episode basis.
(Photo by Damian Lillard: Sam Furnish / Getty Images)