***Official 2024-2025 NBA Thread***

[KC_Connection]

Season starts tonight with Knicks and Celtics followed by Lakers and TWolves.

Will history be made early in the 2nd game?

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Just In: The Los Angeles Lakers are trading Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, a 2031 unprotected first-round pick and a 2030 pick swap to the Charlotte Hornets for center Mark Williams, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/QGUwETssGd

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 6, 2025

Boom. Lakers title run is on.

Won't beat the Thunder.

SGA > Luka

Not even really close.

Healthy Chet and night night Western Conference

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by BWillie

Won't beat the Thunder.

SGA > Luka

Not even really close.

Healthy Chet and night night Western Conference

SGA’s teammates have choked before when it matters and they will again.

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

SGA’s teammates have choked before when it matters and they will again.

Young teams always choke their first time.

There will be no more choking.

I'd love for them to somehow trade for De'andre Hunter. Not sure if it is possible.

[chiefzilla1501]

Jesus. Trading for mark williams is a hell of a move. He’s obviously not AD but that’s a hell of a way to fill a hole when you just added doncic

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Breaking: The New Orleans Pelicans have traded Brandon Ingram to the Toronto Raptors for Bruce Brown Jr., Kelly Olynyk, one first-round pick and one second-rounder, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/tI4jo2cYhM

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 6, 2025

Cool, I guess? Still don't really know what the Raptors are doing these days.

God I hate these players like Ingram and Randle who can’t score unless they hog the ball for like 20 seconds. Unless you are dominant doing this, it’s so hard to create any kind of rhythm

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

Jesus. Trading for mark williams is a hell of a move. He’s obviously not AD but that’s a hell of a way to fill a hole when you just added doncic

Williams is 3rd in the league in WS/48 right now. Also 8th in BPM.

No ****ing clue what Charlotte is doing. Everyone must just want the Lakers to succeed.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

God I hate these players like Ingram and Randle who can’t score unless they hog the ball for like 20 seconds. Unless you are dominant doing this, it’s so hard to create any kind of rhythm

Raptors gunning for the play-in next year.

[smithandrew051]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Williams is 3rd in the league in WS/48 right now. Also 8th in BPM.

No ****ing clue what Charlotte is doing. Everyone must just want the Lakers to succeed.

A true 7’ 23 year old 16-10 center who also shoots nearly 80% from the line who’s gotten better every year.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by smithandrew051

A true 7’ 23 year old 16-10 center who also shoots nearly 80% from the line who’s gotten better every year.

Injuries.

Back and feet, no less - literally the LAST two things you wanna see are injured for big men. But that's the risk you take to get a young guy with his ceiling.

The real twist of the knife? Those are the assets that Pelinka talked Harrison off of in the Doncic deal...

[DJ's left nut]

Why are people acting like a pick swap has ANY value for the Hornets?

I guess the idea is that they could trade the rights to swap to someone that DOESN'T suck. But strictly as an asset to Charlotte - what are the odds that the Hornets are swapping pick spots with the Lakers in 2030? 10%? 5? I mean c'mon - the Hornets ALWAYS suck. The Lakers...don't. Even if Williams is an injury case, he's off the cap for the 2026 FA derby.

There's just no way that is going to mean anything for them. The 2031 pick MIGHT have some shot at being in the mid-teens where they could, if they're lucky, get someone as good as Knecht. And Knecht, who I REALLY like, is still just going to be a very good role player.

So the Lakers gave up what probably amounts to a couple of 6th/7th man types for a 23 year old starting C with genuinely elite physical tools.

And there are folks considering it an overpay? Why? The only real risk is the injury concern and if those come to fruition, you just move on from him. And you've maintained some flexibility should another deal come along today for Rui (who I still think is an awkward fit).

Now they have a playoff starting 5 of

Williams
DFS
Luka
James
Reaves

With Rui as your 6th man and offensive leader off the bench. You still have Vanderbilt and Vincent off the bench as well as matchup specific pieces.

I don't think that's better than the Celtics but now it COULD beat anyone in the West. They'll have to come together quickly and play damn well to get past Oklahoma City, but there's still the "is OKC actually ready to win a championship?" question.

This is a damn good move and makes the Lakers a legit possibility to win a championship, even if you don't quite put them at 'contender' status due to how good Boston and OKC have been to this point.

[DJ's left nut]

Torrey Craig looks like a really nice option off the buyout market. Lakers have a roster spot now but can't sign anyone over about $11 million in initial salary as a 1st apron team. So unless they were able to get below the apron somehow (which seems quite unlikely) then they're looking at cheaper buyout players.

Craig as a bench 3 and D option to replace what Christie was bringing would be a nice fit.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Injuries.

Back and feet, no less - literally the LAST two things you wanna see are injured for big men. But that's the risk you take to get a young guy with his ceiling.

The real twist of the knife? Those are the assets that Pelinka talked Harrison off of in the Doncic deal...

The other thing thats interesting is Williams and doncic kind of have the same issue. Both of these guys give really inconsistent effort on defense. Have they decided that with the offensive onslaught this won’t matter? Or do they think there’s a formula for turning that around.

I certainly think that cutting back on doncic’s crazy utilization would help. Overweight or not

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

The other thing thats interesting is Williams and doncic kind of have the same issue. Both of these guys give really inconsistent effort on defense. Have they decided that with the offensive onslaught this won’t matter? Or do they think there’s a formula for turning that around.

I certainly think that cutting back on doncic’s crazy utilization would help. Overweight or not

It is worth pointing out how young both of them are.

Maturity can really help iron out consistency issues.

But oddly enough, the lakers - outside of LeBron and DFS - are suddenly a really young team. Luka, Williams, Reaves and Rui is a core 4 just entering their prime years.

[dirk digler]

KD to GSW almost happened but he shut it down. He must still hate Dray and probably some of the organization.

The Golden State Warriors reportedly underestimated Kevin Durant’s “coldness” toward the organization. Even a conversation between Steph Curry and Durant left Curry feeling that a reunion was unlikely, per @anthonyVslater

“At some point in the last several days, Stephen Curry… pic.twitter.com/VwxDWQU0cK

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 6, 2025

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

KD to GSW almost happened but he shut it down. He must still hate Dray and probably some of the organization.

The Golden State Warriors reportedly underestimated Kevin Durant’s “coldness” toward the organization. Even a conversation between Steph Curry and Durant left Curry feeling that a reunion was unlikely, per @anthonyVslater

“At some point in the last several days, Stephen Curry… pic.twitter.com/VwxDWQU0cK

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 6, 2025

Draymond probably cost that team multiple more championships (and not just because he got suspended in the 2016 Finals for repeatedly kicking players in the groin) and nobody in that organization still has the guts to tell him that.