***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?

[Pitt Gorilla]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

I expect this trade to make more sense than the previous one.

I certainly don't get it.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by Pitt Gorilla

I certainly don't get it.

The Fox trade? He wanted out of Sacramento/wanted to go to San Antonio, that had been reported.

[BWillie]

Fox now with Wemby

****

[Pitt Gorilla]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

The Fox trade? He wanted out of Sacramento/wanted to go to San Antonio, that had been reported.

Yeah, but to take back LaVine AND not get Chicago's 1st? I don't know.

[Mosbonian]

Originally Posted by Sassy Squatch

How do you sell this to players? Luka was the face of that franchise and a top 5 player and as thanks they traded him for pennies on the dollar just so they wouldn't have to give him a Supermax and called him fat and slow after they did it. Who in the **** is going to buy into that organization after this?

My son in law is/was a big Mavs fan....and when I chatted with him yesterday he was at a complete loss. He was a big Doncic fan...he said he just has no desire to watch the Mavs for a while.

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by Mosbonian

My son in law is/was a big Mavs fan....and when I chatted with him yesterday he was at a complete loss. He was a big Doncic fan...he said he just has no desire to watch the Mavs for a while.

My teenage son loved Dallas and Luka. He isn't sure what the hell is going to do now. We were going to go to a Mavs game over spring break. He hates the Lakers so he's a bit lost.

[DJ's left nut]

Some rumors about the Lakers going after Nic Claxton now.

Would seem to be a nice fit but maybe a bit odd in a post-Lebron world. How do you fit the next superstar in there with Luca and Claxton on the books? I don't think you'd be able to fit another max contract in there. Might make things a little funky in a year or two.

But IF you make that move while also moving James for 'aggregate' guys who might then be able to be used as trade pieces in a sign and trade (which James wouldn't be able to do given his eventual retirement) and you end up more flexible in terms of future roster construction.

Really do think I'd prefer a Robert Williams deal. It's just cleaner.

In either event, those are the two guys I really think we should keep an eye on in a possible trade in the coming days. Williams and Claxton.

[BWillie]

Lebron got them to draft his shitty son and guarantee him a two way roster spot. You mean to tell me LeBron had no part of orchestrating this? Naive.

The Lakers are currently worse not better for this year.

Luka a ho.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by BWillie

Lebron got them to draft his shitty son and guarantee him a two way roster spot. You mean to tell me LeBron had no part of orchestrating this? Naive.

He clearly didn't or it would have leaked through Klutch before it became official.

And the Lakers are obviously going to prioritize acquiring Luka (who sets their franchise up for the next decade) over a 40 year old LeBron who hasn't committed to even playing past this year.

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

He clearly didn't or it would have leaked through Klutch before it became official.

And the Lakers are obviously going to prioritize acquiring Luka (who sets their franchise up for the next decade) over a 40 year old LeBron who hasn't committed to even playing past this year.

Then they should trade Lebronso righr now.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Some rumors about the Lakers going after Nic Claxton now.

Would seem to be a nice fit but maybe a bit odd in a post-Lebron world. How do you fit the next superstar in there with Luca and Claxton on the books? I don't think you'd be able to fit another max contract in there. Might make things a little funky in a year or two.

But IF you make that move while also moving James for 'aggregate' guys who might then be able to be used as trade pieces in a sign and trade (which James wouldn't be able to do given his eventual retirement) and you end up more flexible in terms of future roster construction.

Really do think I'd prefer a Robert Williams deal. It's just cleaner.

In either event, those are the two guys I really think we should keep an eye on in a possible trade in the coming days. Williams and Claxton.

Never been sure where to place claxton. I agree… great complementary piece for lebron. Without him… not so sure. But when healthy a really nice “switchy” defensive piece. His offense is too erratic for my liking

[KC_Connection]

Chandler Parsons texted Mark Cuban about the trade:

"I texted (Mark Cuban), and I said, 'I'm so confused.' He wrote back, 'That makes two of us.’"

(via @RunItBackFDTV)

pic.twitter.com/OZuhtxWomn

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) February 3, 2025

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by BWillie

Then they should trade Lebronso righr now.

Not up to them, LeBron has a no-trade clause and can decide when and where he wants to go.

[KC_Connection]

Danny Ainge reportedly had no idea he was helping the Lakers land Luka Dončić, and by the time he found out, it was too late for him to do anything about it, per @espn_macmahon

“Even the Utah Jazz, the third team that facilitated the transaction by collecting two second-round… pic.twitter.com/t4gy6souG3

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 3, 2025

Jazz didn't even know it was Luka being gifted by the Mavs until the very end.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Danny Ainge reportedly had no idea he was helping the Lakers land Luka Dončić, and by the time he found out, it was too late for him to do anything about it, per @espn_macmahon

“Even the Utah Jazz, the third team that facilitated the transaction by collecting two second-round… pic.twitter.com/t4gy6souG3

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 3, 2025

Jazz didn't even know it was Luka being gifted by the Mavs until the very end.

And again, this is why I'm convinced LeBron had no idea.

The Lakers KNEW -- they HAD to know -- the blowback this would create across the league. And if Rich Paul knew about it, he was going to work every back-channel he had to leverage something from it and suddenly it all comes apart.

Again - the Lakers simply didn't care. James could've been so mad he retired the moment he found out and the Lakers would've shrugged their shoulders and moved along.

"Doesn't matter, got Luka..."

All the folks that don't believe James or Davis or Luka or anyone else didn't know about it -- it's just ignoring the reality on the ground. Nobody could've known about that because there's no way it wouldn't have come apart.