***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?

[smithandrew051]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Have to admit that I felt a lot more confident in my Lakers to the Finals prediction when their starting lineup projected to have Williams in it than Jaxson Hayes, but Luka and LeBron will find a way. Need to add a buyout vet big now.

Getting Knecht back isn’t terrible even if it isn’t the pressing need

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by smithandrew051

Getting Knecht back isn’t terrible even if it isn’t the pressing need

Another shooter around Luka/LeBron is never a bad thing

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Have to admit that I felt a lot more confident in my Lakers to the Finals prediction when their starting lineup projected to have Williams in it than Jaxson Hayes, but Luka and LeBron will find a way. Need to add a buyout vet big now.

I think Mo Bamba would be a possibility even as a 1st apron team?

Yeah - this one smarts a bit in terms of present roster construction.

But like I said a little bit earlier in this thread - he was NOTICEABLY less athletic this year. Something was amiss.

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

I think Mo Bamba would be a possibility even as a 1st apron team?

Yeah - this one smarts a bit in terms of present roster construction.

But like I said a little bit earlier in this thread - he was NOTICEABLY less athletic this year. Something was amiss.

If you wanna see a player with an awful bball iq...Mo Bamba would be at the top of the list.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

I think Mo Bamba would be a possibility even as a 1st apron team?

Yeah - this one smarts a bit in terms of present roster construction.

But like I said a little bit earlier in this thread - he was NOTICEABLY less athletic this year. Something was amiss.

Think it's gotta be Bamba at this point for the shot blocking. Theis is also there too, who at least has the experience playing on a contender.

[KC_Connection]

https://www.bball-index.com/lebron-application/

Bamba ranked out defensively the best of his career this year at least by this metric. Still may have something left to give.

[Mescalito345]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Think it's gotta be Bamba at this point for the shot blocking. Theis is also there too, who at least has the experience playing on a contender.

Pelinka is a very good GM, but yesterday he made a serious mistake by cancelling the Mark Williams trade. Since the trade deadline has already passed, Pelinka should buy out/waive Kleber or Reddish, and then try to sign Mo Bamba, before some other team signs him.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Mescalito345

Pelinka is a very good GM, but yesterday he made a serious mistake by cancelling the Mark Williams trade. Since the trade deadline has already passed, Pelinka should buy out/waive Kleber or Reddish, and then try to sign Mo Bamba, before some other team signs him.

Not if his feet are as screwed up as the rumors are suggesting. That would explain his relative lack of athleticism since he came back and would mean that he'd remain a defensive liability against the very sort of players he was acquired to defend.

[KC_Connection]

I imagine the Lakers saw something in the physical that suggested he wouldn't be able to play effectively in the NBA longterm (and Williams having a serious issue is the biggest indicator as to why Charlotte even wanted to deal him in the first place; otherwise they absolutely shouldn't have been making that trade given where their franchise is).

Not sure you can criticize Pelinka for shutting it down.