KD to Brooklyn?

[jfish26]

Yeah, as rare as a 2x finals mvp is, it might be even rarer for it to happen in 3 years then peace out.

Beaver thinks Durant is bitter that the dubs pushed him to come back so soon from his calf injury, which likely contributed to his torn Achilles.

I dunno. I’d hope that Durant was/is also the kind of competitor who would wanna come back. And besides, he was still cleared by doctors either way.

jfish has the best cross-sport comparison of Durant I've heard.

He's an odd guy/athlete/competitor whose talent can match anyone's in history.

[CrimsonNBlue]

Well again they were not a playoff contender even with him. Not close (which is another discussion about why AD could be another LeBron GM move). 56 games is 70% of the season.

Also, Julius Randle statistically dwarfs everyone they acquired this offseason and Lonzo still hasn't put up a season as good as Elfrid Payton.

This team could end up being really bad.

They could very well end up being bad. Nothing makes me think they will be better than a .500 team.
There are people alluding to last season for their feeling this season will be bad - worse than last season. It very well might be but I still am trying to figure out what last season has to do with this season.

Those who feel it does might then ask themselves what the Pelicans 2017/2018 season had to do with the 2018/2019 season.

I don't know, same franchise, same coach. Difference is that Jrue Holiday was the 3rd best player on last year's 12th place squad but will be the best player on the '19-'20 squad.

[twocoach]

I think there are a few more differences than that but OK.

[CrimsonNBlue]

I think there are a few more differences than that but OK.

In other words, you're not arguing with the facts I stated. Makes sense.

As for the differences, the '19 squad and stats on left vs. '20 squad and stats

Anthony Davis (25.9 ppg, 12 rpg, 3.9 apg) >>> Zion Williamson (projected 18.7 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 3.8 apg)
Julius Randle (21 PER, 6.1 WS) >> Brandon Ingram (13.4 PER, 2.0 WS)
Nikola Mirotic (17.2 PER, 3.5 WS) < JJ Redick (15.1 PER, 5.9 WS) (an upgrade!)
Jrue Holiday 28 y/o > Jrue Holiday 29 y/o
Elfrid Payton (14 PER, 1.5 WS) > Lonzo Ball (11.7 PER, 1.6 WS)

Cheick Diallo (17.5 PER, 2.6 WS) <<< Derrick Favors (21.8 PER, 7.9 WS)
Darius Miller (8.4 PER, 1.6 WS) < Josh Hart (9.3 PER, 2.1 WS)
E'Tuan Moore 29 y/o > E'Tuan Moore 30 y/o
Jahlil Okafor = Jahlil Okafor


That's a bad team IF Zion and Ball are as projected. Those 2 could, of course, blow up. A lot has to do with perceiving Ingram wrongly. Ingram has put up just OK numbers on bad teams. 538's CARMELO system came out yesterday, the most similar players to Ingram at the same age: Marvin Williams and Jabari Parker. Gross. That means Jrue Holiday is the best player on the team. That's not a playoff team.

The same stat team that projected Zion's production have the Pelcs down for 34 wins in '19-'20. They should think hard about tanking around January. Play Lonzo a LOT.

https://247sports.com/college/duke/Arti ... 133153031/

[pdub]

Thats sure a lot of metrics for someone who has argued against the point of metrics in basketball.

[jfish26]

Should he have listed shooting percentages only?

[twocoach]

Per 36 stats would have been better....

[pdub]

Just seems like something a 'spreadsheet warrior' would use as an argument.
Fivethirtyeight Carmelo system?
Whoa there guy.

[twocoach]

Regardless, NO will be an interesting team to watch. The great teams all got a little worse so it's more competitive this year for sure.

[CrimsonNBlue]

Super interesting to watch. Hell, I'd strongly consider heading down there to watch them play against a cheaper but interesting draw like Phoenix or Sacramento. I'd bet on seeing a lot of promising talent with growing pains.

[Geezer]

How about the eye test?

[columbusdjkc]

How about the eye test?

I ain’t seen 20-20 in years

[jfish26]

Yeah, as rare as a 2x finals mvp is, it might be even rarer for it to happen in 3 years then peace out.

Beaver thinks Durant is bitter that the dubs pushed him to come back so soon from his calf injury, which likely contributed to his torn Achilles.

I dunno. I’d hope that Durant was/is also the kind of competitor who would wanna come back. And besides, he was still cleared by doctors either way.

jfish has the best cross-sport comparison of Durant I've heard.

He's an odd guy/athlete/competitor whose talent can match anyone's in history.

"Strategic," along with its connotations and the other inferences that can be drawn from the circumstances of the below tweet, is exactly how I'd connect the two.

[Deleted User 266]

Can't view tweets at work.
Any significance to him being a Nike guy and wearing the same number as Kaepernick?

[Deleted User 62]

Can't view tweets at work.
Any significance to him being a Nike guy and wearing the same number as Kaepernick?

Jeebus

[jfish26]

Can't view tweets at work.
Any significance to him being a Nike guy and wearing the same number as Kaepernick?

Ordinarily I'd laugh that off, but I don't put any ham-handed or contrived branding for the sake of branding out of scope here.