Community Shootaround: Klay Thompson’s Struggles
The Warriors blew out the Cavaliers in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, and received little offensive help from sharpshooter Klay Thompson. Thompson posted just six points on 3-of-16 shooting as teammates Kevin Durant (38 points) and Stephen Curry (28 points) picked up the slack. Despite his shooting, Thompson’s impact was felt on on the defensive side of the ball.
Thompson’s defense on LeBron James, J.R. Smith, and Kevin Love helped Golden State in its 113-91 win, entering Sunday’s Game 2 with an early series lead. However, Thompson’s struggles with shooting in the playoffs have been evident; one half of the Splash Brothers is shooting 36.6 percent from the field, 33.8 percent from beyond the arc, and hasn’t posted a 20-point game since Game 4 of the Semifinals against the Jazz on May 8. The reason could be a prolonged slump or it could be the addition of Durant disrupting his role on offense. Either way, Dennis Chambers of Basketball Insiders feels that the 76ers should pursue the 27-year-old shooting guard.
During a recent interview on Philadelphia ESPN radio affiliate, 97.5 The Fantatic, Thompson’s father and former first overall pick Mychal Thompson spoke highly of the Sixers’ evolving core.
“Yes, [former general manager] Sam Hinkie was right,” Thompson told host Mike Missanelli. “The talent that he amassed there with Ben [Simmons] and Joel [Embiid], as long as those two guys stay healthy Philadelphia is the team of the future in the Eastern Conference. No doubt about that. They’re going to be better than Washington, better than Atlanta, better than Toronto. Love that roster that you have there in Philly right now.”
The elder Thompson also added that Philadelphia is “one shooter” away from being a complete team, mentioning soon-to-be free agent J.J. Redick as a target. However, Redick is 32 years old and is closer to the end of his prime whereas Thompson is in the midst of his. Thompson is no stranger to trade rumors as his name was connected to a possible Love deal years ago before the Cavaliers — the Warriors’ opponent in the NBA Finals the last three years — snagged the talented big man. Thompson told Tim Bontemps of the Washington Post last January how much those rumors motivated him.
“A little bit. I was very happy. But I did take it as motivation,” Thompson said. “I had to prove they made the right decision. But I also look at the bright side of everything. It also meant that I’m wanted. It did motivate me to prove them right, and show them they made the right decision, and just keep working.”
For his part, Thompson enjoyed a strong regular season, posting 22.3 PPG while shooting .468 percent from the field and .414 percent from three. Any trade talks for Thompson with the 76ers would likely include the team’s third overall pick and other young assets.
That brings up a few questions: Is trading Thompson something the Warriors should explore this offseason? What should the team look to acquire in such a scenario? Could Kevin Durant‘s hefty salary in the future be a good reason to deal Thompson now?
Community Shootaround: Re-evaluating The NBA’s Age Limit
As we wrote about earlier today, Adam Silver has an interest in raising the NBA’s age limit from 19 to 20. The commissioner says that the current system in place hasn’t done enough to adequately prepare prospects for life in the pros considering how many simply use the NCAA as a one-and-done launchpad for the NBA Draft.
The player’s union, however, is opposed to the age limit just as they were when the original was implemented over 10 years ago. Doing so restricts young players from dictating when and how they begin careers even though they’re legally old enough to vote or enlist in the army.
Essentially, the two parties have every reason to disagree but sooner or later they’ll have to agree on something. If this is a battle that Silver ultimately wins, we could see players waiting two years before declaring for the draft. The question is, would that be any better? Would student athletes end up being significantly more motivated to see their college programs through to completion if they’ve already logged two years as opposed to just one?
Alternatively, it’s hard not to empathize with the player’s union when they talk about players running the risk of injuring themselves in college and jeopardizing million-dollar careers all because of an arbitrary decision that some young prospects aren’t prepared enough to succeed in the pros.
A compromise would be ideal but it’s hard to gauge what that may look like. Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer recently suggested that the league could follow Major League Baseball’s lead and let players choose one of two paths. On one hand players could opt to jump straight out of high school, on the other they could commit to playing at least two seasons of college ball if they choose to accept an NCAA scholarship.
What do you think about all of the options presented? Are there any other compromises that could give all parties what they want?
Weigh in with the comments section below!
Community Shootaround: NBA Finals
After weeks of unexciting preliminaries, we’re finally ready for the main event.
It has taken three rounds and 47 days to determine what everyone has known since training camp — the Warriors and Cavaliers are clearly the NBA’s best teams.
Golden State and Cleveland set a record by tearing through their competitors, arriving at the NBA Finals with one combined loss. The addition of Kevin Durant to a team that won 73 games last season gave the Warriors a nearly unprecedented collection of talent. The Cavaliers have their own Big Three and have been a clear favorite to win the East every year since LeBron James came back to town in 2014.
But as the NBA reminded us in its famous advertising campaign from nearly a decade ago, there can only be one.
As they prepare for their third straight get-together in the Finals, both Golden State and Cleveland can feel like the series they lost was somewhat fluky. Kyrie Irving suffered a fractured kneecap during Game 1 of the 2015 Finals, leaving the Cavs shorthanded the rest of the way. A year ago, Warriors forward Draymond Green was suspended for Game 5, then Andrew Bogut suffered a knee injury that kept him out of Games 6 and 7.
Both teams are healthy heading into their “three-match” and both are ready to stake a claim to supremacy. There’s no arguing that the Warriors are the best in the West and the Cavs are the kings of the East. But who’s the top team in the NBA? We’re about to find out.
Who is your pick to win this year’s Finals? Please share your opinion in the comments section. We look forward to what you have to say.
Community Shootaround: Blake Griffin
Blake Griffin enters unrestricted free agency with some question marks but undoubtedly the Los Angeles Clippers star will wind up with a max contract. The big mystery is whether he’ll re-sign with the Clippers or seek a fresh start elsewhere.
The Clippers have the advantage of being able to offer him a five-year deal worth approximately $175MM. He would have to accept a maximum of four years and $130MM elsewhere but opt out clauses are often used by agents to circumvent those restrictions.
Griffin’s last two seasons have been sidetracked by injuries. He appeared in just 35 games in 2015/16 because of a quad injury. This past season, a knee injury limited him to 61 regular-season games. He missed the last four games of the opening-round playoff series against the Jazz with a toe injury that required surgery.
Griffin’s defense, and occasionally his character, has also been criticized. But there’s no denying his offensive talent. A power forward who can average 21.6 PPG, 8.1 RPG and 4.9 APG, as he did in his walk year, will have plenty of suitors on the market.
The Celtics, Wizards, Thunder and Heat are some of the teams expected to pursue him. Boston needs a big-time power forward to get over the hump in the Eastern Conference and Washington needs more balance to its backcourt-oriented attack. Griffin could return to his home state of Oklahoma and take some of the scoring and playmaking burden off Russell Westbrook. He could be “the man” for a club like Miami and even the Lakers could be an option, considering that he’d be surrounded with young talent and their No. 1 scoring option.
Of course, the Clippers will do everything they can to keep their core of Griffin, Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan intact, despite the playoff flops in recent years.
That brings us to our question of the day: Which team do you think unrestricted free agent Blake Griffin will sign with and why?
Please take to the comments section and share your opinion on this topic. We look forward to what you have to say.
Community Shootaround: Chris Paul And The Spurs
After another early playoff exit with the Clippers, Chris Paul is expected to exercise his early-termination option, give up almost $24.27MM for next season and hit the free agent market. If and when he does, the Spurs have quickly come to the forefront as a possible destination for the nine-time All-Star.
There has been rumored “mutual interest” between both sides and while San Antonio has limited cap space, the Clippers view the Spurs as a serious threat for Paul’s services, per ESPN’s Marc Stein (link via Twitter). As previously noted, to make room for Paul’s hefty salary, the Spurs would likely have to renounce the rights to Patty Mills and not match an offer sheet to restricted free agent Jonathan Simmons. Additionally, Dewayne Dedmon and David Lee have player options the Spurs would likely have to renounce to swing an agreement with Paul — trading Tony Parker, LaMarcus Aldridge, or Danny Green could make space, too.
At 32 years old, Paul is still one of the best players at his position and in the NBA. Adding him to a Gregg Popovich-led Spurs could help the team — which was swept by the Warriors in the Western Conference Finals — possibly supersede Golden State in the Western Conference.
Last October, Paul said to reporters, including ESPN’s Andrew Ham, that he does not look ahead, instead prioritizing his current situation.
“And I always say this — I don’t think about things long term,” Paul said. “I think about right now. I don’t know who said it — somebody said it: The funny thing about the NBA is, everybody comes into the season pretty optimistic. You know what I mean? Everybody is like, ‘Oh, this could be our year.’ I guess it’s one of those things only time can tell.”
Six years in Los Angeles has not yielded a championship and Paul is not getting any younger. However, the Clippers, led by Doc Rivers, have always been on the verge of greatness but have fallen short each year. It will be up to Paul to decide what he wants to do.
That brings up a series of important questions: Does it make sense for the Spurs to devote a significant chunk of their cap space to Paul? Would acquiring Paul be the move that puts the Spurs over the top? Is staying with the Clippers Paul’s best best at a championship?
Share your thoughts on Paul down below!
Community Shootaround: Brighter Future, Cavaliers or Warriors?
When Ohio State and Michigan were dominating Big 10 football in the 1970s, the conference was often referred to as the “Big 2 and the Little 8.” That same feeling has taken hold over the past three years in the NBA, which is turning into the Big 2 and the Little 28.
The Cavaliers and Warriors are preparing to meet in a third straight finals, which has felt inevitable since training camp. After winning 67 regular-season games, Golden State tore through the Western Conference playoffs with three straight sweeps. Cleveland nearly matched that in the East, with its only loss coming in Game 3 of the conference finals on a last-second shot.
The lack of competitiveness doesn’t bother Kevin Durant, who is largely responsible for it. The former MVP, who joined a record-setting Warriors team in free agency last summer, said to fans last week, “If you don’t like it, don’t watch it.”
But people are watching it. ABC’s ratings are up 5% from a year ago, and ESPN’s online audience has grown by 24%. Just as fan interest spiked when the Celtics and Lakers were battling for supremacy in the 1980s and when Michael Jordan’s Bulls ruled the league in the 1990s, fans seem drawn to the idea of superteams.
Whether sustained dominance will remain good for the league is an interesting question, but we have another one: How long can this last? No teams have ever met in three straight finals before, but the Cavs and Warriors look like overwhelming favorites to do this again next year, and possibly a few years after that.
Golden State is built around four elite players who are all still in the prime of their careers. Stephen Curry (age 29) and Durant (28) are both expected to sign long-term deals this summer. Klay Thompson (27) is inked through 2018/19, and Draymond Green (27) is under contract through 2019/20. The Warriors may have to juggle some pieces around them, but the core of this team should remain together for at least five more seasons.
Cleveland’s fortunes have risen and fallen with LeBron James since he entered the league in 2003. Now 32, he may be having the best postseason of his career, averaging 32.5 points, 8.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists through 13 games. For all the talk about resting James, he appeared in 74 games and averaged a league-high 37.8 minutes per night. He doesn’t appear to be showing any effects of age, and with his physical conditioning he might be able to play five more years at an elite level.
If LeBron does slow down, the Cavs still have Kyrie Irving (25) and Kevin Love (28), who are both signed for two more seasons with player options in 2019/20.
Both teams are well positioned for the future, but obviously this can’t last forever. Considering their current rosters and their potential challengers in each conference, who do you believe misses the finals first, the Warriors or the Cavaliers?
Community Shootaround: Knicks’ Coaching Decisions
With Kristaps Porzingis at odds with ownership, the Knicks made a questionable decision to part ways with popular development coach and Porzingis favorite, Joshua Longstaff. The 34-year-old had traveled to Latvia to work with Porzingis last summer and was expected to do the same this year, in addition to possibly holding down an assistant coaching role with the Latvian national team.
Curiously, the Knicks have decided to retain assistant coach Dave Bliss, sources tell Brian Lewis of the New York Post. Both Bliss and Longstaff were brought in under former head coach Derek Fisher and now, Bliss is the final holdover from Fisher’s staff. Coincidentally, during a recent chat with USA Today, Porzingis spoke of his satisfaction with both coaches.
“I’m happy for the coaches that we have, the development coaches. They’re doing an unbelievable job with us, the young guys, working really hard. Josh [Longstaff], Dave [Bliss] — those are my guys,’’ Porzingis said. “I’m getting better. It’s great to have coaches like that.”
Now, one of those coaches is gone and Bliss remains, almost as symbol of the Knicks’ dwindling relationship with their franchise star. Team president Phil Jackson has indicated his preference for superstar Carmelo Anthony to waive his no-trade clause; the same day Jackson initially made his stance on Anthony public, Porzingis elected to skip his exit interview with the team.
A recent meeting between Porzingis’ representation (older brother Janis Porzingis) and Jackson reportedly did little to resolve the apparent issues, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. Janis has indicated his brother wants to remain in New York but he also wants to win.
In his first two NBA seasons, Porzingis has been a force; he increased his scoring from 14.3 to 18.1 PPG last season despite battling several nagging injuries. The 7’3″ forward has shown himself to be a potent shooter, scorer, and defender — a lethal triumvirate of skills that makes him a building block for the team.
This leaves several things to be considered: Did the Knicks make the wrong decision to fire Porzingis’ favorite coach amid their own issues with the Latvian forward? Should the team have let Bliss go as well or was keeping him a compromise? Have the last few months caused irreparable damage to the Knicks-Porzingis relationship?
Share your thoughts on the Knicks’ moves below!
Community Shootaround: Paul Millsap
The news that Hawks forward Paul Millsap will foresake the last $21.4MM on his current contract and become a free agent this summer was expected. Considering the lack of quality big men around the league and the recent jump in the salary cap, Millsap should do well in the open market and get several more years of guaranteed money.
Like former teammate and current Celtics big man Al Horford, Millsap will not turn a franchise around but he could help a playoff team get deeper into the postseason. Millsap, 32, posted career highs in scoring (18.1 PPG) and assists (3.7 APG) this season. He shot a career-low 44.2%, largely due to an increase in 3-point attempts.
The Hawks’ front office is in a state of flux, which could influence Millsap’s decision whether to re-sign with Atlanta or join forces with another playoff team. According to The Vertical’s Shams Charania, the Hawks regard Millsap as their top offseason priority.
The team that lands Millsap will not only get a versatile scorer and solid rebounder, they’ll also get an unselfish player who can guard multiple positions.
Which teams might make a run at Millsap? The Celtics might consider reuniting Millsap and Horford, considering the they don’t have an impact player alongside Horford and small forward Jae Crowder. The Raptors could be in the mix, depending upon what their own free agents decide to do. Same goes for the Clippers, with their top two players Chris Paul and Blake Griffin hitting the market at the same time.
The Spurs have become a haven for veteran free agent big men the last couple of seasons, so they could be a darkhouse in the Millsap sweepstakes. It would stand to reason that the Jazz could try to find another quality big man to insert between Gordon Hayward and Rudy Gobert, provided that Hayward doesn’t sign elsewhere.
There will also be plenty of other fringe playoff teams with cap space (Bulls, Heat, Nuggets, Pacers) that could make a run at Millsap.
That leads us to our question of the day: What team do you think would be the best fit for Paul Millsap?
Please take the comments section and share your thoughts. We look forward to your opinion on this topic.
Community Shootaround: Celtics’ Offseason Strategy
Reeling after two straight emphatic defeats against the Cavaliers and now without their best player for Games 3 and 4, the Celtics will have a long summer ahead of them to contemplate how they can maneuver ahead of LeBron James and company in the Eastern Conference.
Fortunately, the club is historically privileged to have the first overall pick in this summer’s stacked NBA Draft. No matter how hoops fans or league executives want to slice it, the Celtics are in an ideal situation, they can either hold onto the No. 1 pick and mold their already formidable roster around supposed future superstar Markelle Fultz or they can move the highly-sought-after draft pick in exchange for an established star.
Considering that the club is loaded with assets already, ranging from allegedly untouchable veteran center Al Horford to the 2016 third-overall pick Jaylen Brown, they’re not far removed from being the undisputed No. 2 team in their conference – the only question is how they’ll want to go about it.
Let’s take the grand creative leap and assume that the Celtics do meet their demise in this Conference Finals matchup, where do you think they should go from there? Does it make sense to flip the pick for a genuine, established star like Jimmy Butler or Paul George? Or is there little point in pushing to win now at the expense of setting themselves up long-term with Fultz?
LeBron James is 32 years old and likely has at least a handful of seasons left to rule the East, you tell us how the Celtics should look to approach their offseason given their multiple appealing possible options?
Community Shootaround: All-NBA Teams
The league announced the All-NBA teams for the 2016/17 season and we broke down the financial ramifications of the honors earlier today. Here are the players deemed worthy of being named All-NBA:
All-NBA First Team
- Guard: Russell Westbrook (Thunder)
- Guard: James Harden (Rockets)
- Forward: LeBron James (Cavaliers)
- Forward: Kawhi Leonard (Spurs)
- Center: Anthony Davis (Pelicans)
All-NBA Second Team
- Guard: Stephen Curry (Warriors)
- Guard: Isaiah Thomas (Celtics)
- Forward: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks)
- Forward: Kevin Durant (Warriors)
- Center: Rudy Gobert (Jazz)
All-NBA Third Team
- Guard: John Wall (Wizards)
- Guard: DeMar DeRozan (Raptors)
- Forward: Jimmy Butler (Bulls)
- Forward: Draymond Green (Warriors)
- Center: DeAndre Jordan (Clippers)
Tonight’s topic is simple: Do you believe the voters got all 15 selections correct? If not, what is your biggest issue with the list?
DeMar DeRozan was not among the players on my All-NBA teams; I had Chris Paul as my sixth guard. The 32-year-old point guard put together one of his most effective seasons as a pro, leading the league in ESPN’s Real Plus/Minus. He made 47.6% of his shots from the field, including 41.1% of his 302 attempts from behind the arc. He sported a player efficiency rating of 26.2 and record 118 steals. He topped DeRozan in all those categories and despite playing 13 fewer games, he edged Toronto’s shooting guard in win shares as well as NBAMath’s Total Points Added metric.
DeRozan certainly had a great season and while his inclusion is not egregious, when talking about the best of the best, we must nitpick and split hairs to sort talent. Out of all the players who missed the cut, Paul probably has the biggest gripe (although, Draymond Green will tell you that Klay Thompson holds that distinction).
Tell us what you think. Did the voters get it right or should Paul, Thompson or someone else be on one of the All-NBA teams? Let us know in the comment section below. We look forward to what you have to say!