Players That MAY Become Available This Offseason

If a team receives a player in a sign-and-trade, the result is a hard cap at the apron for the receiving team. The cause and affect actually goes the other way.

Teams with a team salary above the Apron . . . cannot receive a player in a sign-and-trade transaction.

http://www.cbafaq.com/salarycap.htm#Q20

Teams with a team salary above the Apron have the following additional restrictions. Note that they use the team salary at the conclusion of any transaction to determine whether a team is over the Apron (for example in a sign-and-trade transaction, they look at what the team salary would be after the trade is completed).

Teams cannot receive a player in a sign-and-trade transaction (see question number 92). Note that they calculate whether the team is over or under the Apron after the full sign-and-trade transaction, and not just the signing.


Please remember this rule going into the off-season. If we go over the Apron, no sign-and-trades to us.

From the moment we drafted him I've liked Madar. Tough. we need tough. A decent backup I project. Better than the 5'6" backup Tremont.

https://nypost.com/2021/06/04/knicks-already-calling-about-damian-lillard-after-frustrating-blazers-playoff-exit/



Knicks already calling about Damian Lillard after Blazers’ frustrating playoff exit


By Marc Berman

June 4, 2021 | 11:18am | Updated



On April 30th, The Post reported the Knicks will monitor superstar point guard Damian Lillard’s situation in Portland this offseason.

The monitoring has begun – big time.

Soon after Lillard’s Trail Blazers were eliminated in the playoffs Wednesday night by Denver in six games, the former Weber State point guard posted a cryptic Instagram, citing lyrics from rapper Nipsey Hussle.

“How long should I stay dedicated? How long til opportunity meet preparation?”

The post came after Lillard’s press conference, in which he sounded despondent with the status quo after another first-round ouster in Portland.

“We didn’t win a championship, so obviously where we are now isn’t good enough,” Lillard said. “I don’t know what a shakeup looks like, or what changes will be made or could be made, but obviously as it is wasn’t good enough.

“We came up a short against a team without their starting point guard and their shooting guard. Will Barton didn’t play and Jamal Murray didn’t play and we came up short. Obviously, where we are isn’t good enough to win a championship if it’s not good enough to get out of a first-round series with two of their best three, four players not on the floor.’’


Damian Lillard reacts after shooting a three during Game 6 against Denver.
Getty Images


“The only thing I was concerned with was coming into this playoff and making a strong push,’’ Lillard added. “To come up short in the first round and the season to end on our home floor is disappointing. That’s as far as I am with it now. I’m not thinking about the other s–t – the change or whatever.”

Clearly, NBA teams have seen this as an opening. Stephen A. Smith revealed on ESPN’s “First Take” Friday that “six or seven” teams have already called the Blazers to inquire about Lillard’s services. One of them was the Knicks, along with the Heat and Clippers.

Lillard has three guaranteed years left on his contract, and stands to make $43 million next season.


Meanwhile, the Blazers are likely to make a coaching change with perhaps an eye on convincing Lillard to stay. Reportedly if they fire Terry Stotts, as has been long rumored, Jason Kidd would emerge as a top candidate. Kidd hails from Oakland, just as Bryant does. Kidd, a Lakers assistant, was a top candidate with the Knicks one year ago.

The key to the Knicks’ potential Lillard bid is their assistant coach, Johnnie Bryant, who is close to the star point guard and is one of his mentors from Oakland. Bryant is a former Jazz assistant who joined Thibodeau’s staff in 2020.

“That’s my big brother,’’ Lillard said in 2017 of Bryant. “I remember barely being in the seventh grade, getting ready for an AAU tournament, and Johnnie was in college at Utah, and they would come back and scrimmage us on outside courts with no net.’’

The Knicks also have a trove of draft picks – five over the next three drafts – and cap space to make a trade easier. Their young trade chips include Obi Toppin, Immanuel Quickley, Kevin Knox and Mitchell Robinson, though after the Atlanta series exposed them at center the Knicks may be less eager to move Robinson.

With the Knicks desperate for a starting point guard and a superstar after their five-game ouster to Atlanta, Lillard fits both categories. The Knicks are likely willing to add three first-round picks to a deal.

Eyebrows were raised last month over a Chris Haynes article on Yahoo that sounded as if Lillard was losing patience with the Blazers. (Haynes is regarded as being close to Lillard.)

“No one has ever questioned the fight in Lillard,’’ Haynes wrote. “But it is fair to ask if he’s been fighting the good fight alone?

“Simply put, Lillard has not received the help he needs to win a title in this era. As he turns 31 this summer and considering all he’s done for the franchise, a more aggressive, risky approach is needed in order to pair him with another bona fide star.’’

Lillard denied the next day he put up Haynes to write the piece, but acknowledged they are close.


Bob


.

This is a curious time for the Celtics.  

The most attractive thing about this team is Jayson and Jaylen.  What coach would not want  them?

Any trade that does not involve KW means you have not fixed the team structurally or financially.

I think we could realized some roster improvement but nothing major.  

The thing is KW contract and quality of play due to injury is the albatross.  Boston needs to move him and find a floor general type of player.  That will be hard to do in a single transaction.  

We also need another center who can defender the post area and defend in space.

https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2021/06/blazers-potential-offseason-shakeup-could-be-on-celtics-radar-while-weighing-roster-overhaul.html



Blazers potential offseason shakeup could be on Celtics radar while weighing roster overhaul



Updated 5:17 PM; Today 4:53 PM



Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, right, looks to drive the ball on Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Portland, Ore., Tuesday, April 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Steve Dykes)AP



By Brian Robb | brobb@masslive.com



Two years after reaching the Western Conference Finals, Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers had a second straight disappointing finish to the season on Thursday night, falling in six games to the undermanned Denver Nuggets. It was the second straight first round exit for Portland and fourth in the last five years.

The underwhelming finish has now set the stage for an organization that’s at a crossroads after maintaining the same core for years without taking consistent steps forward towards contention. Head coach Terry Stotts’ future is in question according to multiple reports and more questions linger about the roster as well.

“I mean, we didn’t win a championship, so obviously where we are now isn’t good enough,” Lillard said to reporters after Portland’s exit. “I don’t know what a shakeup looks like or what changes will be made or could be made, but obviously as is, it wasn’t good enough. We came up short against a team without their starting point guard and shooting guard ... Obviously, where we are isn’t good enough to win a championship if it’s not good enough to get out of a first-round series with two of their best three or four players not on the floor.”

The 30-year-old Lillard wasn’t ready to look ahead to his own future or the team’s outlook but has spoken about his desire to play for a contender in recent years. The six-time All-Star has made it to the Conference Finals twice in his career in Portland but was swept on both occasions in lopsided series.

“For our season to end on our home floor is disappointing. That’s as far as I am right now,” Lillard added after the Game 6 loss. “I’m not thinking about none of the other s--- like change or whatever, man. We’ll see what happens, but I haven’t even thought that far out.”

“We didn’t make excuses and we still don’t make excuses. Disappointing ending, this isn’t what we wanted, but we don’t hang our heads. Just came up short,” Lillard continued. “We didn’t do what was necessary to win a series and gotta keep fighting, keep working and keep coming back to battle. Regardless of how it ended, we’re always going to have our heads held high, have class and go about it like real warriors. We lost, they were the better team, congratulations to them. It’s back to the drawing board for us.”

What going back to the drawing board entails for Portland should be of interest for the Celtics and several other teams around the league that are looking to take a step forward themselves. Internally, there is no clear path to improvement with no All-Star on the Blazers roster to pair with Lillard.

CJ McCollum is a consistent 20-point scorer but he’s limited with his size and defense and has never reached an All-Star level at age 29. Elsewhere, Jusuf Nurkic has been slowed down by injuries and mobility issues on a team that ranks 29th in defense. Offseason additions Robert Covington and Derrick Jones Jr. largely underwhelmed and there is no cap space to go after major free agent upgrades to improve the overmatched supporting cast.

That leaves Portland’s front office is a challenging spot when it comes to keeping Lillard happy. The point guard inked a max extension with the Blazers recently that keeps him under contract through 2025 so team will clearly be trying to upgrade around one of the NBA’s top scorers first and foremost. However, Lillard may be growing inpatient with his supporting cast at this point of his career as he enters the tail end of his prime. He hasn’t played with an All-Star since 2015 when LaMarcus Aldridge departed for San Antonio.

So how exactly would a Blazers shakeup impact the Celtics’ options this summer? If the team tries to make some big roster moves around Lillard, there is likely not a ton that will interest Brad Stevens. McCollum’s bloated deal makes no sense given Boston’s payroll hefty payroll commitments that are already in place.

It’s possible that a Marcus Smart deal could be discussed for one of the bigger defensive-minded wings on the roster (Robert Covington, Derrick Jones Jr.) since the money matches for a trade but the bet here is that Brad Stevens values Smart much more than either of those guys. Boston would certainly need more in a deal like that and the Blazers don’t have much to sweeten the pot if they want to improve their defense with Smart.

The only way things become interesting from a Celtics standpoint is if Lillard makes a push to go elsewhere. That feels highly unlikely after he inked a long extension last year but he’s at a point where the Blazers would likely respect his wishes if he wanted to try elsewhere. The Celtics have the young talent (Jaylen Brown) to get into those trade negotiations if they do surface in the next year or two. Whether or not they would choose to consider moving Brown as he enters his prime for a perennial All-Star on the wrong side of 30 is a fascinating question for Brad Stevens to debate in his new role.

For now, it feels like it’s premature to have that discussion until we hear more from Lillard. Changes are coming in Portland but they will probably involve putting everyone around Lillard on the table to start. The Celtics do want to avoid becoming a franchise like the Blazers in the next five years that was never quite good enough so this is a situation to learn from. When it comes to dealing, outside of checking in on Covington and the status of Lillard, there isn’t much here that should interest Boston.


Bob
MY NOTE:  It makes no sense moving Jaylen for Lillard (the $ don't work anyway, but even if they did) unless Kemba is gone too.  Trading to get a second undersized guard while giving up one of the best, and physically dominant, two-way players in the league to get there, is flat-out nucking futs.  Kemba and Smart for Lillard?  I don't think the $ work on this one either. I love Marcus Smart as much as the next guy, maybe even more, but Dame is one of the great game-changers in the league now. Even then I sincerely doubt Portland would ever go for that trade anyway. Smart is a plus but Kemba's a minus. I wouldn't, not unless I was Portland's GM and Dame demanded a trade.


.

Not gonna happen

bobheckler wrote:https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2021/06/blazers-potential-offseason-shakeup-could-be-on-celtics-radar-while-weighing-roster-overhaul.html



Blazers potential offseason shakeup could be on Celtics radar while weighing roster overhaul



Updated 5:17 PM; Today 4:53 PM



Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, right, looks to drive the ball on Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Portland, Ore., Tuesday, April 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Steve Dykes)AP



By Brian Robb | brobb@masslive.com



Two years after reaching the Western Conference Finals, Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers had a second straight disappointing finish to the season on Thursday night, falling in six games to the undermanned Denver Nuggets. It was the second straight first round exit for Portland and fourth in the last five years.

The underwhelming finish has now set the stage for an organization that’s at a crossroads after maintaining the same core for years without taking consistent steps forward towards contention. Head coach Terry Stotts’ future is in question according to multiple reports and more questions linger about the roster as well.

“I mean, we didn’t win a championship, so obviously where we are now isn’t good enough,” Lillard said to reporters after Portland’s exit. “I don’t know what a shakeup looks like or what changes will be made or could be made, but obviously as is, it wasn’t good enough. We came up short against a team without their starting point guard and shooting guard ... Obviously, where we are isn’t good enough to win a championship if it’s not good enough to get out of a first-round series with two of their best three or four players not on the floor.”

The 30-year-old Lillard wasn’t ready to look ahead to his own future or the team’s outlook but has spoken about his desire to play for a contender in recent years. The six-time All-Star has made it to the Conference Finals twice in his career in Portland but was swept on both occasions in lopsided series.

“For our season to end on our home floor is disappointing. That’s as far as I am right now,” Lillard added after the Game 6 loss. “I’m not thinking about none of the other s--- like change or whatever, man. We’ll see what happens, but I haven’t even thought that far out.”

“We didn’t make excuses and we still don’t make excuses. Disappointing ending, this isn’t what we wanted, but we don’t hang our heads. Just came up short,” Lillard continued. “We didn’t do what was necessary to win a series and gotta keep fighting, keep working and keep coming back to battle. Regardless of how it ended, we’re always going to have our heads held high, have class and go about it like real warriors. We lost, they were the better team, congratulations to them. It’s back to the drawing board for us.”

What going back to the drawing board entails for Portland should be of interest for the Celtics and several other teams around the league that are looking to take a step forward themselves. Internally, there is no clear path to improvement with no All-Star on the Blazers roster to pair with Lillard.

CJ McCollum is a consistent 20-point scorer but he’s limited with his size and defense and has never reached an All-Star level at age 29. Elsewhere, Jusuf Nurkic has been slowed down by injuries and mobility issues on a team that ranks 29th in defense. Offseason additions Robert Covington and Derrick Jones Jr. largely underwhelmed and there is no cap space to go after major free agent upgrades to improve the overmatched supporting cast.

That leaves Portland’s front office is a challenging spot when it comes to keeping Lillard happy. The point guard inked a max extension with the Blazers recently that keeps him under contract through 2025 so team will clearly be trying to upgrade around one of the NBA’s top scorers first and foremost. However, Lillard may be growing inpatient with his supporting cast at this point of his career as he enters the tail end of his prime. He hasn’t played with an All-Star since 2015 when LaMarcus Aldridge departed for San Antonio.

So how exactly would a Blazers shakeup impact the Celtics’ options this summer? If the team tries to make some big roster moves around Lillard, there is likely not a ton that will interest Brad Stevens. McCollum’s bloated deal makes no sense given Boston’s payroll hefty payroll commitments that are already in place.

It’s possible that a Marcus Smart deal could be discussed for one of the bigger defensive-minded wings on the roster (Robert Covington, Derrick Jones Jr.) since the money matches for a trade but the bet here is that Brad Stevens values Smart much more than either of those guys. Boston would certainly need more in a deal like that and the Blazers don’t have much to sweeten the pot if they want to improve their defense with Smart.

The only way things become interesting from a Celtics standpoint is if Lillard makes a push to go elsewhere. That feels highly unlikely after he inked a long extension last year but he’s at a point where the Blazers would likely respect his wishes if he wanted to try elsewhere. The Celtics have the young talent (Jaylen Brown) to get into those trade negotiations if they do surface in the next year or two. Whether or not they would choose to consider moving Brown as he enters his prime for a perennial All-Star on the wrong side of 30 is a fascinating question for Brad Stevens to debate in his new role.

For now, it feels like it’s premature to have that discussion until we hear more from Lillard. Changes are coming in Portland but they will probably involve putting everyone around Lillard on the table to start. The Celtics do want to avoid becoming a franchise like the Blazers in the next five years that was never quite good enough so this is a situation to learn from. When it comes to dealing, outside of checking in on Covington and the status of Lillard, there isn’t much here that should interest Boston.


Bob
MY NOTE:  It makes no sense moving Jaylen for Lillard (the $ don't work anyway, but even if they did) unless Kemba is gone too.  Trading to get a second undersized guard while giving up one of the best, and physically dominant, two-way players in the league to get there, is flat-out nucking futs.  Kemba and Smart for Lillard?  I don't think the $ work on this one either.  I love Marcus Smart as much as the next guy, maybe even more, but Dame is one of the great game-changers in the league now.  Even then I sincerely doubt Portland would ever go for that trade anyway.  Smart is a plus but Kemba's a minus.  I wouldn't, not unless I was Portland's GM and Dame demanded a trade.


.

Lefts take off our GM Hats here for a minute. Is there any scenario where you would see getting Lillard would make sense for us?
Forget money factor thats the GM’s problem. What players would you give up for him?

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/magic-johnson-rips-dennis-schroeder-i-dont-think-hes-a-laker-010054168.html



Magic Johnson rips Dennis Schroder, wants him gone: 'I don't think he's a Laker'


Jason Owens

Fri, June 4, 2021, 6:00 PM



Magic Johnson is famously no longer president of the Los Angeles Lakers.

But he has thoughts on the team's roster construction. He doesn't want Dennis Schroder to be part of it.

A day after the Phoenix Suns eliminated the Lakers from the playoffs, Johnson ripped the Lakers guard and pending free agent in an interview with L.A.'s AM 570.

AM 570 LA Sports
@AM570LASports
.@MagicJohnson on #DennisSchroder: "I don't think he brings the winning mentality and attitude we need."

http://am570lasports.com/listen
https://twitter.com/i/status/1400909376966119425


"Schroder — I don't think he's a Laker," Johnson said. "That's just my opinion. I don't know if they're gonna sign him back or not. I don't think he brings the winning mentality and attitude that we need.

"He had a chance to show that in this series. And to me, he failed in this series."

This must be what Magic meant when he said while resigning: “I had more fun when I was able to be the big brother and the ambassador to everybody."

Also, ouch.

Double ouch coming from arguably the most beloved Laker in franchise history.


Why's Magic Johnson so mad at Dennis Schroder?

Johnson rarely comes in this hot. In fact, he appears to take pride in his laughably milquetoast Twitter account that rarely has anything interesting, much less controversial to say. But even there he called out Lakers general manager and former front office adversary Rob Pelinka.


Earvin Magic Johnson
@MagicJohnson
Lakers GM Rob Pelinka has a lot of work to do this summer because a lot of Lakers did not perform well during the series against the Phoenix Suns.
12:04 PM · Jun 4, 2021



So what did Schroder do to earn Magic's wrath? Like most of his teammates against Phoenix, he wasn't great. He shot 40% from the field while averaging 14.3 points, 2.8 assists and 1.7 turnovers as the Lakers' title defense came to a crashing thud in a first-round playoff exit.

But Magic's take almost seemed personal. Like he's been seething at Schroder all season.


Magic Johnson put his executive hat back on in a scathing takedown of Dennis Schroder. (Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports)


Schroder's most glaring infraction — in Magic's mind at least — may be that Pelinka traded for him. But there were reports that Schroder's performance this season "frustrated some in the organization" and that he was on the block in a failed trade deadline pursuit of Raptors guard Kyle Lowry.

So Magic's apparently not alone in his thoughts. But if he has to, he'll pull for him next season. He just doesn't want to. Memo to Pelinka:

"If he comes back a Laker, I'm gonna support him, I'm gonna cheer for him and all that," Johnson continued. "I just don't think he's a Laker."


Bob
MY NOTE:  Schroder had perhaps his worst shooting season as a Laker.  That might be because of the role he played there, with LeBron being the "point forward", or maybe Vogel didn't use him well or something else.  He did, however, have his best assist-to-turnover ratio of his career, with a career high 5.8apg and 2.7TO/game.  He's only 27 years old.  He made $15.5M last year with the Lakers but is an UFA now.  About the same $ Cowens threw around for Fournier.   In my opinion, Dennis Schroder is a complete dick.  He was an asshole in Atlanta and he was an asshole in LA. That's ok, I like feisty.  I like that he competed hard against us.  That's like fans of other teams hating Marcus Smart but would love to have him on their team.

What do you think?


.

bobheckler wrote:https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2021/06/bradley-beals-trade-future-looms-large-for-celtics-offseason-plans-after-guards-non-committal-response-about-wizards.html



Bradley Beal’s trade future looms large for Celtics offseason plans after guard’s non-committal response about Wizards


Updated 7:52 AM; Today 7:52 AM



Boston Celtics' Jayson Tatum (0) hugs Washington Wizards' Bradley Beal (3) following an NBA basketball game in Boston, Monday, Dec. 25, 2017. The Wizards won 111-103. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)AP


By Brian Robb | brobb@masslive.com



Brad Stevens has a lot of big decisions ahead of him during the 2021 offseason but one situation that he will likely be keeping an eye on in his new role of president of basketball operations for the Celtics is what other stars may become available around the league.

One name that could be on that list this offseason is Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal. The nine-year veteran saw his season come to an end on Wednesday night in the Wizards 129-112 loss to a 76ers team playing without Joel Embiid.

Beal still has two years remaining on his contract with Washington but he could opt out as soon as the summer of 2022 since his final year is a player option. Beal wasn’t interested in addressing his future in Washington yet after another sub .500 season.

“I haven’t even ... we’re not gonna think about that, or even talk about it, right now,” Beal said about his commitment to Washington. “I haven’t thought about none of that, as of yet.”

“Ultimately, I’m in control,” Beal said. “I think that’s my biggest thing. People are going to report whatever they want, but I know where my mind is and I know if it’s not coming from the horse’s mouth, then it’s going to be rumors. I expect them. S---, they’re starting now.

“So it doesn’t change anything. I guess it’s going to increase a lot more this year with me going into the last year of my deal, but for me, I’m just relaxing, resting my body and we’ll evaluate all that when summer comes.”

Beal made very clear before the season he wanted the Wizards to prove they could be a winning organization but a late-season turnaround to earn a playoff berth does not change the fact that there is no direct path towards contention for Washington. They will have no salary cap room this offseason thanks to pricy contracts like Russell Westbrook ($44 million) and Davis Bertrans ($16 million) that clog up the team’s cap sheet and prevent major upgrades around Beal.

All of this could open the door to Beal pushing for a trade this offseason, which is a situation Stevens and the Celtics would need to monitor closely while weighing paying a hefty price to go after Beal. Realistically, Washington’s initial asking price would be Jaylen Brown and that’s probably not a price the Celtics should be willing to pay without added sweeteners given Brown’s under contract for the next three seasons at a very team friendly price. Beal’s next contract will be far more expensive than Brown’s (around $40+ million starting salary) so that would need to factor into Boston’s consideration.

However, with limited avenues to add impact players in the coming years due to the team’s own cap situation, this will be a pivotal call for Brad Stevens to make. Does he like the fit of Bradley Beal next to Jayson Tatum better than Brown? Would getting Kemba Walker and/or Russell Westbrook involved in a bigger deal involving Beal make sense for the Celtics from a team-building perspective? Would there be any possible way for the Celtics to make a run at Beal without giving up Brown (Smart/Rob Williams/Nesmith/salary filler and 4 unprotected first round picks)? A monster offer like that could still easily be topped by a team including a young blue chip player that Washington likes but going further with big offers is something Stevens has to be willing to consider more after Danny Ainge largely balked at those type of moves in recent years.

The other possibility for Stevens may simply be trying to set the Celtics up to be a contender for Beal’s services if/when he hits free agency next summer. Prioritizing clearing some cap room for 2022 (moving Kemba Walker’s deal with picks so it turns into a couple smaller movable contracts) could set the stage for Boston to make a run at Beal without moving Brown and/or lots of other young players and picks. However, if another contender lands Beal in a trade before then, that strategy may backfire as there is always the possibility that the East’s top scorer finds a better home that he’s willing to re-sign with.

There is no clearcut path the Celtics should take when it comes to Beal’s status but his talent level and strong relationship with Jayson Tatum make his situation worth keeping close tabs on. How Stevens handles Beal’s potential trade availability this summer should say a lot about his plans on building this core back into a contender in a loaded Eastern Conference.


Bob
MY NOTE:  For the record, Beal is under contract next year for $34.5M and then has a player option year for $37M.  Yes, according to the Trade Machine, a Kemba-for-Beal trade works straight up, but they'd never go for that of course.  Beal's 27 years old, healthy and one of the most feared scorers in the league.  Kemba, sadly, is no longer any of those.  We'd have to add more, maybe even a lot more, and TPE alone wouldn't cut it, I think.  I'd be ecstatic if we could trade Kemba and Fournier (it would require a sign-and-trade) but without knowing how much Fournier wants I cannot say if the salaries would work (just so you don't think I've completely lost my mind of course I'd love to trade players further down the bench instead of Fournier, I just think those would be salary fillers at best and not players of great interest to Washington.  Would I throw Nesmith or Romeo into the package if necessary, though?  Yep.  An elite bird of prey like Bradley Beal in the hand is worth more than 2 potential hawks in the bush).  I would do Beal-for-Kemba and just Fournier plus TPE and picks in a heartbeat and all I'd like in return was a verbal commitment from Beal to strongly reconsider resigning with us.  Unloading Kemba's contract, and the no-defense Fournier, would be worth that risk to me.  What would be optimum would be if Beal renegotiated an extension right away, ala Kevin Garnett, shortly after his trade to Boston.


.

I like your thinking on this. Put in a call to Brad post haste!

bobheckler wrote:https://www.yahoo.com/sports/magic-johnson-rips-dennis-schroeder-i-dont-think-hes-a-laker-010054168.html



Magic Johnson rips Dennis Schroder, wants him gone: 'I don't think he's a Laker'


Jason Owens

Fri, June 4, 2021, 6:00 PM



Magic Johnson is famously no longer president of the Los Angeles Lakers.

But he has thoughts on the team's roster construction. He doesn't want Dennis Schroder to be part of it.

A day after the Phoenix Suns eliminated the Lakers from the playoffs, Johnson ripped the Lakers guard and pending free agent in an interview with L.A.'s AM 570.

AM 570 LA Sports
@AM570LASports
.@MagicJohnson on #DennisSchroder: "I don't think he brings the winning mentality and attitude we need."

http://am570lasports.com/listen
https://twitter.com/i/status/1400909376966119425


"Schroder — I don't think he's a Laker," Johnson said. "That's just my opinion. I don't know if they're gonna sign him back or not. I don't think he brings the winning mentality and attitude that we need.

"He had a chance to show that in this series. And to me, he failed in this series."

This must be what Magic meant when he said while resigning: “I had more fun when I was able to be the big brother and the ambassador to everybody."

Also, ouch.

Double ouch coming from arguably the most beloved Laker in franchise history.


Why's Magic Johnson so mad at Dennis Schroder?

Johnson rarely comes in this hot. In fact, he appears to take pride in his laughably milquetoast Twitter account that rarely has anything interesting, much less controversial to say. But even there he called out Lakers general manager and former front office adversary Rob Pelinka.


Earvin Magic Johnson
@MagicJohnson
Lakers GM Rob Pelinka has a lot of work to do this summer because a lot of Lakers did not perform well during the series against the Phoenix Suns.
12:04 PM · Jun 4, 2021



So what did Schroder do to earn Magic's wrath? Like most of his teammates against Phoenix, he wasn't great. He shot 40% from the field while averaging 14.3 points, 2.8 assists and 1.7 turnovers as the Lakers' title defense came to a crashing thud in a first-round playoff exit.

But Magic's take almost seemed personal. Like he's been seething at Schroder all season.


Magic Johnson put his executive hat back on in a scathing takedown of Dennis Schroder. (Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports)


Schroder's most glaring infraction — in Magic's mind at least — may be that Pelinka traded for him. But there were reports that Schroder's performance this season "frustrated some in the organization" and that he was on the block in a failed trade deadline pursuit of Raptors guard Kyle Lowry.

So Magic's apparently not alone in his thoughts. But if he has to, he'll pull for him next season. He just doesn't want to. Memo to Pelinka:

"If he comes back a Laker, I'm gonna support him, I'm gonna cheer for him and all that," Johnson continued. "I just don't think he's a Laker."


Bob
MY NOTE:  Schroder had perhaps his worst shooting season as a Laker.  That might be because of the role he played there, with LeBron being the "point forward", or maybe Vogel didn't use him well or something else.  He did, however, have his best assist-to-turnover ratio of his career, with a career high 5.8apg and 2.7TO/game.  He's only 27 years old.  He made $15.5M last year with the Lakers but is an UFA now.  About the same $ Cowens threw around for Fournier.   In my opinion, Dennis Schroder is a complete dick.  He was an asshole in Atlanta and he was an asshole in LA.  That's ok, I like feisty.  I like that he competed hard against us.  That's like fans of other teams hating Marcus Smart but would love to have him on their team.

What do you think?


.

I’d pass on Dennis. A side note on “I just don’t think he’s a Laker” Earvin Magic Johnson. Dennis is more Laker than you are right bout now so STFU! He was the worst FO dude Evah. Never showed up for work. Talked crap about Pelinka on the way out. Funny how they started winning again right after his swinging d*** hit the door. He takes credit for Lebron who was going there anyway. He’s run out of movie theaters that are no longer open or relevant, and Wednesday’s Child, TGIFridays is no longer relevant-just like him.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/damian-lillard-on-portlands-head-coach-opening-jason-kidd-is-the-guy-i-want-043651102.html



Damian Lillard on Portland's head coach opening: 'Jason Kidd is the guy I want'



Chris Haynes

Fri, June 4, 2021, 9:36 PM



Damian Lillard’s top preference to become the next head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers is Los Angeles Lakers assistant Jason Kidd.

“Jason Kidd is the guy I want,” Lillard told Yahoo Sports on Friday night.

Lillard intends to have significant input on the next hire, sources said.

The Trail Blazers and Terry Stotts parted ways on Friday, opening up a coaching vacancy that has been occupied for nine seasons. The move was proceeded by a first-round exit issued by a depleted Denver Nuggets squad.

The 30-year-old superstar is fixated on competing for a championship and is expected to be more vocal with his requests moving forward, sources said.


Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard wants Jason Kidd as the team's next head coach. (Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)


Kidd, a Hall of Fame point guard, is a fellow Oakland native.

The two have a great relationship that goes back years. Lillard genuinely respects Kidd’s basketball acumen and knowledge of the game and believes he can help take his game and the team to the next level, sources said.

The Lakers’ front office has raved about Kidd, expressing how he’s been a phenomenal presence in the organization from his innovative ideas to his communicating skills and his ability to rally the troops, sources said.

Kidd was previously a head coach in Brooklyn and Milwaukee.

ESPN reported that longtime NBA coach Jeff Van Gundy, Brooklyn Nets assistant Mike D’Antoni, Michigan head coach Juwan Howard and Los Angeles Clippers assistant Chauncey Billups will be considered for the job.

Lillard has a good relationship with Billups, but his preference is Kidd.


Bob
MY NOTE:  I put this on this thread, because if Dame gets his wish he won't be on the block, but I also could have put it on the thread for the next Celtic head coach too.  If Kidd goes to Portland then, obviously, he isn't coming here and that would take him off of that list for us.


.

Vankisa wrote:

jrleftfoot wrote:I am not anxious to add another undersized point guard. I'd go with Pritchard and Smart . Kemba is unlikely to be traded  because of his salary, age , and balky knee. Maybe the Israeli kid is our future point guard. Finding an athletic big who can stay on the court is a much bigger issue, to me.

+1 if the last 7 years have thought us anything it is that without a quality big man we are going nowhere.

We do not need a dominant PG anymore we have the 2 Js. We could use Vet players for that spot... if we can get them... Stevens get to work

That is one way to look at it. The other side of the coin is a perpetuation of skilled but undersized point guards that are liability on defense and a part of opposing teams strategy to go at them in matchup situation. That of course is made even easier because the Celtics under Brad switched everything. The j's are becoming better play makers but they remain a long way from being floor generals. A floor general is our biggest need on offense.

We definitely need another quality big man and a healthy Robert Williams but again we need a floor general who can get them the ball in a way that maximizes their scoring potential. We are not going to find a point center like a Nikola Jokic. Also, we need a full time floor general to run with the starter. In my opinion.

bobheckler wrote:https://www.yahoo.com/sports/damian-lillard-on-portlands-head-coach-opening-jason-kidd-is-the-guy-i-want-043651102.html



Damian Lillard on Portland's head coach opening: 'Jason Kidd is the guy I want'



Chris Haynes

Fri, June 4, 2021, 9:36 PM



Damian Lillard’s top preference to become the next head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers is Los Angeles Lakers assistant Jason Kidd.

“Jason Kidd is the guy I want,” Lillard told Yahoo Sports on Friday night.

Lillard intends to have significant input on the next hire, sources said.

The Trail Blazers and Terry Stotts parted ways on Friday, opening up a coaching vacancy that has been occupied for nine seasons. The move was proceeded by a first-round exit issued by a depleted Denver Nuggets squad.

The 30-year-old superstar is fixated on competing for a championship and is expected to be more vocal with his requests moving forward, sources said.


Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard wants Jason Kidd as the team's next head coach. (Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)


Kidd, a Hall of Fame point guard, is a fellow Oakland native.

The two have a great relationship that goes back years. Lillard genuinely respects Kidd’s basketball acumen and knowledge of the game and believes he can help take his game and the team to the next level, sources said.

The Lakers’ front office has raved about Kidd, expressing how he’s been a phenomenal presence in the organization from his innovative ideas to his communicating skills and his ability to rally the troops, sources said.

Kidd was previously a head coach in Brooklyn and Milwaukee.

ESPN reported that longtime NBA coach Jeff Van Gundy, Brooklyn Nets assistant Mike D’Antoni, Michigan head coach Juwan Howard and Los Angeles Clippers assistant Chauncey Billups will be considered for the job.

Lillard has a good relationship with Billups, but his preference is Kidd.


Bob
MY NOTE:  I put this on this thread, because if Dame gets his wish he won't be on the block, but I also could have put it on the thread for the next Celtic head coach too.  If Kidd goes to Portland then, obviously, he isn't coming here and that would take him off of that list for us.


.

Yay. Lets hope Portland signs Kidd

dboss wrote:

Vankisa wrote:

jrleftfoot wrote:I am not anxious to add another undersized point guard. I'd go with Pritchard and Smart . Kemba is unlikely to be traded  because of his salary, age , and balky knee. Maybe the Israeli kid is our future point guard. Finding an athletic big who can stay on the court is a much bigger issue, to me.

+1 if the last 7 years have thought us anything it is that without a quality big man we are going nowhere.

We do not need a dominant PG anymore we have the 2 Js. We could use Vet players for that spot... if we can get them... Stevens get to work

That is one way to look at it.  The other side of the coin is a perpetuation of skilled but undersized point guards that are liability on defense and a part of opposing teams strategy to go at them in matchup situation.  That of course is made even easier because the Celtics under Brad switched everything.   The j's are becoming better play makers but they remain a long way from being floor generals.  A floor general is our biggest need on offense.

We definitely need another quality big man and a healthy Robert Williams but again we need a floor general who can get them the ball in a way that maximizes their scoring potential.  We are not going to find a point center like a Nikola Jokic.  Also, we need a full time floor general to run with the starter.  In my opinion.

Dboss
I don’t know if you saw this but one of the reasons Maxwell was saying that they needed to trade Brown was that he and Tatum are mirror images of themselves therefore the team needs to trade brown for a big (KAT) or a floor general of the likes you speak of. Do you agree?

Schroder's a bum. Lied about IT spitting at him. The idea that Brown and Tatum are mirror images is balderdash. Brown drives the basketball and shoots threes. He's highly efficient, and unless he is shooting or attacking the rim , the ball moves. Tatum is an iso beast, but he uses a lot of the clock sometimes, trying to get a shot for himself. He attacks the basket too, but they are hardly identical players. That's a lazy description.

Interesting. Might want to tell Max how lazy you think he is.

bobheckler wrote:

jrleftfoot wrote:Madar is averaging 18.6 points and 5.7 assists in 33+ minutes  per game. He is shooting 47%, 40 from 3, and 83 from the line. I don't know how good the Israeli league is, but I like those #s for a 21 year old. Has anybody seen him play?

Jr,

Just his highlights, just like the rest of us.  

Positives:  

1.  He is an Avery Bradley/Patrick Beverly type of full court defender.  A "stick-to-him-like-glue" guy.
2.  He has improved his 3pt shooting, which had been his glaring weakness, to 40.9%.


Negatives:  

1.  He's only 180# or so.  That's 15# lighter than Pritchard despite being 1" taller at 6'3".
2.  He's 6'3", 6'5" wingspan.  PP has the same wingspan and that's not that great.
3.  Medium athleticism.
4.  However good the Israeli league is the competition isn't anywhere near as good as the NBA.


Bob


.

Stop it.  He is not Avery Bradley or Patrick Beverly level defender.  It is simply not reasonable to make that type of comparison because he is playing against low level competition.  

The only absolute positive I see is that he towers over several Hobbits on our team.

The Celtics should bring him over and put him in the Summer League.

Ktron wrote:

dboss wrote:

Vankisa wrote:

jrleftfoot wrote:I am not anxious to add another undersized point guard. I'd go with Pritchard and Smart . Kemba is unlikely to be traded  because of his salary, age , and balky knee. Maybe the Israeli kid is our future point guard. Finding an athletic big who can stay on the court is a much bigger issue, to me.

+1 if the last 7 years have thought us anything it is that without a quality big man we are going nowhere.

We do not need a dominant PG anymore we have the 2 Js. We could use Vet players for that spot... if we can get them... Stevens get to work

That is one way to look at it.  The other side of the coin is a perpetuation of skilled but undersized point guards that are liability on defense and a part of opposing teams strategy to go at them in matchup situation.  That of course is made even easier because the Celtics under Brad switched everything.   The j's are becoming better play makers but they remain a long way from being floor generals.  A floor general is our biggest need on offense.

We definitely need another quality big man and a healthy Robert Williams but again we need a floor general who can get them the ball in a way that maximizes their scoring potential.  We are not going to find a point center like a Nikola Jokic.  Also, we need a full time floor general to run with the starter.  In my opinion.

Dboss
I don’t know if you saw this but one of the reasons Maxwell was saying that they needed to trade Brown was that he and Tatum are mirror images of themselves therefore the team needs to trade brown for a big (KAT) or a floor general of the likes you speak of. Do you agree?

Ktron  

Hell no I do not agree.  

Maxwell needs to check his prescription.  They are far from being mirror images.  The problem is that when you look at their production they are able to do many of the same things but yet they are very different players.  It is quite natural for two young and very talented players to learn from each other and be able to replicate things that each other does.

The problem with Boston has nothing to do with the J's and everything to do with our  lack of a floor general and a healthy Robert Williams.  The J's are multi-positional players and the value added by that factor is often overlooked.  

The J's are still developing and they are young and they are allstars and they are under contract for 3 and 4 years respectively.  The only player in the NBA that I would want if it cost us Jaylen or Jason would be Luka Doncic.  

I think the focus should continue to be on finding players that will compliment the abilities of our two gifted allstars and our developing center, RWIII.  That all important core is down to 3 guys in my way of thinking.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/porzingis-not-no-2-star-120011529.html



Porzingis not No. 2 star next to Doncic, leaving Mavs with questions, challenges



Kurt Helin
Mon, June 7, 2021, 5:00 AM


LOS ANGELES — It’s been clear this is the case for a while, but the playoffs have a way of magnifying and crystalizing situations, making them impossible to ignore.

Dallas needs a No. 2 star. Or a 1B to go with the guy they have.

The Mavericks have a franchise cornerstone superstar in Luka Doncic. He averaged 35.7 points, 10.3 assists, and shot 40.8% from 3 in the Mavs’ seven-game series against the Clippers, and had 46 points in Game 7 despite Kawhi Leonard guarding him much of the day.

Kristaps Porzingis is not the No. 2 star that fits next to him for the Mavs. Dallas thought he would be when they traded for Porzingis in 2019, but it’s clear now he’s a No. 3 option on a contending team, at best. At least on this team where Doncic will dominate the ball. Even Porzingis is not sure of his fit.

“Yeah, I don’t know,” Porzingis said after Game 7 about his role with the team going forward. “I haven’t really been thinking about that. I’ve been so in the moment…

“Of course, there’s a little bit of mental battle because [how he was used this series is] not what I’m used to doing and where I’m most comfortable at. But I kind of went back a little bit to my mind, in my rookie year where just offensive rebound, play hard on defense, run the court, and do all the little things that how I can affect the game. And that’s what I do in this series.”

Porzingis sees himself in a bigger role with the Mavs, with the ball in his hands more than happened in this series, and that is part of his ongoing frustration, reports Tim MacMahon of ESPN.

But Porzingis has been frustrated, often feeling more like an afterthought than a co-star as Doncic dominates the ball and the spotlight, sources told ESPN. Porzingis frequently made thinly veiled references during his postgame media availabilities, such as saying the “ball actually moved tonight” after high-scoring performances or stating that the offense didn’t involve him on low-scoring nights.

Porzingis may want a bigger role, but he hasn’t earned it. He has struggled to stay healthy — he missed 29 games this season and 18 last season, mostly due to a torn meniscus, and he was out the entire season he was traded to Dallas with a torn ACL — and those injuries have led to reduced mobility. He is not a 7’3″ defensive anchor in the paint, which is why Rick Carlisle went to Boban Marjanovic as a starter in the final games of the series against the Clippers.

Porzingis can put up numbers, he averaged 20.1 points and 8.9 rebounds a game this season. He just doesn’t have much chemistry with Doncic, doesn’t play great defense, and does not look like the No. 2 option Dallas needs. The Clippers went small this series and defended Porzingis with wing players, and he could not make them pay and switch out of it.

The Mavericks front office seemed to realize the issue and hoarded cap space to chase a second star this offseason in free agency. But with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Paul George, and others signing extensions to stay with their current team, this superstar-level talent in this free agency class dried up (Kawhi Leonard is technically going to be a free agent, but nobody around the league thinks he is leaving the Clippers).

Dallas will also find it difficult to trade Porzingis for another star. He has three years, $101.5 million remaining on his contract (the final year is a player option), not a deal other teams will take on for a big who has an injury history. Unless the Mavericks want to throw in a sweetener, but that defeats the purpose.

The Mavericks front office is going to have to be both creative and aggressive when the next disgruntled superstar player becomes available. Like a number of teams — think a team in orange in blue that plays in New York — they will monitor the situation with Bradley Beal in Washington, Damian Lillard in Portland, and everywhere else there is smoke around an unhappy superstar. But it’s not easy to construct a trade or get to a scenario for Dallas to reel in that next star.

Easy or not, it’s now the job of the front office for the Mavericks. They have one of the top five players in the world, but it’s clear they need a second star to go with him — and more depth around them on the roster — to compete with the true contenders.


Bob
MY NOTE:  For what it's worth, Kemba for the Zinger straight up works on the tradenba.com trade machine.  They predict zero difference in either team's win/loss record as a result of the trade, but that is just fantasy league numbers.  It doesn't say anything about how we need a center that can score outside more than we need a back court scorer because we have Nesmith and Pritchard coming up.  This wouldn't fix our floor general need, but keeping Kemba doesn't fix that either.  It's a swap of an oft-injured player for an oft-injured player, but when they're healthy do they fill an important team need?

As far as contracts go, Zinger's contract has 3 more years left on it, two years guaranteed with a Player Option for the 3rd year. $65,484,000 guaranteed for 2021-2023, $36M Player Option in 2023-2024 for a total possible contract (assuming Porzingis picks up his Player Option) of $101.5M.

Kemba's contract has 2 years left on it, both guaranteed, for a total of $73.7M.

More total contract dollars with Porzingis (I'm going to assume he picks up the option) but spread over more years. Kemba is 31 years old and is an undersized guard with a cranky knee. Porzingis has knee problems too, but he's 25 years old. He's also 7'3", 240# with a 7'6" wingspan. I was a HUGE Porzingis fan when he was drafted but he hasn't lived up to his "unicorn" moniker. Still, he's no worse than back up center while Kemba is on his way to being a back up guard.

I could see where both front offices could see this as a way to change the discussion and unload players with big contracts that are disappointments.


.

dboss wrote:

Ktron wrote:

dboss wrote:

Vankisa wrote:

jrleftfoot wrote:I am not anxious to add another undersized point guard. I'd go with Pritchard and Smart . Kemba is unlikely to be traded  because of his salary, age , and balky knee. Maybe the Israeli kid is our future point guard. Finding an athletic big who can stay on the court is a much bigger issue, to me.

+1 if the last 7 years have thought us anything it is that without a quality big man we are going nowhere.

We do not need a dominant PG anymore we have the 2 Js. We could use Vet players for that spot... if we can get them... Stevens get to work

That is one way to look at it.  The other side of the coin is a perpetuation of skilled but undersized point guards that are liability on defense and a part of opposing teams strategy to go at them in matchup situation.  That of course is made even easier because the Celtics under Brad switched everything.   The j's are becoming better play makers but they remain a long way from being floor generals.  A floor general is our biggest need on offense.

We definitely need another quality big man and a healthy Robert Williams but again we need a floor general who can get them the ball in a way that maximizes their scoring potential.  We are not going to find a point center like a Nikola Jokic.  Also, we need a full time floor general to run with the starter.  In my opinion.

Dboss
I don’t know if you saw this but one of the reasons Maxwell was saying that they needed to trade Brown was that he and Tatum are mirror images of themselves therefore the team needs to trade brown for a big (KAT) or a floor general of the likes you speak of. Do you agree?

Ktron  

Hell no I do not agree.  

Maxwell needs to check his prescription.  They are far from being mirror images.  The problem is that when you look at their production they are able to do many of the same things but yet they are very different players.  It is quite natural for two young and very talented players to learn from each other and be able to replicate things that each other does.

The problem with Boston has nothing to do with the J's and everything to do with our  lack of a floor general and a healthy Robert Williams.  The J's are multi-positional players and the value added by that factor is often overlooked.  

The J's are still developing and they are young and they are allstars and they are under contract for 3 and 4 years respectively.  The only player in the NBA that I would want if it cost us Jaylen or Jason would be Luka Doncic.  

I think the focus should continue to be on finding players that will compliment the abilities of our two gifted allstars and our developing center, RWIII.  That all important core is down to 3 guys in my way of thinking.

Dboss, Maxwell elaborated on why he feels they are Mirror images of themselves.(wont go into it here) Honestly some of it did make sense and the fact that he played the game, I have to give him the benefit of the doubt that he may know what he’s talking about. Whether I agree or not is another thing. You vehemently disagree but did not elaborate on where you think their differences lie.
Ive asked this question of others because I think I have an idea of what Max means by mirror image. Most folks that disagree with his premise still fail to point out the big differences. Tatum no doubt is a better shooter and has more size. Where do you see the gaping differences in their game?

ktron

Brown is quicker getting up and down the court at both ends and while Tatum is athletic I still think Brown is more athletic.  Brown was ranked up there as one of the best finishes going end to end.  Brown is the more efficient shooter from the field.  Tatum has a few more tricks on offense in his bag and this year he finally figure out that you must go hard to the rim and not bank on avoiding contact.  Brown was already there in terms of using his physicality and lightning quickness to get to the rim.  Brown is more outspoken than Tatum.  Tatum is a excellent FT shooter and Brown is still working to get to that 80% + level.  Brown is a shooting guard that also plays SF.  Tatum has transitioned nicely into the PF spot but can also play SF.  Tatum's handle is better than Jaylen but also because he has a high dribble he tends to get the ball knock away.  That also happens to Brown sometimes.  Both of these players have abilities that translates into excellent production.  

I could go on.  The thing that Max is missing is the fact that you have to have multiple really good players at wing and Boston happens to be blessed with two of them.  The fact that both of them do a lot of the same things well is not a negative.

ktron I did not see the article on this or was it a podcast? I would like to hear it for myself. Max was definitely one of my favorite players.

I see a lot of overlap in Brown and Tatum's games.  Brown is maybe 60/40 defense while Tatum is 60/40 offense, but they are both high quality in both.  The problem the Celtics have is that you cannot have all your elite players crammed into one portion of the roster.  Kyrie was/is an undeniable talent and, unless you knew he was going to flake out, you cannot blame Danny for jumping on that trade.  But if Kyrie wasn't so elite you wouldn't otherwise want a small guard and two wings as your top players.  You need some kind of big to be one of them in order to force the defense to play them honest.

Do we move one of the wings to gain such a big?  Well, it'd be better if we didn't, but I'm not sure having our talent so concentrated on smallball will get us to The Promised Land.


Bob


.

I see a lot of overlap in Brown and Tatum's games.  Brown is maybe 60/40 defense while Tatum is 60/40 offense, but they are both high quality in both.  The problem the Celtics have is that you cannot have all your elite players crammed into one portion of the roster.  Kyrie was/is an undeniable talent and, unless you knew he was going to flake out, you cannot blame Danny for jumping on that trade.  But if Kyrie wasn't so elite you wouldn't otherwise want a small guard and two wings as your top players.  You need some kind of big to be one of them in order to force the defense to play them honest.

Do we move one of the wings to gain such a big?  Well, it'd be better if we didn't, but I'm not sure having our talent so concentrated on smallball will get us to The Promised Land.


Bob


.

Ktron wrote:Interesting. Might want to tell Max how lazy you think he is.

Max is entitled to his opinion,as are you----and me. Snark is lazy too, so if you actually have a point to make, quoting someone else adds nothing to the conversation.The idea that , because he played, CM is omnipotent is a conversation stopper, for sure. If I run in to Max, I'll talk to him. Until then, I'm responding to you, because Maxwell isn't here.

Bobh

Best solution is to add a quality player or two to what you already have.

I read some comments by Max and I do not agree with him.  I would not trade him for KAT or Michael Porter Jr.  Funny that MP plays the same position as JT.  His name being thrown in there is evidence that Max is illogical.

KAT is a loser.  That is why Butler left that team.  Besides I'm sticking with RW so I doubt they are looking to add a starting center.