Flotsam and Jetsam Around the League 2019-2020

Marcus Morris pulling his fake tough guy act again....

https://sports.yahoo.com/zion-williamson-is-the-shaquille-oneal-of-nba-small-ball-221842083.html




Zion Williamson is the Shaquille O'Neal of the NBA's small-ball era



Ben Rohrbach
Yahoo Sports

Feb 12, 2020, 2:18 PM





Zion Williamson is everything we imagined him to be, and he is only just getting started.

Imagine stuffing Shaquille O’Neal inside of Michael Jordan, and you have Zion — a 6-foot-6, 285-pound freak who can bounce around, over or through anyone in the NBA at age 19. The New Orleans Pelicans are only nine games into this experiment, and they are quickly learning that Zion can practically punish the rim whenever and however he wants. He is an old-school post player in a new-school body, too quick for bigs and too strong for everyone else. And he isn’t 100 percent yet.

With the governor on so soon after returning from knee surgery, Zion’s averages extrapolated over 36 minutes are 28 points (on 58/40/63 shooting splits), 10.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.4 steals and blocks. According to Cleaning the Glass, he is using roughly a little more than a quarter of his team’s possessions in the 27 minutes he is on the floor every night, and it feels like it’s not enough.


Zion Williamson has announced his arrival so all can hear. (Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)


Zion has attempted one mid-range jumper and 10 three-pointers in nine games. Everything else is in the paint. He is averaging two dunks and nine layups a game. Almost 85 percent of his 125 shots have come at the rim, and he is converting 63.5 percent of them. And all those numbers feel low.

Yet, when you compare Zion’s small sample size to Shaq’s first season with the Los Angeles Lakers — the earliest available campaign to Second Spectrum — you see just how dominant Zion already is. O’Neal averaged two dunks and 4.4 layups in 81 games in 1996-97, taking a bunch more (less efficient) bunnies. He only attempted 57 percent of his shots at the rim, making two-thirds of them.

Here’s the thing: Zion gets to the rim in more creative ways. He hustles in transition, either beating the defense for a lob or pinning defenders for a post-up with room to work. He contorts himself around opponents on the drive and can spin in the blink of an eye for a layup from the high post with a bounce that makes Jordan’s free-throw line dunk look routine. He regenerates instantly when he lands, too, bouncing back to the rim for put-backs before the defense has a chance to regroup.

It is stunning to see. Just watch him work in the post:



Marcus Smart? Get off me. Kevin Love? I’m stronger than you, too. Jonas Valiancunas? I’ll just go around you. P.J. Tucker? Too small, too slow. Trevor Ariza? I’ll leave you in my dust so fast Hassan Whiteside won’t even want to step in my runway for the ferocious dunk I’m about to throw down.

That is as broad a selection of defenders as one could imagine. You wonder why the Pelicans don’t feed him on the block more often. Teams have already started throwing double teams at him, and he has shown the ability to overpower them, too, and his passing makes that all the more difficult.

With or without the ball, Zion must be accounted for at all times. Lose him, and he will meet a lob before you know it from Lonzo Ball, Jrue Holiday or Brandon Ingram, a trio of playmakers who suit his style. Heck, the passes don’t have to be all that great. He can get to most anything. And even if his defender sticks with him, Zion often still rises over him for the alley-oop. He is always looking for the lob — in transition, the halfcourt, second chances, even multiple times on the same possession.

Just watch:



Do not let the 6-6 fool you. Zion is not just a big. He is big. As small-ball is concerned, he is the big. According to Cleaning the Glass, the Pelicans are grabbing 34.9 percent of available offensive rebounds when Zion is on the floor, which would rank first among teams by a wide margin. He has the ability to play above anyone — from Zach LaVine to Giannis Antetokounmpo to any 7-footer on your roster — and if he comes down with the ball, he can play above you again without warning.

Just watch:



He is, quite simply, a matchup problem. The Pelicans are playing at a pace of 107.24 possessions per 48 minutes in the limited time Zion has manned the center position, which again is easily faster than any other team. Most bigs not named Giannis or LeBron cannot keep up with him in the open court, and smalls stand no chance if he gets the ball in transition anywhere close to the basket.

The Zion-at-center lineups have been incredible, albeit in 33 minutes of action. Per Cleaning the Glass, the Pelicans are outscoring opponents by 24.9 points per 100 possessions with him in the middle, registering a 119.7 offensive rating and 94.9 defensive rating — both league-best ranks.

Now, imagine if he weren’t coming off knee surgery, if he were in good enough game shape to playing 36 minutes a night, and if he learns to read every defense they throw at him. As I’ve said before, the sky is the limit, and even we would probably have to wonder if he can elevate higher.

As it stands, Zion is giving New Orleans what Shaq gave Miami during the 2005-06 regular season. The question is whether he will ever give what Shaq gave to Los Angeles in the playoffs. We are getting ahead of ourselves, but he is no doubt the type of player worth leaping to conclusions over.

Pray to the basketball gods Zion stays healthy, because we are in for one heck of a show.



bob
MY NOTE:  He says "forget about the 6'6"", but I don't see how 6'6" can handle the pounding of a 285# body, especially one that is getting so high off the ground.  Having said that, my first impressions (other than being impressed) is that Zion's putbacks are effective because he doesn't watch his shot.  It's like he's assuming he's going to miss and starts moving to where where the rebound will come off the board the millisecond his feet hit the court.   He's already moving to get the ball. Everybody else is watching him, or the ball, and he's already moving to it.


.

Well, everyone else around us last night has given us yet another gift tonight by either from above getting closer to us by losing (MIL and TOR) or from below by moving further away from us (MIA).

Here's the problem and it gets back to why it was so important for us to win these last three games. Tonight we are forced to win just to keep pace since we panned against HOU. Not the best position to be in against a top tier West team that gave one away to PHI earlier in the week. So at best with a win tonight we will be treading water in the East. With a loss, we've lost ground going into the break. What this means is, and it should be obvious at this point, 2nd and 3rd place in the East is probably going down to the last game of the season.

I was literally LMAO last night when one of the announcers on one of these games, I believe it was the Heat announcers, talking about the "surging" 76ers. Please. You've got to be kidding me. No one wants the 4th and 5th seeds. Right now it looks like those dubious honors belong to PHI and MIA. And the gap between 4th and 3rd is becoming cavernous.

If you are "surging", where are you going to pick up any games if those above you, like the Celtics, Raptors and Bucks are all winning games at a tremendous pace? (Raptors are 14 out of 15, Celtics 11 out of 13 and finally have everyone back, the Buck have already won all 82 games) If you also assume the top tier teams play each other and result in a 50/50 split on average, where are you going to make up any games? Where are you surging to?!! Idiots!

Guess who the winner of the 4/5 game gets? You got it...Milwaukee. Playoff season over. Probably swept by them as well to add insult to injury.

This all would have been a lot clearer and easier had we beaten Houston Tuesday like I had asked! But this is what keeps us coming back for more.

db

dboss wrote:

tjmakz wrote:

dboss wrote:Davis and James will keep LAL in contention because they are elite but the configuration of this team is still flawed.

Until Davis becomes more of a fulltime center the Lakers will not be able to put enough wings on the court together.

The Celtics do not have a great big man but the team is configured to compete in today's NBA.

I think the Lakers are best built for the playoffs when the game slows down and there are many more half court possessions.
The Lakers have the best interior defense in the league.
Their interior defense will matter most in the playoffs.
If you think wings will win the title, then I guess you believe in what Houston is doing by trading Capella and going with ultra small ball.
I believe size matters a lot, especially in the playoffs.
The Lakers shooting this year has been much improved.
Their 3 pt percentage has been ranked from 5-11 most of the season.
Right now they are 12th in the league.
If they add Collison, they will probably finish as a top 10 team in 3 pt field goal percentage.
To put 3 pt FG percentage into perspective, 5 of the 10 teams with the highest 3 pt FG percentage are projected lottery teams.
As for wings, yes, the Lakers are light on wings.
KCP has done a good job filling in at SF this year.
He's shooting a career high in FG and 3 PT FG percentage.
He's shooting almost 42% from 3.

I know I can always expect a response from you even if it comes from the Strawman Book Club.
I never said anything about Houston.   I just pointed out again as I did at the beginning of the season that AD not playing center hurts the configuration of the team.

As far as big men are concerned, you have to have bigs although their impact on the game has declined.  The Lakers lack having guys that can take it off the bounce and get to the rim.  But perhaps the most glaring flaw for the Lakers is their inability to knock down free throws.  

You know LA is top heavy with Lebron and Davis.  Kuzma does not get enough playing time because there is no where to play him when they have the big front line.  As teams move to more small ball lineups,  LAL looks like an albatross.  If you put AD at center they would be able to play a combination of 3 guards/small forwards along with Lebron.  LAL have a fantastic post scoring game but the NBA game has change.

The Lakers clearly struggle at the FT line.
They are 29th and Milwaukee is 28th in FT percentage.
The top 3 FT shooting teams in the NBA are lottery teams.
I don't think FT shooting will determine the Lakers playoff success.

In the playoffs the Lakers will play whatever works best depending on who they are playing.
In the regular season, they want to play McGee and Howard a lot of minutes to reduce AD's wear and tear.

Congratulations to the Lakers last night and their creating some separation with the Nuggets who always seem to come up short in these big moments. Lakers won't have to worry about them in the playoffs. You gotta win big games like that in the regular season or playoffs. Lakers did. Nuggets didn't. Nothing new here, nothing to see. Second verse same as the first.

db

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/the-redemption-of-markelle-fultz-185132211.html



'I was drafted No. 1 for a reason': The redemption of Markelle Fultz




Mike Mazzeo
Yahoo Sports
February 12, 2020, 10:51 AM PST




NEW YORK – Markelle Fultz is flourishing again.

A year after being dealt to the Orlando Magic at the 2019 trade deadline, Fultz's career trajectory is back on the rise, and the still-developing 21-year-old point guard has shown flashes of greatness with his new team.

All the trials and tribulations Fultz went through in Philadelphia have hardened him, but the chip on his once-injured shoulder remains.

“It's been that way since I was younger,” Fultz, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft, told Yahoo Sports. “I wasn't ranked coming into high school. I got cut from the varsity team. I've been fighting through adversity and battles I've had to overcome, but that's what's made this journey fun.

“I feel like it's almost my own little story that I have, and I feel like it's unwritten until my career is over, so I'm just trying to keep putting pages in my book.”

This chapter is about redemption.

After playing just 33 games combined in his first two seasons, Fultz has already appeared in 53 out of a possible 54 games for the Magic in 2019-20, while averaging career highs of 11.7 points and 4.9 assists on 46.3 percent shooting.

A 21-point, 11-rebound, 10-assist triple-double against the Los Angeles Lakers on Jan. 15 at Staples Center served as a coming-out party for Fultz.

“I was drafted No. 1 for a reason,” said Fultz, echoing a phrase he's used in the past. “And my biggest thing is just staying humble and working hard and letting my game do the talking. I was fortunate enough to be the No. 1 pick and get into this league, so my goal is to be here for as long as I can.”

Fultz was a distressed asset with the 76ers, a tantalizing talent plagued by thoracic outlet syndrome, but the Magic decided to take a chance on his high-upside potential. After days of trade talks with Philadelphia leading into the deadline, the team teams finally came to terms in the final hour on Feb. 7, 2019.


Magic guard Markelle Fultz is averaging 11.7 points on 46.3 percent shooting. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)


The final package: Fultz to Orlando in exchange for Jonathan Simmons, a 2020 top-20 protected first-round pick from the Oklahoma City Thunder (which turns into 2022 and 2023 second-round picks from OKC if it isn't conveyed) and a 2019 second (which ultimately became Carsen Edwards).

The deal has paid off significantly for the Magic, who were able to provide Fultz with the change of scenery and fresh start he desperately needed. They gave him time to rehab and get healthy before unleashing a motivated playmaker with something to prove.

“I'm happy for our organization and I'm happy for our team, but most of all I'm happy for Markelle,” Orlando GM John Hammond told Yahoo Sports. “I just can't imagine what he went through the previous year and a half in Philadelphia. The pressure of being the No. 1 pick, the immediate expectations that came with that, and the struggles he went through. And in today's social media age, probably some of the things that he was reading, being said about him — at 19-20 years old — I can't imagine going through that.

“But there's the saying, 'Through adversity comes strength.' And I truly believe that's Markelle. I don't think anything that's going to happen in his career is going to be a bigger challenge than what he went through at the beginning. I've never really sat down and talked with him about that, but I can only imagine how difficult it was.”

Fultz's shot, however, remains a work in progress. It's a bit more fluid than it was previously, but it's still funky. Fultz is currently shooting 35.9 percent on jump shots and 26.8 percent on 3-pointers.

“I feel like it's getting closer and closer everyday,” Fultz said. “I don't feel like it's where I want it to be, but I'm patient and I know it's going to take time. I've been working on it every day and feeling more and more comfortable, and it's showing as I go out there without hesitating. It's only a matter of time before I get there.”

Regardless, Fultz is having fun on the floor. He says his confidence is at an all-time high. His narrative is no longer surrounded by physical and/or mental issues. No controversy. No conspiracy. No mystery. No frustration. Just basketball.

“I feel like my ceiling is as high as I want it to be,” said Fultz, adding that making an All-Star team is on a big list of goals he's set for himself. “It's going to go as far as I work. It's as simple as that.”

Added Hammond: “The guy has all the tools. I don't want to put any undue pressure on anyone, but I really think Markelle is just scratching the surface right now. He just played his [86th] career game, so he's basically kind of completed his rookie year and we're [only] halfway through his first full season. He's had moments where you say, 'There he is,' and we're hoping in the second half of the season we can see more of that and even more and more of it in the future.”

The Magic (23-31) currently find themselves in the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. They've been trying to survive without three of their top seven players: Jonathan Issac (out for the season), Al-Farouq Aminu (out for the season) and D.J. Augustin (knee injury).

A postseason berth would be the perfect way to cap off an admirable comeback year for Markelle Fultz.

“It would be huge,” said Fultz, who wants to get that first career playoff game under his belt. “That's our goal. That's what the NBA is all about is making the playoffs. We're right there, and that's the only thing on my mind right now.”


bob
MY NOTE:  "I was drafted #1 for a reason".  That's right, and the reason is because Trader Danny is a card shark and Brian Colangelo was Billy King 2.0. If Philly hadn't bitten on Danny's lure Fultz would not have been drafted #1, Danny would still have taken Jayson Tatum with our pick.


.

I was drafted No. 1 for a reason,” said Fultz, echoing a phrase he's used in the past. “And my biggest thing is just staying humble . . . "

Nice job at "staying humble" and nice job of remembering why you were picked first.

Do they give athletes a different dictionary when they "attend" college? Asking for a friend . . .

Just a quick update:

We are 3 games up in the loss column on Miami. We are 2-0 vs them in head-to-heads and have 2 more games to play against them.

If they win both of the remaining games against us that would give us a 2-2 record in H2H. The next tie breaker is Division Winner. Toronto is leading our Atlantic Division, we are 1 game behind them in the loss column, while Miami is leading the Southeast Division by a ton.

This means that if Miami can pick up 3 games in the loss column and win the last two games we play against them (which would also count for 2 of those 3 losses they need to gain on us) they can become the 3rd seed.

This all matters because the #3 seed plays the #6 seed, and that's the Indiana Pacers while the #4 seed plays the #5 seed, and that's Philly.

Philly is 9-19 on the road and something like 1-13 vs .500 teams, but do we really want to count on that? They match up well against us.


bob


.

Bob,

IMO, Our primary goal is to avoid the Bucks until the conference finals.  Avoiding Philly would be a secondary goal.

We want to be either the #1, #2 or #3 seed.  We won't catch the Bucks for #1, so that's out.  Therefore, we need to be either the #2 or #3 seed in order to be in the bottom eastern bracket.  We don't want to be the #4 or #5 seed, as either of those leave us in the top eastern bracket with the Bucks probably being our second round opponent.

Here's an empty 2020 playoff bracket to see where the seeds land:

I was surprised Giannis mentioned LA as a place he could see himself playing with his brothers.
It will be very interesting to see if he accepts the Bucks super-max offer this summer.

https://sportando.basketball/en/antetokounmpo-on-playing-with-his-brothers-if-we-could-team-up-in-milwaukee-or-la-would-be-awesome/

tjmakz wrote:I was surprised Giannis mentioned LA as a place he could see himself playing with his brothers.
It will be very interesting to see if he accepts the Bucks super-max offer this summer.

https://sportando.basketball/en/antetokounmpo-on-playing-with-his-brothers-if-we-could-team-up-in-milwaukee-or-la-would-be-awesome/

If the Lakers have Lebron, AD, and Giannis, what would be the point of going through a regular season and playoffs - might as well hand them the trophy....

Shamrock1000 wrote:

tjmakz wrote:I was surprised Giannis mentioned LA as a place he could see himself playing with his brothers.
It will be very interesting to see if he accepts the Bucks super-max offer this summer.

https://sportando.basketball/en/antetokounmpo-on-playing-with-his-brothers-if-we-could-team-up-in-milwaukee-or-la-would-be-awesome/

If the Lakers have Lebron, AD, and Giannis, what would be the point of going through a regular season and playoffs - might as well hand them the trophy....

I think in two years is when we will really see LeBron's drop off.
I doubt he will be a top 10 player in two years.

Shamrock,

In that scenario, that would be the only three players on the team. There would be no money left to pay 12 more players!

db

Giannis will be an UFA 2021 Summer.  If the Bucks think they will lose him they would look to make a trade before he hits FA.  

LAL do not have the assets to trade for him unless they traded AD.

If Giannis wants to play for LA ( could be Clippers) it will limit the Bucks option for moving him.  Big time Players now chose where they want to go.

dboss wrote:Giannis will be an UFA 2021 Summer.  If the Bucks think they will lose him they would look to make a trade before he hits FA.  

LAL do not have the assets to trade for him unless they traded AD.

If Giannis wants to play for LA ( could be Clippers) it will limit the Bucks option for moving him.  Big time Players now chose where they want to go.

The Lakers have Kostas Antetokounmpo under a two year two-way contract.
if Giannis doesn't sign the super-max offer, maybe the Lakers would upgrade Kostas contract to a multi-year regular contract.
If Giannis really wants to play with his brothers, the Lakers might be able to box out the Clippers by already having Kostas under a long term contract.
It's doubtful all of this happens.
I think Giannis will sign the super-max extension this summer.

tjmakz wrote:

dboss wrote:Giannis will be an UFA 2021 Summer.  If the Bucks think they will lose him they would look to make a trade before he hits FA.  

LAL do not have the assets to trade for him unless they traded AD.

If Giannis wants to play for LA ( could be Clippers) it will limit the Bucks option for moving him.  Big time Players now chose where they want to go.

The Lakers have Kostas Antetokounmpo under a two year two-way contract.
if Giannis doesn't sign the super-max offer, maybe the Lakers would upgrade Kostas contract to a multi-year regular contract.
If Giannis really wants to play with his brothers, the Lakers might be able to box out the Clippers by already having Kostas under a long term contract.
It's doubtful all of this happens.
I think Giannis will sign the super-max extension this summer.

TJ

When it comes to superstars there is no way to know what is going on behind the scenes.  Think of all the movement that we have seen.  If you are the Bucks you will do anything and everything possible to keep Giannis.  Maybe they make a trade to bring his brother there.

If he were to go to either LA teams or to any team that already has a pairing it would create an imbalance in the NBA.  To the Bucks credit they have surrounded him with complimentary talent and a great coach.  Unlike AD where NOLA had 7 years to make something happen and failed to do so.

I think a championship may influence his decision.  If they cannot win with what they have Giannis may decide to skip town.  He is still young.  One thing seems certain though.  He is not going to a team that is not ready win now.

Through the years a lot of great players have seen the window close on winning a title.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/nypost.com/2020/02/18/kyrie-irvings-shoulder-flaring-up-again-as-nets-concern-grows/amp/




Kyrie Irving’s shoulder flaring up again as Nets concern grows




By Brian Lewis

February 18, 2020 | 7:01pm


The shoulder injury that cost Kyrie Irving two months has flared up again, potentially putting the rest of his season in question.

Irving wasn’t with the Nets for their first post-All-Star break practice because he was off seeing another specialist. It’s a given he won’t play Thursday at Philadelphia, but the question now is whether he’ll play at all in 2019-20, or get the surgery he opted against back in December.

“He’s still having issues with his shoulder. He is going to see a specialist this week. That’s about all I can tell you,” coach Kenny Atkinson said. “I don’t expect him to be available for Thursday. His shoulder continues to bother him. That’s kind of the extent of it for now.”

Irving has missed 33 of the Nets’ 53 games this season, including the past five with a sprained knee. He’s about to miss a bunch more.


He sat out 26 straight earlier this season with a shoulder impingement suffered Nov. 4. He saw a specialist in Arizona for that ailment before grudgingly getting a cortisone shot on Christmas Eve.

At the time, Irving had been presented with a choice of the cortisone shot or arthroscopic surgery that could potentially end his season. He picked the shot, knowing that it was a short-term fix. That term apparently has expired.

“I think the issue right now is the shoulder. I think that the knee was getting better, but the shoulder is a concern now,” said Atkinson, revealing that the injury has continued to plague Irving and the guard has tried to play through it. “Listen it’s been bothering him. Again, the shoulder is a tough thing, I told you.


“I’ve been through it and I just think it’s an on and off thing where some days it’s bothering you and some days you feel good and some days you don’t feel good. So it got to the point where let’s see another specialist and be sure about this, and that’s kind of where we are.”


Both the Nets and Irving knew they’d get here eventually. On Jan. 4, Irving intimated as much.

“The next progression was get a cortisone shot or you get arthroscopic surgery,” Irving said that day. “The cortisone shot lasts as long as it can. You either continue to get cortisone shots, which is obviously detrimental to your health in your muscles, or you go get arthroscopic surgery.


“It’s just about being able to go back out there after the right amount of rehab, the right amount of rest, recovery, and see what we can do for the rest of the season and then reevaluate after a few months.”

Now the rest of the season is in doubt.

“Of course somebody who is such a great person, obviously the person you go out with every day, you worry about him when it comes to surgery talk and things of that sort,” teammate Taurean Prince said.


“But Ky is one of the most positive people I’ve ever been around this whole process of me knowing him, meeting him since he signed, I’m sure it’s just another testament to his book. It’s time for other guys to step up and be the players that they feel they want to be along with trying to help us win as many games as possible down the stretch.”


Atkinson tried to steer around any questions concerning the rest of Irving’s season.

When asked if or when he expected Irving to return, Atkinson said: “We’ll see. We’ll get the information from the specialist.”

When pressed whether the guard was done for the season, he said: “I don’t want to go there. I don’t feel comfortable saying that.”

After joining Kevin Durant in picking the Nets in free agency last offseason, Irving inked a four-year, $136 million deal. He has averaged a career-high 27.4 points and 6.4 assists, but has played just 20 games in his debut Nets season. He may not play another.

“I don’t know what the duration he’s out besides Thursday. We’ll see what is going on,” Spencer Dinwiddie said. “Obviously we just pray for his health. That’s all you can do.”


bob
MY NOTE:  Forgetting the whole "karma is a bitch" thing for a moment just imagine how frustrated we would be right now if he did resign with us like he promised, so no hard feelings, but our playoff run was jeopardized because a key player can't stay on the court.

Ok, and now back to our regularly scheduled show of "eat shit and die, Kyrie".   Bwahahahaha.

.

Kyrie is getting help for both his knee and his shoulder, but what about his head?

Woj reporting Reggie Jackson has agreed to a buyout from the Pistons and will sign with the Clippers.


bob


.

bobc33 wrote:Kyrie is getting help for both his knee and his shoulder, but what about his head?

Like I said he’s the next Deron Williams who screwed over a franchise and a great coach in Jerry Sloan, then could never stay healthy at his next stop and was out of the league by the time he was 30.

tjmakz wrote:

Shamrock1000 wrote:

tjmakz wrote:I was surprised Giannis mentioned LA as a place he could see himself playing with his brothers.
It will be very interesting to see if he accepts the Bucks super-max offer this summer.

https://sportando.basketball/en/antetokounmpo-on-playing-with-his-brothers-if-we-could-team-up-in-milwaukee-or-la-would-be-awesome/

If the Lakers have Lebron, AD, and Giannis, what would be the point of going through a regular season and playoffs - might as well hand them the trophy....

I think in two years is when we will really see LeBron's drop off.
I doubt he will be a top 10 player in two years.

Right Lebron has said he wouldn’t mind being a role player in later years, that he’d like to still play in the league when his son arrives....

Beilein, the head coach of Cleveland, is out.

I have NO idea what they expected from that poor man, with that roster.  At least Philly has kept Brett Brown all the way through "the process".

Thank God for Wyc and Pags.  Cleveland has their version of John Y Brown or Paul Gaston, the "genius" who knows all about basketball but really knows nothing.


bob


.

https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2020/02/former-boston-celtics-star-kyrie-irving-elected-a-vp-of-nba-players-association-at-monday-meeting-report.html



Former Boston Celtics star Kyrie Irving elected a VP of NBA Players Association at Monday meeting (report)



Posted Feb 17, 2020




By Tom Westerholm | twesterh@masslive.com



Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, former Boston Celtics guard Kyrie Irving was elected a vice president of the NBA Players Association on Monday.

Irving, who signed with the Brooklyn Nets during the offseason, will replace Pau Gasol. Gasol’s three-year term expired this season.

Irving released a statement Monday following the vote.

“This was the right time for me to run for a leadership position in the NBPA,” Irving said. “I have been an bserver and a participant in union affairs for a while, but for the most part, I was off on the sidelines, supporting our Executive Committee as they made important decisions. At this point in my career, I wanted to join forces with those guys and take a bigger role outside of the basketball court and within our union. I want to help move the union forward with innovative ideas, no only on social issues but also with business ventures into a new space. I am honored to be elected by my peers, and I cannot wait to work with everybody to make an impact."


The Players Association has a president, a first vice president, a treasurer and six vice presidents. The overall president is Chris Paul, while Andre Iguodala is the first Vice President. Anthony Tolliver holds the title of secretary/treasurer.

Celtics wing Jaylen Brown is one of the six vice presidents, along with Irving, Malcolm Brogdon, Bismack Biyombo, Garrett Temple and C.J. McCollum. The Celtics’ player rep/delegate, elected before the season, is rookie Grant Williams.


bob
MY NOTE: Might as well. He's not playing and he might actually learn what leadership really means.


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Damn, BobH. You're letting us know how you really feel on Cryrie! I love it!

But you're right about what a pickle we'd be in this year with all that crapola going on. That was the first thing that kept popping into my mind as I was reading this thread. This year would have been more of a trainwreck than last year.

All Hail Danny!! He may be more of a master of knowing when to ditch than when to pitch. It's very uncanny how he unloads these players at PRECISELY the right time. Truly amazing. We are seeing Omniscience to the Nth Degree right before our very eyes.

db

KAT out indefinitely with wrist injury.