2024-25 NBA Thread

[WilyWestbrook0]

OH MY GOODNESS THEY PULLED OUT THAT GRUELING GAME!

SGA MVP clutch and MASSIVE MELTDOWN from Mathurin!

[WilyWestbrook0]

Desmond Bane traded to the Magic for a big haul of players/picks:

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...ockbuster-deal

Bane was awful in the Thunder series, so I'm not surprised the Grizzlies moved him. They sure got a lot in return, too: KCP, Cole Anthony, and several first round picks (though most unprotected). Of course, the Magic are desperate for anyone who can hit the broad side of a barn from 3 point land, so I guess they were more than willing to give up a ton for a guy like Bane.

[WilyWestbrook0]

​jalen williams has proven he is a legit #2 option on an nba championship team!!!!!!!!!!

[pwaldo]

Desmond Bane traded to the Magic for a big haul of players/picks:

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...ockbuster-deal

Bane was awful in the Thunder series, so I'm not surprised the Grizzlies moved him. They sure got a lot in return, too: KCP, Cole Anthony, and several first round picks (though most unprotected). Of course, the Magic are desperate for anyone who can hit the broad side of a barn from 3 point land, so I guess they were more than willing to give up a ton for a guy like Bane.

This was a pretty shocking move but it is kind of funny that it wasn't even the most shocking trade of the day. That would go to the Devers deal that happened several hours after this one.

As for the trade I think the Magic may have overpaid but those picks aren't going to amount to much and should all be high # picks if the Magic don't all get hurt. So it isn't a big deal that they moved that it is just was that the player that puts the Magic over the top is the question. With Tatum hurt the east is wide open next year and the Magic are a team on the rise so it is good they are going for it. The Cavs, Pacers, Knicks and maybe the 76ers are all you have to go through next year in the east and that's not really that much for the Magic.

Also if this move is any indication the off season will be crazy with moves. Durant will be moved and maybe Giannis but now do the Grizzlies blow it up? Is Zion moved and is he even anything at this point?

[WilyWestbrook0]

This was a pretty shocking move but it is kind of funny that it wasn't even the most shocking trade of the day. That would go to the Devers deal that happened several hours after this one.

As for the trade I think the Magic may have overpaid but those picks aren't going to amount to much and should all be high # picks if the Magic don't all get hurt. So it isn't a big deal that they moved that it is just was that the player that puts the Magic over the top is the question. With Tatum hurt the east is wide open next year and the Magic are a team on the rise so it is good they are going for it. The Cavs, Pacers, Knicks and maybe the 76ers are all you have to go through next year in the east and that's not really that much for the Magic.

Also if this move is any indication the off season will be crazy with moves. Durant will be moved and maybe Giannis but now do the Grizzlies blow it up? Is Zion moved and is he even anything at this point?

Yeah this will be an interesting offseason for sure. I think I saw that Giannis said he wants to stay in Milwaukee.

And tonight is game 6 of the Finals. Now that Hali is clearly hurt and may not play (and if he does, he won't be his usual self), a lot of people are expecting it to be over even though OKC is on the road. I would still tread cautiously as TJ McConnell has really been lighting up OKC lately. I've learned to never count the Pacers out. Not going to celebrate unless I see a lead with 0.0 left in the 4th.

[pwaldo]

https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2025/06/...rk-walter.html

The Buss family has reached an agreement to sell its majority stake in the Lakers to Mark Walter, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

Walter, 65, is the CEO and chairman of TWG Global, a diversified holding company.

Walter, who also owns the Los Angeles Dodgers (MLB) and Los Angeles Sparks (WNBA), among sports investments, is currently a minority owner of the Lakers, having purchased a 27% stake in 2021 alongside Todd Boehly.

According to Charania, current governor Jeanie Buss will continue to serve in that role after the sale is finalized.

[WilyWestbrook0]

Oof.

I turned that game off at halftime and am glad I did looking at what happened in the third quarter on the box score.

The Thunder seem to have at least one game every series where they get utterly blown out and look nothing like the 68 win team that has dominated for most of the year and playoffs, and this is it. Indiana never looked back after being down 10-2 early - they came back with a vengeance and had all the fire one would expect of a team with their playoffs on the line. OKC never matched their intensity after that and seemed to give up in the 2nd quarter. Credit to the Pacers too again for just refusing to ever give up, even with Haliburton not at 100%.

I guess OKC is confident they can close this out in 7 on their homecourt. But if they don't, this will be the worst collapse in Finals history after the Warriors collapse in 2016 to the Cavaliers.

Daigneault in particular needs to show he's anywhere near the caliber of coach Rick Carlisle is. He was extremely slow to call the first two timeouts when the Pacers went on runs in the first half and some of his lineups were head-scratching. He's got to make adjustments for game 7 and put his team in situations and sets and rotations where they can succeed. I have confidence Carlisle can do that with the Pacers, but am less convinced Daigneault has the same coaching capability. One thing for sure, OKC absolutely cannot think the game is over in the first few minutes and give the Pacers any momentum whatsoever. Homecourt is no guarantee with how hot the Pacers can shoot.

And for the love of goodness, get up closer and contest TJ McConnell more. He's outplayed EVERYONE on OKC's bench consistent this Finals, and it's not even close.

[WilyWestbrook0]

Whoa, big blockbuster deal hours before the Finals. KD to the Rockets:

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...ockbuster-deal

I actually think this is a reasonable giveup for Durant. IIRC Jalen Green kind of sucked in the playoffs, and they still have young talent with guys like Thompson and Sengun. so not necessarily a huge loss, especially for a player of Durant's caliber. Brooks is an expendable goon. And most of the picks they gave up were just 2nd rounders. So they can win now as well as have players for the future.

[pwaldo]

Whoa, big blockbuster deal hours before the Finals. KD to the Rockets:

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...ockbuster-deal

I actually think this is a reasonable giveup for Durant. IIRC Jalen Green kind of sucked in the playoffs, and they still have young talent with guys like Thompson and Sengun. so not necessarily a huge loss, especially for a player of Durant's caliber. Brooks is an expendable goon. And most of the picks they gave up were just 2nd rounders. So they can win now as well as have players for the future.

It is a trade that both teams need to make (Suns need to dump Durant) and the Rockets need to get better after being bounced as a #2 seed but I really don't like either move if that makes sense. Unless the Suns make later deals they have too many people playing the same positions and Durant makes the Rockets better but I guess they aren't getting anybody better this off season than Durant so they are still going to hit a ceiling in the Western Conference.

[WilyWestbrook0]

It is a trade that both teams need to make (Suns need to dump Durant) and the Rockets need to get better after being bounced as a #2 seed but I really don't like either move if that makes sense. Unless the Suns make later deals they have too many people playing the same positions and Durant makes the Rockets better but I guess they aren't getting anybody better this off season than Durant so they are still going to hit a ceiling in the Western Conference.

I think the Suns definitely make more deals. They were probably the most disappointing team last season and basically need to start from scratch at this point. But it's surprising this seems to be the best they could do for Durant. I think it's a positive for the Rockets. Their inexperience hurt them in the Warriors series and they need to win now while still retaining some of their young talent, and this move does just that while not giving up that much for a player of Durant's ability. The only way for it to really fail is if Durant has some kind of career ending injury next year or somehow is a terrible fit, but I'd think his shooting helps open things up for guys like Thompson and Sengun. They may not be a guarantee for the Finals since the West is loaded, but they have to get out of the first round, and I think they can definitely do it. Make a run while they can, and if it fails, they still have a good core to build on, so they don't really lose much in the end unless Green makes some kind of SGA leap with the Suns in the near future.