Wasn't last year, statistically, Lillard's best season? I'd imagine, now that Dame doesn't have to carry a rebuilding team by himself and actually has someone to defer to, both his physical and mental health should improve a lot. People point to Murray and Jokic as being the best duo in the league, and as a "new-age Shaq and Kobe?" Lillard and Giannis, on paper, are that and more. Lillard plays no defense and has unlimited range. Giannis is one of the best defenders in the league (if not THE best) and has very limited range. The two complement each other really well.
Booker pressured the FO to sign Ayton going into last season, it's his own damn fault. They had a chance to trade him before having to sign him, but Paul and Booker thought the finals team had to keep the nucleus together. New owner seems like a clown, but he cleaned house.
Good deal for Bucks. Suns basically just gain cap flexibility. Portland best find a way to unlock Ayton of this is a pretty meh deal for them.
I thought they've been saying they'd do what's best for the team first while trying to do right by Lillard. They sent him to a legit contender while getting something for him. Sure Lillard could've wanted Miami, but we can't always get what we want. Besides, I don't think that trade would make all that much sense for Portland. With Ayton, whether he's not a primary player or not, at least you get something you could at least hope may work in a position of need whereas with somebody like Herro, you'll be trying to shove him into a rotation with Sharpe, Simon, Scoot, etc. It'd be a wing/guard lineup.
Definitely agree with "no defense," but in terms of his best season, his usage rate was over 33%... highest of his career. So he basically was their offense, completely, and it should have been his best statistical year. He's far from washed, but he's an old guy and I'm not sure what we can read into his last couple of seasons on a shitty team. (And he only played 58 games last year, notably.) I'm not totally sure the Bucks are better unless Dame is really healthy come playoff time.
Perhaps Holiday entering the trade market presents more flexibility for the Sixers and James Harden. Philadelphia has indeed registered its interest in Holiday with Portland, league sources told Yahoo Sports. And there would seem to be an obvious three-team structure that benefits Portland, Philadelphia and Los Angeles, where Holiday returns to the franchise that drafted him, Harden gets his wish and joins the Clippers and the Blazers receive first-round picks from each team. Los Angeles has not been willing to offer more than one selection to Philadelphia for Harden, sources said. The Clippers have also not been willing to include versatile swingman Terance Mann. But if the Sixers and Daryl Morey could spin a potential holdout with Harden into a motivated Holiday, for the cost of one of Philadelphia’s future picks and Harden’s $35.6 million salary, that would bill as fantastic value for all parties involved. But then, maybe the Clippers abandon all pursuit of Harden to go after Holiday in their own right. https://sports.yahoo.com/why-damian-lillard-landed-in-milwaukee-and-what-comes-next-234414264.html
Dame’s mediocre struggle bars available on streaming platforms…I wonder if his music actually does numbers
At face value it doesn't look like that great of a deal for Portland. Ayton ain't it, and those picks are way out there. However, if they can turn around and flip Jrue to Philly in a three-team deal and get more FRPs maybe it will start looking better.
Donovan Mitchell and Bradley Beal being called superstars? Lol the Heat have literally made the finals twice in the last few years and the conference finals as well whoever wrote this tweet needs to just have a seat and stop talking
Donovan Mitchell is kinda borderline, I wouldn't personally call him a superstar but it's not ridiculous to have him in that conversation. Bradley Beal though?
They do well with older players it seems than other teams. I wonder if weather has anything to do with conditioning, seeing Harden break down as soon as he felt some east coast winters always made me wonder if it was coincidence.
