Deleterious

The injuries are really catching up with the Knicks.

KAT might be the most important person for Minnesota.  You know Edwards will bring it every night, but he needs help.  Someone said Minnesota was +5 with Edwards on the court last night and -13 when he was off.  

The two games in Denver KAT had 20 and 27.  14 and 13 at home.  

It's about to get interesting.

FWIW, it looks like the Lakers first pick is #55.

Yeah.  Game Stop up 68% 15 minutes after the opening bell.  Bend over, shorts.

Right on cue.  After hours volume of 11 million shares is insane.  All based on a single image posted on Twitter.  Tell me again Wall Street isn't a casino.  

He's back.

Speaking as someone who is getting back into golf this year, I feel your pain.  Trying to get 4 people to agree on a day, time, and course is almost impossible.  Even when you do there is a good chance someone is going to cancel last minute or try to change the plans that work for the other 3 people.

Anthony Edwards is why I don't draft based on shooting.

Me and Betrayer had multiple disagreements on Anthony Edwards when he entered the draft.  Betrayer loved him and said he should be the #1 pick.  I thought he would be a decent player but would not take him #1 based on him shooting 29% from three.  With the short line and bad competition in college, 29% is awful.  

Now Edwards is 22 years old and already a top 10 player.  He is crushing it in the playoffs and shoots 35% from three, which is respectable.  

Shooting should be in the mix when evaluating a player.  But I don't like when people say you absolutely have to draft a shooter.  

I just found out this was possible. 

Denver goes down 0-2 then goes on the road against the #1 defense in the league and they score 117 and 115 while shooting 53% and 57% from the floor.

Odd series.  Home team is 0-4.

Stupid gamble by Edwards on the inbounds play.

Jokic is so good.  Posts up back to basket on the block.  Double comes from the elbow, he spins baseline away from the double and lays it up.

People put a little too much stock in the draft.

Look at the Timberwolves rotation tonight.  8 deep and they drafted exactly two of those players.  Everyone else was acquired via trade or free agency.  

Stop.  Gobert isn't half the defender that Ben was.

5 minutes ago, casimir said:

26.1% from 3?  Pass.

Get some outside shooting to help out Cunningham.  Would Dillingham or Sheppard be better fits?  

No clue, not watching any draft stuff this year.  But feel free to draft Jimmer Fredette if you want.

See.  He is already a Piston.

3 minutes ago, Betrayer said:

By the way, Matas Buzelis is represented by Tellem.

Book it.

Damn it.

I assume this is the max each team can achieve.  

OK.  Sam Vecenie just updated his mock and he now has Detroit taking Matas Buzelis as well.  What he says about him:

Quote

Buzelis has benefited from multiple factors all occurring at once in this class.

First, his size, off-ball capabilities and athleticism with the ball in transition make him a high-upside swing in a draft class lacking in them. Second, bigger wings with somewhat similar profiles, such as Charlotte’s Brandon Miller, Memphis’ G.G. Jackson, Washington’s Bilal Coulibaly and Houston’s Cam Whitmore, put together promising rookie seasons while displaying skills they didn’t consistently showcase in their pre-draft seasons.

Still, Buzelis did not have an ideal pre-draft campaign playing on a catastrophically bad G League Ignite team that struggled to compete in games. He averaged 14.1 points per game but only shot 45.5 percent from the field and 26.1 percent from 3, though he upped those numbers to 17.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.5 blocks over his last 13 games. He also won some plaudits from scouts for his play in the Rising Stars event at All-Star Weekend, where he helped the G League team upset a roster of NBA rookies and sophomores that included Victor Wembanyama.

There are certainly questions about Buzelis even after his in-season improvement, and shooting is the one that comes up most. Buzelis shot the ball well the season before at Sunrise Christian Academy in Kansas but hasn’t been consistent during his youth career. While Buzelis was able to fit into an offensive role with G League Ignite instead of pressing the issue, scouts wish they’d have learned more about his ability to create on his own. Additionally, while Buzelis’ off-ball defense has largely won over scouts, he struggled on the ball this past season in large part due to a lack of strength.

The Pistons desperately need a four in their core, and Buzelis profiles well as a good fit next to Cade Cunningham as long as the team believes in his jumper.

4 minutes ago, NYLion said:

That's my biggest issue with the drop. I didn't think they were trading it anyway but this makes a trade far more unlikely. I hope they take more of a high floor prospect than can contribute sooner, like a choose your white shooter guy Sheppard or Knecht I guess.

That wouldn't be the worst thing.

I think I'm all in on KAT assuming Minnesota is looking to dump salary.  They have to start winning.

Just now, casimir said:

So, ok, here’s the rainbow around this pile of lottery crap.  The Pistons won’t improve enough to stay out of the lottery next year, and welcome to Detroit Cooper Flagg.

Also, we might never have to send the Knicks a first rounder to complete the Stewart trade.

Quote

2025 first round draft pick to New York
Detroit's 1st round pick to New York protected for selections 1-13 in 2025, 1-11 in 2026 and 1-9 in 2027; if Detroit has not conveyed a 1st round pick to New York by 2027, then Detroit will instead convey its 2027 2nd round pick to New York (via Houston to Oklahoma City) [Detroit-Houston, 11/24/2020; Houston-Oklahoma City, 7/30/2021; New York-Oklahoma City, 6/23/2022]

Sam Vecenie has Clingan #5 on his big board.  Givony has Matas Buzelis going to the Pistons in his post lottery mock.  Sam has him #6.

Before you rush to look up Matas Buzelis stats.  He shot 27% from three last year.  

lol