The Official Offseason 2016-17 NBA Thread: Waiting for Preseason

With Snell getting traded for Jason Kidd Jr. (MCW), the Bulls have assured the entire league that there is no need to guard the perimeter against them this season. And when I compare MCW to Kidd, I meant Kidd circa 1997-2002 when he didn’t have a jumper to speak of.

i can’t wait to see which Best Buy and/or Whole Foods MCW will be taking his talents to next year.

edit:
https://twitter.com/bball_ref/status/788517589601443840

100% with Melo. D-League should be rebranded. It’s evolved into something much bigger.

Miami has used their affiliate as a farm system, bringing in young guys who were late picks or undrafted, developing them and making them NBA caliber players. As a result, we have Whiteside, J-Rich and Tyler Johnson as 3/4ths of our youth movement (and Briante Weber close to being another). It’s now clear more and more teams are beginning to ride this idea. The D-League has gotten more teams several years in a row now (there are now 22 teams). If all 30 NBA teams have their own D-League affiliate, that would be huge.

https://twitter.com/TheNBACentral/status/788457996363837440

There’s smoke around the Spurs shopping Aldridge too, seems like they don’t like the fit between him and Gasol. Both are terrible defenders at the center position.

So they want Gasol over Aldridge? That seems like a step backward.

I don’t think Riley would really be this stupid to even consider this.

There’s nothing “stupid” about it though. Between the $20 million in expiring contracts currently on the Heat and Bosh’s contract eventually getting waived in March, Riley figures adding another expiring contract in Rudy Gay would be beneficial. The problem is Gay could always opt in, so it’s not worth the risk.

Riley knows Bosh is done and wants to blow the team up and rebuild.

https://twitter.com/joelrubin/status/788839040577474561

Heat don’t rebuild. Haslem is the only guy left from the old teams, so there’s nothing to blow up either.

The team is built around Whiteside, Josh Richardson, Tyler Johnson and Justise Winslow. Everybody else is moving parts.

Yeah good luck with that core

It’s a strange tell. With Duncan gone the pitch was that Aldridge was suppose to be the focal point in the Spurs offense. Some reports say he doesn’t like how Kwai has become the center of attention in the same way when he was paired with Lillard

Winslow: Already one of the best perimeter defenders in the league (made Kawhi Leonard go 1-9 the other night), and currently showing off his improved jumpshot.

Whiteside: The best shotblocker in the league and a top 5 center. Currently averaging 20-10 in preseason and showing off his improved skillset.

Josh Richardson: Long and athletic defender who was the best 3p shooter in the entire NBA after the allstar break (was shooting near 50% beyond the arc).

Tyler Johnson: Versatile athletic playmaker who was a 40% 3p shooter in college despite an injury with his shoulder. He just had surgery on said shoulder this past summer, so he’ll be 100% for the first time in years.

Sure thing, Jae.

Waiters hasn’t looked bad in preseason.

Dragic is his still highly efficient self. Hopefully Richardson comes back soon so that paint isn’t clogged as I have him penciled in at starting shooting guard for them.

Derrick Williams is always a threat to go off for 20 if his jumper is working that game. If he could even become a Micheal Beasley lite as far as having a great midrange that’d be dope to have that coming off the bench along with Waiters, and Tyler Johnson.

Waiters has been blowing people’s minds. He’s seeing the floor and passing the ball well. Finishing around the rim has always been his thing, but he’s taking smarter shots on the perimeter as well. He hasn’t been selfish at all.

Derrick Williams started out trash, but he’s gotten better. He’s been knocking down corner threes and looks more comfortable each game. Miami’s new run and gun offense fits his style, he rebounds the ball and he’s taking it up the floor himself to start the offense.

But the guy that’s been the most impressive for me has been James Johnson. Easily our quickest big. Very athletic, running coast to coast on breaks and doing eurosteps, blocking shots and making all kinds of plays.

Willie Reed is going to be good as Whiteside’s backup, he had 16-10 last night. He’s basically a shorter version of Whiteside, and he’s been practicing with Haslem to develop his baseline midrange shot.

And then there’s Briante Weber. This fool has 17 steals in limited minutes, currently the most of any NBA player in preseason. This guy was only 12 steals away from having the all-time NCAA record before he tore his acl. His offense and turnovers are still an issue, so I expect them to have him develop one more year in Sioux Falls. But MAN, this kid is easily going to be leading the NBA in steals one day. Miami absolutely cannot let another team scoop him up.

https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/788880649344065536

I want Philly to do well so bad this year. Even without Simmons.

if you aren’t rooting for philly to at least be decent this year, you’re probably a bad human being.

they gotta be better than the nets, right?

https://youtu.be/8y-u_K6gCZA

I swear Embiid about to be my favorite player.

Embiid is a twitter master.