*** OFFICIAL ** NBA 2024-25 Thread

[gut]

Russillo on the Simmons podcast said it best last night when they were talking the conditioning issues, "I don't care if he's smoking a cigarette while bringing the ball up the court, HE'S A TOP 4 PLAYER IN THE WORLD."

Not too rehash much of what BCR said already, but the division between Luka and AD, in the reality of the NBA, is a much bigger gulf than people think. Nico must owe pelinka a favor from the past. The Lakers had 3 1sts they could trade....Dallas could only get 1???? You cant convince me that Pelinka drew a hard line in the sand on that issue.

Even more insulting is the Mavs SENT a 2nd rounder to Utah to help facilitate LMAO.

Speaking of, hat tip to Ainge, always a master at extracting value. For the price of taking the rest of Hood-Schifino's rookie deal, he gets two more 2nd rounders.

[Sloppy Joe]

Maybe it’s not even Cuban. I forget, did he sell Mavs? I’ve never been so stunned by a trade that it feels fake. Like I didn’t believe an ESPN notification.

The 5-0 is great but you just got a dozen years of fun being a Lakers fan with an old ass team

Cliffs: jews

[VaughnP]

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https://twitter.com/MichaelJBier/status/1885929182649004072

His conditioning was so bad last year that he did this to the Timberwolves and lead the playoffs in every single meaningful statistical category. 25 years old. I was in Minnesota for those games and watched I think every one out at some bar or restaurant, even the rival fans were in awe of a chubby white dude destroying them. Any sane GM would have sold the proverbial farm for Luka. Historically, elite basketball players don't even enter their peak until their late 20s. The conditioning is a discipline issue, have the kid see a sports psychologist and assign him a full time trainer/dietician for fucks sake. North and East Texas fans are unkind and unforgiving. Even if they somehow make it to the finals and get past Boston this year, it likely still won't be enough. This completely ruins the public perception and image of the team.

[VaughnP]

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https://twitter.com/In7amous/status/1886137209146818764

I was looking at tickets just a week or two ago, and for sure was going yo try and catch a home game from good seats, possibly even a couple more if they were set to do well in the playoffs. Now, meh, likely never again. I imagine most Mavs fans feel the same way. Thankfully the Spurs exist.

[VaughnP]

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https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1886153555649744915

The end result of people like this who fail upwards. What a fucking idiot.

In the above clip, he explains how he didn't even let Kidd know while sitting next to him. This seems almost like intentional sabotage or working on behalf of the Lakers it's so bad.

[1dollarboxcar]

Luka's professional debut started when he was only 16 (2015) in the European League, playing against grown men, his dad played in the Euro League too along with coaching, i think this is why Luka does very well in NBA... he learned at a young age how to create space for his jumpers, he learned the proper angles when cutting to the basket with and without the ball, he had to learn good and proper fundamentals to gain an advantage against grown men at a young age , Luka is definitely not the most athletic but boy are his fundamentals off the charts...

[1dollarboxcar]

Luka said it's easier to score in the NBA rather than the Euro League...

[VaughnP]

dallas plus 13 feels good like they are gonna play their ass off to show up my big fat show pony laker

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https://twitter.com/barstoolsports/status/1886159773722103937

They were down 91-46 at the half.

[VaughnP]

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https://twitter.com/CarmichaelDave/status/1886064702020546699

The Curry shoe deal and botch from Nike has turned into a legendary tale over the years - guess which moron was behind it?

[lol wow]

rofl WE STILL GOT SOME CLOCK LEFT WE GOT THIS

[VaughnP]

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https://twitter.com/erikslater_/status/1886049360552640517

[lol wow]

https://tenor.com/view/lakers-win-ne...uy-gif-5328035

[lol wow]

druff embed that for me you peasant it should literally be an automatic emoji in this place

[Dan Druff]

Well, this Doncic/Davis trade is really bizarre in so many ways.

Luka Doncic was NOT told about it in advance, and reportedly learned about it while at dinner.

Lebron James, who has been considered the Lakers' de facto GM, was also left out of the loop, and only found out after the deal was done.

Anthony Davis was told, but only because he needed to waive a no-trade clause, which he did. But he kept it quiet, even from (supposed) friend Lebron.

It is not clear what the Mavericks are doing. Davis is 32, extremely injury prone, and never been able to lead any team to victory. He has spurts of greatness, but then either gets hurt or is ineffective. Doncic is 26, was believed to be a Maverick for life, and now is destined to be the face of the Lakers for many years to come. Lebron, while still very effective, is 40 and can only last a short time before it will be over.

Doncic is reportedly bitter about the way the trade went down. It's not clear if he's also unhappy about going to the Lakers, or if he's just pissed he was cut out of the loop.

Also, Doncic was going to be eligible for a 5 year $345m supermax contract at the end of this season, but now won't be eligible for 2 more years. That, perhaps, is why he's angry.

Most people believe it to be a win for the Lakers, but there are some questions about Doncic's conditioning and weight. At only 6'6", he's 270 pounds, the seventh heaviest player in the league. Unlike a player like Shaq, whose size was part of his effectiveness, Doncic is not supposed to be this big, and put on 40 during the offseason. This was reportedly the #1 concern for the Mavericks, who grew frustrated with what was seen as poor conditioning and work ethic.

Is is possible Doncic will be one of those "could've been Hall of Fame" players whose weight and injury issues keep him from making a real impact? Yes.

But I don't see Davis bringing the Mavs anywhere, and keep in mind they went to the Finals last year with Doncic.

So I still don't get it.

Dallas GM Nico Harrison has known Davis from when Harrison worked at Nike, and the two always liked each other a lot. So perhaps this was just a matter of Harrison wanting Davis to play on his squad, and he felt he needed to give up Doncic to get it.

[Dan Druff]

Haralabob has a surprising take on this.

I thought he might be quiet about the trade, given the reports of friction between him and Doncic during Bob's time with the Mavericks.

This would seem to vindicate Haralabob, as it seems the entire Mavericks organization got tired of Doncic, and let him go despite his massive talent (and young age).

However, here's what Haralabob had to say on X:

This will go down as one of (Probably THE) worst trades in the history of Sports. You just traded away a top 3 player in the prime of his career and your return was a single first and a soon to be 32 year old Anthony Davis. The fact that you threw in a 2nd for good measure is just *chefs kiss*

The Nets got 4 unprotected firsts + a pick swap plus Johnson and Bridges who they later traded for FIVE FIRSTS and a pick swap for KD who was 34 at the time of that trade.

The Mavs had a top 3 defense last season after the deadline trades and then lost in the Finals to one of if not the greatest offensive teams in NBA History in the Celtics.

If you think defense wins championships and you want to be 3 Centers Deep on your roster - and play AD at the 4 while forcing PJ to guard 3s, Klay to guard 2s and Kyrie to guard 1s good luck with that.

The Mavs now have one player on their roster who can create a a shot for himself or for others in Kyrie and he's about to turn 33.

The only other thing I'll add to this is Dennis Lindsey was with the Mavs last year and is a great basketball mind.

He left to work for the Pistons this season. Do with that what you will.


The funniest thing in all of this was thanking Pelinka for agreeing to keep things quiet and not sharing the idea of a trade with anyone - of course he wanted to keep it quiet, the last thing he wanted was for someone at the Mavs with a brain to find out and nix it - or for god forbid it leaks and other teams started offering realistic packages.

Pelinka cooked.

He's right about Pelinka.

Pelinka kept quiet about it for the same reason casino advantage players keep things quiet when they find a monster play. Once the word gets out, you're fucked.


Anyway, from the above statement, you'd never think he and Doncic ever had issues. Maybe they didn't, and the media was overblowing it. I know Bob denied it at the time.

Oh... by the way. Bob and I are what I'd consider friendly acquaintances. We follow each other on Twitter, interact sometimes, and have DM'd on occasion. We aren't friends, but we get along well enough, and there's a chance I could get him on radio, if there's interest, which I assume there would be.

[lol wow]

todge shutup there is a laker whos as tall and as fat as you this is a miracle

[lol wow]

like im equally fine if luka turns into like 300 pound charles barkley just getting high and eating in la this is gonna be so fun

[VaughnP]

There is no justification for what just happened. People keep saying Luka is in the peak of his career, again historically for players of his talent and skill level this is not true - he's not yet 26. We may not have even seen anywhere near his ceiling. Players like him that depend less on athleticism and more on skill, IQ, and shot creating ability don't tend to enter their peaks until their later 20s and can keep that effectiveness into their 30s. This shows again how ridiculous it is to use conditioning as an excuse. He's a filthy rich 25 year old that can still grow up and learn discipline. There has never been a dumber move in modern American sports. What kind of fucking moron negotiates something like this with one team? Does a reasonably intelligent person even negotiate things like lawn care with one landscaping company? Again, refer to the other thread - this is the same schmo that famously botched the Nike/Curry shoe deal which heavily contributed to Under Armor establishing themselves as a premium brand among youth and young adults. Even if somehow they win a title this year, and that's clearly a huge "if" - this prick will go down as an all time jackass in the history of basketball. Dumont and Rick Welts allowing this is unbelievable.

Yes, Under Armour’s signing of Stephen Curry was a game-changer for the brand, significantly boosting its presence in the basketball market. Here’s how it helped:

1. Massive Increase in Basketball Market Share

Before Curry, Under Armour was barely a competitor in basketball footwear. His rise coincided with the Curry 1 release in 2015, and by 2016:
• Under Armour overtook Adidas in U.S. basketball shoe sales, becoming the second-biggest brand behind Nike.
• The Curry line became one of the best-selling signature shoes, with the Curry 1 and Curry 2 performing especially well.

2. Brand Recognition & Cultural Impact
• Curry became a global superstar with multiple MVPs and NBA championships, making Under Armour a household name in basketball.
• Unlike Nike’s focus on dominant, athletic players (e.g., LeBron, KD), Curry’s relatable style (shooting, skill-based play) resonated with young players.

3. Stock & Revenue Growth (2015-2017 Boom)
• Under Armour’s revenue grew by 30% in 2015, largely due to Curry’s rise.
• In 2016, the brand’s valuation skyrocketed past $5 billion.
• The Curry 2 “Chef” controversy (white dad shoes) was a rare misstep but still kept the brand in discussions.

4. Long-Term Impact & Challenges
• After peaking in 2016-2017, Under Armour struggled to maintain momentum, partly due to Nike regaining control of the market and UA’s missteps in design and marketing.
• Curry’s extension with Under Armour (lifetime deal in 2023) helped stabilize its basketball division.
• The launch of Curry Brand (UA’s version of Jordan Brand) in 2020 solidified Curry as Under Armour’s biggest asset.

Final Verdict

Yes, signing Curry was one of Under Armour’s best moves ever, giving them credibility in basketball. While they couldn’t fully dethrone Nike, Curry’s brand influence still keeps them relevant today.

[lol wow]

shutup walter

[Dan Druff]

There is some belief that Lebron, one of the best conditioned players of all time (look at him at 40), will have an influence on Doncic and help him get into shape. Some believe that Lebron is one of the few players Doncic might listen to, regarding changing things up.

But it's not like Doncic and Lebron are best buds, and it's not like it was engineered the way Davis to the Lakers was.

This blindsided both guys, and they might not even want to play together.

Funny enough, the reverse of this situation is what caused Shaq to leave the Lakers. Kobe was obsessed with conditioning. Shaq loved eating, rapping, playing cop, and being part of Hollywood. Shaq wanted no part of a disciplined conditioning program. He was fine weighing around 400 pounds, and using his massive size and strength to dominate in the paint. Kobe was pissed off, as he increasingly saw the Lakers as his team, and felt Shaq was holding back the team's potential by letting himself be fat and out of shape. Eventually they clashed enough to where Shaq was traded for the 04-05 season, especially after the Lakers got outplayed by Detroit in the Finals.

So 20 years ago the Lakers shipped out a great player because of being a fatass, and now they're acquiring a fatass from another team who was shipped out for the same reason.