Jimmy Butler: Breaking Down the Timberwolves Drama and Future Plans

Jimmy Butler

What a day in the NBA. Technically, it’s the preseason, but I’m still considering this the offseason. Without a doubt, the NBA offseason is the most entertaining offseason in professional sports. From free agency to trade rumors, the drama off the court easily surpasses the action on the court. Today, fans were given a treat as the Jimmy Butler saga with the Minnesota Timberwolves went from 0 to 100 real quick.

If you haven’t been following the NBA the past few weeks, the rumors have been that Butler wants out of Minnesota. Once last season ended, stories about how Butler didn’t mesh with Karl Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins, and coach Tom Thibodeau. Fast forward to three weeks ago when a report surfaced that Butler requested a trade. Butler is in the last year of his deal and will want a max contract at the end of the year, so if he does not fit in Minnesota, Butler wants to be sent to a team that can pay him like the Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks, Los Angeles Clippers, or Miami Heat. Because of that report, Butler has did not report to the start of training.

Practice Drama

That all changed today when all hell broke loose. According to reports, Butler showed up to training camp late today and subbed himself in on the third team to face the starters, which included Towns and Wiggins. Then, the wheels came off.

From Yahoo – “At one point, Butler found himself guarding Towns in the post. After Towns received the entry pass, Butler yelled, “He can’t do [expletive] against me!” Towns ended up passing the ball out, sources said.”

Live look at me right now.

Holy dysfunction. I would’ve paid pay-per-view money to watch that scrimmage. I’m praying that a camera picked up some of the action. Just imagine KAT calling out anyone on the team to stop him, Butler accepting the challenge, and KAT passed back out. That’s a very bad look for KAT. Then again, would you want to go against Butler in sicko mode? I know I would pass it right back out, but I also didn’t just receive a max contract.

What’s Next for Butler

After all the dust has settled, who do you side with, Jimmy Butler or the T-wolves? I’m here to tell you that I’m siding with Butler. I’m ok with 80% of the things he did today. Let’s start with the 20% I didn’t like. If you’re trying to receive a max contract from a team or look like an attractive trading option, you can’t scream at the front office saying, “You f***ing need me. You can’t win without me.” You’re placing yourself before the team. That doesn’t exactly scream good teammate material.

That being said, I gained a lot of respect from Butler after that interview. When healthy, Butler is a top 20 player and a top 5 two-way player. He’s been in tough playoff battles with the Bulls. Butler knows what it takes to win in the NBA. He’s an emotional player, and it clearly showed in the interview. However, there was a purpose for his outburst. In the interview, Butler complimented Towns, calling him the best player on the team, and Wiggins, saying he had the most God-given talent. For whatever reason, it hasn’t panned out in Minnesota yet. So today, Butler called out the two best young players and challenged them. Minnesota is in dire need of some toughness, and maybe Butler’s outburst was a wakeup call. Calling out the GM is not the way to go, but battling in practice and showing the young guys what playing hard truly means is more than ok with me.

The right move is to trade Butler, but if drama like this is going to happen all season, as a fan, keep Butler in Minnesota and get ready for some five round fights.

Hot Takes House: Drake Curse, Fire NFL QBs and Coaches, Tim Tebow Tears

Tim Tebow

It’s Monday, and the Hot Takes House is open for business. These are hot takes and fun from the weekend. Send us your hot takes to ImMad@unafraidshow.com, and they may make the next week Hot Takes House. Do not read any further if you are easily offended, especially if you are a Tim Tebow fan. If you do, share with a friend.

Send us your hot takes to ImMad@unafraidshow.com, and they may make the next week post.

Winner of the Weekend

  • The curse of Drake is real. He has cursed the Toronto Raptors, Kentucky Wildcats, Serena Williams, and Connor McGregor. If I ever end up on a big stage in competition keep Drake’s ass away from me.

  • It is time for the Oakland Raiders, New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers, and Jacksonville Jaguars need to drop their pride and sign Colin Kaepernick.

NFL

1. Derek Carr has the worst interception of the 2018 NFL season.

 

2. We did not ask for a new Sunday Night Football song. The old one was just fine.

3. Jason Garrett is the best thing that ever happened to the Giants, Eagles, Washington, the entire AFC, and NFC.

4. It’s time for the Cowboys to break down and text Dez, “You Up”?

5. The Cleveland Browns have a better winning percentage than the Dallas Cowboys. Welcome to 2018.- @JakeBrownRadio

6. Only Bad Blake Bortles could 1-up Derek Carr’s terrible interception!

7. Nick Foles is not better than Carson Wentz. Eagles twitter needs to stop with the nonsense.

8. Packers kicker Mason Crosby may be in the process of cutting himself. He missed 5 FGs in a dome against Detroit.

9. Odell Beckham threw the best deep touchdown pass of the Giants’ season. He is their best wide receiver and quarterback.

10.

  • Last week Colts’ coach Frank Reich went for it on fourth down in overtime and didn’t get it; Texans won in overtime.
  • This week Cowboys’ coach Jason Garrett punted on fourth and shorter; Texans won again in overtime.
  • Two different coaching approaches, the same result, only one looks cowardice.

College Football

1. In my unbiased opinion, Wrighster is right! Tim Tebow and Nick Saban need to quit crying about fans not showing up!

2. Mike Stoops was actively sabotaging the Oklahoma Sooners defense. We all knew he was getting fired!

3. The jig is up! Utah figured out how to stop Stanford’s jump ball on the goal line. I’ve never seen anybody play it like the Utah cornerback. I bet the conversion percentage goes down from here on out

4.  Florida State quarterback Deondre Francois is the toughest quarterback in the country. He gets his ass kicked every week, doesn’t down his teammates, and signs up for more. 

5. “Dicker the Kicker” is the best nickname in college football! Texas Wins.

6. The AP Poll is biased for ranking Georgia so highly when they have played nobody. The Unafraid Show Top 10 are the only rankings I acknowledge.

UFC

1. Ridiculous that the cameras pulled away on a PPV event. We paid the money. We get to see what happens! #UFC229

2. I hate to be the bearer of bad news. Should we tell Connor or no?

 

Hope you enjoyed Hot Takes House. See you next Monday! Send us your hot takes to ImMad@unafraidshow.com, and they may make the next week post.

Which League has the Best Playoffs: MLB, NBA, NFL, or NHL?

best playoffs

Best Part of Pro Sports

The playoffs are a special time in sports. Fans are on the edge of their seats, players are little more nervous, and the margin of error is as slim as possible. The chance to win a title is a dream that keeps you up at night. It’s the culmination of all the hard work done in the offseason and regular season.

Keeping that in mind, I pose this question. What sport has the best playoffs? For the purpose of this argument, we’re choosing from the four major sports – MLB, NBA, NFL, and NHL.

Let the debate begin.

4. NBA

“Why do I even bother if I already know what’s going to happen? It’s going to be the Cavs vs. Warriors in the NBA finals?” – Average fan/basketball hater.

I love the NBA. Watching the best players in the world night in and night out is great television. We live in an era that has some of the best players ever to lace them up. Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Steph Curry, James Harden, and the legend himself, LeBron James, are all in the prime of their career. Their basketball abilities are unfathomable.

However, there is some truth to the “we already know the outcome” statement. For an 82 game season, there isn’t too much drama that occurs in the playoffs. The Warriors represented the West in four straight seasons, and LeBron represented the East in eight (!!!) straight finals. If you’re lucky, you’ll have a few series make it to 7 games, but on the flip side, there are A LOT of blowouts. That’s not exactly must-see television. Take a look at last year’s playoffs.

Thankfully, the Celtics were competitive enough to force a few Game 7s. However, as great as LeBron James was last year, the Cavs had no chance in a 7 game series against the Warriors. There is not a lot of parity. Maybe this year will be different, and a new team will emerge as champion!

Just kidding. The Warriors will beat the _________ in 5 games…again.

3. NFL

What the NFL has on its side is a favorable length to the season. 16 games to a season may be easier to watch and keep track of than a 162 game baseball season. It also stresses the importance of the regular season. In the playoffs, the NFL has Divisional Weekend, which is arguably the best weekend in sports. Crazy and exciting things seem to always happen in the Divisional Round. Just look at last season. DIGGS! SIDELINE! TOUCHDOWN! UNBELIEVABLE!

However, that doesn’t always happen every year. Compared to baseball and hockey, the unpredictability factor is fairly low. In 14 of the last 15 seasons, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, or Ben Roethlisberger have represented the AFC in the Super Bowl. That’s great if you’re a fan of those quarterbacks, but not so much if you root for the other teams. Also, the first round is notorious for having a few poor games and mismatches. Last year was an outlier (although the Jaguars beat the Bills 10-3), but in 2016, the smallest losing deficit was 13. It truly depends on the year, but the small amount of playoff games backfires when the games are not exciting.

2. NHL

Do you want to talk about edge of your seat television? Look no further than the NHL playoffs. It is so hard to score a goal in hockey, so when it happens in the playoffs, it’s like winning the Super Bowl. The celebrations are epic. From the announcers to the fans in the arena to the millions watching at home, the atmosphere is electric. Players are diving in front of shots on every possession. Goalies are standing on their heads to make impossible saves. If you blink, you might miss the action.

By far, the NHL has the highest unpredictability factor out of the four major sports. Chalk doesn’t always win. Two years ago, the Nashville Predators made the Stanley Cup Final as an 8 seed. Two years ago, a 2 seed defeated a 3 seed in the finals. Three years ago, a 3 seed defeated a 2 seed in the finals. There’s no stopping a hot goalie in the playoffs. Did I also mention that the Stanley Cup is the best trophy in professional sports?

1. MLB

For me, nothing beats October baseball. After a long 162 game season, 10 teams duke it out over one month for a chance to win the World Series. Just like hockey, baseball has an exciting atmosphere. I was lucky enough to attend the Wild Card game last year between the Twins and Yankees, and I thought I was going deaf after the game. I’d argue that home field matters the most in baseball as opposed to the other major sports. In terms of format, it’s the only major sport to change the number of games in each round. The Division Series is best-of-five while the Championship Series and World Series are best-of-seven.

Baseball is truly a “never say die game” because 10 teams have come back from 0-2 deficits in the Division Series and one team has come back from a 0-3 deficit, with the latter never happening in the NBA. The length of the postseason is perfect. It takes a little over one month to crown a champion as opposed to the drawn-out NBA and NHL playoffs, which last two months. Plus, teams play on consecutive days, which doesn’t happen in the other major sports. Give me the eighth inning of a tie ball game with bases loaded, two outs over any playoff situation in the major sports.

Do you agree or disagree with the Best Playoffs: MLB, NBA, NFL, or NHL rankings? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

LeBron James Should Not Regret Naming His Son LeBron Jr

Lebron James was on Uninterrupted and said that he regrets naming his oldest son LeBron James Jr. after him because there are so many pressures and expectations on him. I applaud LeBron for being a great dad who is concerned about the wellbeing of his son, but he is wrong here. Most people refer to his son as “Bronny,” not LeBron James, Jr. LeBron’s first name is not what creates the pressures and expectations on his son; it is his last name. That name carries a lot of weight and opens a lot of doors and opportunities out in the world. I would guarantee his son carries his name with enormous pride, and wouldn’t change it for the world. Think about the expectations of greatness that people will place on Blue Ivy, North West, or Mark Zuckerberg’s kids all because of their parents. Laila Ali, Ken Griffey Jr, Barry Bonds, and Brent Barry all had on them because of their fathers. When a kid has a parent that is highly accomplished, there are many unwarranted expectations placed on their children.

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The flip side of the last name is true as well. If your last name is Capone, Manson, Ridgeway, Madoff, Gotti or Kaczynski people will forms opinions and make judgments about you as well. It doesn’t matter what their family members first names are once people know who their father is.

People often forget the professional athletes and their children are human beings first. Just a couple weeks ago LeBron was at his son’s game, and people start chanting “overrated” to his 14-year old son. That was wrong and just mean-spirited to do to a middle-schooler. LeBron is used to the fans and heckling, but has to be fiercely protective of his kids like any other good parent. In the Uninterrupted clip, he says that the impetus for naming Bronny after him was to be everything his father was not; present and loving. He has accomplished his goal, but Bronny still has to forge his own path. It wouldn’t matter what LeBron named his son; his father would still be LeBron James.

I am George Wrighster, III. I am extremely proud to be the third generation and have my father and grandfather’s name. So, I know LeBron James Jr. is proud of his name as well. All good parents are concerned about their kids and worry about whether they are making all the right moves. LeBron can rest assure that he is doing all the right things for his kids. He is a present, loving, and positive example of a man, father, and husband to his sons. Most importantly, he is leaving a legacy for his kids that they are More Than an Athlete!

What do you think? Am I Wrighster or am I Wrong?

 

It’s Time For Carmelo Anthony To Come Off The Bench

carmelo Anthony

When all is said and done, Carmelo Anthony will go down as one of the most polarizing players of his generation.

Let’s start with the good. Carmelo Anthony is going to the NBA Hall of Fame. This is not up for debate. 10-time all-star, 6-time All-NBA member, and one of 6 players ever to record at least 24,000 points, 6,000 rebounds, 2,500 assists, 1,000 steals and 1,000 3-point field goals. Anthony is also the greatest USA Olympic basketball player ever, having been a member of the team a record four times with 3 golds and one bronze to his name. Add in the fact that he’s the USA Basketball all-time leading scorer, leading rebounder, and leader of games and that’s quite an impressive resume.

Did I forget to mention that as a freshman at Syracuse, he lead the Orange to Jim Boeheim’s only National Championship win in 2003?

Carmel Anthony not only belongs in the Hall of Fame, but he deserves that honor. That’s a fact that should not go unnoticed.

Ok, now it’s time for the bad. Last year, expectations were high for the Oklahoma City Thunder as they formed their own version of a “Big 3” with Russell Westbrook, Paul George, and Carmelo Anthony. The team showed signs of promise throughout the regular season, but the Thunder faltered in the playoffs, losing to the Utah Jazz in the first round. Melo played very poorly in that series, averaging just only 11 PPG as well as playing significantly fewer minutes in the final two games. That’s a long ways away from a career 24 PPG scorer.

The playoff series was only a reflection of a disappointing season. Last year marked career lows in scoring, assists, and win shares per 48 minutes. It’s clear that Melo lacks the explosion that once made him unguardable on the offensive end. Seriously, during his prime, one could argue that Melo was the best scoring threat in the NBA even with LeBron James and Kobe Bryant still in the league. His pull up jumper was automatic, he could bully you down low, and had the strength to finish at the rim. Now, it seems that Melo hangs around the key and will primarily take catch-and-shoot 3s.

Now, the Oklahoma City experiment is over as Melo was traded to the Atlanta Hawks, who then bought him out of his contract. The Houston Rockets were the favorite to sign him, and that’s exactly what happened.

So here we are. Carmelo Anthony is now a Rocket. Houston is coming off of their best regular season in history, finishing with a record of 65-17. The Rockets pushed Golden State to their brink with a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference Finals before ultimately losing the series. If Chris Paul does not get injured, who knows what happens. The Rockets might have won the NBA Title over the Cavs. Does Melo get the Rockets over the problem that is known as the Warriors?

Side note: It’s crazy that Melo and Mike D’Antoni are reuniting after their rocky relationship in New York. D’Antoni wanted Melo to move the ball more and play power forward, which Melo refused to do and essentially, ran D’Antoni out of town. It’s crazy how things have changed.

The elephant in the room is Melo. Why would a 65 win team take on a player that has been known to command the rock and struggle off the ball? For starters, Melo fits a need at the 3 / stretch 4. The Rockets lost two of their wings, Trevor Ariza and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, who happen to be their best defenders, to free agency. Melo can hit an open 3 pointer, which the Rockets shoot at will. If Melo can learn to play third fiddle behind Chris Paul and James Harden, this relationship might work. However, there is one scenario where I see Melo panning out in Houston.

Carmelo Anthony should come off the bench and become the best 6th man in the NBA. I understand that Melo immediately struck the idea of coming off the bench right down after the Thunder lost to the Jazz, but think about it. What is the job of the 6th man? It’s to score the ball. The 6th man is the leader of the second unit, who must put the ball in the basket when the starters need a break. Tell me this is not the perfect job for Melo at this stage in his career. I understand that Eric Gordon is an excellent 6th man for the Rockets, but with the losses of Ariza and Mbah a Moute, Gordon should start at the 3. Melo takes Gordon’s spot as the 6th man and honestly, he can thrive there. Melo can play iso-ball on the elbow and corner and not have to worry about keeping the middle open with CP3 and Harden on the bench. Plus, coming off the bench would put less pressure on Melo to play defense, which is a major weakness, and more emphasis on his offense.

As Carmelo Anthony enters the final chapter of his career, how will this saga end? Will he be able to make it work in Houston? The time has come to reinvent yourself as a 6th man because your ability to score can keep you in the league for years to come.

Spurs and Raptors Swap Kawhi and DeRozan: Winners and Losers

Kawhi Leonard DeRozan trade

How dirty is it that the Raptors just met with DeMar DeRozan at NBA Summer League in Vegas and told him he would not be traded? This is exactly why fans should have NO PROBLEM with players showing no loyalty; owners show none. It’s always business, never personal, unless you are deporting your disgruntled superstar to Canada.

We all thought the rumors were crazy that Kawhi Leonard would be traded to the Raptors. We were wrong.

The most ironic part of this trade is that news broke about Kawhi Leonard and the Raptors in the middle of the night and most people didn’t hear about it until they woke up. Kawhi Leonard is easily the most silent superstar the NBA has ever seen. And the Toronto Raptors are relevant during business hours. Nobody is being woken up out of their sleep to 10-15 texts with breaking news about Kawhi or the Raptors. This trade impacts the Lakers, Clippers, 76ers, Spurs, and Raptors.

Alas, we are here and there are clear-cut winners and losers of this trade.

WINNERS

Spurs/Popovich

The San Antonio Spurs managed to trade an unhappy superstar out of the western conference to a place he didn’t want to go and got a real asset back. Everybody except me thought a deal would happen with one of the LA teams (neither team was going to pay the king’s ransom the Spurs wanted for him). DeRozan < Kawhi, but he’s a real player, and could flourish under Popovich’s tutelage. There’s also great news for Greg Popovich himself. He doesn’t have to spend his final years coaching in rebuild mode.

Lakers young players (Kuzma, Ball, Hart, Ingram)

The Lakers young players are relieved they won’t be traded, at least not yet. Rumors had been circling for months about the Lakers and Spurs doing a deal for Kawhi with some combination of Kuzma, Ball, Hart, Ingram, and draft picks. Now Lonzo Ball can stop faking like his knee is hurt and get back out in public working out.

Raptors

The Raptors instantly got better and got an opportunity. Last year they won 59 games and got swept by LeBron in the second round of the playoffs. Now the Raptors have two options. They can either roll the dice and see if they can make it to the NBA Finals with Kawhi and hope they can convince him to resign long term. Or, they can wait the 60 days and try to get the Lakers or Clippers to give up draft picks and assets for Kawhi. Either way, the Raptors won in the short term but lost in the long term.

Lakers/Clippers

Both the Lakers and Clippers got a win in the trade. Both teams are reportedly on the list of desirable locations for Kawhi Leonard. Both teams had discussions with the Spurs about acquiring Kawhi, but the asking price was far too steep. Either team would have had to part with significant draft picks and players to get a deal done with the Spurs. With Kawhi is in the East with the Raptors, the asking price for Kawhi via trade will fall dramatically. Now, the question is will either the Lakers or Clippers pull the trigger on a trade, or will they gamble and wait till the offseason to hopefully sign Kawhi?

LOSERS

DeMar DeRozan

No more All-Star games and he has to Play LeBron in the playoffs again! OUCH! DeMar has been All-NBA 2x and is a 4x All-Star. Making the NBA All-Star team in the Western Conference was already a tough task before LeBron joined the Lakers. Every year named brand top players are left off the All-Star roster. It is much easier to make the All-Star team in the Eastern Conference. Unless Greg Popovich can get DeMar DeRozan to play like Kawhi Leonard, DeMar has made his last All-Star team.

Philadelphia 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers were holding out hope they could get LeBron or Kawhi Leonard in this offseason. Now that the Raptors own the rights to Kawhi Leonard there is no chance in hell they will trade him in-conference to the 76ers. They would essentially be giving Philly a “Big 3” and creating in the same situation they were in with LeBron in the East; a team they have no chance of beating in the playoffs for 10 years.

Toronto Raptors

The Raptors still have Kyle Lowry. Kyle Lowry is a solid player to have on your team if he’s not making over $30M and your second best player. You can’t get to the NBA Finals or win a championship with him as your #2. If the Raptors could have traded Lowry’s anchor of a contract instead of DeRozan, they would have.

The biggest piece of bad news is that reports have surfaced that Kawhi has no interest in playing in Toronto. But, I guess Raptors fans can look at the bright side. The team won’t have to pay a luxury tax bill and will have plenty of money for big name free agents in 2019 who won’t sign there next offseason.

 

 

Kawhi Leonard Hid from Spurs Brass When They Came to See Him

kawhi Leonard

We have all heard the speculation reports that Kawhi wants out of San Antonio, and wants to be in Los Angeles. And, we are all pretty certain the relationship between the San Antonio Spurs and their Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard had deteriorated. Apparently, they are much worse than we thought. ESPN Spur’s reporter Michael Wright was on Back To Back the Podcast and said Kawhi Leonard or his camp hid him from Spurs management when they went to New York to check on their star. A team not having access to see a player they are paying $19 million to is unprecedented.

I probably shouldn’t say this, but I’m gonna say it because Kawhi is about to be outta there. There was a point during his rehab process in New York that some of the Spurs brass went out to see him in New York. As soon as those guys arrived to the building, Kawhi’s people grabbed him and sequestered him to another part of the building so the Spurs’ people couldn’t even see him.

Here’s the clip:

At this point, no one knows WHERE or IF Kawhi Leonard will play the 2018-19 NBA season. The Spurs are trying to cut their losses by trying to entice the Lakers, Clippers, and Celtics to pay a king’s ransom through a trade for Leonard. Michael Wright also had thoughts on where Kawhi might land:

LeBron James Declines Option With Cavs And Becomes A Free Agent

There it is. NBA free agency starts on Sunday, July 1 at 12:01 AM, but the news that we all knew was coming just became official. LeBron James will not opt into his contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers and will become a free agent.

LeBron is the key to this year’s free agency. Wherever he signs will have a domino effect on the status of superstars such as Paul George and Kawhi Leonard. Will LeBron stay in Cleveland or leave to form a potential super team?

Right off the bat, the opt out news is a win for the Lakers and the Sixers. Both of these teams have the cap room to sign LeBron outright. Behind those teams are the Cavs. Opting into the deal would have meant LeBron would have probably requested a sign and trade. With LeBron becoming a free agent, the Cavs can offer the King more money and more years than any other team in the NBA. In turn, this LeBron news hurts the Rockets because the likeliest path for LeBron to Houston would have been through a sign and trade. It’s still possible, but unlikely to happen.

For my money, there are two teams in the LeBron sweepstakes: the Lakers and Cavs. Both teams have the most to offer. LeBron to LA has been a rumor for a few years now, and it gets stronger and stronger each day.

LeBron to LA makes a lot of sense. The Lakers have the ability to clear enough cap room to not just sign one, but two players to max contracts. That means if LeBron becomes a Laker, Paul George might be right behind him, who opted out of his deal the other day. Like the Cavs, the Thunder can offer Paul George the most money and teaming up with Russell Westbrook is not a bad consolation prize. That being said, if George stays in OKC or takes his talents elsewhere, the Lakers could still sign LeBron and trade for superstar Kawhi Leonard, who reportedly wants out of San Antonio. This would require a lot of moving parts and the deal would in all likelihood be packaged around Brandon Ingram, but the Lakers would be willing to part ways with their young talent for the rights to the best two-way player in the game in Leonard.

Do the Cavs have any chance at resigning King James? Hypothetically, they do, but if I’m a betting man, I’m putting my money on the field to sign LeBron. There’s too much tension between LeBron and Dan Gilbert. LeBron did what he promised he would do, which is win the city of Cleveland a championship. Now, it’s time to win more championships and the best place for him to do that would be in LA, Philly, or Houston.

The NBA offseason is full of rumors and they will only heat up as the days go by. Who knows, maybe LeBron will only sign a one year deal to stay in Cleveland and then play the free agency game again next year. I don’t expect LeBron to drag this decision out. I would bet that he makes his decision by July 4th.

So where will LeBron James end up? Your guess is as good as mine.

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Just kidding. He’s going to the Lakers.

 

Three Biggest Takeaways from the 2018 NBA Draft Night

by: Daniel Girolamo

Mavericks And Hawks Both Get Their Guys Via Trade

On the top of the Maverick’s board was Luka Donic. On the top of the Hawk’s board was Trae Young. It must have been their lucky night as both teams’ wishes came true.

The Mavs have had some luck with foreign players. Ever hear of Dirk Nowitzki? I heard he’s pretty good… Plus, Dirk will mentor Donic this year so it’s a dream scenario for Dallas. On the flip side, Trae Young will be given the keys to the offense for an Atlanta team that is undergoing a complete rebuild. Dennis Schroeder will most likely be traded so Young has a chance at starting right away. Can Young live up to expectations and become the next Steph Curry?

The Sixers Trade Hometown Hero Mikal Bridges In One Of The Most Cold-Blooded Moves In Draft History

“With the 10th pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, the Philadelphia 76ers select Mikal Bridges, Villanova.” You could not have scripted this better. Bridges won a National Championship at Villanova. He’s dreamed of playing for the Sixers. His mother is the VP of HR with the Sixers. The local product gets to stay home and play in Philly. It was a true storybook ending.

Then, this happened.

I’m still speechless. You would think a team that just fired their GM for having burner accounts would want to get back in the good graces of the public. Wrong. Credit to Phoenix though because they acquired a talented player in Bridges who will make an impact right away.

Michael Porter Jr.’s Medical Report Was Worse Than Expected

Going into the start of the college basketball team, Michael Porter Jr. was at the top of most draft boards. Porter was not only a guaranteed lottery pick, but a lock for at least the top five, maybe even top three. However, a back injury caused Porter Jr. to miss the majority of the season. Despite returning at the end of the year, NBA teams had concerns over his health, and rightfully so. However, last night proved that those concerns were worse than we thought. Not only did Porter slide out of the top five, but the top ten as well until he was selected by the Denver Nuggets at 14. If healthy, Porter Jr. has superstar potential and will be the steal of the draft.

Now, we are officially moving on to The Decision, Part III this offseason. Stay tuned.

 

Boston Or LA: Who will win the Kawhi Leonard Sweepstakes?

 

By Dan Girolamo

The NBA’s most famous rivalry on the court will now battle off the court for the prize that is Kawhi Leonard. According to Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports, Leonard wants to be traded out of San Antonio. The tension stems from how the organization handled Leonard’s quadriceps injury this past year and from the looks of it, the relationship cannot be fixed.

The Spurs are a model of consistency, having been to the playoffs every year since 1997 and winning five championships during that time frame. The Spurs also have arguably the best coaching and GM tandem in the NBA with Gregg Popovich and R.C. Buford. Seeing turmoil between a player and management in the Spurs organization is like seeing Bigfoot. It’s unheard of and rare.

If the relationship cannot be mended between Leonard and the Spurs, every NBA team will pick up their phones and try to acquire the 26-year-old. When healthy, Leonard is a top five player as well as the best two-way player in the NBA today. Leonard is a two-time All-Star and two-time Defensive Player of the Year who was the 2013-14 NBA Finals MVP. Superstars don’t grow on trees so if a team has a chance to sign or trade for one, they should do whatever it takes to make that happen.

That being said, San Antonio is not going to trade an All-NBA talent for a few scrubs and a bag of peanuts. The Spurs are going to command a combination of young, proven talent as well as draft picks in order to even discuss a trade for Leonard. In turn, Leonard can become a free agent after 2019 if he does not sign the supermax with the Spurs this summer. If a team does trade for Leonard, they will have to receive a verbal commitment from Leonard saying that he will resign with the team in order to make the deal.

Young talent, draft picks, and a place that Kawhi wants to go. What teams check all of those boxes? There are two, Boston and LA.

On paper, the Celtics and the Lakers have the necessary assets to make a deal for Leonard. Let’s start with the Celtics. Boston has taken young talent and developed them into potential superstars. The “kids,” lead by Jason Tatum, Jalen Brown, and Terry Rozier, brought the Celtics to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals without Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward. Boston also has a plethora of draft picks, including multiple first round picks for 2019. Tatum is most likely untouchable, but a trade centered around Brown and Rozier with draft picks may be the best deal any team has to offer.

On the other coast lies the upstart Los Angles Lakers, who will be major players in free agency this summer. The Lakers have room for two max contracts and have already shown interest in signing Paul George and the King himself, Lebron James. If the Lakers land both George and James, trading for Leonard is still a high possibility especially if Leonard prefers the Lakers as his top team. The Lakers can package a deal around Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball, but they may have to bring in another team to make the deal that much sweeter.

When the smoke clears, I believe Kawhi Leonard will be on the Boston Celtics come opening night next season. The Celtics have the emerging talent and the draft picks to make a trade. Plus, trading Leonard to the Celtics, as opposed to the Lakers, keeps him out of the Western Conference. With Kawhi Leonard, the Boston Celtics would officially become the favorites to represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals.

Let the offseason madness begin.