NBA Chatter Thread

Deuce said:

So close.

F people that lose on purpose and f LA just because.

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The Celtics tanked hard the year Oden and Durant came out.

Carp said:

I am a bit surprised that so many want Sixers to take Ingram.

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I guess I get it, but I think it has to be Simmons.

Genghis Khan said:

I guess I get it, but I think it has to be Simmons.

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Just to warn you...we supposedly love Kris Dunn.

Carp said:

Just to warn you...we supposedly love Kris Dunn.

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Dunn is a good player, but we'd be retarded to take him 1.

Embiid says he'll be ready next season in more great Sixers news
Eric Freeman By Eric Freeman
8 hours ago
Ball Don't Lie
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Tuesday was unquestionably a good night for the Philadelphia 76ers, who won the draft lottery to obtain the No. 1 pick after a 10-72 season. It's not clear if that reward will prove to be worth three years of unrepentant losing, but it at least validates a great deal of ex-GM Sam Hinkie's controversial plan and gives the franchise real hope for the future. Adding Ben Simmons or Brandon Ingram (or a mystery candidate) will give them a bright prospect with the chance to grow into stardom.


The night got a whole lot better shortly after it was revealed that the Sixers had won the first pick. Barring any setbacks, Hinkie's highest-profile draft selection will be available to play his first game for the franchise when the 2016-17 season begins. After two seasons lost to foot injuries, center Joel Embiid says he will be ready and in uniform:




Embiid's announcement echoes a statement from head coach Brett Brown last week that put his on-court debut as "a strong belief." Embiid's tweet takes the anticipation to a new level, particularly given the likely debut of fellow 2014 first-rounder Dario Saric and the addition of the eventual top pick in the draft. Embiid's pretty happy about his new teammate, too:




That's a reference to a report that Embiid did not approach his rehabilitation process seriously and regularly consumed pitchers of Shirley Temples (Shirleys Temple?). No one ever said Embiid lacked a sense of humor.

Embiid carried star potential at the time of his selection and was considered a excellent draft's top prospect before breaking his foot. However, there's no telling what two years away from high-level competition has done to his game, just as it's unknown if another injury is a few months away. For that matter, Brown said in March that Embiid will be under serious minutes restrictions upon his return and should be behind Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel on the depth chart at center.

Whatever. Sixers fans deserve to get excited about something, and Embiid has as much potential as anyone on the roster. His return is great news for a franchise that needs as many talented players as it can get. Here's hoping he won't be off the court again for some time once he debuts.

I really think that it has to be Ingram. As much as I like Simmons, the Sixers need a dynamic scorer. I will go back and forth on tihis for a long time.

Carp said:

I really think that it has to be Ingram. As much as I like Simmons, the Sixers need a dynamic scorer. I will go back and forth on tihis for a long time.

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I do get more of a "dynamic playmaker" vibe from Ingram.

Simmons strikes me as more of a Lamar Odom type of talent; which isn't a slight at all. Odom at his peak was a very good 18pt 7rb 5ast type of player. That's the vibe I'm getting from Simmons.

As good as those numbers are I don't think I'd necessarily want to settle for that with the number 1 overall pick.

Former Suns, Knicks and Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni has emerged as the front-runner for the Rockets' coaching position though several steps have to still fall in place for him to land the job, a person with knowledge of the process said on Wednesday.

The individual, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the private nature of the process, said that talks have been ongoing and that there are two other coaches that can be considered finalists for the position.

The Rockets view D'Antoni, the 76ers associate head coach, as one of the preeminent experts in the style of fast-paced, spread offense they prefer, but will consider the staff he will assemble as a major consideration.

The Rockets will look to add a coach that would run their defense, a major consideration to eventually choose D'Antoni.

Grizzlies assistant Jeff Bzdelik is among the coaches the Rockets would consider for that, but they have not interviewed Bzdelik or yet received permission from the Grizzlies to meet with him, a person with knowledge of the process said. Bzdelik will be considered for the Grizzlies head coaching position, according to the individual familiar with the process.

The Rockets had also looked at Pacers coach Nate McMillan for that role before he was named to succeed Frank Vogel in Indianapolis.

Rockets general manager Daryl Morey spent time with D'Antoni at the 2015 Sloan Conference in Boston, getting to know him for the first time, though then not with any idea that he would have a job open. D'Antoni also fits Rockets owner Leslie Alexander's long-preferred style of offense.

1bigfan13 said:

I do get more of a "dynamic playmaker" vibe from Ingram.

Simmons strikes me as more of a Lamar Odom type of talent; which isn't a slight at all. Odom at his peak was a very good 18pt 7rb 5ast type of player. That's the vibe I'm getting from Simmons.

As good as those numbers are I don't think I'd necessarily want to settle for that with the number 1 overall pick.

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Simmons has to go to a team that has shooters and finishers...Sixers don't have that.

The Sixers won't be a finished product no matter who they draft. They need to take the best player and build around that guy. That's Simmons imo.

I like them both, but I think I'd rather have Ingram. Give me the guy that will consistently hit the outside shot. It will open things up for the bigs inside, too.

Sixers should trade down to 3 and grab Hield. He might be Dwayne Wade 2.0.

Deuce said:

Sixers should trade down to 3 and grab Hield. He might be Dwayne Wade 2.0.

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Uh what?

Jiggyfly said:

Uh what?

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Sixers need legit scorers and have nobody at SG....and trading down to 3 lets to Celtics move up. What's the problem?

Jiggyfly said:

Former Suns, Knicks and Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni has emerged as the front-runner for the Rockets' coaching position though several steps have to still fall in place for him to land the job, a person with knowledge of the process said on Wednesday.

The individual, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the private nature of the process, said that talks have been ongoing and that there are two other coaches that can be considered finalists for the position.

The Rockets view D'Antoni, the 76ers associate head coach, as one of the preeminent experts in the style of fast-paced, spread offense they prefer, but will consider the staff he will assemble as a major consideration.

The Rockets will look to add a coach that would run their defense, a major consideration to eventually choose D'Antoni.

Grizzlies assistant Jeff Bzdelik is among the coaches the Rockets would consider for that, but they have not interviewed Bzdelik or yet received permission from the Grizzlies to meet with him, a person with knowledge of the process said. Bzdelik will be considered for the Grizzlies head coaching position, according to the individual familiar with the process.

The Rockets had also looked at Pacers coach Nate McMillan for that role before he was named to succeed Frank Vogel in Indianapolis.

Rockets general manager Daryl Morey spent time with D'Antoni at the 2015 Sloan Conference in Boston, getting to know him for the first time, though then not with any idea that he would have a job open. D'Antoni also fits Rockets owner Leslie Alexander's long-preferred style of offense.

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He'd be a terrible hire.

All he knows is offense and doesn't seem all that concerned with his teams playing defense. This is exactly the type of coach the Rockets SHOULDN'T be hiring.

Deuce said:

Sixers need legit scorers and have nobody at SG....and trading down to 3 lets to Celtics move up. What's the problem?

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I was talking about the Wade comparison.

Heil is nowhere near that kind of athlete, he is closer to Klay Thompson than Wade.

Don't really have an opinion on who they should take but I do think they need to take the better player instead of fit.

Jiggyfly said:

I was talking about the Wade comparison.

Heil is nowhere near that kind of athlete, he is closer to Klay Thompson than Wade.

Don't really have an opinion on who they should take but I do think they need to take the better player instead of fit.

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I disagree. I think he's more athletic than you give him credit for and he's the best pure scorer in this draft.

Deuce said:

I disagree. I think he's more athletic than you give him credit for and he's the best pure scorer in this draft.

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Wade was a freak athlete.

I think Heill might be a better athlete than Thompson but not on Wades scale.

Sources: Rockets bring in Stephen Silas for second interview
Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical By Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical
55 minutes ago
Yahoo Sports
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Only one coaching candidate stands between the Houston Rockets and the start of contract talks with frontrunner Mike D’Antoni, league sources told The Vertical: Charlotte Hornets assistant coach Stephen Silas.



Silas has a second interview with the Rockets on Thursday and will meet with owner Leslie Alexander and general manager Daryl Morey, league sources said.

Silas, 42, made a strong impression on Rockets officials in his first interview and has a growing reputation in the league.

While this is considered an interview for the head-coaching job, Silas isn’t the top assistant in Charlotte, and the Rockets could make a play to hire Silas to join D’Antoni as his top assistant, sources said. Patrick Ewing is the associate head coach in Charlotte, so it is conceivable – if Houston doesn’t want to usurp D’Antoni in the process – that the Rockets make a run at Silas to be the team’s top assistant coach.

Houston has explored different staff combinations for D’Antoni, who is the associate head coach with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Silas, the son of former NBA player and coach Paul Silas, has built an impressive résumé in 16 years in the league, including coaching stops in Cleveland, Washington and Golden State. Charlotte coach Steve Clifford is highly respected within the Rockets organization and his recommendation of Silas has carried significant weight too, sources said.

Jiggyfly said:

Wade was a freak athlete.

I think Heill might be a better athlete than Thompson but not on Wades scale.

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I don't remember Wade ever being a freak athlete. I think he was an above average athlete. When I think freak athlete I think of guys like Lebron, AI, Vince, etc.

Also, Wade had knee issues coming out of college so he's never been an ultra-explosive player. I view him as a guy who got by with his craftiness more so than his athleticism.

As an aside, it's Buddy Hield.

Put some respeck on his name!