22 Feb 2020 18:35:46
Just off LaVine comments

Green and kuz plus rights to Lakers 2020 first to Bulls

LaVine to Lakers

Bulls trade porter young and Markkanen
Bulls get Paul and Ferguson plus two first round picks from okc.

Bradley
LaVine
James
Davis
McGee

Paul
White
hitchison
Kuz
Carter

22 Feb 2020 18:50:32
That first one is awful for the bulls.

22 Feb 2020 23:20:54
the Lakers can add some movable contracts with non guaranteed money and take on felicio to save money and add there 2026 unprotected first.

23 Feb 2020 00:27:21
Bulls fans won't like either trade lmao omg.

23 Feb 2020 12:09:44
ll, they’d want some kind of high end asset back and that’s.

23 Feb 2020 12:58:40
That’s what Kuzma is. When he got the minutes he balls out. Him white carter and hitchison can develop together. It LaVine say he only want to play for Lakers I don’t see teams giving up a lot for him.

23 Feb 2020 14:26:35
Kuzma is a 24 year old off ball volume scorer that doesn’t do much else. He’s not a high end asset in the least bit.

23 Feb 2020 16:47:00
I see Kuzma with lots of potential where he can be a third option on a championship team. Kuzma just play the same position as Davis and James so it’s not working out. About same as LaVine can be. LaVine can score lots of points but how many wins does that lead too. LaVine and Kuzma can switch places and Kuzma can average 25 a game but it’s not going to lead to many wins because there not first option players.

23 Feb 2020 20:00:52
LaVine is so much better Kuzma. Like a ridiculous amount better and they’re the same age.

23 Feb 2020 20:23:21
Without Davis Kuzma average 20 plus a game.

24 Feb 2020 01:16:44
So Kuzma is Carmelo. Hows that working out?

24 Feb 2020 03:33:14
Without Davis, Kuzma is averaging 20 ppg and the Lakers are the 6 seed. Points are nice, but context is helpful.

Kuzma is a 6th man on a championship team. That’s not conjecture, that’s real life.

24 Feb 2020 07:05:05
With James and Davis LaVine wouldn’t average 25 a game is the point in making. just like Kuzma especially with him playing the same position as Davis and James. Thing is Chicago can keEp kuz for the next 6 years with carter hitchison and white. Develop white and let LaVine move on.

So how McCollum working being a second option. Horrible there not even in playoffs. he be better if he was a sixth man on championship team.

24 Feb 2020 13:56:55
No LaVine wouldn’t be averaging 25, but he’d also be averaging a lot more than 13, which is what Kuzma is averaging. He’d also still be a shooting threat, which Kuzma barely is. He’d also be able to create off the dribble, which Kuzma can’t. Kuzma is a volume scorer and he’s at his worse when he’s on a good team. The only reason Kuzma is even talked about Is because he plays for the Lakers. The reason he wasn’t traded during the deadline is no one was willing to give up a good veteran to get him. LaVine is better than a good veteran role player.

24 Feb 2020 14:12:34
I actually don’t hate the Lavine/ Kuzma swap, because I think Lavine is very similar. He’s a hollow stats guy that doesn’t do much for winning.

McCollum was the second best player on the second best team in the west last year. He was the second best player on the 3 seed in back to back years. Comparing Kuzma to McCollum is pure stupidity.

24 Feb 2020 17:26:19
So if Lakers had a dominate point guard like lillard or curry or Irving instead of Davis how will Kuzma fit in so much better. To call kuz a sixth man is low he can be a third or 4th man with James and a dominate point guard. So to call McCollum a horrible second option Is true because on a championship team he be a 3rd option or 6th man of the year. Like I said without Davis and add dominate point guard kuz will start and average More then 13. because he play behind James and Davis who forwards who play lots of minutes so it’s logical for kuz to not be good a fit. But without Davis Kuzma over achieves. The LaVine and kuz swap are similar because if either player was first option for the bulls in current situation they would be same team but my other trade for Paul makes them a great team for next two years and if Paul can get the best out of white then they can be good moving forward. Only difference is in my situation they can lock Kuzma up in a new deal and LaVine is close to expiring. Plus there getting the pg they need for now and getting a replacement in Markkanen with Kuzma plus two first.

What will make bulls better is if Markkanen turned out to on prozingis level and add a pg who can play good defense and lead the team.

24 Feb 2020 17:37:24
LaVine will also start and be the Lakers best guard so it’s logical he average more then 13. He be a way better fit then Kuzma. Like Kuzma contract will be a better fit for the bulls.

Let’s here your idea to get the bulls an high end asset for trading LaVine. I thought Kuzma be one of there best options.

24 Feb 2020 17:46:31
That said, to win a championship, McCollum has to be the third best player on a team. But I think a team can absolutely win with him being the #3. Add AD to Portland (and make Portland healthy) and they're up there for the best team in the NBA.

24 Feb 2020 19:50:00
If Davis starts at center with lbj and kuz plus Bradley and green the Lakers be a way better team and look better to win this year. Use Caruso more along with Morris, Howard, kcp Just bench rondo and McGee when it gets closer to playoff so they all healthy. Then McGee and rondo can play while Lakers have big leads to end games.

24 Feb 2020 19:51:24
But you're still comparing the two. McCollum is a top 30 player in the league. Kuzma is. borderline top 100? ESPN had him at 71 last year, and he will drop next time they do their rankings.

If you add Kuzma to Portland, they're likely no better than they are right now. They'd still be the 9 seed. Take him off the Lakers and they're probably still the 1 seed.

If you remove McCollum from Portland, they're probably third last in the west. Add McCollum to LA and they have the best record in the NBA .

Again, I don't think that the swap is horrible. But that's because I don't think much of Lavine and don't think he's worth a high end asset. I wouldn't give up a lottery pick for him. I wouldn't give up Zach Collins for him if the Bulls offered Portland that swap (ignoring contracts) . I sure as heck wouldn't consider a McCollum for Lavine swap without a lottery pick going to Portland (even then, I probably wouldn't) .

Here's your lack of logic: You're saying it's either you're a #1 or 2 option, or a role player/ 6th man. That's flawed. It's closer to Tier 1 (superstar), Tier 2 (star), Tier 3 (role player), Tier 4 (spot minute/ reserve), Tier 5 (end of the bench) . McCollum is a mid level or above tier 2 guy. Kuzma is a mid level tier 3 guy with the potential to be a high end tier 3 player. Lavine is probably a high end tier 3 guy masquerading as a tier 2 guy.

24 Feb 2020 19:52:48
Problem with Portland is they are a small market and the only way to keep stars is to overpay them. Lillard and Mccollum are both extended to lucrative deals that prevent Portland from signing good players (which they need) to surround these 2 with. (both are awful, terrible defensive ball stoppers) They need help. Nurkic isn't the answer either, or even an upgrade to Whiteside in my opinion. (for winning games anyway) For a small market its a bad choice in my opinion if winning and franchise success are the talking points. Lillard and Mccollum exceed and are on par with salary-wise:

Irving
Durant
Leonard
K. Thompson
L. James
P. George
Many others as well that are as good and paid less, or better and paid less.

I think this list of guys are a lot more superstarry than Lillard and Mccollum. I think Leonard and Durant, James chose less money (and new teams) knowing their team wouldn't be as competitive if they took Supermax deals where they were before they left. GSW, CLE and SAS. Plus all 3 wanted to leave the teams they were on, so it was a double positive for them. Lillard loves the money, and is always smiling about it. I'd fire olshey unless everyone in the NBA is secretly black balling Portland from making deals and hamstringing him. Doubt that sincerely. McCollum is definitely a #3, but like Love he is going to be tough to move in the off season if Portland decides it wants to expand the roster talent a little, and retool for next season in an attempt to make the playoffs. They are definitely done this season. #14 lottery is their place, unless they mange to lose even more than I expect. Next season is going to be really tough on them too. NOP is a comer, DAL, and MEM. Hell even PHX showed it can play some decent ball, so they are a wild card to knock Portland out too next season.

24 Feb 2020 20:24:18
Forgot about GSW coming back Healthy as well. Portland has a lot of work to do. I don't think Little, Simons, Trent will make a large enough leap to change their playoff making fortune either. Hood will probably be out most of the season, and a shell of his former self for 10-20 games likely while he re-acclimates.

24 Feb 2020 20:47:09
Kuzma is a top 100 player because he plays for the Lakers. Put him in Detroit and he wouldn’t be in the 150.

25 Feb 2020 00:33:24
Hard to read past “Nurkic isn’t an upgrade over Whiteside”. I’ve watched them both a lot. Nurkic is an enormous upgrade over Whiteside. It’s hard to even explain how much more. Nurkic was on par or better than McCollum when he got hurt. He was playing great.

Yeah. They’ll probably never win a championship. I honestly don’t care. Small markets don’t win, it’s the NBA. Just enjoy the ride.

25 Feb 2020 08:26:43
Whiteside is at least 3 times better than anything a 40 lbs lighter nurkic can offer. If nurkic added a 3 while he's been away then I'll eat my words. Until then Whiteside is the better fit and player for Portland with this group of guys this season. It's an opinion, but I'm not stupid, and I know the subtle differences between players. And Nurkic and Whiteside play style contrast isn't subtle. It's easy to explain if you are using Nurkic from last season, but he isn't nurkic from last season, and Portland isn't the same team as last season either. If this opinion means I'm stupid then I'll take it. But I didn't say anything stupid, and I wasn't disrespectful.

25 Feb 2020 13:55:45
Both Heat fans and Blazers fans seem to hate Whiteside and watching him, he looks like empty stats, his entire defense is chasing blocks and he’s in the way of perimeter players trying to drive.