A Tale of Two Cities.

This is where to post any NBA or NCAA basketball franchises.

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Soapy
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Joined: 27 Nov 2018, 18:42

A Tale of Two Cities.

Post by Soapy » 28 Feb 2023, 09:50

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Harden, Kyrie headline free agency class dominated by bigs
With the exception of James Harden and Kyrie Irving, the 2023 NBA free agency class is littered with quality big men from the likes of Kristaps Porzingis, Nikola Vucevic, Christian Wood and Myles Turner.

With not a lot of talent in the backcourt available, it should help the pockets of Harden and Irving who will be the premier talents out there although there are some other available options in D'Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson, Fred VanVleet and of course, Russell Westbrook.

Top Available NBA Free Agents
G James Harden (33 yo, 90 ovr)
G Kyrie Irving (31 yo, 90 ovr)
G Fred VanVleet (29 yo, 84 ovr)
G D'Angelo Russell (27 yo, 83 ovr)
G Jordan Clarkson (31 yo, 82 ovr)
G Spencer Dinwiddie (30 yo, 82 ovr)
G Russell Westbrook (34 yo, 81 ovr)
G Gary Trent Jr. (24 yo, 81 ovr)
G Kelly Oubre Jr. (27 yo, 80 ovr)
G Tre Jones (23 yo, 80 ovr) ‣ RFA (San Antonio)
G Mike Conley (35 yo, 80 ovr)
G Shake Milton (26 yo, 79 ovr)
G John Wall (32 yo, 79 ovr)
G Dennis Schroder (29 yo, 78 ovr)
G Cam Payne (28 yo, 77 ovr)
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F Kyle Kuzma (27 yo, 84 ovr)
F Miles Bridges (25 yo, 83 ovr)
F Jerami Grant (29 yo, 83 ovr)
F Draymond Green (33 yo, 83 ovr)
F Dillon Brooks (27 yo, 80 ovr)
F Cameron Johnson (27 yo, 80 ovr) ‣ RFA (Brooklyn)
F Harrison Barnes (31 yo, 80 ovr)
F T.J. Warren (29 yo, 80 ovr)
F Rui Hachimura (25 yo, 79 ovr)
F Malik Beasley (26 yo, 78 ovr)
F Bruce Brown (26 yo, 78 ovr)
F Lonnie Walker IV (24 yo, 77 ovr)
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C Kristaps Porzingis (27 yo, 86 ovr)
C Nikola Vucevic (32 yo, 84 ovr)
C Christian Wood (27 yo, 84 ovr)
C Myles Turner (27 yo, 84 ovr)
C Brook Lopez (35 yo, 83 ovr)
C Mason Plumlee (33 yo, 81 ovr)
C Thomas Bryant (25 yo, 81 ovr)

Topic author
Soapy
Posts: 7014
Joined: 27 Nov 2018, 18:42

A Tale of Two Cities.

Post by Soapy » 28 Feb 2023, 10:39

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Lakers ready to run it back with re-signing of Russell, Hachimura and Bamba
The Los Angeles Lakers have re-signed D'Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura and Mo Bamba to extensions that will keep them in town for at least the next two seasons.

Russell's extension is for two years, $48.11 million while Hachimura received an extra year at $13.52 million per season. Bamba, the youngest of the bunch, got the longest extension in a five year, $56.61 million that is extremely team friendly as the former top five pick will average less than $10 million per season on the deal.

The Lakers were aggressive in bringing back key members of their core unit after talks with Kyrie Irving broke down as Irving remains set on landing a max level contract. Irving has met with Dallas, as expected, along with Indiana, Charlotte and is expected to take a meeting with San Antonio later this week.

NBA Free Agency Signings
Philadelphia 76ers re-sign G James Harden to 5yr/$242.58m deal
Portland Trail Blazers sign G Matisse Thybulle to 2yr/$13.25m deal
Golden State Warriors re-sign F Draymond Green to 4yr/$111.23m deal
Toronto Raptors re-sign G Fred VanVleet to 4yr/$89.47m deal
Chicago Bulls re-sign C Nikola Vucevic to 3yr/$80.73m deal

Topic author
Soapy
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Joined: 27 Nov 2018, 18:42

A Tale of Two Cities.

Post by Soapy » 28 Feb 2023, 11:02

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Spurs continue youth movement with signing of Chriss, McClung along with former second round rookies
The San Antonio Spurs have been rumored to be one of the teams that Kyrie Irving is interested in signing with but so far, the Spurs have kept their youth movement going, signing former Slam Dunk champion Mac McClung, former lottery pick Marquese Chriss along with Jalen Hood and Brice Baugh.

Baugh and Hood were selected in second round of this past draft but did not get their rookie contracts picked up by their respective teams. San Antonio signed them to two-year deals as they were high on them during the draft process with Baugh being the eight pick of the second round and Hood the thirteenth pick.

The Spurs are also expected to host free agent guard Donte DiVincenzo.

NBA Free Agency Signings
Dallas Mavericks re-sign C Christian Wood to 4yr/$104.39m deal
Houston Rockets sign F Miles Bridges to 3yr/$79.92m deal
Orlando Magic sign C Myles Turner to 3yr/$73.09m deal
Houston Rockets sign F Jerami Grant to 3yr/$58.53m deal
Miami Heat sign G Spencer Dinwiddie to 1yr/$10.85m deal
Cleveland Cavaliers sign F T.J. Warren to 3yr/$33.93m deal
Minnesota Timberwolves sign G Dennis Schroder to 2yr/$20.39m deal

Topic author
Soapy
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Joined: 27 Nov 2018, 18:42

A Tale of Two Cities.

Post by Soapy » 28 Feb 2023, 11:26

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Lakers add Seth Curry, bring back Malik Beasley to bolster three-point shooting
Veteran guard Seth Curry has agreed to a two year, $9.55 million deal to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers. This comes just hours after the Lakers reached an agreement to re-sign wing Malik Beasley to a two year deal worth $18.72 million.

The Lakers entered the offseason in desperate need of improving their three point shooting and after not really addressing it in the draft, they didn't address it in free agency either prior to the signing of Curry and brining back Beasley who went through a few slumps with the Lakers but had some bright spots.

The signing of Curry was overshadowed by the news that Kyrie Irving is returning to the state of North Carolina, where he played college basketball at Duke, to play for the Charlotte Hornets. The Hornets had a busy offseason with the drafting of Brandon Miller and Cameron Whitmore, two top five picks, and now the addition of Irving to pair with LaMelo Ball.

The Lakers were interested in Irving and even reportedly were in it till the eleventh hour as the San Antonio Spurs had emerged as a potential facilitator for a sign-and-trade scenario that would feature Irving signing with the Spurs for the max and being traded to the Lakers for a package that likely would have been centered around D'Angelo Russell.

NBA Free Agency Signings
Charlotte Hornets sign G Kyrie Irving to 4yr/$186.81m deal
Oklahoma City Thunder sign G Reggie Jackson to 2yr/$8.79m deal
Memphis Grizzlies re-sign F Dillon Brooks to 3yr/$46.08m deal

Topic author
Soapy
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Joined: 27 Nov 2018, 18:42

A Tale of Two Cities.

Post by Soapy » 28 Feb 2023, 11:39

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Veterans Ish Smith, Austin Rivers latest additions to Lakers roster as post-Kyrie plans take hold
The Los Angeles Lakers have signed Austin Rivers and Ish Smith to one year, veteran minimum deals to help fill out their backcourt as free agency is winding down.

The Lakers' pursuit of Kyrie Irving cost them some valuable bench pieces in Dennis Schroder who signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves on a two year deal averaging around $10 million per season. The Lakers also missed out on potential backup point guards Spence Dinwiddie, Donte DiVincenzo and Reggie Jackson in an effort to remain cap flexible.

Los Angeles now has twelve players on their roster with a qualifying offer still out there for Austin Reaves, who is expected to return.

NBA Free Agency Signings
Indiana Pacers re-sign C Brook Lopez to 3yr/$57.59m deal
Oklahoma City Thunder sign F Cameron Johnson to 3yr/$45.07m deal
Portland Trail Blazers sign F Harrison Barnes to 3yr/$34.19m deal
Detroit Pistons sign F Reggie Bullock to 2yr/$7.07m deal
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Captain Canada
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A Tale of Two Cities.

Post by Captain Canada » 28 Feb 2023, 20:32

Kyrie and LaMelo is literal hilarity. Lakers building a legitimate team :curtain:
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chosenone58
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Joined: 28 Nov 2018, 19:06

A Tale of Two Cities.

Post by chosenone58 » 01 Mar 2023, 00:45

I like the way you laid out the offseason.

Lake Show is building. Can't wait to see it all unfold.

Kyrie to Charlotte? Really? For the love of money I guess......
Creator of Derek Baldwin da Gawd

Topic author
Soapy
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Joined: 27 Nov 2018, 18:42

A Tale of Two Cities.

Post by Soapy » 01 Mar 2023, 08:05

Captain Canada wrote:
28 Feb 2023, 20:32
Kyrie and LaMelo is literal hilarity. Lakers building a legitimate team :curtain:
chosenone58 wrote:
01 Mar 2023, 00:45
I like the way you laid out the offseason.

Lake Show is building. Can't wait to see it all unfold.

Kyrie to Charlotte? Really? For the love of money I guess......
It's a good thing y'all like the lakers offseason because I don't lmao essentially brought back the same squad and swapped out Lonnie Walker for Seth Curry. Better shooting but worse defense and off the dribble.

As far as Kyrie, let me take y'all behind the #4thwall

he was originally going to sign with the jazz which made no sense so i undid that and then he signed with the pacers and i undid that thinking he would naturally sign with the mavericks since that was his third max offer but nope, dallas pulled their offer for some reason and then it was just the hornets offering the max along with the spurs. i figured it would be unfair to just gift me kyrie so let him sign there.

Topic author
Soapy
Posts: 7014
Joined: 27 Nov 2018, 18:42

A Tale of Two Cities.

Post by Soapy » 01 Mar 2023, 18:56

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Lakers round out roster with addition of Terrence Ross, Ben McLemore as training camp invites
The Los Angeles Lakers' roster has taken shape with Terrence Ross, 32, and Ben McLemore, 30, being the latest additions to the roster as they both signed one-year deals to join The Lake Show.

Ross last played for the Magic last season, averaging nine points per game on 43 percent shooting and a career high 39 percent from three. A former top ten pick for the Toronto Raptors, Ross was one of the NBA's most explosive athletes in his prime and while he's no longer a spring chicken, he adds some much needed quick twitch ability off the bench with the loss of Lonnie Walker IV.

McLemore is another former top pick that never quite lived up to his potential. He had a sneaky good season for the Trail Blazers back in 2021, averaging 10.2 points per game in just twenty minutes, extrapolating to 18.4 points per 36 minutes, the highest of his career. McLemore played in China last fall, averaging 15.9 points per game for Shandong Hi-Speed Kirin.

With their relatively low salaries, neither players' spot on the final roster is guaranteed with Austin Reaves accepting his qualifying offer and returning to the team.

NBA Free Agency Signings
Utah Jazz sign G Russell Westbrook to 2yr/$48.49m deal
New Orleans Pelicans sign F Bruce Brown to 2yr/$18.94m deal
Washington Wizards sign F Danilo Gallinari to 2yr/$10.72m deal
Toronto Raptors sign G Devonte Graham to 1yr/$2.57m deal
Toronto Raptors sign G Mike Conley to 2yr/$22.25m deal
Miami Heat re-sign G Victor Oladipo to 2yr/$19.73m deal
Detroit Pistons sign G Shake Milton to 3yr/$34m deal
Golden State Warriors sign G John Wall to 1yr/$6.70m deal
Atlanta Hawks sign C Thomas Bryant to 1yr/$6.70m deal
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RoyalTy
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A Tale of Two Cities.

Post by RoyalTy » 01 Mar 2023, 19:18

Maybe not so much improvement defensively but at least you got the 3 of the 3&D wing down with Ross & McLemore
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