2019 NBA Playoffs thread

[Pelicanidae]

Now that the series is over and they're eliminated, we can take a real look at what Philadelphia's 4 best players did in this series.

Embiid: 17.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists, on 36.2% from the field and 32.04% from 3, 4 turnovers, on 34 minutes a game.
Simmons: 11.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 4.9 assists, on 57.8% from the floor and 0% from 3, on 36 minutes a game.
Butler: 22 points, 7 rebounds, 5.6 assists, on 43.9% from the floor and 17% from 3, on 37 minutes a game.
Harris: 14 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, on 39.9% from the floor and 31.9% from 3, on 38 minutes a game.

That's not very good. There are some bright spots here and there: Harris rebounded pretty well, Simmons was overall efficient (at least partially due to his super low volume, but still), but that is not what you want from your 4 star players. Butler and Harris are free agents. Do the Sixers spend big to keep them after performances like this? Embiid was ill when it was convenient, but was perfectly happy to be a pretend aeroplane when he was winning: do we buy the excuses? Simmons was so timid, and given his imperfect fit with Embiid, do they look to move on from him? Or do they decide that Embiid's health is too unreliable, and move on from him and keep Simmons?

Lots of questions in Philly tonight.

[GuardianAngel25]

I feel it will be very tough for Leonard to leave Toronto after that buzzzer beater. Had they just won the game not in that fashion imo it would be much different.

[AusPel]

Disagree. It was a nice moment but all it did was propel them into the ECF.

Raptors get blown out 4-1 and Kawhi is not going to stay because of one buzzer beater that will be long forgotten about.

Would have to lose in 7 games minimum or the Finals for him to even think about staying

[Darkhorse985]

Kawhi just became a legend in Toronto. They can pay him $50 million more than anyone else. He is not leaving Toronto!

[Pelicanidae]

Is Kawhi Leonard already the best player to ever play for the Raptors? I'm serious.

Who's the competition? Vince Carter, Chris Bosh, DeMar Derozan?

2018-19 Kawhi: 26.6/7.3/3.3, 49.6/37.1/85.4 shoot splits, 25.8 PER, 9.5 WS, .224 WS/48, +14 net rating, 3.6 VORP, conference finals with insane buzzer beater. 3 most points in a single playoff series since the NBA/ABA merger, behind only Kareem in 1977 and Jordan in 1993. 25.8 PER.

VC's best year in Toronto, 2000-01: 27.6/5.5/3.9, 46/40/76 splits, +10 net rating, 6.8 VORP, 12.8 WS but he played more games, his WS/48 was only .208, 25.0 PER. Famously lost in the 2nd round against Philadelphia in a game 7.

Bosh's best year in Toronto, 09-10: 24/10.8/2.4, on 51/36.4/79.7 splits, +6 net rating, 25.0 PER, 2.7 VORP, 9.6 WS, .182 WS/48. Didn't make the playoffs.

Derozan, 2016-17: 27.3/5.2/3.9, 46.7/26.6/84.2 splits, +3 net rating, 24.0 PER, 1.9 VORP, 9.0 WS, .166 WS/48. Made the playoffs, got eliminated by Lebron James in a sweep in the second round.

[Mythrol]

Kawhi just became a legend in Toronto. They can pay him $50 million more than anyone else. He is not leaving Toronto!

Yeah.... We said the same about AD.

[Darkhorse985]

Yeah.... We said the same about AD.

Kawhi is coming off an EC finals appearance at worst. AD had a team succeed and blown up the following year. The Pels management has been poor. Two completely different situations.

[Mythrol]

Kawhi is coming off an EC finals appearance at worst. AD had a team succeed and blown up the following year. The Pels management has been poor. Two completely different situations.

Kwahi turned down the supermax in San Antonio with a team he'd already won a finals with and the finals MVP. He was willing to walk away from even more money with a storied franchise where he'd already been to the top.

I'm not saying he is 100% leaving but money ain't the only thing to some guys.

[Tinman]

Kwahi turned down the supermax in San Antonio with a team he'd already won a finals with and the finals MVP. He was willing to walk away from even more money with a storied franchise where he'd already been to the top.

I'm not saying he is 100% leaving but money ain't the only thing to some guys.

Predictions: Claw stays in Toronto
Kyrie to Lakers
KD & Kemba to Knicks (Along w/ AD if Knicks get 1st or 2nd pick)
I got nothin else.

[Darkhorse985]

Predictions: Claw stays in Toronto
Kyrie to Lakers
KD & Kemba to Knicks (Along w/ AD if Knicks get 1st or 2nd pick)
I got nothin else.

My predictions:

Kawhi stays in Toronto
Klay signs max to stay with Golden State.
Kemba signs max with Charlotte
KD and Kyrie sign with Knicks. Knicks trade with Pelicans for AD (Meat of deal is Dennis Smith Jr., Kevin Knox, Mitchell Robinson, and 2-3 1st round picks)
Cousins signs with Lakers. Boogie remains an injury prone punk.

[Mythrol]

Is Kemba eligible for the supermax? I don't think he is but I haven't checked.

[Tinman]

My predictions:

Kawhi stays in Toronto
Klay signs max to stay with Golden State.
Kemba signs super max with Charlotte
KD and Kyrie sign with Knicks. Knicks trade with Pelicans for AD (Meat of deal is Dennis Smith Jr., Kevin Knox, Mitchell Robinson, and 2-3 1st round picks)
Cousins signs with Lakers. Boogie remains an injury prone punk.

Prediction- Kemba doesn't sign SUPERMAX - because he can't. 2018 All NBA is requirement.

[Darkhorse985]

Prediction- Kemba doesn't sign SUPERMAX - because he can't. 2018 All NBA is requirement.

Ok, well max that no other team can match.

[Tinman]

Ok, well max that no other team can match.

Charlotte is so far away from winning, I think Walker bolts. He wants to win more than anything. If re-signs w/ Charlotte, he's w/ a losing team straight through his prime. I certainly could be wrong, but I think his inner competitor is greater than the $$$ difference.

[Silver Nail]

Ok, well max that no other team can match.

Not sure if that is accurate, it would be better if he signed a 2 yr deal at max then the 10yr super

[SmontySwilliams]

Would you take Embiid and Simmons for AD?

[P_B_&_G]

Would you take Embiid and Simmons for AD?

I wouldn't. Maybe if a pic or two is thrown in and if there are no better offers like a shot at the first pic from the Knicks and their young guys or Tatum and Brown and multiple picks from Boston. Both of them and pics are better than the Lakers offer even though I liked Ingram before the clot issue. Embiid's inuries are worrisome. Will Ben ever develop some sort of outside shot?

[Pelicanidae]

Would you take Embiid and Simmons for AD?

No.

Edit: to explain why is pretty simple. I think Simmons is a good player who has years of good basketball ahead of him, but I don't get transcendent talent from him. Two years in a row now he's shrunk to nearly disappearing in the playoffs, and while he's still extremely young, I don't put my trust in him when I have better offers out there (which I think I do).

The real star of that trade is obvious: it's Embiid. He's the biggest talent out of the two, and when he's healthy he's brilliant. The problem is exactly that: when he's healthy. It's not like AD, where he's been called injury prone but what people mean by that is that he's prone to twist an ankle or sprain a thumb and miss five games. Embiid is injury prone in the serious way, where he might become useless over the course of a single season, and never recover. His knees are wrecked. His back is bad. Yes, we have a good trainer now but I don't want to bet the farm on the 50/50 chance that Joel Embiid's body doesn't disintegrate into dust in the next two years.

[P_B_&_G]

No.

Edit: to explain why is pretty simple. I think Simmons is a good player who has years of good basketball ahead of him, but I don't get transcendent talent from him. Two years in a row now he's shrunk to nearly disappearing in the playoffs, and while he's still extremely young, I don't put my trust in him when I have better offers out there (which I think I do).

The real star of that trade is obvious: it's Embiid. He's the biggest talent out of the two, and when he's healthy he's brilliant. The problem is exactly that: when he's healthy. It's not like AD, where he's been called injury prone but what people mean by that is that he's prone to twist an ankle or sprain a thumb and miss five games. Embiid is injury prone in the serious way, where he might become useless over the course of a single season, and never recover. His knees are wrecked. His back is bad. Yes, we have a good trainer now but I don't want to bet the farm on the 50/50 chance that Joel Embiid's body doesn't disintegrate into dust in the next two years.

Embiid and the Pels former training staff.

[GuardianAngel25]

Kawhi just became a legend in Toronto. They can pay him $50 million more than anyone else. He is not leaving Toronto!

Yea I agree. The Raptors have a great duo to build around with Kawhi and Siakim.. As long as they have those 2 they will always be one other star away from serious championship contenders. They can get on the trade market for guys like Conley, Beal, and etc. to improve that team. He has just as good of a chance to win with the Raptors as any team he would be joining this offseason. Plus when you factor in the $ it is a big deal. Sure it’s a very real possibility he leaves but my $ is on him staying and that shot turning him into a legend win or lose the ECF is what convinced me.

[GuardianAngel25]

Kwahi turned down the supermax in San Antonio with a team he'd already won a finals with and the finals MVP. He was willing to walk away from even more money with a storied franchise where he'd already been to the top.

I'm not saying he is 100% leaving but money ain't the only thing to some guys.

Kawhi turned it down knowing if he was traded he would be able to land the deal from someone else. They aren’t stupid and knew this same deal would be on the table with his next team.

[GuardianAngel25]

Would you take Embiid and Simmons for AD?

This is a no brained and would never happen. I would trade AD for Simmons alone and adding Embid to the deal would be incredible. With Jrue and our draft pick we would have the potential to really create something special. Embid could be used as a great trade piece to bring in Beal? Tatum? Jrue/Beal/Simmons.. Jrue/Tatum/Simmons.. Yes please!!

[13 - 3]

Hey remember Josh smile Jackson? Y’all favorite Suns player,

https://www.barstoolsports.com/bosto...sisting-arrest

[Pelicanidae]

This is a no brained and would never happen. I would trade AD for Simmons alone and adding Embid to the deal would be incredible. With Jrue and our draft pick we would have the potential to really create something special. Embid could be used as a great trade piece to bring in Beal? Tatum? Jrue/Beal/Simmons.. Jrue/Tatum/Simmons.. Yes please!!

I take AD for J J Redick and the Philadelphia 2031 second round pick.

[Mythrol]

Kawhi turned it down knowing if he was traded he would be able to land the deal from someone else. They aren’t stupid and knew this same deal would be on the table with his next team.

Untrue. Once traded the supermax is off the table.