Canada Basketball

[Primer]

Yes, SGA in OKC has become the best player weve had since steven nash graced the courts. The fact primer wasnt sure just goes to show how underappreciated this kid is. Hes a 22 year old averaging 24 and 6 efficiently, and really impacts winning and losing in OKC.

When it comes to u23 in the nba, I think its

1. Luka
2. Zion
3. SGA

OK that's an acceptable answer. Murray has lit it up for Team Canada men's team that's why I was saying he's the best. SGA has only played for the under 18 team, but I'm sure he'll be amazing at the men's level also.

[KeonClark]

Not bright, Kawhi. Could've stayed here and def won another chip.
Instead, ya fucked us and ya fucked the Clips for the next decade with your Lebron GMing impression.
Thanks for the chip and thanks for the memories. Truly.
But woof dude. Big woof.

Kawhi's ego was ballooned after bringing the chip to the North. He was the most famous basketball player on the planet, not just Canada, from May to July 2020. The way the fans worshipped him and the mayor got on his knees and slob knobbed him, he thought he was Jesus Christ himself, and would just find an all star and go win more titles in LA. Shit I kind of did too. But we forget how hard it is in pro sports, and we always forget it's NEVER just one man (MJ wasn't winning titles until his teammates became credible)

Kawhi MAY never win another title, and look back on Toronto with a lot of what ifs. He was a god here. A deity. Or maybe he didn't want that, and preferred anonymity. He can probably walk around in a lot of parts of LA fairly unbothered, in Toronto he could barely step outside. Nobody knows what makes this guy tick. But I can say fairly confidently that last years team plus Kawhi would have beat the Lakers in the NBA finals. Sucks.

[chris]

Another thing about SGA is he's part of one of the most lopsided trades in recent history. Offensively speaking, he may be as good as Paul George already. Their numbers across the board are remarkably close: https://stathead.com/basketball/pcm_...&p2yrfrom=2021

I mean look at this haul. Crazy. OKC is still pick swapping and taking unprotected in 5 years when Kawhi and George are in their mid 30s. In theory, They could be picking with free lotto picks from the Clip when SGA and Dort are in their prime. They (LAC) better a win a title here, because this is their only window with assets for the forseeable future.

To Clippers:

• Paul George (and the insurance necessary for Kawhi Leonard to sign as a free agent)

To OKC Thunder:

• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
• Danilo Gallinari
• Miami Heat 2021 unprotected first-round draft pick
• Clippers 2022 unprotected first-round draft pick
• Miami Heat 2023 protected 1 through 14 first-round draft pick
• Right to swap 2023 first-round pick with Clippers
• Clippers 2024 unprotected first-round draft pick
• Right to swap 2025 first-round pick with Clippers
• Clippers 2026 unprotected first-round draft pick

oh yeah that was complete highway robbery. i am rooting so hard against the clippers and for one or both of kawhi and PG to leave them in the coming years to put that franchise in a pit of despair that would make the new jersey nets of six years ago jealous

[GOLDBLUM]

Another thing about SGA is he's part of one of the most lopsided trades in recent history. Offensively speaking, he may be as good as Paul George already. Their numbers across the board are remarkably close: https://stathead.com/basketball/pcm_...&p2yrfrom=2021

I mean look at this haul. Crazy. OKC is still pick swapping and taking unprotected in 5 years when Kawhi and George are in their mid 30s. In theory, They could be picking with free lotto picks from the Clip when SGA and Dort are in their prime. They (LAC) better a win a title here, because this is their only window with assets for the forseeable future.

To Clippers:

• Paul George (and the insurance necessary for Kawhi Leonard to sign as a free agent)

To OKC Thunder:

• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
• Danilo Gallinari
• Miami Heat 2021 unprotected first-round draft pick
• Clippers 2022 unprotected first-round draft pick
• Miami Heat 2023 protected 1 through 14 first-round draft pick
• Right to swap 2023 first-round pick with Clippers
• Clippers 2024 unprotected first-round draft pick
• Right to swap 2025 first-round pick with Clippers
• Clippers 2026 unprotected first-round draft pick

Not bright, Kawhi. Could've stayed here and def won another chip.
Instead, ya fucked us and ya fucked the Clips for the next decade with your Lebron GMing impression.
Thanks for the chip and thanks for the memories. Truly.
But woof dude. Big woof.

[KeonClark]

i might take SGA ahead of murray in a hypothetical draft of players to build around, but i'd still have murray at the top right now based on the utah series alone, which might have been the best 6 game series anyone's ever played offensively. his ortg was 138!

i also might take zion ahead of luka at this point.

Another thing about SGA is he's part of one of the most lopsided trades in recent history. Offensively speaking, he may be as good as Paul George already. Their numbers across the board are remarkably close: https://stathead.com/basketball/pcm_...&p2yrfrom=2021

I mean look at this haul. Crazy. OKC is still pick swapping and taking unprotected in 5 years when Kawhi and George are in their mid 30s. In theory, They could be picking with free lotto picks from the Clip when SGA and Dort are in their prime. They (LAC) better a win a title here, because this is their only window with assets for the forseeable future.

To Clippers:

• Paul George (and the insurance necessary for Kawhi Leonard to sign as a free agent)

To OKC Thunder:

• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
• Danilo Gallinari
• Miami Heat 2021 unprotected first-round draft pick
• Clippers 2022 unprotected first-round draft pick
• Miami Heat 2023 protected 1 through 14 first-round draft pick
• Right to swap 2023 first-round pick with Clippers
• Clippers 2024 unprotected first-round draft pick
• Right to swap 2025 first-round pick with Clippers
• Clippers 2026 unprotected first-round draft pick

[chris]

Yes, SGA in OKC has become the best player weve had since steven nash graced the courts. The fact primer wasnt sure just goes to show how underappreciated this kid is. Hes a 22 year old averaging 24 and 6 efficiently, and really impacts winning and losing in OKC.

When it comes to u23 in the nba, I think its

1. Luka
2. Zion
3. SGA

i might take SGA ahead of murray in a hypothetical draft of players to build around, but i'd still have murray at the top right now based on the utah series alone, which might have been the best 6 game series anyone's ever played offensively. his ortg was 138!

i also might take zion ahead of luka at this point.

[TrueTorontoFan]

Some good Canadian players should be available for the qualifying tournament which happens to run during the playoffs.

Boucher and Birch from the Raptors
Shai (hopefully) and Dort from the Thunder
Olynyk from Houston
Wiggins from Minnesota
CoJo from Detroit
NAW from New Orleans

May not have RJ, Tristan or the two guys from Memphis (Brooks and Clarke) though... although NY and Memphis seem like first round exits if they even make it through the play-in.

Let's hope we get some guys to show up.

wiggins on GSW you mean

[golden]

Dort started for them during their playoff push last year and during the playoffs was probably their second most important player. He didn't get discovered by anyone frm one game, he's part of their future, especially on that contract (probably the best contract in the NBA outside Lebron).

Yeah sure, we all know the Dort story... he guarded Harden like stink in the bubble and has flashed some all-NBA defensive potential. Just a general statement on what OKC is doing, in addition to shameless tanking, i.e., freeing up minutes and shots for guys who wouldn't normally take as many. That said, Dort is still mostly a trainwreck on the offensive end, so these are great development reps for him. He does seem like a guy who can have these huge moments, though.

Don't get me started on his contract. Feel sorry for Dort and the guy needs to fire his agent.... but what a steal by OKC.

[KeonClark]

He must be talking about Shai.. who I agree is better than Jamal.

Yes, SGA in OKC has become the best player weve had since steven nash graced the courts. The fact primer wasnt sure just goes to show how underappreciated this kid is. Hes a 22 year old averaging 24 and 6 efficiently, and really impacts winning and losing in OKC.

When it comes to u23 in the nba, I think its

1. Luka
2. Zion
3. SGA

[slaw]

That's the beauty of going into full on, shameless tank mode, sitting the vets. You play the young guys and somebody has to take the shots. Eventually, a young guy will break out for 20, 30 even a 40-point night and everybody drools at the 'future potential' and they now become a trade asset. OKC are tank savants.

Malachi is slowly becoming a trade asset (or core piece), but you would never have seen that if FVV & Lowry are in the lineup.

Dort started for them during their playoff push last year and during the playoffs was probably their second most important player. He didn't get discovered by anyone frm one game, he's part of their future, especially on that contract (probably the best contract in the NBA outside Lebron).

[planetmars]

Who do you think is the best? After that cryptic answer I must know.

He must be talking about Shai.. who I agree is better than Jamal.

[Primer]

2nd best. But yeah. The Best Canadian Basketball Player is a guy most casual sports fans on either side of the border have never heard of.

Who do you think is the best? After that cryptic answer I must know.

[planetmars]

Some good Canadian players should be available for the qualifying tournament which happens to run during the playoffs.

Boucher and Birch from the Raptors
Shai (hopefully) and Dort from the Thunder
Olynyk from Houston
Wiggins from Minnesota
CoJo from Detroit
NAW from New Orleans

May not have RJ, Tristan or the two guys from Memphis (Brooks and Clarke) though... although NY and Memphis seem like first round exits if they even make it through the play-in.

Let's hope we get some guys to show up.

[KeonClark]

This is pretty devastating for team Canada. Murray was our best player.

2nd best. But yeah. The Best Canadian Basketball Player is a guy most casual sports fans on either side of the border have never heard of.

[Primer]

That's the beauty of going into full on, shameless tank mode, sitting the vets. You play the young guys and somebody has to take the shots. Eventually, a young guy will break out for 20, 30 even a 40-point night and everybody drools at the 'future potential' and they now become a trade asset. OKC are tank savants.

Malachi is slowly becoming a trade asset (or core piece), but you would never have seen that if FVV & Lowry are in the lineup.

Yep, it doesn't make sense to me to have an NBA ready prospect 3rd string behind two heavy usage players. Hopefully he continues to get heavy minutes and some starts for the rest of the season and Lowry or FVV are let go / moved in the off-season so we have minutes for Flynn.