2022 PreSeason - 3 Weeks to Camp Opening - Where Do The Raps Stack up in the East ?

[slaw]

Anyone who wants traditional point guards or big men listen to the Tim Micallef interview with Webster.

[Demographic Shift]

So as season opening pressers by Raptors Vice Chairman and President of Basketball Operations and media impressario Masai Ujiri go... was it playoff calibre ?


A little over 3 weeks to the first game of the season.... and its Mobley and the Cavs coming to town.
Will we be favoured at home over the Cavs ?

[golden]

He's a point-everything.

point-god

[chris]

well sounds like everyone is on the same page and everything will be just fine in brooklyn. can't see how this could go wrong

"I gave up four years, 100-and-something million deciding to be unvaccinated and that was the decision," Irving said during Nets media day on Monday. "[Get this] contract, get vaccinated or be unvaccinated and there's a level of uncertainty of your future, whether you're going to be in this league, whether you're going to be on this team, so I had to deal with that real-life circumstance of losing my job for this decision."

Irving, who is not vaccinated against COVID-19 and was forced to miss home games in Brooklyn until late March because of a New York City vaccination mandate, opted into the final year of his contract, a player option worth $36.5 million, prior to the season. The 30-year-old said he felt the decision whether to get vaccinated was like "an ultimatum" from the organization, in regard to his contract.

"We were supposed to have all that figured out before training camp last year," Irving said. "And it just didn't happen because of the status of me being vaccinated, unvaccinated. So, I understood their point and I just had to live with it. It was a tough pill to swallow, honestly."

For his part, Nets GM Sean Marks pushed back on the notion that Irving was given an "ultimatum" regarding his contract.

"There's no ultimatum being given here," Marks said. "Again, it goes back to you want people who are reliable, people who are here, and accountable. All of us: staff, players, coaches, you name it. It's not giving somebody an ultimatum to get a vaccine. That's a completely personal choice. I stand by Kyrie. I think if he wants, he's made that choice. That's his prerogative completely."

"I'm not the liaison between Kyrie and the organization," Durant said. "I always told them that. I always told Sean and Kyrie y'all gotta build your relationship how y'all do it. Because everybody's separate, everybody's different, you approach each player differently."

[LJ2]

Anyone who wants traditional point guards or big men listen to the Tim Micallef interview with Webster.

Aaron Baynes was a failed experiment has been confirmed.

As has been talked about a lot around here Barnes and Siakam will be playing more of the role of point guards this season so hopefully Fred can make it through the season without falling apart.

[golden]

Aaron Baynes was a failed experiment has been confirmed.

As has been talked about a lot around here Barnes and Siakam will be playing more of the role of point guards this season so hopefully Fred can make it through the season without falling apart.

Bobby said that Gasol is/was pretty unique... which he is, i.e., he wasn't a "traditional" center either. Somehow, Marc was able to move that big body to tag on the perimeter, while at the same time getting back to protect the rim, while calling out coverages, etc.... One of the highest IQ players of all time.

[saints91]

Nick kinda slushed off Scottie as a pg, I believe he said that many guy will have the opportunity to initiate the offence, and Scottie will be one of them. Kinda laughed at Scottie’s instagram post of being a PG.

[saints91]

Bobby said that Gasol is/was pretty unique... which he is, i.e., he wasn't a "traditional" center either. Somehow, Marc was able to move that big body to tag on the perimeter, while at the same time getting back to protect the rim, while calling out coverages, etc.... One of the highest IQ players of all time.

Ya, he knew how to get to his spots and the angles, and he was the vocal leader on D. Everything you want a veteran and more.

[Demographic Shift]

well sounds like everyone is on the same page and everything will be just fine in brooklyn. can't see how this could go wrong

Refreshing to see a real world view of team dynamics as the season gears up.....

No one put on 15 lbs of lean muscle and just looks stronger, no one lost 15 pounds of non lean fat and looks in much better shape, no one has looked better than ever coming off summer camps and no one is expecting quantum organic growth from within to fuel the teams rise to the ECF and beyond.

Nope... its time to show that your worth your reputation and the bag they got for that reputation ....
Just win baby....

Can the Nets put it together for a season rather than stretches.....?

[slaw]

"I'm not the liaison between Kyrie and the organization," Durant said. "I always told them that. I always told Sean and Kyrie y'all gotta build your relationship how y'all do it. Because everybody's separate, everybody's different, you approach each player differently."

Why the Brooklyn experiment has failed summarized in one quote: Durant doesn't want and can't handle the responsibility of being a team leader. You can't have all the glory and none of the accountability - things don't work that way.

[Kagemusha]

Why the Brooklyn experiment has failed summarized in one quote: Durant doesn't want and can't handle the responsibility of being a team leader. You can't have all the glory and none of the accountability - things don't work that way.

KD is not an alpha and will never be.
I hate LeBron but he IS a leader.

[LJ2]

Bobby said that Gasol is/was pretty unique... which he is, i.e., he wasn't a "traditional" center either. Somehow, Marc was able to move that big body to tag on the perimeter, while at the same time getting back to protect the rim, while calling out coverages, etc.... One of the highest IQ players of all time.

Yup, Marc was the real unicorn which is a term that generally gets thrown around any 7 footer that can shoot.

[chris]

Refreshing to see a real world view of team dynamics as the season gears up.....

No one put on 15 lbs of lean muscle and just looks stronger, no one lost 15 pounds of non lean fat and looks in much better shape, no one has looked better than ever coming off summer camps and no one is expecting quantum organic growth from within to fuel the teams rise to the ECF and beyond.

Nope... its time to show that your worth your reputation and the bag they got for that reputation ....
Just win baby....

Can the Nets put it together for a season rather than stretches.....?

they obviously have the talent but reading those media day quotes it seems to me the whole situation is... pretty tenuous. it could all go to shit again at any moment, and i think that's a more likely outcome than them putting it all together and winning 60 games given recent history (and considering the point slaw made above).

[golden]

Why the Brooklyn experiment has failed summarized in one quote: Durant doesn't want and can't handle the responsibility of being a team leader. You can't have all the glory and none of the accountability - things don't work that way.

Generally I would agree, but that formula worked perfectly for Kawhi in Toronto because there was already a clearly established team leader... Lowry. Maybe that's the one exception that proves the rule.

[Hotshot]

they obviously have the talent but reading those media day quotes it seems to me the whole situation is... pretty tenuous. it could all go to shit again at any moment, and i think that's a more likely outcome than them putting it all together and winning 60 games given recent history (and considering the point slaw made above).

Any long stretches of stress where there is injuries to key positions, long road trips, sluggish inconsistent games and the whole thing will tip over like a house of cards.

Nash is already on the hot seat even though he has the backing of the owner.