Continued Indecisionism, and other Musings

BEAL CHOOSES A HOME

Rather, this subtitle should be something like 'Beal Stays Home', as he opted to remain with the Clippers.  And that brings me to something I want to say about this organization.  In 30+ years of following the NBA, I can't remember LAC ever being contenders.  During the Lob City era, maybe I was out of touch or something, but I just never saw them like that.  Must watch, yes.  But contenders, not really, even though now looking back, they really did have a formidable, balanced roster.

But one thing you have to respect is, when have you ever heard of the Clippers tanking?  Even if Kawhi leaves, the way their roster is constructed, it's obvious that they intend to compete and are not undergoing a rebuild.  Indeed, I can't recall LAC ever intentionally going through a rebuild either.

It doesn't look like the Clippers will be as deep as they were last season.  But in a roundabout way that may be good thing, as now expectations will be even lower.

That said, Beal, if healthy, isn't a slouch.  What's rather been established these past couple of seasons is that he isn't a superstar either.  And that's a good thing, because again, it isn't ideal to have unrealistic expectations.  If LAC overachieves, I mean no one can see the future.  But if not, don't try to fit a square peg into a round hole type shit.

Also, I must say once again - the Raptors will likely be contenders with Kawhi, which you gotta respect, but the Clippers would be better served retaining his services also.  Will Leonard sticking around, even if healthy, suddenly make them contenders?  No, not likely.  But even though this braintrust may not have a loser mentality, it's also obvious - after the failed, multi-year superteam experiment - that they've taken their foot off the gas a bit.  But I mean, yeah.  That's how good Kawhi is.  And even more than the Raptors, I'd love to see him go back to the Spurs.

THE KUMINGA SAGA DRAGS ON

I saw some headline on the Kuminga saga today but didn't even bother to read the article.  His situation doesn't have that same type of intensity as the Lebron indecision drama.  Also, it doesn't appear so much that Jonathan is undecided as it is him feeling undervalued or whatever.  But what I'm imagining is something like the Cavs underpaying the Beard and using the extra dough to pick up Kuminga on a respectable contract.

That said, earlier today I was watching some clips of that amazing first game he had upon being traded to the Hawks last season (who did Golden State get in return anyway?).  But by the time all was said and done, i.e. ATL getting their asses trounced in the playoffs, like Kuminga wasn't even part of the rotation.  Meanwhile, he was like the biggest dude on the roster, and they obviously needed some size against NYK.  But again, he was relegated to the end of the bench or in any event was akin to a nonfactor.

So I mean yeah, it's understandable why teams, all thing considered, aren't in a rush to pay him the $20mil or whatever he's demanding.  But that said, it's kinda similar to the Beal situation.  Sometimes, you can only truly tell how much potential a player has by placing him in diverse situations.  And what's been established is that Steve Kerr and co. did a good job developing Kuminga into a multi-faceted player.  Dude seemingly came into the league raw, albeith athletic AF, but now he can dribble, shoot and all that sh*t.  However, that doesn't mean you actually want him playing point or being ball dominant, which makes a team like Cleveland most ideal.

WHAT'S GOING ON WITH DEROZAN?

In terms of consistency, predictability and accomplishments, I would argue that DeRozan is preferable to both Beal and Kuminga.  So it feels kinda odd that certain teams, like the Heat for instance, don't appear to be making more of an effort to acquire him.  I would imagine that virtually any team in the league could use a 'midrange assassin'.  What about the Pistons?  It all just feels kinda weird, like DeMar has fallen out of grace, though it's hard to imagine why.  Maybe appearing in too many rap videos and shit like that?

And speaking of Detroit, might as well make peace with Duren already.  Whether or not he's worthy of a max, I mean how many guys on max contracts can really and truly will their teams to (postseason) wins to begin with?  And the more important question - who TF wants to play for the Pistons anyway?

Let's say Jalen doesn't sign an extension and leaves next offseason.  Whether he proves to be a true superstar or not, who are they gonna get to replace him?  What free agent of his caliber would sign with Detroit and furthermore for the non-max money they're asking him to take?  Maybe this braintrust knows something I don't.

THE CELTICS CONFIRMED WHAT I'VE BEEN SAYING (AND IMPLYING?) ALL ALONG

Reading in between the lines of the statement the Celtics just released, they indirectly verified what I've been saying all along, that they actually prefer Tatum over Brown.  Again, I don't know what's actually going on behind the scenes, but I'd be compelled to believe that colorism is a factor.  That is to say that it's really hard to make sense of this decision from a purely basketball standpoint.

You have two supermax players who together are going to consume 70% of the payroll, and meanwhile, there's 13 other dudes to pay.  Okay, one of them has to go.  So which one do you get rid of?  Do you trade the one that previously won Finals MVP, unexpectedly was in the regular season MVP race just last season, has proven he can perform without the other and is also sturdier?  Or do you choose the one who, as formidable as he may be, is coming off a major injury and has never proven the ability to perform alone, so to speak.

So if it isn't colorism, then the organization must genuinely like Jayson better as a person, or maybe they even flatout dislike Jaylen, because otherwise, again, it's hard to make logical sense out of their argument.  And that said, no, I don't believe Tatum can lead this team, even with its revamped roster, to overachieve the way Brown did.  And if his health fails again, this decisiion is gonna get ugly real quick.

"The ScapeGOAT" Finally Calling It Quits

First off, let me say that in my last post, when I suggested that Russell Westbrook should, all things considering, maybe retire, I didn't know at the time that he had an offer, albeit a minimum one, on the table via the Wizards(?).  If I had known that, my tone would have been a bit different, under the belief that he could actually help a team like Washington.

I believe, if AD sticks around and is committed, that the Wizards are going to be a lot better next season than a lot of people anticipate, perhaps even one of the best teams in the East.  Everyone is talking about how wonderful Philly's braintrust is for landing Lebron and Brown.  Meanwhile, since February, Washington has acquired Davis, Young and Dybantsa, who appears to be a true #1 pick (besides acquiring Ayton and retaining Middleton).  When you look at this roster honestly, they're one of the deepest in the league.  And just as an interesting side note, that's now two consecutive #1 picks that the powers-that-be have paired with AD.

Besides the aforementioned vets (all of whom have name recognition) and Dybantsa, the roster is fleshed out by these other young, promising dudes, most notably Alex Sarr.  Usually, I don't think it's good for young players to get accustomed to losing.  But now it's like those losses from last season may have hardened them towards a brighter future, because for what it's worth, dudes were competing even while getting their asses bust.

The one person I am sorta worried about in this equation is Young and how his erratic style doesn't always translate to team basketball.  But remember that him and Collins, dudes were out there looking like Kidd + Martin for a time, like Trae knows how to throw lobs.  And now, he has more lob options than ever.  So here's to hoping, presuming he is the starting PG, that he doesn't chuck.

And yes, I can see Westbrook having fit into it all, even with his own unpredictable style.  Besides being a veteran whose resume demands respect, let's be honest.  Stat wise, even at 38 years old, Russ is better than 90% of the players in the NBA.  He may not be efficient, but when it comes to raw, all-around basketball skills, he's better or at least more versatile than any other vet on this team.  His field goal percentage may, relatively speaking, suck, but in 30 minutes, primarily off the bench if I remember correctly, he averaged 15pts, 7 assists and 5 rebounds last season.  Those are like Lebron-esque numbers.

LONGETIVITY IN THE 21ST CENTURY

That said, I can understand why he'd be compelled to call it quits, because if you are on the best players on a team, then conventional logic doesn't dictate you should be paid less than everyone else, even newjacks.  Also, damn, dude has played for 18 whole seasons.  Time sure does fly.

Players of today, at least to me, it seems like they're lasting longer.  Jordan played 15 seasons over 19 years, amidst a couple of retirements in between.  His HoF sidekick, Scottie Pippen, played for 17 years (straight).  It was rare back then for players to truly strive for 20.  Generally speaking, NBAers who were good or accomplished enough not to be forced into retirement only lasted for about 15 seasons.

But look at what's happening now.  Lebron is on the verge of potentially playing for a quarter century.  Westbrook, as established, nearing 40 years old, is one of the best individual players in the NBA.  He may not be the most intelligent so to speak, but I'd bet on him one-on-one against any other player in his height class.

PJ Tucker lasted for 20 years, even tho it wasn't all entirely in the NBA. Vinsanity did 22.  CP3 recently did 21 before being forced out of the game.  Meanwhile, Durant and Harden have thus far played 18 and 17 respectively, with no signs that either will be retiring soon.

Kobe also did 20, but his was a bit different, sorta like holdover from the 20th century.  Like Jordan, the team Bryant was on in his twilight wasn't expected to win shit, and he was only really there to sell tickets (besides presumably make money for himself).  That was how star retirements used to go.  Nearer to the end, you usually played for fame or money, regardless of how large or small it may be, but rarely a key role on a contender.

Meanwhile, look at the cats mentioned in that previous paragraph.  All of them, except for Vince, competed to the very end.  Dudes are no longer signing just to collect paychecks.  Now they want to contribute to a championship, even into their 40s.

So yes, all things considered I would have loved to see Westbrook on this Wizards' team, and I'm glad they at least showed him some respect, you know, being the only person who ever averaged a triple-double for that organization.  But you know, it's not really about Washington.  If anything, he should have stayed with the Nuggets.  And if you remember, at the time I was even questioning how they could prioritize Christian Braun(!) ahead of him.

"THE SCAPEGOAT"

On that note, I have to believe that behind the scenes, Russ is genuinely difficult to deal with.  I mean, there's no other way to rationalize how organizations have come to treat him.

Recently, some documentary about him came out called Passion Play (2021).  It was themed around that very idea, that Westbrook is this really good player though one who's like hardheaded or some shit.  I can't remember the specifics of the presentation, but I do recall walking away sympathizing with Russ instead of hating him.  In fact, if I remember correctly, it even concluded with Magic Johnson publicly apologizing for having previously criticized Russ.

But those sentiments never completely went away, and this is what I mean by behind the scenes, because I have to speculate that Westbrook did something(s) that really like pissed insiders off, though I can't quite imagine what that would be, besides his overall cockiness.  It's not like, say, DeMarcus Cousins, who publicly threatened some old white dude.

CONCLUSION

Conclusively, I have to agree with Jay-Z that it's better to "gracefully bow out" than to be forced out of the game.  That's especially true if you're in a field without a definitive retirement timeline and even moreso if you're on the greatest at what you do.

You see what happened to CP3, after a storied career, how that last episode stained his legacy.  Meanwhile, Russ has won MVP, the rarest of all NBA accolades, even rarer than making it into the HoF.  So yeah, if he'd rather retire than play for on a vet min for the Wizards or Kings, then so be it.  But all of that said, let this be a lesson to everyone.  There is a such thing as being too good, as an individual player, for the NBA.

I never really thought much about KD leaving OKC, but now, in hindsight, I understand why Westbrook was so pissed off.  He was intentionally drafted to be Durant's sidekick, and as such, Kevin may have been the only person he really had that big brother type of respect for.  The two of them together may have eventually won a championship.  But now we see that the ScapeGOAT couldn't truly humble himself to anyone else.

The Indecisionists

Damn, make a decision already.

DEMAR DEROZAN

Out of all true free agents still on the market, DeRozan is the biggest gamechanger if placed on the right team.  His stock has gone down not so much due to a lack of efficacy as opposed to (#1) playing for two consecutive garbage franchises and (#2) being a victim of that 'midrange shots no longer matter' analytics' bullshit.

So one of the lingering effects of the past Warriors' dynasty is that now, you have teams who like no longer know how to score within the arc (and outside of the key).  Now that players like Shai and Wemby have taken over, the Steph imitating isn't as bad it was before.  But again, if there's a squad out there who actually needs him, DeMar can definitely help win a championship.

Preferred Destination: Miami Heat

Longshot Destination: New York Knicks

RUSSELL WESTBROOK

It's hard being so good that every time your team falters in one way or another, you're granted part of the blame.  It's also hard being so good that you have to hold yourself back in the name of overall team chemistry.  It's like a no-win situation for "the ScapeGOAT".

Westbrook has been in control of a team twice.  First was when KD bounced on OKC, and Russ immediately went on to win MVP.  Second was during his short stint with the Wizards, where he handily averaged a triple-double.

So all things considered, trying to call this guy garbage or someone undeserving of a contract is ridiculous.  It's logical, at least to me, that he should be most sought after by a team with a really-good starting five but like no bench.  In other words, give Russ complete, undeterred control of a second unit.  And if he's even too erratic for that, then yeah, maybe it is time for him to retire.  Or if he must start, I'm thinking a team like:

Preferred Destination: New Orleans Pelicans

JONATHAN KUMINGA

Jonathan Kuminga bet on himself and, in the short term at least, appears as if he's slated to take a loss.  And you know, I talk a lot of shit about the Warriors' inability to nurture draftees.  Steph may have even verified that when recently memorializing his first NBA Head Coach, the recently-departed Don Nelson, where he stated, plainly, that Nellie "never liked rookies".  So I'm thinking that frame of thought may have more or less persisted, to this day, within the Warriors' organization.

But that said, I'm not going to use this post to once again criticize Golden State's braintrust, because doing so, in context, may prove hypocritical.  It looks like Kuminga will be participating in next season's NBA at an annual salary somewhere in the $10mil range and definitely not exceeding $15mil.  Meanwhile, the Dubs offered him about $23mil annually.  So in hindsight, it's hard to say they lowballed him.  Rather, young Jonathan may have overestimated himself.

Preferred Destination: New Orleans Pelicans

Logical Destination: Cleveland Cavaliers

BRADLEY BEAL

Beal, on the other hand, was overestimated by the industry itself.  And when you compare his situation to Westbrook's, you see how hypocritical the collective mind can sometimes be.

Bradley led the Wizards, and they sucked, but he walked away being regarded as one of the best players in the league.  Westbrook led the Wizards while putting up a triple-double, and they sucked, but he walked away more or less disgraced.

Anyhow, if there's one thing Beal knows how to do, it's score.  I don't think that can ever be taken away from him, so long as he's playable.  So yeah, the Celtics sounds like a good choice, even tho they may not really need him (unless he's coming hard off the bench).  So a more viable option would be:

Preferred Destination: Miami Heat

JALEN DUREN

I'm mentioning Duren, even though he's restricted, because he's in a similar situation to Kuminga.  If he plays out the current year and is still coveted, as a completely free agent, next offseason, I mean come on.  The Pistons would be able to pay him the most money, but would he even want to stay?

Also, let's not forget that they're currently offering him something like $200mil(!).  Yes, other teams are willing to jump in and pay more, in theory.  Well actually, haven't dudes already spent all of their dough?

So realistically speaking, there is the possibility that when he hits the open market, like Kuminga, it may end up like his current team was actually willing to pay him more than anyone else will.

What I'm also envisioning is Jalen just being like fukit and forcing himself out by midseason, to an organization that expresses a willingness to pay him more or whatever.  If he feels that Detroit is devaluing him, it's not like, say he makes All-NBA or whatever, it's not like next offseason those feelings are just going to go away, even if they do max him out.

It wouldn't really make much sense for him to leave on paper, so that's like a worst-case scenario.  But you never know?  If they can't get along, it may all boil down to who the Pistons can get in return, or if maybe Jalen can get on a team where he has a better chance for a ring, tho at the moment it's hard to envision who.

Preferred Destination: Detroit Pistons

JAMES HARDEN

I'm still having a hard time, from the perspective of either party, trying to understand what logic was used to rationalize bringing the Beard to Cleveland.  They say on his part, he was looking for a longer contract and a better chance at winning, which is understandable.

I'm not going to criticize Harden, as of late I feel like I've been doing too much shaving.  But what I will say is this: all things considered, there are teams out there that could better utilize what he brings to the table.

Longshot Destination: Houston Rockets (sans KD)

BEN SIMMONS

When Ben Simmons ends up back on the Sixers, I want you to remember who called it first.

Simmons was like all-NBA, all-defense, all of that, but ultimately ended up being criticized for lacking the mamba mentality.  Too much eye of the tiger, and you're Russell Westbrook.  Too little, and you're Ben Simmons.

In any event, logic would dictate that reality could be mitigated by (#1) cutting his salary, (#2) not expecting too much out of him and (#3) surrounding him with teammates who are in fact feening.

Preferred Destination: Philadelphia 76rs

CONCLUSION

A team like the Pelicans, with a roster that at least has hope but in a situation where they've been all but forgotten about, could be perfect for undervalued vets who aren't obsessed with winning.  But somehow, New Orleans has already spent all of their cap money(?).

And that's the reality of the NBA, and it always has been, in a way.  You have more cautionary tales of guys betting on themselves and losing than players who took extensions and outplayed them.  In that latter regard, I can only think of Steph, but with the former, Sprewell, Schröder and even Isaiah Thomas, in a way, instantly come to mind.

That said, it baffles me how certain teams are standing pat instead of trying to find creative ways to implement quality players who are looking for work and who may be had relatively cheaply.