The Lakers want to keep Ball, Kuzma, and Hart, and the reason to trade Deng would be for cap space for Randle (on top of the 2 max slots), not to trade Deng away for other players. So you have the Lakers trading away Ball, Randle, Kuzma, and Hart - almost all of their entire young core, except Ingram. Yes, you're getting back some good players but you're giving up your future.

LAKERFANS be marchin in the streets with pitchforks and tiki torches, ready to burn Staples down if that happens. I mean, there are already vocal LAKERFANS who don't want LeBron and just want to keep the young core.

I'm not 100%, but I don't think that can happen if they deal Deng for equivalent salary. I think they need to stretch Deng in order to sign George & LeBron, and that's with dropping Randle completely.

Agree that Lakers say no. They want to keep their young core, sign 2 max FA's, and possibly bring back Randle. Not sure if I see a Bucks deal that gets that done. You'd have to add a 3rd team who wants the Bucks' players and not Lakers' assets.

Thay is right (overall) on Lonzo - despite his shot being utterly broken.

I think there's no way Magic is trading Lonzo in a straightforward NBA deal. In an ideal Magic-world Lonzo plays as a showtime-Magic-lite - maybe better steals, somewhat worse defense when guarding bigs (PF/Cs) - whatever the free agent recruitment is. And (no evidence) I suspect that is a constraint on FAs.

That blows up, imo, exactly if Lavar Ball manages to piss him off sufficiently - possibly by making Walton's position untenable if Lonzo stays - at some point. ... Which could easily happen.

fyp

That was quite the efficient 1st quarter of basketball

Buckets, we like buckets.

Pascal Siakam top 20 asset?

Looks like that is their goal.

Just your typical 79-64 game at halftime.

The Cavs only hope in a 7 game series vs the Raptors is OG Anonymous playing over 30 minutes

True, Cavs probably take it in 5 so a 7 game series would probably involve Bron dying.

Clips ****ing exploded last 2mins of 1st

They're not gonna be able to make these lines with the tanking teams high enough. Some really bad teams out there right now.

Hornets are seriously tanking. Making a run at 7th?

Its gotta suck to win the 1 seed and know you're drawing stone dead at your 2nd round matchup

not really

PSA - If I have any bets with you please let me know, I scoured the prop forum and this one after ThayThay reminded me that he's free-rolling for nine-hundo of my wife's hard-earned money...

I couldn't find anymore but I thought I did something.

Hubie just doing play by play and inventing a groin kick that didn't happen

Refs have done some serious reffing here. Or not I guess considering bron is basically calling the game.

van fleet is really good at making bad decisions on D

Forgot how good Kevin Love was...

Except shooting FTs when the game is on the line.

LOL at anyone who thinks the Raps are actually a threat

That was a fun game of the basketballs.

what a game. so much offense in the nba recently.