Jersey Shore Knicks Guy

Giannis to Miami and everyone's acting like Pat Riley just solved the East. Pump the brakes. Let me start with the part that makes sense. This is the right move for Milwaukee. You can't keep running it back with a roster that can't contend around him. He's 31, coming off an injury year, and the team's been a first round exit machine since the 2021 ring. You get out now, you grab the young guys and the picks, you start the next chapter. But Miami? I genuinely don't get what they keep doing. Ever since the Big 3 broke up they've been holding this thing together with duct tape and bandaids. And it works just enough to fool people. They make the playoffs. They're frisky. Spoelstra always has them playing hard in April. But "makes the playoffs" and "actually contends" are two completely different conversations, and Miami keeps confusing the two. Here's my real issue with the fit. Giannis and Bam are both perimeter bigs who want to drive. Yeah, Giannis lives closer to the rim and Bam can shoot the 3. That's not the point. The point is they both want the ball in their hands, they both initiate, they both attack downhill into the same paint. Neither one is the guy standing in the corner making you pay for helping off. This is Amare and Carmelo all over again. On paper it looks filthy. Two stars, go win a ring. In reality it never worked, because both of them wanted the same touches in the same spots and there just wasn't enough room. And in today's NBA that spacing problem is worse, not better. Two bigs who both need to drive and neither one scares you from deep means a clogged paint and nowhere to operate. Then on top of that they shipped out Tyler Herro, who was their shot creation and their spacing. So who's bending the defense now? Who's the third guy that makes this work? So will they make the playoffs? Obviously. Am I rooting for them? A little, because I'm a Giannis guy and I want to see him get one more real shot. But if Miami actually wants to contend they cannot stop here. They need shooting. They need a creator. They have to space the floor around these two, or it's just two great players standing in each other's way.

Ja Morant is on the trade block and nobody's sprinting to the phone. Four years ago that sentence would've sounded insane. Rewind to 2022. A 22 year old Morant averaged 21.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 8.7 assists in a six game 1st round win over Minnesota. The Grizzlies were a young, scrappy team with an exciting nucleus built around a rising top end star. Memphis finished second in the West. He was the headliner, the dunk contest highlight reel, the face Adidas built a signature line around. The franchise had a blueprint for this. The Grit and Grind teams (Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol, Mike Conley, Tony Allen, Rudy Gay) made Memphis a place nobody wanted to play a seven game series. Tough, connected, defense first. Ja was supposed to take that identity and add a ceiling those teams never had. The next team up. Then the fork in the road. Over the last three years, Morant has played only 82 games due to injuries and three league suspensions for misconduct. That's one full season of basketball spread across three years. He hasn't played more than 50 games in a season since 2022. This past year he managed 20 games before a UCL elbow sprain ended it, and Memphis was 6-12 in the games he did play. The talent was never the question. Availability was. And the franchise voted with its roster. Memphis has gone 100-146 since 2023, made the playoffs once as an 8 seed, and shipped out Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane, and Dillon Brooks. You don't dismantle the supporting cast around a cornerstone. You dismantle it around a liability. Now look at the market. The Wolves were linked to him and passed, deciding to look elsewhere for backcourt help. Phoenix's beat guy called the rumors ridiculous. The Kings are reportedly out. The reason keeps repeating: the talent is real, the risk is bigger. So is he the biggest disappointment of the last decade? The arc makes the case for you. Nobody in that window fell further from "franchise cornerstone" to "salary nobody wants at a discount." Zion's been hurt, but the league still believes. Ja's the rare one where the believers went quiet. The talent will get somebody to gamble. It always does. But the team that does it isn't buying the 2022 version. They're buying 82 games in three years and hoping a change of scenery rewrites a pattern that's now four years deep. x.com/i/trending/206…

@brock_aller It sucks but I think we trust the process. Most of their decisions so far have panned out

Trading Deuce (who is on a top-10 contract in the NBA) for a backup big to the replace a departing Mitchell Robinson because we don’t want to touch the 2nd apron feels wrong to me. If you have to dip into the second apron to retain these guys after winning a TITLE, you do it.

@chickenmanigus @LegionHoops @MikeAScotto You forgot elite defender and can switch on perimeter players

@alwaysknicks11 @LegionHoops @MikeAScotto “Game breaker for a contender” ah yes, a big man that doesn’t play inside and doesn’t grab boards and tries to jack 3s all game. You can pay someone 1/5th of Turner’s salary to do the same.

REPORT: The Lakers, Celtics, Hornets and Pelicans all could renew their trade interest in Myles Turner, per @MikeAScotto “Turner has always known that if Antetokounmpo was ever traded, he’d be a strong trade candidate, HoopsHype has learned. During his Pacers tenure, Turner was linked to the Hornets, Pelicans, and Lakers in trade rumors at various points. Those teams could all make sense now, and possibly the Celtics.”

@JWeinbachNBA @ShamsCharania Honestly the spurs or nuggets would be perfect for him. Best perimeter scorer without being the best player and unselfish, talented players around him. Clippers, hawks, rockets, pelicans would derail not only him but the teams themselves

The Celtics are entertaining trade offers for Jaylen Brown, per @ShamsCharania. The Hawks, Rockets, Blazers, Clippers, Spurs, Nuggets, and Pelicans should be viewed as potential suitors for the 2024 Finals MVP.

@SleeperKnicks @Kris_Knox @LetsTalkKnicks_ @Sleeper_Hoops @SleeperNuggets @SleeperTWolves Would be cool to see a homecoming with THJ

RUMOR: Tim Hardaway Jr. and Bones Hyland could be free agent targets for the Knicks this summer, per @Kris_Knox. The interest would stem from a potential departure of Landry Shamet & Jordan Clarkson.

MPJ and Julius Randle are arguably the two biggest ball hogs in the NBA. Not sure what this accomplishes other than selling some merch and a potential play-in / first round exit. Two guys who stop the ball, neither of them guards anybody. Any serious team wouldn't have both of these on the roster.

@HeatCulture13 @EthanJSkolnick Jesus Christ wtf are the Heat doing 😭

Klay Thompson and Khris Middleton are names to watch for the Miami Heat after trading for Giannis, per, @EthanJSkolnick (Via discord.gg/5otf)

@HeatCulture13 He’s right. This doesn’t move the needle. Giannis & Bam won’t mesh.

Nick Wright believes the Heat are BARELY better than they were last year after landing Giannis: "I agree Giannis is closer than he would've been if he stayed in MIL. I'm not that sure that Miami is much closer than they were last year. They have been living in the play in... The Miami Heats projection, where they were this year vs this year, I think they are marginally better"

@drivenbyboredom @big_business_ If the goal is to win some games then they can do that. They are not a serious contender though and we both know they’ve arguably had the most questionable roster decisions this century. If not #1, easily top 5 worst FO.

@alwaysknicks11 @big_business_ The Wizards entire roster outside of Trea and KD are on first year contracts. This might be a problem in two years, but currently I do not even slightly give a fuck. I want to see the Wizards actually win some games.

Brian Windhorst's reaction to Trae Young’s 4 year $212 million contract😭😭😭😭 "I think this is instantaneously one of the worst contracts in the league.... *facepalm* I'm sorry I said that I'm sorry I said it that way I don't mean to be mean I don't think they could trade this contract unless they attach the number one pick to it."

@KnicksFanTv They’re not a threat. Would’ve been worried if he went to Boston.

How do we feel Knicks fans?! The Giannis trade saga ends with him being sent to South Beach alongside Bobby Portis in exchange for Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, three first-round picks, one pick swap, and one second-round pick, according to Shams Charania.

@NBAWAYOFFS I don’t think he’d get along with any of those teams. On paper it’d look great. But he wants to be THE GUY and won’t be able to do so there

I’m told 3 teams have contacted the Boston Celtics with serious offers for superstar Jaylen Brown already: 1. Minnesota Timberwolves 2. Los Angeles Clippers 3. Los Angeles Lakers

@drivenbyboredom @big_business_ If you think Trae is worth this contract you need to be mentally examined

@alwaysknicks11 @big_business_ Bot

The only way I’d trade for Jaylen Brown is if he’s going to be “the guy” on my team. He got a taste of it when Tatum was out and wants more. Nothing wrong with that, he’s an exceptional talent. But teams have to realize this. He’s leaving one of the best orgs in the NBA with a loaded roster, if you put him in the same spot it’ll be a failure.

"The Celtics and Jaylen Brown will have hard conversations moving forward about the fallout from a trade that didn't happen. ... You've gotta get a deal done if you're the Celtics." —@ShamsCharania on what the Giannis trade to Miami means for Jaylen Brown 🏀

@wakeupbarstool @John_Fanta 100%, Miami is not a serious contender with their current roster as is.

.@John_Fanta believes that the Bucks are the biggest winner of the Giannis trade “You’re telling me Davion Mitchell, Norm Powell, Andrew Wiggins, Giannis, Bam is in same tier as Celtics or Knicks? The answer to that question is it’s not”

@esidery @sam_amick Great fit for Detroit if so. He’d kill it next to Cade

The Bucks plan to shop Tyler Herro in trade talks for more assets until the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade is officially finalized, per @sam_amick (nytimes.com/athletic/73857…). The Pistons are one of the teams known to hold real interest in obtaining Herro.

@TheNBABase @JonKrawczynski No serious team will pursue Ja Morant unless they just want to sell merch. He’s ruined his career.

The Minnesota Timberwolves are NOT pursuing Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant, per @JonKrawczynski (nytimes.com/athletic/73853…)

@HeatCulture13 There’s no way Giannis is looking at this roster *as is* and seriously thinks they’ll contend.

Skip Bayless believes Giannis is going to Miami to “semi retire”: “I believe deep down that Giannis wanted to go to South Beach because effectively, he’s going to semi retire in South Beach. I think ultimately he’ll be viewed given this was a blockbuster trade, he’ll be viewed as not living up to his end of the bargain. He will ultimately be viewed maybe not as a failure in Miami, but viewed as a let down.” (Via @RealSkipBayless)

@TheDunkCentral @WindhorstESPN @GetUpESPN I’d be weary if I’m another team trading for him. He’s an exceptional talent. But he got a taste of being the guy and now that’s all he wants. He’s leaving a great team / organization for this. I wouldn’t touch him unless he’s being set up to do exactly that.

There is expected to be a bidding war for Jaylen Brown, per @WindhorstESPN (Via @GetUpESPN )