🏀 KuBuckets Archive

@Statmachine Ben needs to find something he can do well besides shoot. That is his problem. He doesn't rebound well for a guard, despite having a 42" vertical. He doesn't pass well because he can't drive the ball and force a double team. He plays below average defense, despite having a decently long wingspan and quick feet and again, a 42" vertical.

Thankfully, he is out of Sacramento now though. I'd rather him go play for a winner where he can learn what it takes to be successful at the NBA level (GSW, CLE, SA), but I guess anything is a step up. He is too athletic to not be a better player than he has been.

Tough loss last night. Can't stop scoring after the first. I wonder who buys Verlander here at the deadline. Not having a great season, but he is still Verlander.

@BeddieKU23 I just hope Bagley signs early. Just so Self doesn't turn into Captain Ahab and ignores recruits we could actually land.

@mayjay @Crimsonorblue22 Are there any box scores to those exhibition games?

@BeddieKU23 Svi plays in like two weeks. At least that will give us something...

@BeddieKU23 I think CP3 signs a 1 year deal somewhere with a 2nd year Player option. Then I think he opts out so him and LeBron go win a championship somewhere together the next season.

http://www2.kusports.com/news/2017/jun/20/dorance-armstrong-receives-preseason-all-american-/ ↗

This is his last year here folks. Enjoy it.

@JayHawkFanToo Oh ok I was so confused for a second haha.

Yea only way Minn. gets a star is through the draft, home state, or trades.

@JayHawkFanToo Did I say something that contradicts that?

@justanotherfan I thought he did that this last year. And our guards minus Frank all got tight. DG passed up several open 3s he took all season long.

Whether he choked the first two Elite 8 flameouts is debatable. But after that the monkey has been on his back, EVERYONE feels the pressure.

Next year, he needs to come out and run about 10 set plays in a row. Nothing that the other team could have scouted that entire week. Throw off the other coach and team and then lets get into our normal flow. Or even come out in a zone or something.

Either way, the psychology behind it is interesting. We are expected to win that game. So instead of being excited like most elite 8 teams, we come out scared. We have pressure most other teams don't. But, it comes with the Blue Blood territory.

@BeddieKU23 No chance on CP3. They could make the money work. Trade Rubio and Dieng for scraps and they'd have enough room for him. It is convincing him to leave LA for Minn.

And, at this point, I think they need to look for a guy who would just fit. Jackson would be fine. Bledsoe would fit with Thibs. I really like Collison because he can just get buckets. And I REALLY like Bradley under Thibs. This team isn't going to win outscoring people yet. It is because they can play mad defense. Rubio, solid on D but not elite. Imagine Bradley next to Butler. Absolutely terrifying to bring the ball up against that.

@JayHawkFanToo Argument isn't if he is good. It is if the T-Wolves can find someone better. Or, a better fit for their team.

Rubio is not that. They already can't shoot the 3 at the other 4 spots right now. SOMEONE has to be able to shoot. Or at least be an elite defender.

@JayHawkFanToo Rubio is gonzo.

There are PGs to be had right now though that Minn. Could really use. Brandon Knight comes to mind... Or even, Suns were talking Bledsoe might be available if they can't pull off any trades. All it would take is a 3 team swap. Something like:

• Bledsoe, Barea and Powell to Min.
• Rubio and Bender to Dallas
• Dieng and Min 2-1st Rd and 1st Round Swap w/ Dallas (Best pick between two goes to Suns) to Phoenix.

Win-Win-Win. Dallas gets a solid PG for cheap. Minn Gets bench depth and an upper-level PG to complete their lineup. And Suns add trade ammo or continue the rebuild.

The odds of that trade are slim. But, I think Minnesota will add a better PG than Rubio and pull off something similar when it is all said and done.

Other options:
- Darren Collison - Fox and Mason. Writing is on the wall. Best 3pt% of PGs last season.
- Austin Rivers - If Paul resigns, Rivers could be a guy that becomes available.
- Jrue Holliday - NO needs to get a 1st Rd pick back after what they gave up for Cousins. Rubio plus a 1st Rounder For Holliday and a 2nd Rd Pick.
- Marcus Smart - Giving him a chance to be the starting PG might do him good. Also, with his D, under Thibs, he could really blossom.
- Avery Bradley - Almost verbatim what I said for Smart.
- Patrick Beverly - Straight swap. Maybe Rockets throw in a 2nd or give up a lottery protected 1st. Could be what both teams are looking for.

@JayHawkFanToo I think a lot is going to depend on who he is surrounded by after this season.

Do PG and LeBron end up going to LA? Does he pick up on their work ethic? Can he adjust his shot? Are his defensive issues mental, or physical? Can he handle the ball well enough to play PG in the NBA? Does he have that special adrenaline pump that makes great players stand out when it matters most?

There are just so many unanswered questions with him.

On the other side, he has unlimited minutes next year to learn. He has what seems to be an up and coming coach. And, now he gets to be mentored by the great Magic Johnson. If he is going to be a huge success, he most certainly couldn't be in a better place.

@DoubleDD I'm not saying it is a huge hit. Because it absolutely is. But it is a lot easier to replace a GM than a Coach IMO. You replace a GM and you may only end up replacing 1 or 2 positions in the entire organization. You replace a coach and you replace at least a dozen positions. Minimum. And you could say that Reid is the reason they can win with an Average QB. Being as how the roster was almost identical the first year Reid was here to the season before when we were the worst team in football and he got us to the playoffs.

Reid has proven he will be successful even with different GMs. He's that good of a coach.

@JayHawkFanToo They could easily have all of those players after the Lopez trade. His contract expires after the upcomming season clearing $18M.

Deng clears another $18m if they can package him with a pick.

Nance costs almost nothing right now.

Clarkson would be the most likely casualty if they had to get rid of someone they would like to keep. Most of those guys would then have Bird rights when LBJ retires and they would be able to keep that core together for quite some time.

If this doesn't end in disaster I'll be shocked.

@Crimsonorblue22 like 3 weeks.

/topic/5936

@jaybate-1.0 Italy.

@BeddieKU23 Definitely more of a game now. Learning from guys like KD. Don't do the combine. Only workout for teams you like.

@BeddieKU23 Yea I think they will give him the qualifying offer, but that is it. Odds are someone else will give him a shot. Knicks are rumored too. My personal pick would be him to be in Chicago. They get televised quite a bit and he would get a lot of PT. Would fit well with Fred too I think.

It doesn't look like McLemore will be in Sacremento guys. More likely will end up going to a good team and coming off the bench. Talk that the Cavs should give him a look. Also fits what GSW are doing.

I think his agent pulled the plug. He supposedly had a really bad workout with LA. A 2nd would have thrown up red flags and he could have ended up falling down a few more spots.

Anyone defending the Celtics brass though, give it a rest. They flew first class or private jet the entire way there and back. With Wifi everywhere now, they didn't miss a beat. It isn't like flying cross country 20 years ago. Or even 10. And they wouldn't have felt guilty for one second making him come to Boston and canceling a workout with him.

@mayjay Petersen was just a true disappointment. Talented teams that could have used any form of defense to be winner. Nothing like Pioli though... Easily the worst GM we've ever had.

And the fans were one terrible season away from wanting Dayton's head on a stick.

A lot of question, not a lot of answers.

I think that Dorsey was doing a great job building depth. Which is half the job. But a poor job everywhere else. Bad with mega-contracts - See Bowe, Maclin, Houston, Berry, and Charles. Bad with personal relationships with players - See Charles and Maclin releases. Terrible with cap management - See Maclin release so we could have money to sign our draft picks. Didn't have a good relationship with the media - Interviews were like he took a Belichick public speaking class. And, apparently not everyone was sold on the Mahomes pick.

Word is Reid and him were butting heads and one had to go. You keep the HOF coach before you keep the GM. But I'm still a little sad to see the tandem gone. I thought they did good work together.

@mayjay You can choose not to follow the thread. Nothing hurtful has been said so no reason to end it. Just a debate.

@approxinfinity It would be building around LeBron AND George. LeBron will be 34 and George will be 29. Not young guns, but history has shown that the Hall of Fame players play good basketball until about 36 before they really take a step back. So 3 seasons of Championship level basketball would be ok with Laker fans I think.

As far as talent, it might be the only roster besides the Suns or Spurs athletic enough to keep up with GSW athleticism-wise.

• PG - Ball - 6'5
• SG - Ingram - 6-9
• SF - LeBron - 6-9
• PF - George - 6'9
• C - Randle - 6'9

That team could switch everything and still matchup. Then, the bench you have Clarkson and Nance. Not to mention, they are more likely than not a lottery team next year where they could add another solid bench player. Or, they could use all of their assets and make a mega trade for Cousins, AD or Porzingis. Randle, Clarkson and 2 or 3 first round picks for one of those guys would be scary. Even if they got a guy like Andre Drummond or Greg Monroe on that team is terrifying.

@JayHawkFanToo I completely disagree and find so much wrong with your entire statement. So, I'll just leave it at that.

Man did the Balls play it right. For how dumb LaVarr seems, he also seems calculated. With PG and Bron looking to move to LA next season, his boy could end up at the right place at the right time.

@JayHawkFanToo I'm not making him look any worse. And innocent until proven guilty doesn't mean a damn thing to me right now if I'm a GM investing millions. In fact, I probably take the approach that he is guilty of anything said just to be cautious. Which is the point I have made which you continue to ignore.

People applying for jobs don't get hired for something as small as posting things on the internet. Much less actually breaking the law. Go and try to get a good job with two misdemeanors on your record in the last year and tell me how that goes.

Is someone with two misdemeanors in the last 7 months someone you would 100% feel confident giving $5M guaranteed ever year for 3 years to?

That is the point I am making that you are ignoring. I don't care if JJ volunteers every Sunday at a soup kitchen after church where he is a youth minister for underprivileged children missing a leg. He still committed two crimes int he past 7 months and that raises character questions no matter who you are. And that scrutiny only multiplies when you are talking about giving someone $15M.

We obviously have a difference of opinion on the crimes. Which is why I really avoided talking about them in great detail. But again, for a 3rd time in this post, my point is that JJ is still a risky pick due to the fact he DID commit two crimes. If you have anything that would be an argument contrary to my belief that GMs are in fact worried about JJ's character issues, please list those. Another post minimizing his crimes based on technicalities is not what I am asking for, just to be clear. Simply, whether or not you would feel comfortable giving someone with two misdemeanors $15M in guaranteed money.

@kjayhawks Best news I've heard all day. Building the indoor facility first and then doing the renovations. Something to sell to recruits!!

Pretty sure the new dorm "Downs" is supposed to hold football players too right?

Have to give Beatty all the tools we can.

@Crimsonorblue22 whats wrong with rcp?

@BeddieKU23 Who do you think the Suns take at 4?

Suns will trade that pick before they give JJ to the Kings.

jayballer54 said:

Well while we have another commit, we also have another - - - - -De-Commit

Nick Williams a 6'8 - - - 260 lb OL out of St Louis committed yesterday, a 3 Star, that was ranked 13th out of Missouri. - -Had offers from KSU- - -Minnesota, Purdue , Illinois and others. - -Not bad. - -Thing is 6'8 - -and 260? - - seems a little lean for his height doesn't it? - - Maybe not.

BUT on the other end, feeling kind of down, kind of depressed. - - I mean we all knew this could happen, just hope we can cut it off at the head before it becomes a runaway freight train.

Aaron Brule the safety from Louisiana de-committed a 3 star. - -My fear is when there is de-committements from there that slows our momentum we had with the other kids from La. - -Hopefully we can hang on to the other 3 that came from there this year - - going to be really hard especially when the high school season starts.

With the announcement from Zenger yesterday about a 300 million dollar renovation should really help in the recruiting, 300 million can make a lot of difference in the stadium and recruiting purposes. - - - -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY

Gotta win games. We win games the Louisiana kids will come. People are in their ears about KU sucking. Can't make that a reality. Have to give them some hope this year.

Also, 260 in HS is massive. Odds are he will redshirt that first year anyways and put 30-40 LBS on.

@JayHawkFanToo I stand by my statement. No matter how petty they are, he had two police "issues". Is that better?

So now you have to wonder what happens to a kid like that after you give him millions of dollars and even more fame. That is my point. Idgaf what he was ultimately charged with. He went after a woman in some form and he performed a hit and run. Only fact that matter is he was guilty of two crimes that ARE above a traffic violation. And that is an issue. Period.

The argument isn't whether or not you think JJ is a good person. The argument is if you want to invest millions of dollars into a guy who was in two police altercations in the last year.

There are players who have no police altercations their college career that people think are questionable off the court. A kid from Detroit with two altercations? People are going to be skeptical, and rightfully so.

@approxinfinity Suns should have gone for Howard. I think the entire league would have gone after Howard if they knew how cheap he would be.

Me thinks Boston likes Tatum better. I'm afraid we are about to watch JJ slip to pick 6. And get drafted by anyone willing to trade up with Orlando to get him. Phoenix is in position to pull of the biggest coup and get both JJ and Isaac if they play their cards exactly right. Hold D'Aaron Fox out for bidding. Forcing the Kings to trade with their 5th and 10th picks. Suns draft either JJ or Isaac. Whoever they think Orlando likes better. Then trade that 10th pick, 32nd pick and either Ulis or Knight for the 6th pick and get the other one. Would make Phoenix scary, young and as athletic as any other team. Almost hope this comes true. Phoneix would be a contender in 2 years.

• PG - Bledsoe
• SG - Booker
• SF - JJ
• PF - TJ Warren
• C - Len

Bench:
- Isaac
- Chriss
- Knight
- Chandler

Looks like Hammel is getting into midseason form. Of course I just cursed him, but that is at least what it looks like.

@JayHawkFanToo I think that Gill landed a couple of 5 running backs if I'm not mistaken. But maybe they were just 4

Also, what are the odds that Anthony Selden ends up as a preferred walk-on? Seems like a good fit.

Bagley is a huge get for two reasons. 1. He would make you a top 5 team almost by himself. And 2. You would have an in with his brother.

How are we doing on 2018 bigs? I know we just made Naz Reid's cut. But that's about the only news I've heard on that front. I think Bagley ultimately ends up going straight pro, but I hope he drags out his recruitment. Bill does his best work in April. I don't even really want Bol Bol. So really I don't see us landing an impact big unless we land Naz Reid.

I just don't see Preston or Doke playing another year regardless of how their seasons go. Leaves us with Mitch and the Lawsons. I think KJ will slide into a stretch 4 role. Which probably better suits him athletically and skill-wise. But there is plenty of unchallenged PT for a top big-man to be had. We need to land a 5. Dedric can play there for spurts. But no way can anyone else on our current roster. We are loaded at potential stretch 4s, but that only works if you have a 5 who can eat rebounds. Need to find a backup 5. (Or starting post player if we somehow pulled off a Zion or Bagley miracle).

@KUSTEVE Big Combo Guard. Would be a great second ball handler. A DG type of role. Cunliffe will have to prove he can do something besides hit a shot. And Vick might have the highest ceiling of anyone on next seasons team so he might not even be here. Plus, Grimes might not be a OAD. I know Garrett is kind of a similar guy, but you could slide him to the 3 and possibly have 3 PGs on the floor at once and be a very unselfish team offensively. That is a very high BBIQ lineup.

@BeddieKU23 Not a big deal or a surprise. Lawrence PD is just nice enough to not mess with the BBall players unless they absolutely have to.

BG should have gotten a DUI like his first week in Lawrence if I recall correctly. Got lucky to get away with only a hit and run charge.

@Texas-Hawk-10 so do teams without solid depth at positions besides QB. 2009 we relied on Meier and Briscoe too much. 2007 we had 7 receivers catch 20+ balls. And Aquib Talib who caught 8 passes for 4 TDs at an explosive 23 yards per reception.

2009 we had only 5 guys with 20+ catches and only 2 of them averaged over 10 yards per reception. Compared to 2007 where we had 5 guys average over 10 yards per reception.

Teams don't quit when they are winning games. A 5-0 team doesn't quit. I don't care if a coach chews a player out and pokes him in the chest. That team doesn't quit on the field.

I may very well put all of the money I have on Mayweather. I'm not sure you could get better odds on a sure thing if you tried.

@Texas-Hawk-10 Excuses... They were on a downhill trajectory from 2007 already. We got curb stomped 4 of those 7 games.

@dylans Todd Reesing also had a 5-7 season his senior year to go with his 8-5 Junior season. The team progressively got worse, despite the QB.

That 2009 (Senior season) team started 5-0, and finished 0-7. Reesing threw only 13 TD to his 8 INTs in Conference play. If you take you the ISU game which was part of that 5-0 start, he threw 9 TDs and 7 INTs in the last 7 games.

Just thought I'd throw that out there.