In the mean time, Clipps have traded Rivers to the Wizards for Gortat:

The Los Angeles Clippers have agreed to trade Austin Rivers to the Washington Wizards for Marcin Gortat.

Rivers recently opted into his $12.6 million contract for the 18-19 season. Rivers will be a free agent in 2019.

Gortat has one season remaining on his deal at $13.6 million.

The Clippers have an uncertain situation at center with DeAndre Jordan's player option decision.

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/250374/Clippers-Trade-Austin-Rivers-To-Wizards-For-Marcin-Gortat

So that would indicate that DeAndre Jordan is indeed gone- either he opts out or he opts in and gets traded. I think the Clips did this to get rid of Rivers- there was a lot of talk about he resentment of the way his dad favoured him etc. I don't get the trade for the Wizards- I know they wanted rid of Gortat for chemistry reasons, but they're losing their starting C for a guard.

Ah, just read on realm forums they think this means the Wiz are going to sign Dwight Howard.

Free agency is overwhelming. But Paul George is ready for it.

That was the message of the first installment of ESPN’s “Paul George: My Journey,” a three-part series airing on SportsCenter and documenting the Thunder forward’s free-agent decision.

And there will be a decision. The first episode makes clear that George is, as expected, opting out of the final year of his contract to become a free agent.

“It’s a lot of things that go into it — trying to find the right fit, what’s the best place for me to raise my kids,” George says in the first episode. "A lot is playing into this, so it’s a bit overwhelming.”

https://newsok.com/article/5599497/paul-george-excited-for-free-agency-as-espn-series-begins

Knixkik wrote:Good trade for Washington. They get a quality combo guard who can provide insurance for their injury prone backcourt stars.

that is a good trade

smackeddog wrote:

Knixkik wrote:Good trade for Washington. They get a quality combo guard who can provide insurance for their injury prone backcourt stars.

But it leaves them light at centre. Sure they can sign Dwight, but is that a good idea for a team thats struggled with chemistry and conflicts the past season?

Knixkik wrote:

smackeddog wrote:

Knixkik wrote:Good trade for Washington. They get a quality combo guard who can provide insurance for their injury prone backcourt stars.

But it leaves them light at centre. Sure they can sign Dwight, but is that a good idea for a team thats struggled with chemistry and conflicts the past season?

No one wants centers anymore, so they can replace him very easily in free agency. Plenty of quality centers will be available for cheap this offseason.

They’re beyond capped out, payroll of at least $124mil. Plus John wall will soon be earning $40mil per year after next season

Also -- Glenn Robinson III is apparently unrestricted but assume he sticks with Pacers.

Want someone to share SF minutes with Knox that isn't named Hardaway or Lee. Want Lee out of here this summer --- maybe Lee goes for Mo Harkless.

LivingLegend wrote:

fishmike wrote:

smackeddog wrote:

Knixkik wrote:Good trade for Washington. They get a quality combo guard who can provide insurance for their injury prone backcourt stars.

But it leaves them light at centre. Sure they can sign Dwight, but is that a good idea for a team thats struggled with chemistry and conflicts the past season?

KOQ for the full MLE!

Personally I'd rather give A-Len the full MLE over KOQ and I'm not sure either are worth giving the MLE to.

There are things I like about KOQ but he is too much of a space cadet for me -- seems to disappear in bigger games.

Per john wall

“Just got to add some pieces,” he said. “A lot, to be honest. There’s a lot that we can use… I think it’s pretty obvious. I don’t need to point it out. I think the way the league is going, you need athletic bigs, you need scoring off the bench, you need all of those types of things. We don’t really have an athletic big. I mean, Ian [Mahinmi] is older. [Marcin Gortat] is older. They’re not athletic guys, but they do the little things that permit their game to help as much as possible…

That's just the way the league is now, athletic, space, pace, 3's, and when your star player talks you listen.

Stiff centers that can't shoot 3's, can't run the floor, can't guard the perimeter are 8th men in a rotation.

smackeddog wrote:

Knixkik wrote:

smackeddog wrote:

Knixkik wrote:Good trade for Washington. They get a quality combo guard who can provide insurance for their injury prone backcourt stars.

But it leaves them light at centre. Sure they can sign Dwight, but is that a good idea for a team thats struggled with chemistry and conflicts the past season?

No one wants centers anymore, so they can replace him very easily in free agency. Plenty of quality centers will be available for cheap this offseason.

They’re beyond capped out, payroll of at least $124mil. Plus John wall will soon be earning $40mil per year after next season

They will be able to get a stopgap starting center for the bi-annual exception or even the minimum. The market is going to be saturated with centers willing to come for almost free as long as they have the opportunity to start and boost their value for the following summer.

Cartman718 wrote:For what it's worth...its Stephen A...
"LeBron James reached out to Kevin Durant via text, from what I'm told, about coming to Los Angeles," said Stephen A. Smith. "I don't know what Kevin Durant's response to him was. That's not the information I got. But I will tell you that I did hear is that behind the scenes Kevin Durant was like 'why would I do that? You know what, as far as I'm concerned LeBron James is a big time player but the way I look at it, I should be perceived as the best in the world. Why would I think about doing something like that.'"

KD will never be perceived as the best in the world as long as he's on Golden State (unless they lose one of their core players)- I don't even get the line of thinking in the above.

smackeddog wrote:

Cartman718 wrote:For what it's worth...its Stephen A...
"LeBron James reached out to Kevin Durant via text, from what I'm told, about coming to Los Angeles," said Stephen A. Smith. "I don't know what Kevin Durant's response to him was. That's not the information I got. But I will tell you that I did hear is that behind the scenes Kevin Durant was like 'why would I do that? You know what, as far as I'm concerned LeBron James is a big time player but the way I look at it, I should be perceived as the best in the world. Why would I think about doing something like that.'"

KD will never be perceived as the best in the world as long as he's on Golden State (unless they lose one of their core players)- I don't even get the line of thinking in the above.

Why, last time i checked, both pipen and rodman are HOF.

Your going to see more and more players linking up with other superstars.

This is a copy cat league

smackeddog wrote:Interesting interview with Mills:

Tweet was deleted or there was problem with the URL:

https://www.twitter.com/IanBegley/status/1012416719929868288

Said were only signing guys to one year deals this offseason.

Also when asked about scoring in the backcourt he said Tim jr will be playing SG more and we have trey Burke. No mention of CLee, so hopefully we are going to trade him.

Good stuff. Glad they are confident about where things stand with KP. Injury aside, he is a franchise player in every way imaginable.