NBA 2019 Off-Season Thread

[daBronzeBomma]

Basketball doesn't really have an off-season. It never turns off at any point in the year.

It's more like an "out-season".

Whatever you call it, it's here.

The Toronto Raptors are the newly coronated NBA champions, with their championship parade being held today.

The Off-Season is a time for 5 main things:

1. NBA Draft
2. NBA trades
3. NBA free agency
4. NBA hiring/firing of coaches and executives
5. NBA legacies
6. NBA rule changes

The Draft is always important and is coming up very soon.

We already had our first blockbuster trade of the off- season between the Lakers and the Pelicans. Anthony Davis for the Lakers current core plus a slew of draft picks: LeBron gets his ideal Pippen, while the Pels get a much better supporting cast for Zion Williamson.

NBA Free Agency is a complete toss-up, due to KD's injury, Klay's injury, and Kawhi as a (potentially) one-year rental that won it all. These 3 things change the mindset of most potential bidders.

Coaches and executives in the NBA are hired to be fired, as the saying goes. Sure the carousel will continue as it always does.

Legacies should really only ever be seriously discussed in the off-season, because so much changes in-season and during the post-season. I'll have my annually updated Top 20 Basketball Players of All Time list ready to go soon.

Rule changes in the NBA are rare but worth discussing.

So, let's have at it! Bring on the NBA off-season and all its chaos!

[daBronzeBomma]

The Lakers are now said to be pursuing a top-flight guard to assist (literally & figuratively) LeBron James and his new sidekick Anthony Davis.

It could come down to Hornets PG Kemba Walker, Celrics G Kyrie Irving, and Rockets G Chris Paul.

Walker seems like their first choice, but Walker may be going for the guaranteed max deal (from the Hornets) over a better chance at a ring (for a much smaller payday from the Lakers).

Irving is intriguing, but virtually everyone has him already inked to go to the Brooklyn Nets. No doubt he has shown he can play at a high level with LeBron, but he also is due for a bigger payday than the Lakers can offer.

Then there's Chris Paul. He's one of Lebron's closest friends off the court, and is still one of the best pure point guards out there, but he is still under contract with the Rockets. Unless he forces a buyout and then signs with LA for whatever they can afford to pay him.

Kemba, Kyrie, or Chris?

Which (if any) of these guards are going to join The King and The he Brow in La-La Land?

[WestPhillyPunisher]

The Lakers are now said to be pursuing a top-flight guard to assist (literally & figuratively) LeBron James and his new sidekick Anthony Davis.

It could come down to Hornets PG Kemba Walker, Celrics G Kyrie Irving, and Rockets G Chris Paul.

Walker seems like their first choice, but Walker may be going for the guaranteed max deal (from the Hornets) over a better chance at a ring (for a much smaller payday from the Lakers).

Irving is intriguing, but virtually everyone has him already inked to go to the Brooklyn Nets. No doubt he has shown he can play at a high level with LeBron, but he also is due for a bigger payday than the Lakers can offer.

Then there's Chris Paul. He's one of Lebron's closest friends off the court, and is still one of the best pure point guards out there, but he is still under contract with the Rockets. Unless he forces a buyout and then signs with LA for whatever they can afford to pay him.

Kemba, Kyrie, or Chris?

Which (if any) of these guards are going to join The King and The he Brow in La-La Land?

Depends on who's willing to put their ego on the shelf and become Robin to Lebron's Batman. Kyrie left James while in Cleveland because he didn't want to be a sidekick, and, friendship or not, I can't see Paul playing second fiddle either. That leaves Walker who might be willing to head west unless Charlotte blows him away with a new offer.

[daBronzeBomma]

First Kyrie, now Al Horford is not opting in and will become an unrestricted free agent.

Chris Paul reportedly wants out of Houston but his massive contract renders him pretty untradeable, barring an unlikely buyout.

Mike Conley just got traded to the Jazz.

And the Draft is tomorrow.

What off-season?

[WestPhillyPunisher]

The entire makeup of the Eastern Conference could come down to where Kawhi Leonard ends up. If he stays in Toronto, they figure to be top dog in the East for years, but, if he leaves and heads west, the Raptors would go from championship contender to also-ran struggling to make the playoffs as a low rung seed overnight, maybe even a lottery team. The Bucks have Giannis and could rule the East if Leonard leaves; my Sixers need to sign Jimmy Butler and/or Tobias Harris to stay competitive, not to mention building up their bench as that roster is hideously top heavy. As for the Celtics, they look to be imploding, meanwhile, the Nets look to be an up and comer.

[daBronzeBomma]

So how did everyone's team do on Draft Night?

My Pistons drafted a hyped-up 18-year-old from Europe with no American collegiate experience.

His name is Sekou Doumbouya. He may not be a bust, but for now I'm just going to call him the "French Darko Milicic".

Or just "Farko".