The Official Off-Season NBA Thread

[los2187]

 

[earldagoat]

https://www.si.com/nba/2022/01/28/nba-rookie-rankings-evan-mobley-cavaliers

The Crossover spoke with the 20-year-old about his transition to the NBA, the surging Cavaliers and more.

Sports Illustrated: You’ve made a smooth adjustment to the professional game after just one season at USC. Why do you think your game has translated so well?

Evan Mobley: I feel like my skill set and my talent really translates to how the game is played at this level. It was more about getting used to the certain little things with how the game is played. After I got used to that I feel like things came naturally. It was a smooth transition.

SI: What do you enjoy about playing alongside Jarrett Allen in these double-big lineups? Why do you think the pairing works so well?

EM: A lot of teams aren’t seeing that look. When they drive into the paint they usually aren’t seeing two or three 7-footers coming in to block their shot. So it definitely makes it tough on teams to score. It takes away things a lot of teams do relatively easily.

SI: When you take a long-term view of your future in Cleveland, what makes you confident this team can have sustained success?

EM: Well, we’re all pretty young, for one thing. We all get along, we support each other. I can see us getting better and better every year and growing together as much as we can.

SI: What part of the game has provided the biggest learning curve for you?

EM: Probably the schedule and how many games you play, to be honest. It’s a lot different in college where you’re playing way less games. But it’s all right. You’ve got to be resilient, got to take care of your body. I get treatment, I keep lifting. There’s a lot of things I do to maintain myself.

SI: Are there any current or former players you molded your game after?

EM: My favorite player growing up was Kevin Durant. I also like Giannis [Antetokounmpo] a lot, too. I definitely take bits and pieces from different players like Anthony Davis and Kevin Garnett. I’m my own player still, but I take things I can learn from them when I can.

SI: There was a little back-and-forth between Cade Cunningham and Jalen Green regarding who should have been the No. 1 pick. Do you feel any competition with your fellow rookies?

EM: No, not really. I’m just trying to be the best player I can be. I don’t try to focus on anyone else. I just focus on what I can do and what I need to do to help our team be successful.

SI: So you’re not laying claim to Rookie of the Year just yet?

EM: Nope. I’m good on that for now.

 

[storm2006]

• Chris Haynes: “League sources have told me the Lakers have reached out to the Kings about a Talen Horton-Tucker package for Hield. Still trying to make that happen. Obviously the Kings are like, ‘No. We feel like there’s more lucrative deals out there.’ The Kings are going to be active. They’ve got a whole bunch of people calling them.”

• ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported Thursday that New York is looking to deal its more experienced players to make room for its younger stars. “In conversations this week with teams, the Knicks have expressed a willingness to trade some of their veteran players,” Windhorst said on NBA Today. “That includes Kemba Walker, Evan Fournier, Alec Burks, guys like this.”

• The Cleveland Cavaliers might have eyes for Boston Celtics veteran point guard Dennis Schroder ahead of the Feb. 10 NBA trade deadline. “Today they were granted a $9 million disabled-player exception by the league for the Ricky Rubio season-ending ACL. They can use that to trade for a player with one year left on his contract,” ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said Thursday on NBA Today. “League executives believe a main target for that will be Dennis Schroder, who fits into that trade exception. Such a trade would potentially take the Celtics below the luxury tax and he could help [the Cavs] on the perimeter.”

Not even considering the fact that we all know THT is *** now, wasn't the Hield package from the summer much more lucrative?

How can you trade all of your assets for Russ, THT play as poorly as he has and then still expect a THT package to result in a Buddy Hield This is also after the Kings said they don't want a tank and are going after impact players. What is LA doing?

 

[Mark Antony]

Damn shorty def got the classic belt on a dress big girl look on tho

Between the belt and the boots you know she's in pain but she's still out here smiling through it on national TV. That's how you know how she likes it.

 

[smedroc]

Belt on a dress

 

[titang545]

She built weird af now.

In honor of the GOAT, RIP Black Mamba.

No question she would still get the D. Ain't no frontin I wouldn't go at that.

DAMN wasn't Chalmers just on a NBA team, he knocked back down already?

 

[earldagoat]

 

[titang545]

INFLUENCE

Interesting pic, never seen it. However imagine you the dude caught looking the other way in a Jordan picture. LOL.

Before the trade deadline, would much rather rock with Nets and finish the season out if I'm Harden. Even with Kyrie working half a shift

Imagine you been on the team since start of the season, Kyrie comes in after the game talking about his weekend plans but ya'll got two home games. LOL. You catching these hands.

 

[N41D]

• Chris Haynes: “League sources have told me the Lakers have reached out to the Kings about a Talen Horton-Tucker package for Hield. Still trying to make that happen. Obviously the Kings are like, ‘No. We feel like there’s more lucrative deals out there.’ The Kings are going to be active. They’ve got a whole bunch of people calling them.”

• ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported Thursday that New York is looking to deal its more experienced players to make room for its younger stars. “In conversations this week with teams, the Knicks have expressed a willingness to trade some of their veteran players,” Windhorst said on NBA Today. “That includes Kemba Walker, Evan Fournier, Alec Burks, guys like this.”

• The Cleveland Cavaliers might have eyes for Boston Celtics veteran point guard Dennis Schroder ahead of the Feb. 10 NBA trade deadline. “Today they were granted a $9 million disabled-player exception by the league for the Ricky Rubio season-ending ACL. They can use that to trade for a player with one year left on his contract,” ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said Thursday on NBA Today. “League executives believe a main target for that will be Dennis Schroder, who fits into that trade exception. Such a trade would potentially take the Celtics below the luxury tax and he could help [the Cavs] on the perimeter.”

THT
Hield
Walker/Fournier/Burks
Schroder

Lamest deadline of all time.

Not even considering the fact that we all know THT is *** now, wasn't the Hield package from the summer much more lucrative?

Anybody that was paying attention already knew a guard that ain't a lead guard and can't shoot was ***.

THT had some in here fooled bigly.

 

[lawdog1]

What’s this all about?

 

[getback]

THT
Hield
Walker/Fournier/Burks
Schroder

Lamest deadline of all time.

Anybody that was paying attention already knew a guard that ain't a lead guard and can't shoot was ***.

THT had some in here fooled bigly.

Crazy the dip Kemba's career took. Went from supermax eligible to sort of just being bounced around.

 

[pmatic]

 

[titang545]

still WOOD!

Ros Gold-Onwude on Instagram: "Hello 2022!! 🎉🥂🙏🏽 Happy New Year y’all! ❤️ #nye #Miami"

20K likes, 443 comments - rosgo21 on January 1, 2022: "Hello 2022!! 🎉🥂🙏🏽 Happy New Year y’all! ❤️ #nye #Miami".

www.instagram.com

Hell I WOOD even when she was pregnant. Zero F's given, kid just might have a extra dimple in his head. LOL.

Ain't going to front Ros do be getting around in the NBA scene. Not saying she getting around, but...

Anyone know who this is with Shaq?

 

[antidope]

Media Draymond gonna end up becoming a titan. Bigger than his playing legacy

 

[amitt5504]

Hell I WOOD even when she was pregnant. Zero F's given, kid just might have a extra dimple in his head. LOL.

Ain't going to front Ros do be getting around in the NBA scene. Not saying she getting around, but...

Anyone know who this is with Shaq?

Wait, when was she pregnant

 

[Moheezy]

Portland giving up way too much for Grant.

 

[coldcity]

Grooming dray to take chucks slot… TNT playing chess

 

[ballinsam23]

Portland needs to stop. Every year they make a trade for some tweener PF that doesn’t get them over the top. Either gets there and is trash or super mediocre.

Time to blow it up there.

 

[pmatic]

I'd do that trade just to get off McCollum and Powell's contracts if I were Portland.

 

[geno90221]

 

[earldagoat]

What’s this all about?

I think the last Wizards game finally broke him. Either that or something to do w Marv Albert and wordie.

 

[storm2006]

The Anti-Joy Mafia is going to be mad about this one

 

[king j]

 

[pmatic]

 

[Arthur Shelby]