J.R. Smith/Shumpert to Cavs, Dion Waiters to Thunder, 2nd rounder to Knicks

That's a statistical anomaly, lol. What kind of sorcery is this?

Why risk your investment when the teams going to lose like 65 games and the goal will be to see if they can pluck anything useful out of the dregs of the league and d-league?

Why bother playing out the season at all, then? Why not forfeit the rest of the year?

If a player is so fragile that having him play the full season in a year where things aren't going well is a huge risk, then he probably shouldn't be playing in the NBA. If Melo is going to be their star moving forward - and barring a trade, he's going to be - then he needs to be around so that Fisher can teach him the triangle, and figure out how best to use him, same as anyone else. Like I said, if he wants to play and try to compete in the face of a lost season, good for him. Melo cops a fair amount of criticism, and it's not all unwarranted, but that's a commendable attitude...especially when you've got a player like Larry Sanders in Milwaukee who's actually in a promising situation, yet wants to call it quits.

You guys think this will kill Reggie Jackson or help him take up his game ?

Unfortunately the Thunder have been silently killing Reggie from awhile back. From rotoworld:

The Thunder have done their best to distance themselves from Jackson and by adding Dion Waiters via trade on Monday they're taking an interesting risk. They've also been known to underplay their young assets in an attempt to control the free agency market, so there appears to be a lot going against Jackson right now.

Waiters is a really shitty player. He won't deserve PT but the Thunder will try forcing him into a rotation which will backfire. Sooner they realize this better they will become. Whether anyone like it or not, Reggie Jackson is the only real deal off the bench. Rest are garbage including Lamb and Perkins, and especially Waiters.

He will be out of the team. Wether it's happening these last six weeks or during the summer, he'll be out

He's a goner next season, no doubt about that.

Question is will the Win Now mode Thunder rent his service for a season or get something in return before he walks.

He's a goner next season, no doubt about that.

Question is will the Win Now mode Thunder rent his service for a season or get something in return before he walks.

An article on bleacher report said that the Thunder's management will probably go for the second one. Even after the trade, Knicks are still interested in Reggie Jackson and are currently trying to do something about him. He might end up there afterall

Knicks' only remaining asset is Hardaway. And to a certain extent, Cleanthony Early.

Cleanthony Early for Jackson sounds like a good trade. Calderon would also be an interesting fit for the Thunder but there are some money problems here with his contract. He is on the trading block though

Thunder need to swap him for Isaiah Thomas outta Phoenix and attach Perk's expiring contract, maybe throw in a pick or two.

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That's a statistical anomaly, lol. What kind of sorcery is this?

https://vine.co/v/OdKhhbZPMuz
this kind

Hell must've frozen over that day.

Why bother playing out the season at all, then? Why not forfeit the rest of the year?

Because they already marked the dates on the calender and sold the tickets.

But make no mistake, the Knicks are effectively forfeiting the season, Melo playing 40 minutes or zero.

And the triangle isn't some magic voodoo that only the most brilliant and experienced minds can grasp, it's a simple set with simple spacing rules. (Which is WHY Jackson likes it*.) The problem is when your players don't want to run it because it cramps their agenda, that's why both Kobe and Jordan "struggled" under it initially. Freakin' Isiah Rider figured it out in a preseason.

If you look at all the Knicks problem with triangle clips it's the same thing, two guys in the right place or making the right move, and a third, usually a "name" wanting to run his own set for himself. You'll find the same thing in early Bulls/Lakers clips, except that Jordan and eventually Kobe were good enough to freelance within it (and also to be fair, their teammates to adjust appropriately) before they recognized that not only were they getting the ball back but that it played to their strengths by letting them post one-on-one. (Jackson just needs to have MJ take Melo out to Atlantic City for a night and tell him then after two games Melo won't ever have a "problem learning" the triangle again. Hell, even Shaq might be able to handle it.)

*Because as the player focuses on putting the triangle in place, it automatically sets spacing properly. More complicated sets try to set the spacing as a separate move from setting the players. The triangle (and some other sets, like the Princeton) automatically do it if the players have any sort of court sense and awareness. (In return, they limit your "exit" routes, which is why it's always been said the triangle needs a post player and how Shaq was the ideal for it because that's the exit point, putting the ball in the post so you can, at minimum, shuffle the triangle to the opposite side.)

Last edited by benji on Thu Jan 08, 2015 2:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Right? Melo's much too selfish to run the system. That's been a problem with his entire career. His ego seems to leave a quake of destruction wherever he goes.

Melo's probably just too paranoid to submit to it. Jordan and Shaq both will admit, and probably Kobe now, that as a star you're so used to having the ball for most of an offensive possession that when the triangle takes it away you fear you're not getting it back until you wisen up and realize the value of the post and also that your teammates aren't stupid enough to deny their dominant offensive player the ball.

To be fair, Melo has been justified in his paranoia regarding the latter.

Remember, Melo resisted D'Antoni's system too (which is entirely opposite from the triangle), Woodson then basically let the team freelance, which worked when the team was deep, hitting shots and staying healthy, and not so much last season.

Jackson did rather well with this move. Now he actually has options to rebuild. We all knew he was getting nowhere near a title when he paid Melo his Max-Max. I kinda think the Lakers should do what Jackson's doing rather than pretending. Their stake is higher, top 5 draft pick or entire season wasted and most likely followed by another meaningless season.

As for the Thunder, this is kind of a proof their front office isn't really 'smart' unlike their reputation. They were rather just 'lucky' to draft right especially that Durant guy.

And the triangle isn't some magic voodoo that only the most brilliant and experienced minds can grasp, it's a simple set with simple spacing rules. (Which is WHY Jackson likes it*.) The problem is when your players don't want to run it because it cramps their agenda, that's why both Kobe and Jordan "struggled" under it initially. Freakin' Isiah Rider figured it out in a preseason.

Fair call. But even so, shouldn't he playing so that he can get used to it, and come around to the philosophy?

But even so, shouldn't he playing so that he can get used to it, and come around to the philosophy?

https://vine.co/v/OpimArT7Jeg

Shaq-like power move to the post right there.

Waiters shot 1-9 in his debut.

https://vine.co/v/OpimArT7Jeg

Yeah, can't blame him.

J.R Smith 0-5, Dion 1-9.
This trade already appears to be on a fucking fantastic start.

Well there are guys like Josh Smith who wanted to prove everyone wrong, had a great debute game and then started messing around again, and then there are guys like JR and Dion who have to get used to the team system. Give them a little time and they might be decent

This trade already appears to be on a fucking fantastic start.

https://vine.co/v/OpOenV0gmt3