2023-24 Team Developments: Trades / Free Agents / News / Rumors / Ideas

They should have traded for Kyrie this summer. We'd be in the Finals right now. Too late to make that trade now. Unless Kyrie could be resigned before the draft, and it wouldn't be a sign and trade deal. I don't think it works like that though.

 

Oh FFS.

These d******es gonna Westbrick 2.0 this s***.

 

17. Los Angeles Lakers — Jordan Hawkins, G, Connecticut

 

that's an old video

 

Phil Jackson from the 2000s, working with Pat Riley from the 1980s would have failed to win with that garbage squad- the least talented team assembled since the Kwame/Smush group.

 

This is assuming another team would actually want one of these guys.

 

Another one of your opinions that seems destined to be proven wrong, IMO, from the reports that are dancing around what's going to happen (severe punishment, whatever that means) ..... based on Silver's own words.

1.3k
Vincent Goodwill
·Senior NBA reporter
Fri, June 2, 2023, 3:14 PM PDT


DENVER — Even the Lakers and C Bags would have a hard time being overshadowed by what’s coming to Ja Morant.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver tried his best to lawyer his way through the wording, but it was clear the verdict on Morant will be harsh and perhaps groundbreaking. Silver knew it would dominate the news cycle for more than a day and that these NBA Finals, or any other for that matter, didn’t deserve to be upstaged by such a black mark.

Morant appeared to have another gun on an Instagram Live video weeks ago, leading to his suspension from the Memphis Grizzlies. It’s hard to say what Morant is actually being suspended from participating in at this time, but we do know what he’s suspended for: playing in your employer’s face.

The list is long and, scarily, it doesn’t appear he has yet hit rock bottom. After all, before this latest incident his Nike commercial was displayed all over the playoffs and until only recently did Nike begin to limit the release of his first signature shoe.

Perhaps it was fitting Silver was a few miles away from the scene of Morant’s first public transgression in March at the strip club Shotgun Willie’s where he flashed a gun — again, on Instagram Live.

“So in assessing what discipline is appropriate, if that’s the case, we look at both the history of prior acts, but then we look at the individual player’s history, as well,” Silver said Thursday. “And the seriousness, of course, of the conduct. Those are all things that get factored.

“It’s not an exact science. It comes down to judgment at the end of the day on the part of me and my colleagues in the league office.”


Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant could be facing unprecedented punishment by the NBA. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)
How the science is determined is by a full-length investigation. Best believe the NBA used every resource it could find — team security, who often have FBI or military backgrounds, as well as local law enforcement to determine Morant’s activities.

“In terms of the timing, we’ve uncovered a fair amount of additional information, I think, since I was first asked about the situation,” Silver said. “I will say we probably could have brought it to a head now, but we made the decision, and I believe the players association agrees with us, that it would be unfair to these players and these teams in the middle of the series to announce the results of that investigation.”

That’s a mouthful, even if it wasn’t Silver’s intention. We already know plenty about Morant’s activities, in large part because he has displayed them on the internet. The reported altercation at a Memphis shoe store inside a mall, the backyard beatingMorant allegedly gave a 17-year-old over some perceived disrespect. Then you add the laser-pointing situation with the Indiana Pacers’ traveling party that the league didn’t quite validate, not only does it give the appearance the NBA should’ve come down harsher on Morant sooner but this punishment will be one of note.

The recently retired Carmelo Anthony comes to mind here, in a conversation he had with late commissioner David Stern following an altercation in New York when Anthony was a young Denver Nugget.

Stern’s words to Anthony after he handed down a 15-game suspension in 2006: “I know who you’re with. I know where you living at, I know where they live at. I know when you close your eyes and when you wake up and I know what they’re doing, he’s telling me. You either tell them to stop or you cut them off.”

The spirit of Stern was likely evoked by Silver in his findings.

And considering Silver brought up the NBPA in his statement, it certainly suggests the suspension will be so severe the first inclination will be for the NBPA to challenge it through arbitration — but doing it in conjunction will mean once it comes down, the ruling will be final without possibility of an appeal.

Silver wouldn’t say whether Morant will be available to start next season, but it’s hard to picture him doing the griddy on opening night in October.

The commissioner isn’t in an impossible position, but there’s a line he’s walking. Sure, the punishment will be punitive given Morant’s now-public rap sheet, but it also has to be a deterrent from this happening again — which is what he thought he was accomplishing when giving Morant an eight-game suspension in March.

Silver was asked if he should’ve come down with a heavier hand, given all he knows now. The exhaustive investigation the league has recently conducted should’ve been done sooner.










Adam Silver: Ja Morant investigation results coming after Finals
The NBA commissioner spoke prior to Thursday's opening game of the NBA Finals -- saying the league uncovered a fair amount of new information into the Grizzlies guard's postings on social media where he flashed a handgun.

“I’ve thought about that, and [NBA executive vice president] Joe Dumars, who is here, was in the room with me when we met with Ja, and he’s known Ja longer than I have,” Silver said. “For me at the time, an eight-game suspension seemed very serious, and the conversation we had, and Tamika Tremaglio from the players association was there, as well, felt heartfelt and serious. But I think he understood that it wasn’t about his words. It was going to be about his future conduct.

“I guess in hindsight, I don’t know. If it had been a 12-game suspension instead of an eight-game suspension, would that have mattered? I know it seemed based on precedent, and he’s represented, and we want to be fair in terms of the league, it seemed appropriate at the time. That’s all I can say. Maybe by definition to the extent we’ve all seen the video that it appears he’s done it again, I guess you could say maybe not.”

At heart, Silver is a fan of the players, knowing they’re the league’s greatest currency. And he’s a fan of Morant, too. He knows Morant’s importance to the NBA, USA Basketball and Nike. So he doesn’t want to throw Morant out with the bath water here.

In addition, he cares for Morant’s humanity — Silver, like most, wants Morant to turn this thing around and not be a cautionary tale. Silver knows Morant is at an inflection point in his career, and perhaps even his life.

Playing around with guns in a place like Memphis doesn’t usually have a happy ending, and not even Morant’s popularity and massive wealth can prevent him from street justice if that’s what someone determines.

It certainly sounds extreme but perhaps only a trade will save Morant from himself. Even then, that feels like Memphis is the problem and not Morant’s own actions. There’s a Memphis everywhere in the NBA, if we’re being honest.

Morant didn’t go through the prep gauntlet so many players do now, where they’re poked and prodded, then reminded at a very young age how they have to be mindful of their actions before they physically mature.

It’s not a safeguard because some players just find themselves in a mess regardless of pedigree, but Morant’s rise out of nowhere means he skipped critical steps in terms of handling attention.

And whether he’s a studio gangster or one in real life doesn’t matter when it comes to the NBA handing out justice. Morant took an olive branch of grace from Silver and spit on it, in essence.

Whenever the announcement comes, it’ll be an opportunity for Morant to do more than attend a fast-food rehab but truly assess where he’s going and if he wants it all to end sooner than it should.

 

Lot of movement on the assistant front this afternoon.


Heralded as the offensive guru a Vogel team needs.

 

I don't get paid to be right about anything. I voice an opinion. Woj is saying 17 games. I guess we'll see. Again from what I've seen, this new information is related to this latest incident, not Indianapolis or Denver .

I know this much...whatever it is, I'd ship D'Angelo and Malik along with 2 FRP ASAP to Memphis for Ja Morant.



https://clutchpoints.com/grizzlies-news-ja-morants-potential-suspension-woj

 

If all he gets is 17 games, considering he learned and adjusted nothing with the 8 games 1st suspension …. that would be a Joke Part Deux. All Pro honors be damned. Ja truly is at an inflection point early in his career. All in my unpaid for opinion as well.

 

I don't know the whole story, neither do you. Maybe Silva is waiting to after the Finals to avoid the backlash from people like you out for blood.

I do know that Memphis is a dangerous little city. Wright was murdered in his hometown, set up by his wife. Penny Hardaway had to hire armed security just come home to do summer basketball camps, when he was in Orlando . This rapper kid got murdered in broad daylight, with over 300 bullets. They have some real thugs and gangsters, running around loose in that town.

There may be more to his situation in that place, than we hear about in the Media. We shall see soon. I'd still take him on the Lakers if he needs a change of scenery.

 

I hate the Suns but pairing Vogel with Young is very good for them. That’s another team that will need to be dealt with next year, the West is going to be f***ing insane.

I’ll be disappointed if we just decline Beasley’s option and Bamba’s guarantee but it seems like that’s the way it’s going. Doing that for Bamba in particular would annoy me. At least with Beasley you can say we’ll (likely) have DLo/Reaves/Dennis/Lonnie/Christie all back so minutes could be hard to come by. We have no legit NBA bigs besides AD, Gabriel gives great effort but he’s not good enough. We traded an expiring and a second for him which isn’t nothing and he barely got to play before getting injured. We can stay under the second apron by just declining Beasley so I don’t accept the tax as an excuse to get rid of Bamba. Maybe they just think he sucks.

 

Bamba sucks. Good riddance. Now... would I rather S&T him for something of value? Sure.

 

That’s what we need a thug wannabe or for real to come to LA with all its gangs and distracting night life, where knuckleheads here too might very well want either to test him or glom on ….. and give up 2 MORE future first round picks for a guy who plays a macho, reckless game high in the air just asking for serious or career altering injury.

Did I say I know? I said the same thing you said …. it was MY opinion and I’m not out for blood any more than you have your head … errr ….. opinion buried in the sand about his behavior and what Silver’s now “likely” going to be forced to do about it.

 

Shiid...Ron Artest atcually went into the stands, and fought fans dude, we totally embraced him here. I wasn't be so quick to say, what we would or wouldn't do. I'd take Ja Morant all day man. Like Lebron said f*** them picks.

 

Rob doesn’t talk, so I wouldn't put much stock into what the media is speculating about our plans.

 

It is disappointing we may let 30 odd million in salary slots just expire in Beasley, Bamba and Lonnie. But it’s not unexpected.

 

No thanks to Ja. He is one bad fall away from a Rose like career and on top of that he has clear off court problems. In life sometimes the best thing you can do is avoid the obvious problems.

 

Was Artest in love with packing guns over and above the damage he could do with his fists, elbows and table legs maybe, drawing on what he’d seen on the mean streets? Did he ever do anything again after the fallout from the Palace rumble? Did we have to give up 2 first round picks for him at a period of time when they’re likely going to be needed by the franchise? Was Artest’s game such that he risked serious injury with the way he played the game? Ron Ron was a hell of an offensive player in his prime TOO. But he was also a BIG wing that was a lockdown defender …. compared to what(?) that Ja brings that side of the ball in comparison at his size? Am glad you’re not calling the shots with our picks and the risks you’re willing to take with who you’d use them on.