He still may play this season according to NBA.com. His camp is still spinning this as a non-issue but 2 back surgeries before he's even 21? Chronic back problems may allow him to play limited minutes his whole career and prevent him from ever reaching his potential. Solid move by Perry in not reaching at 9 for him when many fans were calling his name on draft night.
NBA Summer League 2018
- Thread starter tiger0330
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SSj4Wingzero
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How many NBA greats have suffered back injuries so early and gone onto become great players?
Just reading an ESPN article assessing off-season moves by teams and the critique of the Bulls is Parker and Lavine aren't going to play D esp when you have Jabari slated to play SF. Might be a case of a lot of sizzle but no meat with that Bulls team, still they can part with Jabari after one season if it doesn't work out.
I think they'll have enough it's not like the competition in the East plays lots of D either....I can think of plenty poor defenders off the top of my head. I think Dunn/Markkanen/Carter/Portis/Holiday will make up defensively where they could be weak. The last 2 spots in the East won't be a surprise either way
ESPN Insider on both Knicks and Bulls projected wins for next season. Again Jabari and Lavine defense come up as big question marks for the Bulls in their RPM and it's impact on the wins for next season. Maybe Wendell and Laurie can pick up the slack but ESPN says the Bulls and the Knicks are headed to the lottery again.
Projected wins: 30.8
I pegged Kristaps Porzingis for 41 games, which would put his return in late December under the assumption he'll miss a few more afterward for precautionary reasons. Without their All-Star, the Knicks will likely struggle despite putting together some promising young talent.
Projected wins: 28.0
The Bulls used their cap space on matching an offer sheet to restricted free agent Zach LaVine (minus-2.1 projected RPM) and signing former No. 2 pick Jabari Parker (minus-1.8), so it's no surprise they aren't expected to improve much on last season's 27 wins.
ESPN Insider on both Knicks and Bulls projected wins for next season. Again Jabari and Lavine defense come up as big question marks for the Bulls in their RPM and it's impact on the wins for next season. Maybe Wendell and Laurie can pick up the slack but ESPN says the Bulls and the Knicks are headed to the lottery again.
13. New York Knicks
Projected wins: 30.8
I pegged Kristaps Porzingis for 41 games, which would put his return in late December under the assumption he'll miss a few more afterward for precautionary reasons. Without their All-Star, the Knicks will likely struggle despite putting together some promising young talent.
14. Chicago Bulls
Projected wins: 28.0
The Bulls used their cap space on matching an offer sheet to restricted free agent Zach LaVine (minus-2.1 projected RPM) and signing former No. 2 pick Jabari Parker (minus-1.8), so it's no surprise they aren't expected to improve much on last season's 27 wins.
ESPN has the Lakers missing the playoffs too correct?
We all know a healthy King-James will coach n floor-lead the Lakers into the playoffs !!!
They have the Lakers finishing 9th but give them a lot of leeway to make the playoffs with Lebron.
SAC is another team we talk about which Vlade has and still is trying to make the playoffs with signing guys to nice contracts in Yogi and Bjelica, ESPN is picking them to have the second worst record next season to ATL. Tired of saying this is going to be the breakout year for them, wouldn't surprise me if they get the 2nd pick this year also.
Projected wins: 41.2
When the Lakers first signed LeBron, I put together a preliminary RPM projection that pegged them for 50 wins. So why the drop to 41 in the full version? No team was hit harder by the adjustment for players changing teams than the Lakers, who project to have just 55 percent of their minutes played by returning players. (Only the Phoenix Suns are lower in this regard.) And no individual was hit harder than James, whose projected RPM dropped from plus-5.0 to plus-2.7. While LeBron's offensive RPM did, in fact, take a huge hit when he joined the Miami Heat in 2010-11 (from plus-8.7 to plus-4.8), he's still likely to beat that projection.
If James drops only to a plus-4.0, the Lakers would move into eighth, and even if this projection is accurate for all teams, they would still probably be better than 50-50 bets to make the playoffs because somebody else falls out, so RPM isn't necessarily calling them a lottery team. Nonetheless, these projections do now suggest the Lakers are far from challenging the best teams in the West.
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So has Lebron ever missed the playoffs maybe other than his first season in Cleveland yet ESPN by metrics has them missing...lol Even if they were to make it they say they scare no one.
Will keep an eye on this because for the most part I agree but I think they're a playoff team still, albeit a shaky one
Will keep an eye on this because for the most part I agree but I think they're a playoff team still, albeit a shaky one
The Western conference did not get any better than they already were from the offseason moves.
The Eastern conference did get weaker than the previous season from their offseason moves.
How are ESPN gonna put the Blazzers/Pelicans/Thunder/and Wolves above the Lakers for a playoff spot .. very BIG Joke !!!
The Lakers summer League team Guards of Caruso/Hart outplayed all big-ball and small-ball summer league teams.
What I see bout the new Lakers are Lebron James may finally get lots of rest in the upcoming regular season by just playing 30 minute at the SF spot by having Rondo/Ball/Caruso/Hart/Ingram/and Lance Stephenson controlling the guards duties throughout the Lakers 82 game regular season.
I also see Lakers President Magic Johnson getting a couple of healthy Bigmen C/PF before the February trading deadline to make a run for a certain spot in the playoffs to not bumb into the Warriors or Rockets in the first round.
I see coach Walton getting 2nd season players Kyle Kuzma and Lonzo Ball to play All-Star b.ball in the upcoming season having King James as their catalyst.
When u look at ESPN East playoff spot from 8 to 5 ..
8- Pistons
7-Wizards
6- Heats
5- Bucks
The Knicks miss-management Mills/Perry off-season moves showed NO improvement to get a better roster on June draft night, nor July 1st FA market signing, nor through team to teams trade by August 12th to challenge any of the 4 teams ESPN selected to grab the final 4 playoff spots in the East.
8- Pistons
7-Wizards
6- Heats
5- Bucks
The Knicks miss-management Mills/Perry off-season moves showed NO improvement to get a better roster on June draft night, nor July 1st FA market signing, nor through team to teams trade by August 12th to challenge any of the 4 teams ESPN selected to grab the final 4 playoff spots in the East.