[Cactus Jack]

To add to what I've already said:

Miami did well to turn a disgruntled Jimmy Butler into Andrew Wiggins and Davion Mitchell. Terry Rozier is there too, but will be interesting for different reasons. His name was connected with a gambling investigation (re: unusual betting activity on one of his player props in a single game); that may not be indicative of him actually being involved, but he's faced questions in the media and so far seems to have declined to answer and/or stated that he can't comment. He's played since then, but it's still worth monitoring given the off-court distraction(s) alone. Playing at their peak, a line-up of Rozier, Herro, Wiggins, Jacquez, and Adebayo that has Alec Burks, Duncan Robinson, Davion Mitchell, Kyle Anderson, Kel'el Ware, and Kevin Love coming off the bench could be really dangerous in a single playoff series.


Chris Paul, De'Aaron Fox, Devin Vassell, Harrison Barnes, and Wemby makes a nice, albeit flawed, starting line-up for San Antonio. Stephon Castle was the odd man out in their early line-ups, but I wouldn't be shocked if Chris Paul is eventually moved into a sixth man role, or if they start using a platoon of starters and everyone but Fox and Wemby gets some starts. Sochan seems better suited for the role of a sixth to eighth man that brings tons of energy, but their bench needs more than what I've mentioned and Keldon Johnson. Regardless, they've definitely improved and are shooting for a spot in the play-in tournament. It should be a very interesting off-season for them.


I see what the Grizzlies were thinking with Marvin Bagley, but also see some pretty rough numbers on the season. Taking a flyer on someone like him and/or taking on a player with some question marks or baggage is the only way that the Grizzlies were getting a former top three pick under the age of 26. Looking at his history, dude has played on some pretty terrible teams (Sacramento, Detroit, and Washington) that were fairly invested in him; this may conceivably be one of the last real opportunities he gets.


I can't put my finger on what it is about Cleveland otherwise, but I'm still not sold. Others have probably watched more of them than I have and I hear a lot of buzz around them, I just feel that it's a superstar league and I don't know that Garland, Mitchell, Hunter, and Mobley are enough to win playoff games where the league's best players trade baskets late. They have a really nice record and I could see them ending anywhere from the first round to the Eastern Conference Finals. I just can't see them getting really deep and beating someone whose been there before like Boston, Milwaukee, or even Philadelphia to win the East.


Everyone has covered Luka to the Lakers. My biggest thought: they really can't be worse. They weren't going to win the West with Davis and I don't know that the addition of Luka changes that, but it gives them a much better chance and should make them more fun to watch come playoff time.

The Knetch-Williams trade was rescinded, so that should be... something. I liked the thought of them getting Williams, but looks like he wasn't in the physical condition to really make a difference. I want to see if there's more push-back on the trade and/or if the Lakers play the waiver wire. In the moment, it doesn't look like they were sold on their bigs. I'd say they go as far as that situation takes them, but bigs who can impact both ends of the floor just aren't available at this point in the season. They'll need to pick between someone who can rim run and has at least one other offensive skill or someone that can block shots and grab a few rebounds that's capable of catching a lob-- they don't get both.

Seeing the best of the Lakers also means guys like Cam Reddish, Dorian Finney-Smith or Jarred Vanderbilt add to what they're already getting from Reeves and Hachimura. As you can tell, they're a long way from it, but peak Lakers could give plenty of teams some fits defensively.

Take the Nuggets for example. The thought is that Gordon guards either LeBron or Luka; but if you do that and put Porter on the other, you'd better hope they can keep them in front of them because you've taken away a lot of rim protection and have stressed your defense to the point that Jokic is either playing ole' defense or risks committing fouls at the rim when someone is beat and he has to start moving his feet to help. One obvious alternative is using Westbrook to guard one or both for extended minutes, but then you risk putting him in a role that they've been very careful to keep him out of (i.e., one where he starts being an alpha-dog and trying to take over on offense). Denver is probably best built to guard a peak Lakers offense, but it'd probably require you carving out minutes for a DeAndre Jordan (who you can't play with Jokic, Gordon, and Porter).

If it's Oklahoma City, then Shai is going to guard one of the two for stretches, but that's a lot to ask of your best player, much less the one that's already carried you through the season and will be needed to carry you through multiple series. It also risks them primarily using Luka or LeBron as a decoy that takes Shai out of the play and turns it into a 4-on-4. Cason Wallace is a good defender, but an assignment of Luka or LeBron is just a different animal. Same principle for either of the J. Williams'. Holmgren offers more rim protection, but he isn't the most sturdy and they don't have an Aaron Gordon or even a Michael Porter/Russell Westbrook combo that they can leave on an island or absorb some violent collisions at the rim.