Blake is staying with the Clippers

Paul George just got traded to the Thunder

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Looks like Sabonis and Oladipo are going to Indy in return. That's a solid enough haul since George was leaving anyway. I'm sure Oladipo is happy he gets to shoot the ball again.

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I'm puzzled that's all Indiana could get, much like the Butler trade. Was this the best offer the Pacers received? What about Randle, Clarkson, and picks from Los Angeles? Or all those Boston picks? Maybe they like marketing Oladipo coming home. Danny Ainge loses both on Butler and George. Gordon Hayward's not going to get you past Cleveland and neither is your scouting ability.

Why would the Lakers give up assets for a player they are just going to sign outright next summer? I'm a bit surprised Boston didn't try to top this offer, but I can believe this was the best offer they could get.

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George gutted his own trade value by publicly declaring he was gone after next year.

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I believe it was the best offer too. I know there's a contract difference between Butler (2 years left) and George (1 year left) but I like LaVine (13th pick), Dunn (5th pick), and Laurie (7th pick) versus Oladipo (2nd pick/weak draft) and Sabonis (11th pick).

Probably a smart move. Why would you want the team you're going to to give up any more than they have to?

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Teams aren't willing to give much up in return for a 1 year rental and the Lakers can wait a year and sign him as a free agent.

Oladipo is an ok player, but he's not a building block.

Oklahoma City becomes very interesting if they add an additional scorer and a few veteran bench pieces. I'm not sure how they look financially or if they can make any other moves via the trade market, but having two of the top 15 or so players is huge. Just need to continue adding now, and quick, with George likely there for 1 year.

Boston, with or without Hayward, isn't going anywhere. It's a nice regular season team, but it's a team of role players. Adding Hayward probably makes them the #1 seed again, but that won't matter in the playoffs if Cleveland is healthy.

Clippers are heading down a path of crap. Resigning Blake Griffin keeps them from totally bottoming out, but that team, with Jordan, is no more than an average team maybe as a #8 type seed.

Sucks that the Bulls are not a player and will be a bottom feeder for veteran leadership, but happy to seem them move on from Rondo. If you're going to go with young talent, you have to play them. Payne probably sucks, but find out. Dunn probably can't shoot well enough to be a difference maker, but find out.

So far, it's been a great NBA trading season!

I should say him doing that hurt Indy more than it hurt himself. But idk if it's a smart move since it forces the front office's hand and you know they're pissed because they can't get value back, and if nothing happens and you stay in Indy it's going to be super uncomfortable with your teammates and fans since everyone knows you've got one foot out the door. Plus now he's in OKC as a rental and if he doesn't want to be there long term then that's going to suck too. I might have just privately told the FO or not told them at all.

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Gar should have offered cam Payne and portis (I'm sure the rest of the league values these players as highly as the bulls do) kept rondo and Wade... Coulda been another half assed "try" to win season

I agree the Bulls return was a lot better. Like you said, the extra year matters, as well as everyone assuming George will bolt to LA after next year whereas I think Minny hopes to resign Butler. Butler is also the better player.

Not sure what the Thunder are doing. They might be totally fucked next summer if Russ and George leave with no compensation.

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I don't know if the Bulls will make out in this deal or not, and chances are they won't, but they got young talent. Just a year ago at this time, everyone was raving about Dunn. Now, a year goes by and he's now seen a struggling young player with questionable upside. That may be what he turns out to be, but adding the 7th pick (Laurie) as a shooter and getting an athletic/improving player like Lavine gives this deal a chance to be the start of a new foundation for Chicago. This deal also ensures they probably be a bottom 5 team for next season, and to add another young piece to the mix.

Blake Griffin just Carmelo-ed himself by resigning in LA. He just committed to a future with no championships. Doc Rivers sucks.

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2013 CSFMB ROY

Didn't Westbrook sign a 5 year deal last off-season (unless you're saying he can opt-out)? I sort of like the go for it attitude here. They didn't give up much and, assuming they can adding, why not take a shot?

That team is pretty much stuck in mediocrity now. They had their run, didn't win and now it's going to be tough to be a fan of that team.

This missed what could/should have been, that being a better return for a player at the apex of his talents. At the minimum the Bulls shouldn't have to give up their own pick and take back a crippled shooting guard just to unload their best player.

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Nope. Westbrook can become a free agent next summer.

http://m.newsok.com/article/5554710

I just don't think the George addition significantly alters their potential. They still can't beat the Warriors, Spurs, or Rockets. They also just gave up two of their only assets for a player who almost certainly won't be there a year from now.

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Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
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Doc needs to go. He wasted CP's best years by trying to save his son's career.

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Successful calls:

Kyrie Irving will never win anything as a team's alpha: check
T.rubisky is a bust: check
Ben Simmons is a liability: check
The Fields Cult is dumb: double check

2013 CSFMB ROY

Sean Highkin @highkin

Don’t expect Bulls to do anything in initial wave tonight. Their first priority, I’m told, will be getting deals done with Felicio+Mirotic.

If Blake can stay healthy(he can't), his Clippers tenure will be significantly better than Carmelo's NY tenure.

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This really tells you all you need to know about how incompetent the Bulls FO is.

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GarPax don't look so bad now. Teams aren't overpaying for star (non superstar) players these days. That supermax thing is forcing teams to accurately assess so called franchise guys. George proclaimed he was leaving but that wouldn't have made much difference.

Paxson tried to get a max trade deal for Butler but no one bit. Still procured best deal of the 3 major trades of the past week.

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That's because he had easily the best player to trade away.

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There really wasn't much of a market for Jimmy Butler. That's what really came out of it. Thibs may have overpaid once it all shakes out. For what it's worth the Bulls acquired 3 lottery picks each 23 or younger.

Chris Paul though older is a better player than Butler right now. Still performing at a high level. You're wrong about that.

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Paul/Butler is kind of a toss up but the Clippers literally had zero leverage so you can't really compare the two situations.

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The Bulls didn't either. If they'd kept him another they would have been screwed. One year left on his deal and a year closer to 30. They had to move now.

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That's wrong. He's 27 years old in his peak prime. He would've continued to have high value. He also wasn't publicly demanding a trade. The Bulls had a shitload of leverage compared to the Clippers. Come the fuck on.

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I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
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OKC may have a shot with Westbrook having a Robin.

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GO BEARS!!!

3 years and $55M for Jeff Teague seems like a lot. I guess Thibs is saying fuck defense now.

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

You're wrong. He turns 28 before the regular season starts which means he'll be 29 before the start of next season. They had more leverage than the Clippers but that don't mean it was easy trading Paul. Paul is much more accomplished than Butler and has proven that he can lead teams to 50 wins regardless of coach or supporting cast.

He also provided the Clippers with the best seasons in franchise history.

Butler led teams are .500

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