Grizzlies no, I know they got experience but we are a bad match up for them. Nugs yes bc they been there and done it.
I am not sure we are a bad matchup for them. Our guards are probably more athletic than theirs except Ja but we have no answer for JJJ.
They haven't beat us full strength yet. I'm not gunna say it's going to be easy but i don't fear them like okc.
Cam Johnson is the answer. He gives an ultra-high efficiency shooter and creates space for Sengun as well as drives to the basket for Jalen and Amen. If we acquire Cam Johnson, I don't think we'd need another center. We could play Jabari more at the 5 and his shooting and athleticism would give us some terrific matchup advantages. We have the Nets 2027 1st-round pick swap so that should be extremely valuable to them. I don't think we'd need to include another high-value pick like the Suns pick.
I don't think they're more balanced at all. Once Lively returns, they'll be very talented at the 4 and the 5. AD and Lively will start backed up by Gafford and PJ Washington. They now seriously lack creation though with only Kyrie and Dinwiddie to create offense. That's a disaster when Kyrie is not on the court. Quentin Grimes is a good 3 and D but isn't a creator. Klay Thompson is just a shooter at this point. Jaden Hardy is just a terrible player. Their roster is now terribly unbalanced. I think the same with the Lakers who now seriously lack both a point-of-attack defender and interior defense. We'll see if either team makes some finishing moves but for now, I think each team is less dangerous this season than they were before the trades. I agree with the original poster that this is a good year to try to compete. Teams like the Thunder, Spurs and Grizzlies are only going to improve next year.
He's not a bad defender. Good size for a wing with good hands and is generally a very smart player. He's not very athletic especially compared to our other wings but I think on a better team, he could be a near-average defender. It's the sum of his game though that would improve us.
If the Suns continue to implode then Booker/KD would be great pickups for the suns pick. We don't need anymore draft talent with this roster.
The West will always be contested, we might be seeing in the Playoffs what it takes to stay on top longer term.
I don't care about what is on paper, to me AD has only 3 postseasons to get it done, to me he is a bigger name than Kyrie however it is going to be very difficult. I don't like their age construction and their lack of athleticism other than having 2 athletic Centers. If they still retained Jalen Brunson alongside Irving and Davis, that would have been a whole new story. Don't see them as a mediocre team but they lack the surprise element and scoring by Doncic now.
It’s about to get ugly, long losing streak incoming, bad timing of injuries. May slip to middle/end of playoff race
