Sixers open with best eastern title odds next year

[Chris22]

The only thing I could figure with Lebron going to Philly would be that he thinks it is easier to get to the Finals in the Eastern Conference.

[Moranis]

Nothing about Lebron on the Lakers feels weird to me. It feels natural like when Shaq went there (or even Dwight for that matter). On the flip side, Lebron on the 76ers feels very weird to me and hard to imagine. A guy that has been the star of the league his whole career is all of a sudden sharing it with a couple of guys 12 years younger than him? I guess anything happen, but this doesn't even jive with the odds of what was posted for Lebron on here recently.

I would also like to see our rivalry with Philly develop naturally over the next few years without it being all about Lebron...

the Lakers are even younger than the Sixers

[Bucketgetter]

Nothing about Lebron on the Lakers feels weird to me. It feels natural like when Shaq went there (or even Dwight for that matter). On the flip side, Lebron on the 76ers feels very weird to me and hard to imagine. A guy that has been the star of the league his whole career is all of a sudden sharing it with a couple of guys 12 years younger than him? I guess anything happen, but this doesn't even jive with the odds of what was posted for Lebron on here recently.

I would also like to see our rivalry with Philly develop naturally over the next few years without it being all about Lebron...

the Lakers are even younger than the Sixers

They would obviously use their cap space and young talent to put stars and vets next to him. It's not like he's going there to play with Ball, Ingram, or Kuz. He would go there to play with guys like Kawhi, PG, and Cousins.

[Celtics4ever]

I hope LeBron goes to Philly because I want to see him kick it out to Simmons who has no shot and ditto for Fultz.  Some of their better shooter will have to be renounced to sign Lebron, so there goes that.

LA would mean possibly of a movie career.

[Moranis]

Nothing about Lebron on the Lakers feels weird to me. It feels natural like when Shaq went there (or even Dwight for that matter). On the flip side, Lebron on the 76ers feels very weird to me and hard to imagine. A guy that has been the star of the league his whole career is all of a sudden sharing it with a couple of guys 12 years younger than him? I guess anything happen, but this doesn't even jive with the odds of what was posted for Lebron on here recently.

I would also like to see our rivalry with Philly develop naturally over the next few years without it being all about Lebron...

the Lakers are even younger than the Sixers

They would obviously use their cap space and young talent to put stars and vets next to him. It's not like he's going there to play with Ball, Ingram, or Kuz. He would go there to play with guys like Kawhi, PG, and Cousins.

And Philly can't do that?  It is a nonsensical argument to say the Lakers make sense, but Philly doesn't because Philly has young players (when the Lakers also have even younger players).  Let's remember, James went to Cleveland when Irving was younger than Embiid is now.  That team in Cleveland also had the #1 pick (Wiggins), the prior #1 pick (Bennett), and a couple of recent top 4 picks (Waiters and Thompson).  Now it is Cleveland which is his home, but there is no way James would have gone there if they didn't have all of that young talent, because that young talent could (and was) easily flipped for veteran talent.  It isn't all that far fetched for Philly to sign James in free agency and flip Saric, Covington, Fultz, and #10 for Kawhi Leonard.  They might even be able to add some other pieces and get Gasol or someone else from the Spurs.  If they work the math out correctly, the could probably trade for Leonard 1st and cut the salary they need to have max room to sign James, thus saving some assets or young pieces.

Imagine this roster for the Sixers

PG - Simmons, McConnell, Bayless
SG - Vet FA, Anderson/Luwawu-Cabbarrot/Korkmaz (at least one of them goes out for salary)
SF - Leonard, Vet FA
PF - James, Holmes
C - Embiid, Gasol

That is a clear title favorite and isn't all that unrealistic.

[gouki88]

Nothing about Lebron on the Lakers feels weird to me. It feels natural like when Shaq went there (or even Dwight for that matter). On the flip side, Lebron on the 76ers feels very weird to me and hard to imagine. A guy that has been the star of the league his whole career is all of a sudden sharing it with a couple of guys 12 years younger than him? I guess anything happen, but this doesn't even jive with the odds of what was posted for Lebron on here recently.

I would also like to see our rivalry with Philly develop naturally over the next few years without it being all about Lebron...

the Lakers are even younger than the Sixers

They would obviously use their cap space and young talent to put stars and vets next to him. It's not like he's going there to play with Ball, Ingram, or Kuz. He would go there to play with guys like Kawhi, PG, and Cousins.

And Philly can't do that?  It is a nonsensical argument to say the Lakers make sense, but Philly doesn't because Philly has young players (when the Lakers also have even younger players).  Let's remember, James went to Cleveland when Irving was younger than Embiid is now.  That team in Cleveland also had the #1 pick (Wiggins), the prior #1 pick (Bennett), and a couple of recent top 4 picks (Waiters and Thompson).  Now it is Cleveland which is his home, but there is no way James would have gone there if they didn't have all of that young talent, because that young talent could (and was) easily flipped for veteran talent.  It isn't all that far fetched for Philly to sign James in free agency and flip Saric, Covington, Fultz, and #10 for Kawhi Leonard.  They might even be able to add some other pieces and get Gasol or someone else from the Spurs.  If they work the math out correctly, the could probably trade for Leonard 1st and cut the salary they need to have max room to sign James, thus saving some assets or young pieces.

Imagine this roster for the Sixers

PG - Simmons, McConnell, Bayless
SG - Vet FA, Anderson/Luwawu-Cabbarrot/Korkmaz (at least one of them goes out for salary)
SF - Leonard, Vet FA
PF - James, Holmes
C - Embiid, Gasol

That is a clear title favorite and isn't all that unrealistic.

Except it is very unrealistic because that offer for Kawhi and Gasol is trash for San Antonio

[tazzmaniac]

Nothing about Lebron on the Lakers feels weird to me. It feels natural like when Shaq went there (or even Dwight for that matter). On the flip side, Lebron on the 76ers feels very weird to me and hard to imagine. A guy that has been the star of the league his whole career is all of a sudden sharing it with a couple of guys 12 years younger than him? I guess anything happen, but this doesn't even jive with the odds of what was posted for Lebron on here recently.

I would also like to see our rivalry with Philly develop naturally over the next few years without it being all about Lebron...

the Lakers are even younger than the Sixers

They would obviously use their cap space and young talent to put stars and vets next to him. It's not like he's going there to play with Ball, Ingram, or Kuz. He would go there to play with guys like Kawhi, PG, and Cousins.

And Philly can't do that?  It is a nonsensical argument to say the Lakers make sense, but Philly doesn't because Philly has young players (when the Lakers also have even younger players).  Let's remember, James went to Cleveland when Irving was younger than Embiid is now.  That team in Cleveland also had the #1 pick (Wiggins), the prior #1 pick (Bennett), and a couple of recent top 4 picks (Waiters and Thompson).  Now it is Cleveland which is his home, but there is no way James would have gone there if they didn't have all of that young talent, because that young talent could (and was) easily flipped for veteran talent.  It isn't all that far fetched for Philly to sign James in free agency and flip Saric, Covington, Fultz, and #10 for Kawhi Leonard.  They might even be able to add some other pieces and get Gasol or someone else from the Spurs.  If they work the math out correctly, the could probably trade for Leonard 1st and cut the salary they need to have max room to sign James, thus saving some assets or young pieces.

Imagine this roster for the Sixers

PG - Simmons, McConnell, Bayless
SG - Vet FA, Anderson/Luwawu-Cabbarrot/Korkmaz (at least one of them goes out for salary)
SF - Leonard, Vet FA
PF - James, Holmes
C - Embiid, Gasol

That is a clear title favorite and isn't all that unrealistic.

Except it is very unrealistic because that offer for Kawhi and Gasol is trash for San Antonio

That offer for Kawhi is good compared to the return for PG13, Cousins and even Butler who had 2 years left not 1.  Absolutely no reason for the Sixers to waste assets on Gasol and his bad contract.   

[slamtheking]

I believe Bron is going to Houston.

Why would he go to Philly when they don't have the shooters? His head will explode with Simmons shooting 30%.

I agree, and I think it makes more sense for Philly to try to trade for Kawhi or add Paul George.

If Philadelphia made a trade for Leonard (price: Fultz + Covington + picks) and signed George that team would become extremely dangerous. Let's say they resigned Redick for cheap and also added Thomas. New rotation:

Simmons/Redick/George/Leonard/Embiid (bench: Thomas/Saric/Holmes)

If you are the Spurs, do you trade Kawhi for Fultz + Covington + picks?  I wouldn't.  I'm not sold on Fultz ... does he have the yips or not.  I think he does.

Spurs are too smart of a franchise to give up Kawhi for the pittance of a package.  Philly picks figure to be in the 20's going forward so those have minor value.  Covington is a role player and Fultz is a mess until proven otherwise. 

For a top player in the league, any deal with Philly would have to include one of, if not both, Simmons and Embiid.   Something like Simmons, Saric, Covington, this year's Laker and Philly picks, another first rounder (which they only have their own except for that Sac pick which they can trade only if it's #1 but that's not something I think they can do) and some other decent player on Philly's roster (I'd hold out for Fultz if I was them if they think they can get him fixed). 

I still don't think that's enough for the Spurs since neither Simmons nor Fultz is a proven shooter right now nor are they proven defenders.  Covington's a role players as previously mentioned.  Saric is a good player but not nearly on Kawhi's level. 

[gouki88]

Nothing about Lebron on the Lakers feels weird to me. It feels natural like when Shaq went there (or even Dwight for that matter). On the flip side, Lebron on the 76ers feels very weird to me and hard to imagine. A guy that has been the star of the league his whole career is all of a sudden sharing it with a couple of guys 12 years younger than him? I guess anything happen, but this doesn't even jive with the odds of what was posted for Lebron on here recently.

I would also like to see our rivalry with Philly develop naturally over the next few years without it being all about Lebron...

the Lakers are even younger than the Sixers

They would obviously use their cap space and young talent to put stars and vets next to him. It's not like he's going there to play with Ball, Ingram, or Kuz. He would go there to play with guys like Kawhi, PG, and Cousins.

And Philly can't do that?  It is a nonsensical argument to say the Lakers make sense, but Philly doesn't because Philly has young players (when the Lakers also have even younger players).  Let's remember, James went to Cleveland when Irving was younger than Embiid is now.  That team in Cleveland also had the #1 pick (Wiggins), the prior #1 pick (Bennett), and a couple of recent top 4 picks (Waiters and Thompson).  Now it is Cleveland which is his home, but there is no way James would have gone there if they didn't have all of that young talent, because that young talent could (and was) easily flipped for veteran talent.  It isn't all that far fetched for Philly to sign James in free agency and flip Saric, Covington, Fultz, and #10 for Kawhi Leonard.  They might even be able to add some other pieces and get Gasol or someone else from the Spurs.  If they work the math out correctly, the could probably trade for Leonard 1st and cut the salary they need to have max room to sign James, thus saving some assets or young pieces.

Imagine this roster for the Sixers

PG - Simmons, McConnell, Bayless
SG - Vet FA, Anderson/Luwawu-Cabbarrot/Korkmaz (at least one of them goes out for salary)
SF - Leonard, Vet FA
PF - James, Holmes
C - Embiid, Gasol

That is a clear title favorite and isn't all that unrealistic.

Except it is very unrealistic because that offer for Kawhi and Gasol is trash for San Antonio

That offer for Kawhi is good compared to the return for PG13, Cousins and even Butler who had 2 years left not 1.  Absolutely no reason for the Sixers to waste assets on Gasol and his bad contract.

Yeah, but the last time Kawhi was healthy he was, at worst, a top 5 guy in the NBA. None of those other guys are even in the top 10 league-wide.

[Vermont Green]

Everyone is looking at where LeBron will go (understandably) but Cousins is out there too.  He is a head case and probably will be a little gimpy as compared to before the injury but any team built around LeBron and Cousins is a pretty good start.

The Lakers could probably sign both even keeping Deng.

[Moranis]

Nothing about Lebron on the Lakers feels weird to me. It feels natural like when Shaq went there (or even Dwight for that matter). On the flip side, Lebron on the 76ers feels very weird to me and hard to imagine. A guy that has been the star of the league his whole career is all of a sudden sharing it with a couple of guys 12 years younger than him? I guess anything happen, but this doesn't even jive with the odds of what was posted for Lebron on here recently.

I would also like to see our rivalry with Philly develop naturally over the next few years without it being all about Lebron...

the Lakers are even younger than the Sixers

They would obviously use their cap space and young talent to put stars and vets next to him. It's not like he's going there to play with Ball, Ingram, or Kuz. He would go there to play with guys like Kawhi, PG, and Cousins.

And Philly can't do that?  It is a nonsensical argument to say the Lakers make sense, but Philly doesn't because Philly has young players (when the Lakers also have even younger players).  Let's remember, James went to Cleveland when Irving was younger than Embiid is now.  That team in Cleveland also had the #1 pick (Wiggins), the prior #1 pick (Bennett), and a couple of recent top 4 picks (Waiters and Thompson).  Now it is Cleveland which is his home, but there is no way James would have gone there if they didn't have all of that young talent, because that young talent could (and was) easily flipped for veteran talent.  It isn't all that far fetched for Philly to sign James in free agency and flip Saric, Covington, Fultz, and #10 for Kawhi Leonard.  They might even be able to add some other pieces and get Gasol or someone else from the Spurs.  If they work the math out correctly, the could probably trade for Leonard 1st and cut the salary they need to have max room to sign James, thus saving some assets or young pieces.

Imagine this roster for the Sixers

PG - Simmons, McConnell, Bayless
SG - Vet FA, Anderson/Luwawu-Cabbarrot/Korkmaz (at least one of them goes out for salary)
SF - Leonard, Vet FA
PF - James, Holmes
C - Embiid, Gasol

That is a clear title favorite and isn't all that unrealistic.

Except it is very unrealistic because that offer for Kawhi and Gasol is trash for San Antonio

That offer for Kawhi is good compared to the return for PG13, Cousins and even Butler who had 2 years left not 1.  Absolutely no reason for the Sixers to waste assets on Gasol and his bad contract.

Yeah, but the last time Kawhi was healthy he was, at worst, a top 5 guy in the NBA. None of those other guys are even in the top 10 league-wide.

except Leonard isn't healthy and is entering the final year of his contract.

Demarcus Cousins was back to back 2nd Team All NBA when he was traded.  Paul George was a 3 time 3rd Team All NBA (as well as a 1st Team and 2 2nd Team All Defense those seasons) and had a top 10 MVP finish.  Jimmy Butler was coming off a 3rd Team All NBA season.  Now sure, none of them had the peak of Kawhi Leonard, but none of them were hurt and they all had more than 1 season left on their contracts. 

That is a good trade for the Spurs.  It could certainly be topped by the Lakers, Celtics, or a few other teams, but it is far from a crap offer. 

[celticinorlando]

Sixers are going down in flames

[droopdog7]

Nothing about Lebron on the Lakers feels weird to me. It feels natural like when Shaq went there (or even Dwight for that matter). On the flip side, Lebron on the 76ers feels very weird to me and hard to imagine. A guy that has been the star of the league his whole career is all of a sudden sharing it with a couple of guys 12 years younger than him? I guess anything happen, but this doesn't even jive with the odds of what was posted for Lebron on here recently.

I would also like to see our rivalry with Philly develop naturally over the next few years without it being all about Lebron...

the Lakers are even younger than the Sixers

They would obviously use their cap space and young talent to put stars and vets next to him. It's not like he's going there to play with Ball, Ingram, or Kuz. He would go there to play with guys like Kawhi, PG, and Cousins.

And Philly can't do that?  It is a nonsensical argument to say the Lakers make sense, but Philly doesn't because Philly has young players (when the Lakers also have even younger players).  Let's remember, James went to Cleveland when Irving was younger than Embiid is now.  That team in Cleveland also had the #1 pick (Wiggins), the prior #1 pick (Bennett), and a couple of recent top 4 picks (Waiters and Thompson).  Now it is Cleveland which is his home, but there is no way James would have gone there if they didn't have all of that young talent, because that young talent could (and was) easily flipped for veteran talent.  It isn't all that far fetched for Philly to sign James in free agency and flip Saric, Covington, Fultz, and #10 for Kawhi Leonard.  They might even be able to add some other pieces and get Gasol or someone else from the Spurs.  If they work the math out correctly, the could probably trade for Leonard 1st and cut the salary they need to have max room to sign James, thus saving some assets or young pieces.

Imagine this roster for the Sixers

PG - Simmons, McConnell, Bayless
SG - Vet FA, Anderson/Luwawu-Cabbarrot/Korkmaz (at least one of them goes out for salary)
SF - Leonard, Vet FA
PF - James, Holmes
C - Embiid, Gasol

That is a clear title favorite and isn't all that unrealistic.

Except it is very unrealistic because that offer for Kawhi and Gasol is trash for San Antonio

That offer for Kawhi is good compared to the return for PG13, Cousins and even Butler who had 2 years left not 1.  Absolutely no reason for the Sixers to waste assets on Gasol and his bad contract.

Yeah, but the last time Kawhi was healthy he was, at worst, a top 5 guy in the NBA. None of those other guys are even in the top 10 league-wide.

except Leonard isn't healthy and is entering the final year of his contract.

Demarcus Cousins was back to back 2nd Team All NBA when he was traded.  Paul George was a 3 time 3rd Team All NBA (as well as a 1st Team and 2 2nd Team All Defense those seasons) and had a top 10 MVP finish.  Jimmy Butler was coming off a 3rd Team All NBA season.  Now sure, none of them had the peak of Kawhi Leonard, but none of them were hurt and they all had more than 1 season left on their contracts. 

That is a good trade for the Spurs.  It could certainly be topped by the Lakers, Celtics, or a few other teams, but it is far from a crap offer.

How can any trade involving fultz be considered good?  I’m as open as the next guy that he can eventually turn it around but I certainly wouldn’t bet on it.  SA could eventually end up with zilch.  That’s too big of a gamble to be considered “good”.

[Moranis]

Nothing about Lebron on the Lakers feels weird to me. It feels natural like when Shaq went there (or even Dwight for that matter). On the flip side, Lebron on the 76ers feels very weird to me and hard to imagine. A guy that has been the star of the league his whole career is all of a sudden sharing it with a couple of guys 12 years younger than him? I guess anything happen, but this doesn't even jive with the odds of what was posted for Lebron on here recently.

I would also like to see our rivalry with Philly develop naturally over the next few years without it being all about Lebron...

the Lakers are even younger than the Sixers

They would obviously use their cap space and young talent to put stars and vets next to him. It's not like he's going there to play with Ball, Ingram, or Kuz. He would go there to play with guys like Kawhi, PG, and Cousins.

And Philly can't do that?  It is a nonsensical argument to say the Lakers make sense, but Philly doesn't because Philly has young players (when the Lakers also have even younger players).  Let's remember, James went to Cleveland when Irving was younger than Embiid is now.  That team in Cleveland also had the #1 pick (Wiggins), the prior #1 pick (Bennett), and a couple of recent top 4 picks (Waiters and Thompson).  Now it is Cleveland which is his home, but there is no way James would have gone there if they didn't have all of that young talent, because that young talent could (and was) easily flipped for veteran talent.  It isn't all that far fetched for Philly to sign James in free agency and flip Saric, Covington, Fultz, and #10 for Kawhi Leonard.  They might even be able to add some other pieces and get Gasol or someone else from the Spurs.  If they work the math out correctly, the could probably trade for Leonard 1st and cut the salary they need to have max room to sign James, thus saving some assets or young pieces.

Imagine this roster for the Sixers

PG - Simmons, McConnell, Bayless
SG - Vet FA, Anderson/Luwawu-Cabbarrot/Korkmaz (at least one of them goes out for salary)
SF - Leonard, Vet FA
PF - James, Holmes
C - Embiid, Gasol

That is a clear title favorite and isn't all that unrealistic.

Except it is very unrealistic because that offer for Kawhi and Gasol is trash for San Antonio

That offer for Kawhi is good compared to the return for PG13, Cousins and even Butler who had 2 years left not 1.  Absolutely no reason for the Sixers to waste assets on Gasol and his bad contract.

Yeah, but the last time Kawhi was healthy he was, at worst, a top 5 guy in the NBA. None of those other guys are even in the top 10 league-wide.

except Leonard isn't healthy and is entering the final year of his contract.

Demarcus Cousins was back to back 2nd Team All NBA when he was traded.  Paul George was a 3 time 3rd Team All NBA (as well as a 1st Team and 2 2nd Team All Defense those seasons) and had a top 10 MVP finish.  Jimmy Butler was coming off a 3rd Team All NBA season.  Now sure, none of them had the peak of Kawhi Leonard, but none of them were hurt and they all had more than 1 season left on their contracts. 

That is a good trade for the Spurs.  It could certainly be topped by the Lakers, Celtics, or a few other teams, but it is far from a crap offer.

How can any trade involving fultz be considered good?  I’m as open as the next guy that he can eventually turn it around but I certainly wouldn’t bet on it.  SA could eventually end up with zilch.  That’s too big of a gamble to be considered “good”.

when it includes Saric, Covington, and #10 as well. 

[slamtheking]

Nothing about Lebron on the Lakers feels weird to me. It feels natural like when Shaq went there (or even Dwight for that matter). On the flip side, Lebron on the 76ers feels very weird to me and hard to imagine. A guy that has been the star of the league his whole career is all of a sudden sharing it with a couple of guys 12 years younger than him? I guess anything happen, but this doesn't even jive with the odds of what was posted for Lebron on here recently.

I would also like to see our rivalry with Philly develop naturally over the next few years without it being all about Lebron...

the Lakers are even younger than the Sixers

They would obviously use their cap space and young talent to put stars and vets next to him. It's not like he's going there to play with Ball, Ingram, or Kuz. He would go there to play with guys like Kawhi, PG, and Cousins.

And Philly can't do that?  It is a nonsensical argument to say the Lakers make sense, but Philly doesn't because Philly has young players (when the Lakers also have even younger players).  Let's remember, James went to Cleveland when Irving was younger than Embiid is now.  That team in Cleveland also had the #1 pick (Wiggins), the prior #1 pick (Bennett), and a couple of recent top 4 picks (Waiters and Thompson).  Now it is Cleveland which is his home, but there is no way James would have gone there if they didn't have all of that young talent, because that young talent could (and was) easily flipped for veteran talent.  It isn't all that far fetched for Philly to sign James in free agency and flip Saric, Covington, Fultz, and #10 for Kawhi Leonard.  They might even be able to add some other pieces and get Gasol or someone else from the Spurs.  If they work the math out correctly, the could probably trade for Leonard 1st and cut the salary they need to have max room to sign James, thus saving some assets or young pieces.

Imagine this roster for the Sixers

PG - Simmons, McConnell, Bayless
SG - Vet FA, Anderson/Luwawu-Cabbarrot/Korkmaz (at least one of them goes out for salary)
SF - Leonard, Vet FA
PF - James, Holmes
C - Embiid, Gasol

That is a clear title favorite and isn't all that unrealistic.

Except it is very unrealistic because that offer for Kawhi and Gasol is trash for San Antonio

That offer for Kawhi is good compared to the return for PG13, Cousins and even Butler who had 2 years left not 1.  Absolutely no reason for the Sixers to waste assets on Gasol and his bad contract.

Yeah, but the last time Kawhi was healthy he was, at worst, a top 5 guy in the NBA. None of those other guys are even in the top 10 league-wide.

except Leonard isn't healthy and is entering the final year of his contract.

Demarcus Cousins was back to back 2nd Team All NBA when he was traded.  Paul George was a 3 time 3rd Team All NBA (as well as a 1st Team and 2 2nd Team All Defense those seasons) and had a top 10 MVP finish.  Jimmy Butler was coming off a 3rd Team All NBA season.  Now sure, none of them had the peak of Kawhi Leonard, but none of them were hurt and they all had more than 1 season left on their contracts. 

That is a good trade for the Spurs.  It could certainly be topped by the Lakers, Celtics, or a few other teams, but it is far from a crap offer.

How can any trade involving fultz be considered good?  I’m as open as the next guy that he can eventually turn it around but I certainly wouldn’t bet on it.  SA could eventually end up with zilch.  That’s too big of a gamble to be considered “good”.

when it includes Saric, Covington, and #10 as well. 

that's still a broken rookie with many questions about his game (Fultz), decent prospect that could be a starter (Saric), a 3-and-D role player (Covington) and a late lottery pick that typically pans out to be a role player if that. 
http://www.mynbadraft.com/nba-draft-picks/10th-overall/100509/
Sure, there's some good players taken at 10 (Pierce, Paul George, Brook Lopez, Mccollum) but a lot role players and busts too --> certainly not someone that could be expected to come close to filling Kawhi's shoes unless they get lucky in the draft.