https://www.cbssports.com/nba/...last-in-first-round/
As for the Bucks: Sorry. You were too good this season. As a result of your dominance, you will be picking last in this year's first round.
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No....keep watching your TV - you'll see them today - Bucks play tomorrow 
Just unreal.....How bad is this thing rigged?
No Cleveland & No Phoenix.
Lakers are in top 4. Hahahaha
How rigged can it be if the Pelicans get Zion?
So I guess we'll find out if Anthony Davis really wanted to leave the Pelicans because he felt he couldn't win, or if he just wanted to go the Lakers period. Early reports are he still wants out.
The complication now is that the Knicks really don't have assets the Pelicans would want and the Lakers pick at #3 isn't that attractive either. This potentially helps the Celtics, but if Kyrie leaves for no compensation and the Celtics have to give up 3-4 players to get Davis (Tatum, J. Brown, and ??), then how competitive will the Celtics be?
Where does Davis go now?
If Ja Morant is the guy for the Grizz, Conley’s available. Philly could be thinking about how to get Simmons out. Boston has picks to offer, and might not have a PG. Houston may be willing to make a big splash, and Gordon is way outplaying his contract. Middleton is shopping for a max. Indiana gets Oladipo back but really needs to upgrade their PG. Warriors need to pay Klay. Spurs have a young group of players and could be a couple moves from accelerating their return. Lebron... Kyrie... Kemba...
This summer is going to be complete chaos...
New Orleans winning it and the Lakers ending up at 4 won’t help fix or change the perception that the lottery is rigged. How convenient for the Pelicans and Lakers.
If I am Phoenix I am pissed. Way to keep them from becoming the next good up and coming team in the West.
This really changes the dynamics of this offseason. It was basically a certainty that Davis was headed to Boston but with the Lakers getting the 4th pick now they may be back in play for Davis. Of course, that assumes the Lakers don’t do something unpredictable like trade King James. The rumors are already out there- i.e. Simmons to the Lakers for James.
Memphis getting the 2nd pick opens the door for Conley to becoming available as well. He has a monster contract but is a very good player. If I’m the Celtics I let Kyrie walk and try to swing a deal with the Grizzlies.
The offseason will be bananas
If the Bucks get to the finals, I think you do all you can to run the same guys back next year. That means doing whatever you need to keep Middleton, matching a monster offer for Brogdon, and trying to keep Lopez, but otherwise finding another 7 footer that can stretch the court (they don't exactly grown on trees).
But what if the Bucks don't get by the Raptors? Do the Bucks try to do something to shake things up? The only fully controllable assets the Bucks have of their starting 5 are Giannis (who is not going anywhere for anyone), Bledsoe, and Brogdon (if they match an offer or extend him themselves). Is that enough to get another "star".
You're right. It's going to be complete chaos. Denver, Houston, and Portland are fairly stable as to who they are locked into, but everyone else in the final 8 could have massive turnover (Boston, Philly, Toronto, Milwaukee, Golden State) and that doesn't include the Lakers, Knicks, Hornets, and Pelicans (or the Rockets blowing it up and moving Paul or Capela).
Not to mention the Bulls, Nets, Clippers have a lot of cap space available to sign free agents. Boston and Philly could look dramatically different next year.
If I am Milwaukee I think you have to try to keep this group together. Although, they have a younger and cheaper version of Middleton in Sterling Brown. I wouldn’t be opposed to bringing back Middleton but I don’t know that paying him 30MM per season is a wise decision. I also don’t think they will exercise an 18MM option on George Hill.
I would much rather they get the rest of the group back in the fold and hope that guys like Brown and Dj Wilson and DiVencenzo get better.
Sounds like Zion couldn't hide his disappointment. Ouch, what a gut punch.
You keep saying that about Sterling Brown, just don't see it. Good defender, but Middleton is a "go to" clutch scorer...Brown doesn't seem to have near the ability to create his own shot. I've been down on Middleton at times, and question him being a max player, but he's been great at crunch-time and in the playoffs.
When Brown was given a chance to start he played pretty well. Is Middleton a better player? As of today yes he is. Is Middleton worth a max type contract? That’s where I get concerned. It’s not just he might get 30MM per year it’s that he might get 4-5 years.
Now, the one key item is how would Giannis react if they let him walk? If they think keeping him ensures that 34 stays then you bite the bullet. They cannot let Giannis leave.
Maybe the "Durant type deal" 2 years $60 million - player option next year, For Middleton. Protects Milwaukee. Would Middleton be ok with it?
As far as a lottery fix is concerned, would fixers really favor the Pelicans over the Knicks?
Middleton would probably take less money for more years (security). That’s basically what Bledsoe did. I would be thrilled if they were able to extend him for that type of deal.
There’s a very strong anti-tanking sentiment right now in the NBA. This is the issue that’s hurting MLB right now. Teams are making little to no effort to try to win.
I have no real evidence to prove the lottery is fixed, but man, you look over it’s 30 year history and there are a lot of coincidences or “lucky” bounces.
Packdog posted:Sounds like Zion couldn't hide his disappointment. Ouch, what a gut punch.
You keep saying that about Sterling Brown, just don't see it. Good defender, but Middleton is a "go to" clutch scorer...Brown doesn't seem to have near the ability to create his own shot. I've been down on Middleton at times, and question him being a max player, but he's been great at crunch-time and in the playoffs.
I agree on Middleton. It seems like there are a number of games when I watch that he has a stretch of careless turnovers, missed wide open 3s, etc. and you look at the box score at the beginning of the 4th quarter and he's something like 5-15 from the floor and then he'll hit two clutch threes in crunch time, go something like 4-6 during that time and end up at 9-21.
You also can't overlook his defense. He made Kawhi work hard to get his shots last night.
Sterling Brown is a good defensive player and may get better hitting the open shots on the wing, but he is unlikely to ever be able to back down a guy in the half court and hit those tough 12-15 footers at the end of the shot clock.
Boris posted:How in the eff do the 3 teams that have the best chance of acquiring #1 overall -- none of them get it?!?!? The Lakers getting into the top 4?? But not Cleveland or Phoenix?
If the NBA wanted to fix it they did a really poor job this year. All the discussion is that there are three levels. Zion. An enormous drop-off to Barrett and Ja Morant. And then another huge dropoff from 3 to 4.
I was certain that the Knicks or Lakers were going to win the lottery.
Goldie posted:Seriously the Bucks get last pick??
How could you possibly expect any other slot?
The NBA did not want to reward teams like Dallas and the NYK and Phoenix and Cleveland that were clearly trying to lose games to improve their odds in the lottery. That’s why they changed the lottery % odds recently.
Dear Knicks Fans,
I don’t feel sorry for you. STFU and take your karma. You know you cheated to get Ewing, Carmelo was paid in your lap... it is no one’s fault your management and ownership suck. In some ways, it’s yours- know why? You keep going. So stay home until you get something to cheer for like everyone else, and stop crying about losing out on Zion. You don’t have the nearest concept of frustration- try winning one playoff series in 35 ****ing years and watching your best players win Championships with other teams...
Sincerely,
Bucks Fans
Bucks have won 2 playoff series this year. 😁 (So far)