Predicto

But Beal hasn't superstarred up yet. Half the teams in the league have someone that they think is about to blow up. Heck, after Harrison Barnes looked awesome in the 2013 playoffs, we GSW fans thought we had the next superstar. But we didn't.

I guess it is all in how you value Beal. I don't see Beal as being nearly as good as Thompson right now. Right now, Thompson is taller and longer, is a much better shooter, a better defender, has a post up game when the offense breaks down, and has missed one game to injury in 3 years, while playing many more games against the tougher teams in the western conference. Thompson guards the opposing point guard most of the time, something that Wall does in Washington rather than Beal. Beal has better highlight reels and athleticism, is a better finisher, and may have more star potential, but potential often is not realized. That handful of games in the playoffs last year may mean that he has taken the next step, but it may not.

I would trade either of the Wizards' top two players for a 25 year old Kevin Love. Wall would be tough, but I probably would do it anyway. If you are talking Beal instead of Wall, I'd make that trade fast that the tarmac on Interstate 76 between DC and Cleveland would catch on fire. I also don't know where the idea keeps coming from that Love can't play any defense in any scheme. No, he's not a rim protector, but he's strong and smart, he can body up, and if you miss your shot, you never get a second shot because he will get the rebound. Preventing second shots is part of defense. Plenty of strong defensive teams have a player like that at PF. Memphis has Zach Randolph, who has short arms and is a mediocre defender on his own, and they are a defensive juggernaut. The Warriors have David Lee, who is a liability on defense for all the same reasons as Love (except even more so), and they were third in the NBA in defensive efficiency. The Chicago Bulls started Carlos freaking Boozer at PF last year, and played defense like the Bulls all year long. If you have a stopper, and a rim protector, you can scheme a defense that covers for a great offensive player with defensive flaws. Lebron is that stopper. If they get a good rim protector behind Love, they will be fine. To be honest, I think I would be much more worried about Kyrie's lack of defense than Love's. Kyrie not only lacks defensive skills, he just doesn't care about defense.

I think for Minny it's not just about the pure value of the deal. It's also about selling the deal to their disgruntled fanbase. "We got the No. 1 pick this year - yeah that spectacular Wiggins guy everyone has talked about for the last couple of years" will go over better than "that very good all around player who played second fiddle to Steph Curry out west." Wiggins was inconsistent in his one year in college, is raw as hell, and may never develop a full NBA skill set, but he has great name recognition and enormous natural athletic ability. He will sell tickets, and ease the pain of Minny fans at losing Love.

He's extremely, extremely good. No, he is not an elite defender, but he isn't horrible. He might even be close to average. James Harden is horrible. Jimmer Fredette is pathetic. Kyrie Irving is laughable. Andrea Bargnani is hilarious. Those guys make Kevin Love look like Bill Russell. Plus, at least Love will hoover up all the defensive rebounds and throw great outlets with them. Offensively, Love may be the most valuable player in the league not named James or Durant. He is spectacular. My go-to guy for player analysis is Zach Lowe, and here are a couple of tidbits: "The Wolves have been a catastrophe without Love on the floor this season. When he plays, they outscore opponents by nearly six points per 100 possessions and explode on offense, per NBA.com. When he sits, the offense dies, and they have a worse point differential than the Bucks." "He is an offense unto himself — a 3-point bombing machine who warps entire defenses Dirk Nowitzki–style, dominates the glass, passes well, and has developed a strong post game that draws regular double-teams. He’d have made the playoffs by now had the Wolves not whiffed on so many draft picks and free-agency signings. If a team can get Kevin Love, it should get him. He is a superstar, period. David Kahn’s refusal to offer Love the full five-year max deal in 2012 wasn’t just a mistake. It was one of the great front-office blunders in modern NBA history." http://grantland.com/the-triangle/the-question-of-kevin-love/ Oh, I didn't think it would be straight up. Just that Wiggins would be the key to the deal. Cleveland would be stupid not to offer Wiggins, and Minny would be stupid not to take a deal with Wiggins in it. As a GSW fan, I hope it doesn't happen and that Love comes out here. But it should happen. Makes too much sense for both teams.

No one can top that offer, but Minny can't wait forever. They run the risk of getting nothing. Love can just play out his contract, go UDFA and join Lebron next year, and he knows it. That would be a disaster for Minny. If I were Minny, I would take Wiggins in a flash if I could get him, but if I got stretched out too long on the negotiations, I would take Klay Thompson or a couple of firsts from Boston. Minny can't play chicken.

I can't stand Blake Griffin on the court, but he is terrific at comedy.

Damn, I love it when a good poster owns up to a mistake. It's almost like we can have civilized discourse in the Tailgate sometimes.

Steph Curry hits an off the dribble three in your face and laughs. Cmon son.

Well, Beal certainly isn't. People tend to think potential is the same as production. I do think Wall is getting there. He's a legit stud.

I don't know, it was just a gut feeling. I was just looking at last season's stats, and only 4 teams in the East got to 47 wins. Now it's suddenly 7? They take too many losses when they go West. Sure, a couple of East teams will improve, but a couple will fall as well, most likely Miami and Indy. I guess I don't see Chicago improving by 6 win AND Washington improving by 8 wins AND Atlanta improving by 6 wins and Charlotte improving by 5 wins AND Toronto improving by 3 wins while Miami only drops 6 wins after losing Lebron AND Indy only drops one win after their late season implosion and losing Stephenson. I don't think all of those things can happen at the same time.

I really don't see 7 teams in the East with 47 wins, not when the West is as packed as it is. I think I would have Cleveland higher as well, as high as #2.

Damn budget cutbacks - I only get 15 seconds for lunch now.

I hear ya. Long time Warriors fan here. Historically, we are just like the Bullets/Wizards. We finally got decent a couple of years ago, and it is fun as heck, but the other shoe is going to drop any second and it will be 30 more years of disappointment. I'm steeled for it.

Enough with all of this stupid Charlotte talk. Let's talk about MY team heheh I'm very happy with the Warrior's signing of Shaun Livingston. He is exactly what we needed, especially if we are dealing Klay Thompson to the Wolves as part of a K Love deal (I haven't given up hope yet). Good defender against multiple positions, smart, long, can play some point and run the offense when Curry is out, can post up and pass out of the post to the GSW shooters. Not a superstar, but I like the fit.

I'm a Michigan fan and I like Stauskas, but he is nothing like Steph Curry. They are both good from long range, but that is the only similarity. Stauskas isn't a point, because he can't pass or handle the ball like Curry. More importantly, he doesn't have the ability to get his shot off like Curry. Curry's special gift is that you don't have to run a play for him to get him a catch and shoot 3 pointer. Curry can take an accurate 3 pointer off the dribble, while being guarded, any time he wants. He is the only player in the NBA that can do that efficiently, and because defenses have to guard against it, it creates fantastic spacing for his teammates. Stauskas is like Klay Thompson, not like Curry.

Is Lebron saying any of those things? Or just the rumor mill?

I'm enjoying the hell out of this discussion. I mean, Nabbs is completely wrong, but it is so entertaining to read.

Sure it's debatable. 25 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists per game over 18 seasons makes it debatable. Second most all time career points behind only Kareem makes it debatable. Duncan is a better defender, Malone was better on offense. The rings ultimately break the tie in favor of Duncan, IMO. But it is not a slam dunk.

Babe Ruth /thread

No, you just weigh the same as Shaq. You aren't actually Shaq.