The Official Dwayne Wade <<<<<< you thread

Are the Pelicans going to give any update on Zion or will he miss the complete season in silence?

I like Alvarado from Pelicans, high energy player with some driving skills

I watched Mavericks yesterday and tbh they will manage to do something with Bertans. Doncic and a bunch of shooters can do it in attack. Dinwiddie was bricking every shot though he's probably the most expendable piece of the transfer.

In defense they have a good setup. Powell, Kleber, Finney-Smith they are hard workers, tall, athletic, versatile who defend well.

In other news, Demar Derozan has gone seven straight games with at least 35 points on 50+% shooting, and thus broken Wilt Chamberlain's record. Incredible stuff.

since we've hit the All-Star break, this is my MVP ladder up to this point of the season:
1. Embiid
2. DeRozan
3. Jokic
4. Giannis

--gap--

5. Booker
6. Paul
7. Steph
8. Ja
9. Luka

Celebrity game ? is it normal i know just one name, Machine Gun Kelly the trash rapper ??

Coached by #NBA75 members @BillWalton & @DWilkins21… who ya got tonight in the #RufflesCelebGame, TEAM WALTON or TEAM NIQUE?

Find out: 7:00pm/et on ESPN! pic.twitter.com/L3kroztQg6

— #NBAAllStar (@NBAAllStar) February 18, 2022

Kanye seal of approval and now All-Star weekend... Jack Harlow certified in the culture

Zion has not spoken to McCollum since the trade, not even a welcome text

He is forcing his way out in a vicious manner, Pelicans should trade next summer and build around Ingram

Today's news are that Zion has now spoken to McCollum. I don't know why such a big deal was made out of it anyway.

Lots of speculation that Zion wants to be traded, but I'm not sure I believe it. He'd have to be really arrogant to demand a trade after not being able to play for a whole season (as it's looking like). Why would a rookie be in a position to ask to be traded when he's yet to give a chance to his current team? I don't think Zion comes across like full of himself like that, so I don't know if I believe the rumours. (Although it's a different case if the Pelicans think he might be damaged goods and are quietly hoping to trade him).

there's been a few rumours lately that Zion isn't mingling with his Pelicans teammates nor doing his part as a good teammate and the minimum requirements of an NBA player, i.e. taking his training and health seriously

He is not asking a trade but what does it look like ? Not like someone very invested in Pelicans success

We are not talking about a benchwarmer who joins for 10 games they just traded for McCollum who is a real lieutenant, veteran, who can be 2nd or 3rd scorer. Can't say they lack ambition. As jewel of this franchise the least you can do is say hello.

Injury prone and not professional. 2 big red flags i would place him on trade block if i was GM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTgby9eYyqc

nice parallel and comparison between these two... and i totally understand Harden's decision, and that OKC team probably ends up breaking up anyway not winning anything.

Beat Suns in Phoenix by 15

In the games I've seen so far I'm starting to believe Portland fans were right, CJ is much more of a point than a off guard.

With that in mind Portland probably should have split them up years ago and let them both run their own team.

Blew out the Lakers and made Lebron storm off the court

always good to know Lebron is pouting well done, CJ is already the main man. Y'all just need him to find health consistency over the next few years and develop good chemistry with Ingram

They seem to be really progressing fast, we had real rotation issues before the All Star break but Willie seems to have figured out.

I think the biggest example of why we traded for him is the fact we were 28th in half court offence before the trade and been 3rd since.

That probably won't hold but it will be a damn sight better than 28th.

Ended 124-90

i remember i had an argument on here with Freeza and Mole some years ago saying LeBron ain't even a good defender, and i gotta admit seeing him now... I definitely appreciate his defensive work a lot more during 2010s. I mean i still don't think anyone believes he is an all-time defender, but his frame, speed and athleticism made his impact on the court felt so effective all round. Recently an NBA GM came out and said, "LeBron is still good, but he can't carry a team anymore." And that's just the hard truth. He's clearly just making sure his offensive numbers are good enough and not bombing down into the paint as much anymore to avoid injuries so that he can surpass Kareem's points total.

I like the little rumblings though that he is gunna be involved in one of the extension teams to make the league 32 teams. Granted it was Bill Simmons who said that, and i feel he lies a lot in general. Hope they immediately abolish the conference system as well. And just make it 62 games a season (teams face each other home and away).

He was obviously an amazing defender in his prime, man is washed on that end because he's 37 but yeah is what it is.

What's happening to them isn't surprising, we've seen this movie before with regards to a team of old guys.

My girls mom sent her this picture to show her the dogs, not even realizing that’s Zion pic.twitter.com/7X7peb5Dox

— Eric Ray (@EricRayweather) March 6, 2022

This hilarious lmao (for context Zion was back in the city today, he was also pictured in a church lmao)

We're just not allowed nice things, win 4 in a row out of the All Star break lose a OT game to Denver and then BI gets injured and CJ now has covid lmao.

The Los Angeles Lakers are 0-9 when LeBron does not score 50 points or more since the All Star break.

Pretty funny.

Boston have been my dark horse pick since right before the all-star break. I give them more a chance than teams like Bulls and Heat. I even said more than Nets before, but the way KD and Kyrie are playing lately has me re-thinking that. If KAI, is available for both home and away, then Nets become very dangerous.

Contenders in no particular order:
Warriors
Phoenix
Grizzlies
Bucks
Philly
Celtics
Nets

Pretenders:
Heat
Bulls
Jazz
Dallas
Denver

Grizzlies are not contenders imo. They have a good run against under .500 teams but i don't see them beating Warriors or Suns or even a somewhat healthy Nuggets team

In the east i rate Bucks the most because they have the best player and i don't see who can beat them 4 times over 7 games... maybe the Heat or Nets
Nets are more a x factor at this point. Not convinced by 76ers coach i think he will screw up again, the rotation is also very short (to be polite)

yea on paper i like the Sixers but my main concern for them is their coach

just to clarify, when i say "contenders", i mean that i see some sort of way for that team to go the Finals and possibly win it all if things go their way/fall in their favour.

Soooo, Ben Simmons has a mysterious back injury now, can't do any on-court practice and hasn't got a timetable for return. Sounds to me like he's just too scared to play at all.