Official Detroit Pistons thread

[chemiclord]

Great trade for the Cs. They are the favorite right now in the East. Irving is better than IT. Good haul for the Cavs for the situation they had,

Nah, until demonstrated otherwise, the favorite in the East remains the team that has LeBron James.

[froot loops]

Yeah maybe, I don't like the team surrounding him now. But it's possible he can carry them, the last time he was in this situation in Cleveland he quit on the team in the playoffs.

[chemiclord]

Meh, I really don't see much difference between Irving and Thomas other than height. And let's be honest, it's not like Irving was a defensive force, either.

[Cody_Russell]

Celtics vs Cavs in the Eastern Conference Finals. The rest between now and May 2018 is wasted filler.
We know 3 of the final 4 teams, how fun. This is where tuning out of the NBA until May = a better use of time.

[chemiclord]

The Celtics and the Cavs effectively swapped point guards who were damn near identical in nearly every way. Outside of Heyward, these will be largely the same two teams that met last year, where the C's only managed a single win, and even then more out of opposition indifference than anything.

Is that enough to make up that gulf? I don't see it.

[froot loops]

Irving is better than Thomas, the Cs won a single game against the Cavs but they didn't have Thomas for most of the series. Thomas had a great season but he is much worse as a defender and he's injured. His size makes certain defensive assignments impossible. Irving is no great shakes defensively but he can guard people, he had a great defensive finals against Curry in 2016.

The problem with Lebron leaving at the end of the year is the icentive for Cleveland to augment the team during the season or the incentive time for vets to go to Cleveland mid season for the minimum is eliminated.

[chemiclord]

Irving is better than Thomas, the Cs won a single game against the Cavs but they didn't have Thomas for most of the series. Thomas had a great season but he is much worse as a defender and he's injured. His size makes certain defensive assignments impossible. Irving is no great shakes defensively but he can guard people, he had a great defensive finals against Curry in 2016.

The problem with Lebron leaving at the end of the year is the icentive for Cleveland to augment the team during the season or the incentive time for vets to go to Cleveland mid season for the minimum is eliminated.

You give Irving far too much credit, and not enough credit to Thomas. Both are such awful defenders for different reasons (Thomas's physical limitations, Irving's desire limitations), that the difference at the end of the day is largely negligible. In fact, Thomas's defensive rating last season was actually slightly BETTER than Irving's (in the way that 33rd and 40th worst in the NBA is "better").

The difference won't prove to be nearly as much as you want to be. Cleveland in six en route to Cavs/Warriors Part IV.

[fontes91]

Thomas plays hard all of the time. If he is healthy I'd say Cleveland is still favorite to come out of the East. How crazy is next summer going to be? Just fuggin crown GSW and start free agency......actually, I want to see Boston and Cleveland square off on opening night - 10/17.

[jaadam4]

Kyrie has a chip on his shoulder against LBJ and makes Boston better IMO but Cleveland pantsed Boston. That draft pick could end up being the 1,2 or 3 pick. Theres not that much of a diffence between Irving and Thomas to.give that kind of pick up.

[froot loops]

You give Irving far too much credit, and not enough credit to Thomas. Both are such awful defenders for different reasons (Thomas's physical limitations, Irving's desire limitations), that the difference at the end of the day is largely negligible. In fact, Thomas's defensive rating last season was actually slightly BETTER than Irving's (in the way that 33rd and 40th worst in the NBA is "better").

The difference won't prove to be nearly as much as you want to be. Cleveland in six en route to Cavs/Warriors Part IV.

Want it to be? I don't give a fuck. But Irving is better, it's easy to see, just watch games instead of complaining on message boards. In a seven game series Thomas will be in trouble if he had to guard Irving and if they got past the Celtics he has no chance to guard Curry.

[chemiclord]

Apologies, I should have said, "As much as you think it is."

And I stand by that. The difference is negligible as of right now.

[*JD*]

The difference between Kyrie and IT2 is not great, if Thomas returns at 100%. I like Jae Crowder. I would say, at least for this year, the gap is closing between the Cavs and Celts. If Gilbert gets out of his own way and stops pissing on his golden goose, the Cavs could still be an improved team in '18-'19 with that draft pick. If LeBron leaves, you have to think IT2 would probably leave as well and then they're going to be a playoff-bubble team at best.

[The Oracle]

Cavs are still definitely the favorites for another year, but should be a good ECF.

[jaadam4]

Looks like we might need to pump the brakes on this one. Thomas might have failed his physical with the Cavs and the trade could be nixed.

While I think Irving is much better of a player I don't really want to see Cleveland get another highend pick to help them restock. I want them to fall into the depths of hell for many many years

[fontes91]

I'm not sure Ainge would add more. I also don't think IT2 could go back to Boston - that bridge has been burned. This will be interesting.