NBA Thoughts

Things are getting crazy in the NBA "Hot Stove". Here's some of my thoughts/predictions.

New York Knicks - my guess is Kristaps Porzingis is not traded by the Knicks. Phil Jackson will realize how angry he's made Knick fans even suggesting Porzingis may be available and nothing will happen. Could that change if Jackson drafts 7'0" Lauri Markkanen Thursday night? Yes. If Jackson gets his ego all a twitter and trades Porzingis to show the world who is boss then Boston can offer the best package. Next year's Nets number one and the Lakers first if 2-5 (or Kings 2019 unprotected) plus Jae Crowder is a pretty fair exchange. If Jackson also trades Carmelo Anthony to the Cavaliers straight-up for Kevin Love then the frontcourt of Crowder, Love and Markkanen is pretty decent and with two top picks in 2018 the Knicks are actually in better shape than they are right now. Better chance is that Porzingis stays put and Jackson screws things up.

Cavaliers - Jimmy Butler supposedly says he wants to be traded to Cleveland. Problem is the Cavs don't have the assets. The only real asset the Cavs have is Kevin Love and the only destination I can picture for Love is the Knicks for Carmelo Anthony. As a Boston fan I'd love to see Carmelo in Cleveland. The confusion, discord and eventual falling apart would be delicious.

Bulls - whither Jimmy Butler? As I said - I don't think the Cavs have the assets and the Celtics I don't think really want to spend their assets on Butler. So where does he land? My guess is in Minnesota with old coach Tom Thibodeau.

Celtics - I think the draft rumors of Danny Ainge picking Jason Tatum are correct but after that? Who knows? It will be fun to watch and the 2017-18 Celtics will be better than this year's team that went to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

With Carmelo Anthony the defacto reason the Knicks are not going to match the Rockets offer to Jeremy Lin - I once again wonder if anyone will ask George Karl what was harder - beating cancer or trying to deal with Carmelo's ego... 5 things you might not know about US Army Special Forces... When you see a picture of Jay Marriotti - in your mind do you hear a sad trombone or do you hear Liza Minelli singing some Broadway tune?... Kevin Youkilis' letter to Boston fans (for the record I despise the phrase "Red Sox nation")... Little known fact - I ran Bain Capital from 1999 to 2002... Lawn chair balloon flight? OK now that's another thing I have to add to my bucket list...