Placeholder to get this started. 
Harden to the nets. I am calling it now, there’s almost no way that combo of personalities will work with Kylie KD and Harden.

Another exciting start to the NBA season. Last seasons thread ended up lasting way longer than it should have so hopefully we will avoid that this year. The trades are going crazy again this year. I am beginning to believe that trading for superstars, especially near 30, is the surest way to start a rebuild even faster. You might get a playoff series win or two, but these trades aren't producing championships (with the notable exception of Anthony Davis - who was much younger and quite a bit better as a two way player than most of the other 'superstars' that were traded). The wizards trading Wall for Westbrook was pointless. Westbrook isn't good enough to elevate a team by himself, and Wall was home grown. I wouldn't have done it. So far the trade hasn't really worked for either side. I think the same thing will happen with Harden. He is a aging one way player only, you don't win championships with those guys. KD has never been an all-defense kind of guy, neither is Kyrie, and all of them are prone to sulking. This team is like a match near a stick of dynamite. And giving away unprotected picks 6 years in the future? Someone is getting some very high picks for the beard.

On the other hand, trading a superstar is the fastest way to rebuild. OKC and the Rockets are now in much stronger positions than they were previously. And the crazy thing, is they didn't get that much worse. They were borderline playoff teams with their stars and now they are a little worse, except they have tons of picks going into the future. My personal feeling is that they will be better teams than the people they traded with in a 3-4 years at most. And then they will remain better for a much longer period.

On other NBA front, I think Giannis signing with the Bucks was expected, but I don't think he will win there. I would look for Bucks to try and get a haul for him in about 3.5 years, cause I doubt he signs another extension after this one. I love Giannis attitude and his family story, but the fact he waited to sign as long as he did tells me he thought long and hard about leaving. Give him a few more years of doing bad in the playoffs and he will leave. Now if he gets a ring, I think it could change, but I just don't see that happen unless he continues to expand his game. He must learn to shoot better, its the only way out. But 2 years in a row he gets MVP in the regular and then gets stopped by the good teams in the playoffs. There is a way to beat him, and unless he improves the better teams will keep doing it. Although I admit the Jrue Holiday trade will benefit him, and as a two way player he will help much more than some of the 'superstars' above will, I don't think he puts you over the top. I think they maybe make it to ECF this year, but I can't see them beating Boston outside of injuries. I think that Boston will likely come out of the East this year, but Miami wouldn't shock me either, although I don't think they will capture the bubble magic again.

And of course that brings me to the Magic. Or tragic. Sign Fultz, and he goes down with an ACL after looking like he might be good this year. Cole Anthony looks like a chucker. And I have to watch Lamelo, whose shooting is better than expected, looking pretty dang good for Charolette in their kind of awesome jerseys. 8th seed here we come again.

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