u/JoeBiden2020FTW

Boozer seemed to have an interesting showing at the combine. A little reminiscent of Zach Edey, everyone said he wasn't athletic enough for the NBA, but then just had incredible results at the combine. And those results are looking pretty prescient.

Source 1 (lane agility)

Source 2 (shuttle run)

Source 3 (measurements)

Interesting article from Jeremias Engelmann:

>Building from that data, machine learning found one specific action that turned out to be a very strong indicator of negative impact on both offense and defense: Taking a high number of contested midrange 2s early in the shot clock.

> It seems pretty obvious why it lowers offensive impact. The 3-point revolution has been built on the insight that a long 2 — the midrange shot — is the least efficient type of shot. On top of that, contested shots are even more questionable than open ones. And taking them early in the shot clock — without looking for a better shot — only compounds the issue.

> It also hints at why poor shot selection is connected with negative defensive impact.

> The players who take these shots tend to have a poor grasp of what efficient team offense is about, and/or they are willing to sacrifice efficient team offense to increase their own opportunities and scoring totals.

> In this category, Dybantsa ranks in the 99th percentile for draft prospects from 2010 to 2026.

> Which prospects had a similar rate of unassisted midrange 2s?

> Draft busts Markelle Fultz, Evan Turner, and Johnny Davis.

> Harrison Barnes, who’s not the typical bust but who has been a disappointment with a negative career impact.

> Brice Sensabaugh, Terry Rozier and Ace Bailey, three gunners with anemic defensive impact.

> The team drafting Dybantsa surely doesn’t want him joining this group.

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Interesting post from Givony.

It seems like a lot of the smart analytics people have Boozer at #1. And typically, that type of prospect tends to fly up draft boards.

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> The decision to move the South Bay Lakers from the Lakers’ practice facility to the Coachella Valley near Palm Springs should also be a financial win for the team, though it could negatively impact basketball operations. According to league and team sources, the opportunity to practice in the Lakers’ facility in front of team coaches and executives was a persuasive recruiting tool.

> The Lakers will also likely lose the ability for rehabbing veteran players to easily practice with the G League team. Earlier this season, James’ final steps before his season debut came in practices with the Lakers’ G League team. And, according to team sources, the decision to award Drew Timme a two-way contract was a direct result of those practices, when he impressed James.

> As part of the move, a handful of team employees responsible for G League business operations were laid off.

> The added revenue, league sources believe, will be used in part to fund a growing infrastructure in personnel, scouting and medical departments. Pelinka is expected to add at least one assistant general manager while building out a pro scouting department that the Lakers haven’t had since parting ways with pro personnel man Ryan West in 2019.

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Fascinating drop from Howard Eskin. He's one of the old heads who would constantly criticize Hinkie in the Philadelphia media. Ironically, his son was one of the main Hinkie believers and hosted the Rights to Ricky Sanchez podcast.

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> Jazz president Austin Ainge celebrated the moment with a pumped right fist and an audible "yes" in an otherwise silent room. The burning question now, of course, is whether Utah can still find a pathway to Dybantsa after its massive trade in February to acquire Jaren Jackson Jr. from Memphis.

> And there just might be one. Winger told me directly that the Wizards will at least consider trading down. He insisted that this is "not a savior moment" for Washington given that the franchise just traded for two former All-Stars in Trae Young and Anthony Davis on top of the slew of recent lottery picks it already has accumulated. He added that, in accordance with Wizards general manager Will Dawkins' prospect evaluations, Washington will not rule out a move downward if Dawkins determines there are two or three players that the Wizards are eager to come away with.

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> As the season progressed, it became clear the star center didn’t see eye-to-eye with the front office and the coaching staff. In the days before the February trade deadline, he implored the front office to do something other than what he termed “ducking the (luxury) tax.”

> As such, he — along with others in the locker room — were not happy with the decision to trade second-year guard Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder, particularly without bringing in a player to replace McCain. In interviews over the next few games, Embiid noticeably had to hold himself back from verbally criticizing the front office.

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• 2023: Celtics vs. Heat, ~84% implied win probability Source
• 2025: Celtics vs. Knicks, ~88–89% implied win probability Source
• 2026: Celtics vs. 76ers, ~90% implied win probability Source

Joe Mazzula famously started Scheierman, Harper Jr, and Garza to start the game.

The Sixers started the game 9-0, and Mazzulla quickly moved off that and barely played Garza/Harper the rest of the way.

In a hilarious coincidence, the 76ers won the game by exactly 9 points.

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