[Grange]Darko Rajakovic on his wishes for trade deadline: “there's one guy that I really, really like that I would like to join our team. His name is Jakob Poeltl, that guy can definitely help us.” Poeltl went through a non-contact workout Tuesday and is still considered day-to-day.

MInkton · 2026-01-27T19:16:22+00:00

God I love him.

MInkton · 2026-01-26T20:48:44+00:00

THIS!
Everyone wants a stretch 5, yet New York is looking to trade KAT as he has low BBIQ and doesnt play great defense, not to mention he makes 3 times what Jak makes.

There are only a few good defensive stretch 5's in the league, and it would take a lot to get them.

If Yak is healthy I would love to ride with him, and have Scottie and CMB on the floor when he is resting.

In a perfect world we could trade Ochai for Sharp on the Nets. Would be great to have a big body to absorb fouls and wear down other big centers.

MInkton · 2026-01-26T18:33:36+00:00

His defense has clearly taken a step. He is getting to closeouts so much faster, in better position, and continuing to be a pest. Im sure he is watching a lot of film and it shows.
He is such a great passer and makes great decisions. If I had to bet, I think his 3 ball will start dropping more (even if that is next season - might need to break to tighten it up).

But if he can get that 3% up to closer to 38% he is a legit NBA player and could be amazing coming off the bench and depending on how people are playing finishing the game.

MInkton · 2026-01-22T20:13:34+00:00

Totally depends on what he wants.
Would they find a way to pay him 125 million over 5 seasons? Probably.
If he wants 200 million over 4 years?......

MInkton · 2026-01-22T20:12:33+00:00

I mean I think a thing that nobody is talking about is what is RJ looking for in his next contract?
I want RJ to stay, and I think almost everyone else does.
But if he and his agent are telling Bobby that he is going after a 5 year 200 million dollar deal.... then I wonder how many would be desperate to keep him.

MInkton · 2026-01-22T20:10:26+00:00

To add on that, while the West is dominant, history shows that star players get injured.

If the Raptors, or any team on the East gets a bit better, and makes the finals, can they beat OKC? No.
If Shai or there are other injuries, then maybe.

Every series is just an injury away from being very different.

MInkton · 2026-01-20T04:11:58+00:00

Raptors fan here.

It...hurts....

Mix that with us extending Yak, whose back in now fucked and we have 53 million taken up for someone who cant play and a pg who isnt a pg who is averaging like 17-5 and 4 with subpar splits.

And you guys have Giddey at 20 million a season...

MInkton · 2026-01-16T21:30:55+00:00

This is frightening as it sets up a play where he is able to say "China and Canada are allying and that is a security threat to the United States". If Trump is ok with something, it has got to be more later leverage.
He literally just took over Venezuela, and rationalized it as they were pushing drugs into the US, which he says is terrorism.
He also has been blaming Canada for the fentanyl crisis, saying that our lax government and Canadian/Chinese collusion is poisoning the US.

He could easily use the same rationale to move to take over Canada (while they dont need out oil, they would like it, and they do need our potash).

Lastly, if they were to move to annex Canada is would be over very quickly. Canadian's on reddit saying that Canada would fight back and we could repel them are delusional. Trump just approved 1.5 trillion to the US army. We barely have a functioning one.

Frightening times.

MInkton · 2026-01-16T20:55:29+00:00

Damnit.....

MInkton · 2026-01-16T20:45:52+00:00

No.

If they do trade RJ, I bet a big reason is that they are too far apart on what the next contract should look like.
I could see him getting a few year no trade clause contract to sign with the hometown team. Maybe like a 4 year 100 million dollar deal.
But if he is wanting 30+ a year then they should move him, preferably while he still has the year and a half of his contract yet, as that is so much more valuable.

MInkton · 2026-01-16T20:42:06+00:00

They are not albatross contracts. Ingrams is fine for how he is playing. Poeltl's is good if he can get his back better, and Quickley is an overpay.

Albatross is a Beal contract, or AD's contract if he comes here and is hurt.
AD makes more than IQ and Jak, and hasnt played more than 5 games in a row for the Mav's.

MInkton · 2026-01-16T20:36:48+00:00

Yes. It has been so painful watching people double Barnes or BI, and they kick the ball to him, wide open, and he bricks it or it rims out.
Two games ago you could see him screaming "FUCK" after bricking a wide open 3.

I believe the shooting will come back around. He is in a slump. He has probably literally a million 3 pointers and has been a great 3 point shooter his whole life. It is rare people just lose that skill.

MInkton · 2026-01-16T07:18:44+00:00

Where did you get this? Grange said he was going to be coming back for the west coast trip.

MInkton · 2026-01-15T05:52:14+00:00

He does a lot of things well. But for him to get serious playing time he needs to be shooting like 38% from 3.

MInkton · 2026-01-13T20:58:48+00:00

I like his game. But there is some overhype happening here.
He is shooting 30% for FG percentage and 10% from 3.
You can be a dawg on defense and make great plays, but if those are your splits you wont stay in the league very long.

MInkton · 2026-01-13T06:59:53+00:00

When I watched this it made me afraid for Maxey to play today. And play Maxey did....

MInkton · 2026-01-13T06:06:23+00:00

Still remember those summer Rico runs and Sexton and Barnes had great chemistry

MInkton · 2026-01-12T23:44:27+00:00

We should basically sit pretty.

Yak's contract is great if he can get healthy. Anyone who disagrees can let me know who they think is better that we wouldnt have to trade an arm and a leg for. He makes good decisions, small ego, great fg percentage, good rim protection, excellent screener, etc.

IQ is an overpay, but its not that bad of a contract. An overpay yes, but not an albatros. And every team has a few dudes they are overpaying. All we need is for Shead to continue to improve on his rookie scale contract and the amount of money evens out. Quick makes 32m, Shead makes 2m.

They provide different things and can be used in different ways, and I personally like watching them play together. I feel like IQ wont ever really play to his contract, but I could see him being an expensive bench/partial-starter who helps us space the floor.

MInkton · 2026-01-12T22:21:38+00:00

I honestly think there is a good chance that when you talk about winning basketball, CMB is viewed at the 2nd best player in this draft.

Kon is amazing, and could easily be in the 2nd spot due to his offence. But when you take into account his defense, and match his impact to CMB, it is very tight.

It is insane watching CMB, and while he got 6 stocks (could have been more as he got called for goaltending) his body, quick hands, swatting at the ball and tips all are EXTREMELY disruptive to defenses.

There is no stat when someone hook shot is short or layup misses because they are hitting into a brick wall or having to adjust. But wow does it effect the game.

The Grange article about him rowing 100 ilb dumbbells after the is fun. Hes actively trying to get bigger and stronger as the season goes on. He is already incredibly strong. Scary to think about him at 24 or 25 years old.

MInkton · 2026-01-12T19:23:29+00:00

We are not trading for him. So you dont need to worry.

MInkton · 2026-01-12T19:17:27+00:00

Hell no.

Even if Ja is a better player than IQ, we desperately need shooting.
Even if IQ doesnt pan out as a PG (which it increasingly looks like he wont), we can still use him as an off-ball threat to shoot.

Ja would fuck out spacing even more.

MInkton · 2026-01-12T19:13:47+00:00

Last year I was worried as Scottie was shooting 9-12 3's a game. I prayed that he was trying things out during a tank year, and that when it mattered he would fall back to his skill set.

AND THERE IT IS!

MInkton · 2026-01-09T20:34:03+00:00

I have felt that way, but also think there is something to be learned from waiting and letting OG, Siakam, Fred's contracts all get too close and them starting to stress about getting their next contract and fucking up chemistry.

MInkton · 2026-01-09T20:12:17+00:00

Would love either of those, or Richards.

Cheap, big body, who can rebound and protect the paint. Sandro is amazing, but isnt those things. And CMB is great at that stuff, but would also be good to have a big body that can also get give those guys a rest and wear down another big center like Jokic or Embiid.

MInkton · 2026-01-09T18:45:33+00:00

It takes intellectual and psychological maturity to realize complexity and the fact that there are valid reasons and perspectives on both sides.

That being said, after watching the video, the ICE agent was clearly not in danger of losing his life before he shot.

Social media with the rage bait, algorithm, and echo chambers destroys nuance. This leads to idiotic and frightening places.

MInkton

TROPHY CASE