Lots of activity today! The Phillies unload Hawes to the Cavs for two second round picks, and then Turner to the Pacers for Danny Granger's expiring contract. I don't think Indiana needed to do that, but at least they got a solid bench player who is expiring this season. Turner will 100% not be a Pacer next year though, unless they lose Stephenson. Maybe he is insurance in the case that happens?

Getting Evan Turner for this year's final push is excellent.

Rockets also did one small deal. If they can pull off a bigger one to create their own version of big three, then I see them being the top challenger to the Thunders.

The Heat did make a deal to essentially release Mason to free up a roster spot.

Unless Durant drops off significantly, I don't see him losing the MVP.

with another 40+ game tonight (42/9/3) which makes 10 for the year and still being in first its almost impossible to argue the fact of MVP, even with Westbrook back and getting a triple double he still put that up

If the Bulls amnesty Boozer and trade Gibson to a team with capspace, they can still sign Melo while keeping Rose, I believe

Still if Melo tells New York he's leaving no matter what, they may just sign and trade him to Chicago since the Bulls have some pretty good assets (Butler, Gibson, Mirotic, Snell, future Charlotte draft pick)

I think Houston will pass on trying to sign Melo. The cost of the Rockets giving on Love in 2015 would be too great for an old-ish player in Melo (I think Love changes teams to win, so that favors a Houston over a Lakers)

The other possibility is actually that Love gets traded to the Bulls for all those assets

The best place for Kevin Love, IMO... would be Phoenix.

What the hell, Spurs?

I don't get them. Ever.

The west is going to be loaded, but I still think either the Spurs will make it out just because they have fewer wildcards than every other team and are more reliable or the Thunder because of KD. I know the Rockets have looked good, but I don't know if someone can trust them over a 7 game series. Definitely true of the Clippers.

Honestly I even think the Grizz have an outside shot if someone takes out the Spurs. They can beat OKC and LAC in Rd 1 and 2 again. The Spurs just tapped that ass too hard last year though to see them losing to same team

OKC is worrying. Westbrook and Ibaka are not as valuable in playoffs as regular season when game is more half court and precise and IQ reliant. I think they lose Rd 2 and it's the beginning of the 2016 Durant FA media frenzy

I think Durant is going to have an unbelievable playoffs.

I really hope Phoenix can get their shit together and make a mini run to get into the playoffs. That would be good for them.

The Heat and Pacers shaky play lately, makes the East a lot more interesting. Think the Nets shocking either of them to make the ECF is not unreasonable (not buying the Bulls thing like others are. As is the case in previous seasons, because they have playoff intensity in the regular season, other teams can go to another gear while they stay the same)

The Pacers got Paul George, Roy Hibbert and Lance Stephenson in the first place because other teams were at least semi-concerned about them mentally. That may come with a price

The East is SO BAD.

Noted!

Although... I mean... I see your point in making it the "hardest" on the lowest seeds. But If Minnesota at 16 beat #1, they would then have to face #2, and then have to face #3 and then face #4 in the Finals?

That's a little too unfair, IMO.

And if my scenario played out, the #16 team would have to face 1, 2, 3 and then 4 for the Title. While #4 would have to face 13, 7, 5 and 16 at best to win the Title.

Yet they could complain that the travel time is an unfair disadvantage. Imagine if the Heat had to play the Blazers and Sonics (when they come back) in back to back series. Then on the other side you have the Knicks playing the Nets and the Celtics. You can call luck of the draw, but it's a still a pretty huge difference that will affect the way those series go.

Damn the Pacers offense is a garbage fire. 3 seed is pure gold if it's WAS Rd 1 and IND Rd 2. Heck I'm starting to wonder if the Bobcats can tap that ass in Rd 1 2-7 series

Phoenix could be passed in the NBA playoffs AND the NHL playoffs by Dallas.

The Suns are falling apart.

Bulls get the opening needed for 3 seed and now have legit Finals chance. Deng deal is unique deadline deal both teams would reverse a few months later

Raptors back in driver's seat for #3... I don't think playing MIA instead of IND in Rd 2 hurts too bad... our goal this year is to make it past Round 1, team is too young to get greedy about the rest yet.

Miami vs Charlotte could actually be an interesting series with how Miami has looked so far. Big Al also has to be just about the worst matchup for them. But Bobcats just don't have enough offense.

Lol so much maneuvering right now. Heat decide to sit players to tank for a #2 seed and target Raptors/Wizards/Bobcats Round 2 instead of the Bulls or Nets. But Nets can still tank from #5 to #6 to get the Raptors instead of Bulls in Round 1. But the Raptors could respond to that by tanking tomorrow to fall from #3 to #4. The Nets are way better than tanking than us though, in 2012 a loss in Game 82 would've secured a few higher lottery ball spots for either team (and put TOR in Lillard drafting position), but the Nets players literally threw the game, it wasn't a contest... SMH

What makes that even funnier is they traded that years pick for Gerald Wallace. Tanking did them no good but they did it anyways.