Scalabrine: Celtics would have drafted Shai Gilgeous-Alexander if they didn’t trade pick in Irving deal

Chad Finn: Brian Scalabrine has indicated on recent Celtics broadcasts that he had intel that they would have selected Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in ’18 had they not traded the pick in the Kyrie deal. Pretty interesting alternative scenario there. …

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Danny Leroux @DannyLeroux
New @RealGM Radio podcast! @Stephen Noh and I discuss the young players who have impressed us most so far (Shai, Bane, the rookies and much more) plus his awesome oral history of the wild 3-on-5 Alabama/Minnesota game: basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/269399… – 1:51 PM
StatMuse @statmuse
Points in the paint leaders:
1. Shai
2. Luka
3. AD
4. Ja
Three of the 4 are guards. pic.twitter.com/oNwD4MoZGU – 11:30 AM

Kevin O’Connor @KevinOConnorNBA
New @ringer article on the NBA
-SGA the outlier
-The Warriors’ next month
-Vooch/Bulls
-Embiid’s evolution
-Banchero
-Bane, Huerter, MPJ, and Dinwiddie theringer.com/nba/2022/11/16… – 10:36 AM
Michael Pina @MichaelVPina
i made my debut on the @Bill Simmons podcast talking about how incredible SGA is, where the knicks go from here, atlanta’s potential, heat concerns, and more! open.spotify.com/episode/5Mk9Mg… – 9:24 AM
Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
I was one of the first on the Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to the Suns train, but at this point, it’s pretty clear that ain’t happening.
Listen to the latest @PHNX_Suns pod: https://t.co/ewVh6HApDg pic.twitter.com/Qr8hGfRRCd – 9:03 AM

StatMuse @statmuse
Most 25-point games this season:
15 — Durant
13 — Tatum
11 — Luka
10 — Mitchell, Shai, Steph pic.twitter.com/Sf6mCDHQSI – 8:27 AM

Brandon Rahbar @BrandonRahbar
The Thunder visited The White House today.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander-Hamilton in the room where it happens. pic.twitter.com/3hpAMna3We – 9:29 PM

Bobby Manning @RealBobManning
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Emerges and Thunder Almost Beat Celtics audioboom.com/posts/8197586-… via @Audioboom – 9:24 PM
Bobby Manning @RealBobManning
SGA and Thunder ALMOST Beat the Celtics w/ @Brandon Rahbar @DomeTheory | Use code CLNS50 for 50% back on 1st deposit @Betonline_ag twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1… – 7:35 PM
Rylan Stiles @Rylan_Stiles
New Locked on #Thunder Podcast:
🏀 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a superstar
🏀 Aleksej Pokusevski is here
🏀 Lu Dort’s hot streak
🏀 Josh Giddey’s shot chart
🏀 J Dub is a dub
#ThunderUp
https://t.co/mMkaoVLwqq pic.twitter.com/9cmweDDGnr – 5:23 PM

Tim MacMahon @espn_macmahon
Howdy Partners Ep. 6 welcomes birthday boy @Tim Bontemps, who misreported his own age by four (4!!!!) years, muddled his way through a Lauri Markkanen mea culpa, raved about SGA and tried to talk the Warriors into selling low on James Wiseman. youtu.be/H_4YiAWnuP8 – 4:21 PM
Brandon Rahbar @BrandonRahbar
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander this season has the highest FG% by a guard scoring 30+ points since Michael Jordan 32 years ago.
SGA is currently averaging 2 steals and 1.5 blocks. The only guard to ever do that over a season… Michael Jordan.
@StatMuse @Stephen Noh pic.twitter.com/W7rcpL4QPi – 4:14 PM

StatMuse @statmuse
Highest FG% by a guard averaging 30+ PPG:
53.9% — Shai this season
53.9% — MJ in 1991
53.8% — MJ in 1989
53.5% — MJ in 1988
@SwishMuse pic.twitter.com/2mdjerJ4vp – 3:36 PM

More on this storyline

Gilgeous-Alexander is currently reaching thresholds of 31.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 2.0 steals per game. The only players to finish the season accomplishing all of those: Michael Jordan, Allen Iverson, and James Harden (when he won MVP). Add in thresholds of at least one block per game as well, which Gilgeous-Alexander is currently achieving, and you’ve got just two seasons in which M.J. won MVP. Before we get too hyped, though, let’s address the elephant in the room. Since the 1975-76 season, only three players in league history have won MVP in the same season in which their team did not win 50 games. The latest projections have Oklahoma City between 28 wins (via ESPN) and 30 wins (via FiveThirtyEight). -via For The Win / November 15, 2022