NBA 2025-26

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Tanking worked!!

is Dybantsa the obvious choice?

[HalfSmokes]

is Dybantsa the obvious choice?

Yes. Peterson didn’t look great in college and routinely pulled himself. His coach didn’t seem to like him and his team did just as well without him. I think desire to win and competitiveness is a big factor in the difference between good and bad great players. I would not be surprised if Wilson goes second

[imref]

Shams:

Breaking: The NBA's Board of Governors has passed new anti-tanking rules that include expanding the draft lottery from 14 to 16 teams, a relegation zone where the bottom 3 teams get penalized with lessened chances for the No. 1 pick, and flattened odds, sources tell ESPN.

[HalfSmokes]

I can’t wait to see a team throw the play k. Game to get into the lottery

[HalfSmokes]

Grizzlies fans are mad. They have the Jazz’s 2027 first round pick which now can’t be in the top 5 thanks to the new rules

[imref]

Great team game for the Spurs, especially after Wemby got into foul trouble.  OKC tried to put everything on SGA’s shoulders. Finals should be interesting. 

[HalfSmokes]

Great team game for the Spurs, especially after Wemby got into foul trouble.  OKC tried to put everything on SGA’s shoulders. Finals should be interesting. 

I’m sick of hearing about how great of an organization they are. 3 years of lottery luck got them here. Swap Harper for Tre Johnson or Wemby for Coulibaly and they’re still a tanking team

[Squab]

spurs fans like me have had it rough, we had like 4 whole years there where there between winning the finals and getting Wemby and now we’re back again

[Squab]

I’m sick of hearing about how great of an organization they are. 3 years of lottery luck got them here. Swap Harper for Tre Johnson or Wemby for Coulibaly and they’re still a tanking team

this is true but they also had to pick the best player in the draft at 4 with Castle, and put a bunch of pieces together around them (including fleecing the Kings for Fox), and deal with the GOAT coach having to step back after having a stroke. 6MOY accepted going from scoring 20 a game to a bench role, and you have to give the org some credit for turning 2 rookies into playoff contributors, as well as obviously outperforming their 42 win expectation.

[HalfSmokes]

this is true but they also had to pick the best player in the draft at 4 with Castle, and put a bunch of pieces together around them (including fleecing the Kings for Fox), and deal with the GOAT coach having to step back after having a stroke. 6MOY accepted going from scoring 20 a game to a bench role, and you have to give the org some credit for turning 2 rookies into playoff contributors, as well as obviously outperforming their 42 win expectation.

Sure, but give them the 5th pick in those years and they’re the wizards. They took the consensus best player available three years in a row it helped that the teams in front of them in 23 were incompetent, but it was three years of the consensus best player available when they picked

[blue911]

Sure, but give them the 5th pick in those years and they’re the wizards. They took the consensus best player available three years in a row it helped that the teams in front of them in 23 were incompetent, but it was three years of the consensus best player available when they picked

That’s the Nats with Strasburg,Harper and Rendon.

[Squab]

Sure, but give them the 5th pick in those years and they’re the wizards. They took the consensus best player available three years in a row it helped that the teams in front of them in 23 were incompetent, but it was three years of the consensus best player available when they picked

do you genuinely think Wemby would be as good as he is if he was a Wizard right now?

i’m not saying they would have ruined him (like a reddit comment i just read lol), but the development of these players in a short time has to give some credit to the org. the brand of unselfish basketball the spurs play is different, and everyone is 100% bought in.

[HalfSmokes]

do you genuinely think Wemby would be as good as he is if he was a Wizard right now?

i’m not saying they would have ruined him (like a reddit comment i just read lol), but the development of these players in a short time has to give some credit to the org. the brand of unselfish basketball the spurs play is different, and everyone is 100% bought in.

Would buying in matter if they picked 2 instead of 1 in 23? I think any team with went would be making runs in the playoffs. I think any team with Wemby and Harper would be making deep runs. 

[Squab]

Would buying in matter if they picked 2 instead of 1 in 23? I think any team with went would be making runs in the playoffs. I think any team with Wemby and Harper would be making deep runs. 

without Wemby luck, no doubt they wouldn’t be here. that’s obviously not up for debate.

but Harper wasn’t the difference between 42 and 60 wins this year, and he’s definitely come up huge in the playoffs, but they’ve won a good few games with him out injured or nearly, same with Fox. it sure doesn’t hurt to have him though.

also they just beat the Thunder, the team everyone thought was going to be a dynasty in a 7 game slugfest after slugging it out with Minnesota (who are better than anyone the Knicks have played btw) as a bunch of 22 year olds playing every other night for 2 straight weeks.

i definitely concede they’re not here with some luck (any finals run has a lot), but to say that’s the only reason is wild. talent alone does not beat the Thunder who are pulling dudes like McCain off the end of their bench. ask Chet Holmgren how much his all nba talent was worth in that game 7 when he absolutely folded

Spurs probably dont win last night if not for Julian Champagnie, a perfect example. dude got picked up off waivers as an undrafted player and over 3 years (after locking him up on one of the best contracts in the NBA) developed him into the dude that scored 20 in game 7.

[HalfSmokes]

without Wemby luck, no doubt they wouldn’t be here. that’s obviously not up for debate.

but Harper wasn’t the difference between 42 and 60 wins this year, and he’s definitely come up huge in the playoffs, but they’ve won a good few games with him out injured or nearly, same with Fox. it sure doesn’t hurt to have him though.

also they just beat the Thunder, the team everyone thought was going to be a dynasty in a 7 game slugfest after slugging it out with Minnesota (who are better than anyone the Knicks have played btw) as a bunch of 22 year olds playing every other night for 2 straight weeks.

i definitely concede they’re not here with some luck (any finals run has a lot), but to say that’s the only reason is wild. talent alone does not beat the Thunder who are pulling dudes like McCain off the end of their bench. ask Chet Holmgren how much his all nba talent was worth in that game 7 when he absolutely folded

Spurs probably dont win last night if not for Julian Champagnie, a perfect example. dude got picked up off waivers as an undrafted player and over 3 years (after locking him up on one of the best contracts in the NBA) developed him into the dude that scored 20 in game 7.

Harper is the difference between winning and losing the second round

[Squab]

Harper is the difference between winning and losing the second round

agree to disagree, he was no more than the 5th most important player in any of the 4 wins against the Wolves by game score. ill grant you that he has been the difference in at least a couple wins this postseason for sure (especially the game against Portland where he put Scoot in his place.) he's obviously going to be great and has been playing insane at 19 years old.

I think you could make the argument that Devin Vassell, Luke Kornet, or Julian Champagnie have been as important though.

[HalfSmokes]

Harper can take the ball up the floor, something the other spurs struggled with against the wolves

[Squab]

Harper can take the ball up the floor, something the other spurs struggled with against the wolves

Fox is maybe the best player in the NBA at breaking a press or getting around a defender

[imref]

I think you could make the argument that Devin Vassell, Luke Kornet, or Julian Champagnie have been as important though.

What did Kornet play last night, 6 minutes? And he had quite possibly the play of the night. 

[HalfSmokes]

Looks like Foster has money on the Spurs tonight

[imref]

LeBron to Golden State is apparently a possibility. Don't see them getting past OKC or San Antonio even with him.

[HalfSmokes]

LeBron to Golden State is apparently a possibility. Don't see them getting past OKC or San Antonio even with him.

Bill Simmons has been pushing it for months now- the Expendables team. Load up on the old guys for one more run

[GataNats]

LeBron to Golden State is apparently a possibility. Don't see them getting past OKC or San Antonio even with him.

Lebron is done as a star.   He’s a defensive sieve now as well

[Natsinpwc]

Lebron is done as a star.   He’s a defensive sieve now as well

20 points a game and six rebounds and seven assists. Nothing to sneeze at. He will play somewhere .

[blue911]

20 points a game and six rebounds and seven assists. Nothing to sneeze at. He will play somewhere .

I remember Tony Campbell, not all numbers are equal.