'25-26 NBA Thread

[Shaka Shart]

Are the Bulls elite

Ahem

[WhiteTrash]

Ahem

5 years to judge.

[BM1090]

East is wide open this year

[wadesworld]

If the Bucks are a top 4 seed I don't think there's anybody that can convince me Giannis isn't the best player in the world. It's Giannis and a bunch of role players (who finally fit well around Giannis).

Also, anyone who thought Kon was going to be just a guy or not worth a top 10 pick had it wrong. He is legit.

[MuggsyB]

If the Bucks are a top 4 seed I don't think there's anybody that can convince me Giannis isn't the best player in the world. It's Giannis and a bunch of role players (who finally fit well around Giannis).

Also, anyone who thought Kon was going to be just a guy or not worth a top 10 pick had it wrong. He is legit.

It's a little early but Giannis is Giannis.  Are they better defensively?  Where did Rollins come from? 

[BM1090]

If the Bucks are a top 4 seed I don't think there's anybody that can convince me Giannis isn't the best player in the world. It's Giannis and a bunch of role players (who finally fit well around Giannis).

Also, anyone who thought Kon was going to be just a guy or not worth a top 10 pick had it wrong. He is legit.

I think you're underselling the other guys (especially Turner) but the team structure is infinitely better this year. It's fun to watch. Turner really opens a ton up with his unselfish play. He's making a difference and he hasn't even got it going yet.

I think Giannis wins MVP this year.

And count me as one who was probably wrong about Kon

[JWags85]

Also, anyone who thought Kon was going to be just a guy or not worth a top 10 pick had it wrong. He is legit.

I may be wrong, but I think its early to tell.  For a pure stats perspective, he couldn't be on a better team.  The Hornets won't be good, but they will run and score a million points every game and Sexton/Melo will get him the ball in spots plenty.  Plus the Hornets can't stop anyone so any defense limitations won't stand out cause the whole team is a turnstile.

If he's still shooting 45%+ plus from 3 come Christmas, I'll be ready throw my hands up a bit more perhaps.  Its kind of hard to gauge cause a lot of guys I look at him as similar to, didn't start right away getting big minutes with 12-15 shots a game. 

Like McDermott came in to Chicago as a lottery pick but was still sitting behind Jimmy and Dunleavy.  Kispert was a similar player but even a better shooter/scorer his last year at Gonzaga, but came in as a lottery pick to Washington and was in a loaded 2/3 situation.  But with the injuries the Hornets have to Brandon Miller and others, its an interesting situation to start.

I still think he's gonna play 12-15 years in the NBA.  But I'm not sold, and won't be for awhile, about him being a strong second man on a contending team.

[MU82]

Interesting to hear Jordan talk about load management as part of his "insights" on NBC. Spoiler alert: He doesn't like it.

[The Sultan]

Interesting to hear Jordan talk about load management as part of his "insights" on NBC. Spoiler alert: He doesn't like it.

Oldmanyellsatcloud.gif

[Uncle Rico]

Interesting to hear Jordan talk about load management as part of his "insights" on NBC. Spoiler alert: He doesn't like it.

Not everyone gets to have an 18 month hiatus because of a gambling habit that got a parent killed

[WhiteTrash]

Not everyone gets to have an 18 month hiatus because of a gambling habit that got a parent killed

Mike's dad was killed because he was going to expose the truth about the moon landing.

[Uncle Rico]

Mike's dad was killed because he was going to expose the truth about the moon landing.

He wouldn't have been the first to have that happen nor the last

[wadesworld]

Ryan Rollins shoplifting at Target might turn out to be one of the better things to happen to the Bucks organization in a while.

[JWags85]

Ryan Rollins shoplifting at Target might turn out to be one of the better things to happen to the Bucks organization in a while.

I sympathized with him.  He spent his formative young adult years in Toledo, he likely didn't learn or experience standard cultural norms in society.

[The Sultan]

Interesting to hear Jordan talk about load management as part of his "insights" on NBC. Spoiler alert: He doesn't like it.

To expand on this more, one of my concerns about NBC's coverage of the NBA so far is that they seem more concerned about making reminiscent appeals to the past rather than talk about the NBA now. Hauling out MJ to sh*t on the league now, when he couldn't do ANYTHING as a GM and owner, isn't really insightful at all.

[MU82]

I hope that, going forward, every question to Jordan isn't, "When you played blah blah, so what do you think about today's NBA players blah blahing?" He knows a lot about basketball, he deals with modern athletes all the time through his brand, and he was a team owner (albeit a pretty bad one) until just recently. He should be able to talk about today's NBA without automatically making references to 1996. It's largely on Tirico or whoever is interviewing Jordan to focus on today and not 30 years ago, because all Jordan's gonna do is answer the questions he's asked.

That said, he did play 80+ games most years, he did work his body every bit as hard as anybody who ever played (including today's great athletes), he had to play back-to-backs and 4 games in 6 days just as today's players do, and he had long postseason runs most years (meaning his season went from Oct to June with no breaks).

There is a lot of talk about - and considerable disagreement about, load management - so I don't think it was out of bounds to ask him about it or for him to share his opinion. And I personally don't think he was wrong to say that players owe it to the ticket-buying public to play whenever they are healthy enough to do so.

[The Sultan]

I hope that, going forward, every question to Jordan isn't, "When you played blah blah, so what do you think about today's NBA players blah blahing?" He knows a lot about basketball, he deals with modern athletes all the time through his brand, and he was a team owner (albeit a pretty bad one) until just recently. He should be able to talk about today's NBA without automatically making references to 1996. It's largely on Tirico or whoever is interviewing Jordan to focus on today and not 30 years ago, because all Jordan's gonna do is answer the questions he's asked.

Right. As I said, part of my problem is with NBC's coverage.

That said, he did play 80+ games most years, he did work his body every bit as hard as anybody who ever played (including today's great athletes), he had to play back-to-backs and 4 games in 6 days just as today's players do, and he had long postseason runs most years (meaning his season went from Oct to June with no breaks).

And maybe he could have been even better had he taken more time off. Maybe he wouldn't have needed to take an entire season off. Maybe other players would have been more able to compete against him had they taken more rest.

There is a lot of talk about - and considerable disagreement about, load management - so I don't think it was out of bounds to ask him about it or for him to share his opinion. And I personally don't think he was wrong to say that players owe it to the ticket-buying public to play whenever they are healthy enough to do so.

I think he is wrong. The players don't owe the fans that at all. The players owe it to them to be in the best shape possible for a title run.

[Uncle Rico]

Right. As I said, part of my problem is with NBC's coverage.


And maybe he could have been even better had he taken more time off. Maybe he wouldn't have needed to take an entire season off. Maybe other players would have been more able to compete against him had they taken more rest.


I think he is wrong. The players don't owe the fans that at all. The players owe it to them to be in the best shape possible for a title run.

Also, the NBA was rigged when Jordan was playing in his favor

[MU82]

Right. As I said, part of my problem is with NBC's coverage.


And maybe he could have been even better had he taken more time off. Maybe he wouldn't have needed to take an entire season off. Maybe other players would have been more able to compete against him had they taken more rest.


I think he is wrong. The players don't owe the fans that at all. The players owe it to them to be in the best shape possible for a title run.

OK. We agree about some stuff and disagree about other stuff. Thanks for the conversation.

Also, the NBA was rigged when Jordan was playing in his favor

Well, duh.

[JWags85]

I hope that, going forward, every question to Jordan isn't, "When you played blah blah, so what do you think about today's NBA players blah blahing?" He knows a lot about basketball, he deals with modern athletes all the time through his brand, and he was a team owner (albeit a pretty bad one) until just recently. He should be able to talk about today's NBA without automatically making references to 1996. It's largely on Tirico or whoever is interviewing Jordan to focus on today and not 30 years ago, because all Jordan's gonna do is answer the questions he's asked.

He was a bad owner, but he has forgotten more about basketball than most players and analysts have ever known.  And results aside, when he's not playing golf or gambling, he's stayed pretty close and connected to the NBA.  He's likely got an absolute treasure trove of stuff that would make great TV, but he's got nothing to prove, feels like no need to specifically make stories or stuff compelling, so I totally agree that Tirico and the NBC crew need to do more with him.

I knew a higher up at Gatorade in my Pepsi days who had worked on the brand for a long time.  He met with him a couple times in various meetings and events, MJ took a liking to him and dropped his guard.  He said he talked to him about cigars and jazz cause "every motherfucker wants to ask him about the Bulls the minute they meet him".  One day, at Gatorade event, he was 1 on 1 with him for like 20 min.  They had had a drink or two, so he thought "unnatural carnal knowledge it" and asked him something about the NBA playoffs, given that was May.  He said without further prompting, MJ rattled off thoughts and commentary that he said was so beyond casual observation/fan perspective, but yet wasn't confusing or overly difficult to process.  He said he walked away kind of giddy but not surprised.

So TL/DR, I think he could be great in the right setting, but not really holding my breath as Ive not been overly impressed with the product so far.

[WhiteTrash]

I think regardless of your thoughts on MJ; any ex-player or analyst taking issue with load management is truly a reflection of 90%+ of NBA fans. It is the exact opposite of a 'hot take'. It is a  like a politician saying he will put more money in your pocket and make your roads better. Who doesn't like that? 

I could understand if people took issue with MJ playing it safe on the issue. We'd all like a little spice in the interview, but MJ played it down the middle on this one.

[MU82]

Is there a better "team's third best player" than Austin Reaves right now?

[MuggsyB]

Is there a better "team's third best player" than Austin Reaves right now?

He's an really good offensive player.  Very dangerous on or off the bounce.  I stated that the Lakers got a steal with his contract, but was criticized of course by Scoopers.  His defense I will say can be problematic against the top teams. 

[JWags85]

I think regardless of your thoughts on MJ; any ex-player or analyst taking issue with load management is truly a reflection of 90%+ of NBA fans. It is the exact opposite of a 'hot take'. It is a  like a politician saying he will put more money in your pocket and make your roads better. Who doesn't like that? 

I could understand if people took issue with MJ playing it safe on the issue. We'd all like a little spice in the interview, but MJ played it down the middle on this one.

Absolutely.  Load management is one of those things that I actually totally get both sides.  I fully support players taking care of themselves, their bodies, prolonging their careers (and maybe also benefiting themselves physically for the far life stage which is post-playing). 

But at the same time, I get some of why fans get frustrated.  Not the meathead "YOU'RE HERE TO ENTERTAIN ME.  HOW DARE YOU REST" but I remember going to a Bulls game against the Warriors in 2013/14 ish cause Curry was starting to emerge and I loved watching him and Klay.  He had picked up a ding the day before and didn't play.  I was truly bummed.  And that was a legit injury to a guy in his early 20s, not a superstar that is essentially taking a game off.

And hell, if I was a former player in the "non-load management era" and I have a body that is banged up with terrible knees that might be less so if I played today, I might subconsciously have some resentment that shows when talking about it.  Especially if they are making the equivalent of one of my contracts early 2000s contracts in a single season with the ever ballooning TV money salary caps.

[The Sultan]

He's an really good offensive player.  Very dangerous on or off the bounce.  I stated that the Lakers got a steal with his contract, but was criticized of course by Scoopers.  His defense I will say can be problematic against the top teams. 

When did you state this and where is the criticism?