'25-26 NBA Thread

[Billy Hoyle]

This is the crux the problem.  The level of corruption is clearly ubiquitous.  Obviously the sports leagues and government make a crap ton of money from gambling.  That said Billy, from a societal and public health standpoint this is an unmitigated disaster which is even a bigger issue than the integrity of the NBA. 

I'm with you 100%. We've put a drug in the pocket of addicts

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[MuggsyB]

Don't worry.  The FBI will fumble this

Well, considering this guy mentioned the "Toronto Rangers" in the press conference, you could be right. 

[Uncle Rico]

Well, considering this guy mentioned the "Toronto Rangers" in the press conference, you could be right. 

It's not a stretch on my part.  These guys in charge of the FBI are idiots and they've run off all the competent people.  A confederacy of dunces but we can be racist again.

[MuggsyB]

I have to admit the presser sounded like it was a scene from the Godfather.  This seems like more of a mob story which involved some players in the NBA.    Apparently the mob is still alive and well.

[Pakuni]

We still don't know the facts but regardless, it's important to recognize we have an enormous problem. 

Whatever happened to personal responsibility?

[Pakuni]

I have to admit the presser sounded like it was a scene from the Godfather.  This seems like more of a mob story which involved some players in the NBA.    Apparently the mob is still alive and well.

Was Valhalla mentioned?

[MuggsyB]

It's not a stretch on my part.  These guys in charge of the FBI are idiots and they've run off all the competent people.  A confederacy of dunces but we can be racist again.

RIP John Kennedy Toole.  Very sad. 

[muwarrior69]

https://www.npr.org/2025/10/23/nx-s1-5583614/nba-gambling-arrests-terry-rozier-chauncey-billups

[Billy Hoyle]

https://x.com/johncanzanobft/status/1981370568156074118

[JWags85]

I agree 100%. This is going to cause so many more problems than we realize now.

And we have plenty of ways to see just how that will happen.  The US is actually behind the curve too.  Sports betting is insanely accepted and embedded in European sports culture, look how many Premier League clubs have betting companies as their sponsor.  Hell, Brighton is owned by a famous and wildly successful gambler.  There is a punters shop on corners all over the UK.  And despite it being so normalized, there is still issues with it constantly. Ivan Toney from Brentford was on his way to being a superstar and a huge money transfer before he got banned for a year for betting on EPL matches, including some of his own.

[The Sultan]

https://bsky.app/profile/rodger.bsky.social/post/3m3uqk5wx4s2i

[Hards Alumni]

https://x.com/onlyfriends_pod/status/1981379130190156129?s=46

[TallTitan34]

Well, considering this guy mentioned the "Toronto Rangers" in the press conference, you could be right. 

Loved the Toronto Rangers as a kid.  Nolan Ryan was one of the best dunkers I had ever seen.

[Billy Hoyle]

Really good night for the MU guys tonight. Oso looks like he's going to be a major contributor this year.

Kolek with 14 minutes, 7 points and 2 assists. He should be getting more regular minutes this season.

[wadesworld]

Chauncey after last night's game: "That pressure thing is nothing to me, man," Billups said. "I do the best I can and let the chips fall where they may. You know that about me by now."

Oops.

[wadesworld]

Dame is tough for me.  I just don't think he is an outwardly emotional guy, plus he was going through a divorce.

True on the lack of emotion and him going through some personal stuff.  I just will never forget that immediately after the trade to the Bucks happened, Dame's agent thanked...THE MIAMI HEAT for trying to get Dame, saying, "They did everything they could to acquire Dame. It takes two to get a deal done. I appreciate all that Pat, Andy and Micky did to try and make this happen."

I had already felt like Jrue was being very underrated and Dame was overrated, and wasn't sure that having a second guy who liked to dribble the air out of the ball offensively and doesn't try defensively was going to work well.  Obviously, the idea of Dame and Giannis pick and rolls was incredibly enticing, and I understood why the Bucks did it.  But I personally never bought into it working, and it turned out worse than I imagined.  The fact that his agent was out there thanking the team that just knocked the Bucks out of the Playoffs, and had done so a few years prior as well, for trying to get Dame after he'd been traded to the Bucks rubbed me the wrong way from day one.

[Pakuni]

Chauncey after last night's game: "That pressure thing is nothing to me, man," Billups said. "I do the best I can and let the chips fall where they may. You know that about me by now."

Oops.

Were you expecting him to just fold? I think he's going to up the ante and go all in.

[Shaka Shart]

True on the lack of emotion and him going through some personal stuff.  I just will never forget that immediately after the trade to the Bucks happened, Dame's agent thanked...THE MIAMI HEAT for trying to get Dame, saying, "They did everything they could to acquire Dame. It takes two to get a deal done. I appreciate all that Pat, Andy and Micky did to try and make this happen."

I had already felt like Jrue was being very underrated and Dame was overrated, and wasn't sure that having a second guy who liked to dribble the air out of the ball offensively and doesn't try defensively was going to work well.  Obviously, the idea of Dame and Giannis pick and rolls was incredibly enticing, and I understood why the Bucks did it.  But I personally never bought into it working, and it turned out worse than I imagined.  The fact that his agent was out there thanking the team that just knocked the Bucks out of the Playoffs, and had done so a few years prior as well, for trying to get Dame after he'd been traded to the Bucks rubbed me the wrong way from day one.

Dame not working out doesn't mean he was overrated. Sure fire hall of famer just coming out of his prime. Seems like he never wanted to come there in the first place and between that, the injuries, and the personal life it was a real perfect storm of mediocrity.

[The Sultan]

They weren't winning another title bringing the same group back. They ended up not doing anything with Dame either. I get why they did it.

But the Bucks have bigger problems than that IMO.

[BM1090]

I'm just happy the Bucks are fun again. I have no idea how good they'll be but last night was refreshing

[wadesworld]

Dame not working out doesn't mean he was overrated. Sure fire hall of famer just coming out of his prime. Seems like he never wanted to come there in the first place and between that, the injuries, and the personal life it was a real perfect storm of mediocrity.

I think Milwaukee exposed him some.  When he was in Portland he had the excuse of never really getting to play on a championship level roster.  Then the Bucks traded a true winner away for him, and the team got significantly worse.  Injuries kept the Bucks from potentially winning titles in 2022 and 2023 (less likely than 2022), and they might have won they title in 2020 if not for the pandemic interrupting the season (they were 52-8 through 60 games that year), plus they very easily could've won the title in 2019 (up 2-0 on Toronto and went to double overtime in game 3).  The Bucks were a much better team with Eric Bledsoe and Jrue Holiday at point guard than they were with Dame.

He's 5'9" and doesn't even try defensively.  When you're that little, you have to at least put in effort.  And the 35 foot side step 3s are awesome when they go in, and shooting them at a 25% or whatever clip is incredible given the difficulty, but that's still a horrendously inefficient possession, and that's how Dame loved to play.

[wadesworld]

I'm just happy the Bucks are fun again. I have no idea how good they'll be but last night was refreshing

I'm saving judgement for when we play someone that isn't the Washington Wizards at home.  I remember being excited after game 1 last year, thinking Trent and Prince in the starting lineup was going to work and those guys really knew how to play.  6 straight losses came after that.

[BM1090]

 

I'm saving judgement for when we play someone that isn't the Washington Wizards at home.  I remember being excited after game 1 last year, thinking Trent and Prince in the starting lineup was going to work and those guys really knew how to play.  6 straight losses came after that.

I'm saving judgement for when we play someone that isn't the Washington Wizards at home.  I remember being excited after game 1 last year, thinking Trent and Prince in the starting lineup was going to work and those guys really knew how to play.  6 straight losses came after that.

I have no idea if it'll work. But I do know they have a lot of shooters around Giannis, a lot of unselfish players, and are committed to playing uptempo. They'll be fun even if they are average.

[WhiteTrash]

Do the Bulls have a real problem in the front office? I'm not looking to second guess any deals, non-deals, etc. The Bull's GM has no idea if he was presented a trade opportunity:

When asked if New Orleans offered the Bulls two first-round picks, including its unprotected one next summer, in order to move up to select Derik Queen in June, Artūras Karnišovas said:

"I don't know exactly, but they landed one good player."

I'd bet $1M that Jerry West remembers every significant deal for the past 40 years, and this guy can't remember 4 months ago???? That is a serious medical issue if true.

[JWags85]

I think Milwaukee exposed him some.  When he was in Portland he had the excuse of never really getting to play on a championship level roster.  Then the Bucks traded a true winner away for him, and the team got significantly worse.  Injuries kept the Bucks from potentially winning titles in 2022 and 2023 (less likely than 2022), and they might have won they title in 2020 if not for the pandemic interrupting the season (they were 52-8 through 60 games that year), plus they very easily could've won the title in 2019 (up 2-0 on Toronto and went to double overtime in game 3).  The Bucks were a much better team with Eric Bledsoe and Jrue Holiday at point guard than they were with Dame.

He's 5'9" and doesn't even try defensively.  When you're that little, you have to at least put in effort.  And the 35 foot side step 3s are awesome when they go in, and shooting them at a 25% or whatever clip is incredible given the difficulty, but that's still a horrendously inefficient possession, and that's how Dame loved to play.

Ive always been a big Dame fan, at his peak with the Blazers he was probably my favorite player in league to watch.  I think he was unfairly maligned at times in Portland and actually made a dysfunctional broken organization look far better than they were for a time.

But that being said, Ive always thought he was best as the star on a fringe playoff team.  At his peak, he could elevate teams in big games by sheer force of will.  He had stretches of unconsciousness that were second to probably only Steph for awhile.  But he's never been a PG, especially a PG that needs to be the second option like was the plan with Giannis.  In retrospect, being excited about the trade was more like getting pumped about getting a great player card in Ultimate Team in FIFA or 2K where great players are great players, regardless of fit.

I hold no ill will towards him.  It was just the wrong move, unfortunate especially that it wasted a few years of Giannis' prime

Do the Bulls have a real problem in the front office?

Pretty sure the answer to that was "yes" if you asked any time in the last 20 years