'25-26 NBA Thread

[Billy Hoyle]

damn, Detroit sports fans cannot have nice things:   

https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/2034619856423649708

[MU82]

I'll go positive for you, Billy. Cunningham has a lot of wear and tear on him this season. If he recovers fully from this lung issue, he should have fresh legs for the playoffs.

[JWags85]

Luka goes for 60 against the Heat.  We know that Luka is a spiteful ass competitor and carries grudges, so the timing isn't shocking given the Bam fervor  

And just for fun and to shade the Bam joke performance a bit more.  Luka had 1 less point from the floor than Bam did (45 vs 46), did it on REALLY good splits 18/30 and 9/17 from 3, and thus scored that 45 in 13 less shots than Bam needed to get to 46.  He just didn't shamelessly conspire to parade himself to the FT line an additional 25 times like Bam.

Also, Luka already had 73 in one of the most impressive scoring performances of not just the 2000s, but NBA history (25/33, 8/13 from 3, 15/16 FTs is f-ing video game stuff).  Plus he's had 6 other 50 point games and scored 60 on with time for the Mavs.

Meanwhile Bam had one other 40 point game and only 35+ games in his career that it's longer than Luka's

[MU82]

Yes, Luka is a much, much better offensive player than Bam.

[Billy Hoyle]

Luka goes for 60 against the Heat.  We know that Luka is a spiteful ass competitor and carries grudges, so the timing isn't shocking given the Bam fervor  

And just for fun and to shade the Bam joke performance a bit more.  Luka had 1 less point from the floor than Bam did (45 vs 46), did it on REALLY good splits 18/30 and 9/17 from 3, and thus scored that 45 in 13 less shots than Bam needed to get to 46.  He just didn't shamelessly conspire to parade himself to the FT line an additional 25 times like Bam.

Also, Luka already had 73 in one of the most impressive scoring performances of not just the 2000s, but NBA history (25/33, 8/13 from 3, 15/16 FTs is f-ing video game stuff).  Plus he's had 6 other 50 point games and scored 60 on with time for the Mavs.

Meanwhile Bam had one other 40 point game and only 35+ games in his career that it's longer than Luka's

I feel like this needs to keep being posted

[Billy Hoyle]

I'll go positive for you, Billy. Cunningham has a lot of wear and tear on him this season. If he recovers fully from this lung issue, he should have fresh legs for the playoffs.

It is giving Huerter a chance to get some game time as a Piston, and so far is assist/turnover ratio is 26 to 6. My biggest concern is the timeline for Cunningham's return, it seems a little aggressive right now.

That said, even a healthy Pistons team is not beating Boston with Tatum back.

[wadesworld]

It's going to be hilarious when the NBA hammers the Bucks for "tanking" when they SHOULD have been tanking for months now, but have been doing everything they can to NOT tank.  The NBAPA's argument makes no sense.  The Pelicans (well, Hawks since they traded the pick) have swap rights with the Bucks, so tanking doesn't even help them.  Not to mention, the Warriors are the team directly ahead of them in the standings, and are 5 games ahead of the Bucks (so, not getting caught for a better lottery position by them), and while the Bulls are tied with the Bucks, the team directly behind those to are the Pelicans who are both 4 games worse (not getting caught) and, again, own swap rights.

Maybe the Bucks are just protecting the, by far, most important asset they have when there's only meaningless basketball to be played and he's had 4 calf strains in the last 2 seasons, which we've seen lead to multiple torn achilles in the NBA?

The Bucks should have been tanking, but instead went all in on chasing the last Play In spot.  Hilarious that the NBAPA is going after the Bucks for "tanking," of all teams.

[cheebs09]

I'm curious if it's Giannis pushing the NBAPA on that statement as much as anything.

I also am not really sure why he's so eager to play. Heal up so you can be ready for your new team next year and not risk a Dame-like injury.

[Hards Alumni]

I'm curious if it's Giannis pushing the NBAPA on that statement as much as anything.

I also am not really sure why he's so eager to play. Heal up so you can be ready for your new team next year and not risk a Dame-like injury.

He is a competitor, and also chasing NBA records.

[cheebs09]

He is a competitor, and also chasing NBA records.

Maybe he could stop playing with Greece in the summer to let his body rest and be available.

[MU82]

From The Athletic:

The NBA is taking a major step toward expansion. The league's Board of Governors voted Wednesday to approve an exploration of adding two new franchises in Las Vegas and Seattle.

The vote, which required the approval of 23 of the league's 30 governors to pass, does not mean the NBA will definitely expand to 32 teams. But the league will move forward with a long-expected survey of interested bidding groups to put teams in those two cities.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7146445/2026/03/25/nba-expansion-seattle-las-vegas-vote/

I'll be really curious to see if there are multiple bazillionaires out there to invest in Seattle sports franchises, as the Seahawks also are for sale. NBA "insiders" are throwing around figures between $7 billion and $10 billion for the new Sonics - and that's in addition to expansion fees. One would think an NFL franchise would fetch more, perhaps considerably more.

As for Vegas, can that market really support four pro sports franchises? Maybe it can.

[Hards Alumni]

From The Athletic:

The NBA is taking a major step toward expansion. The league's Board of Governors voted Wednesday to approve an exploration of adding two new franchises in Las Vegas and Seattle.

The vote, which required the approval of 23 of the league's 30 governors to pass, does not mean the NBA will definitely expand to 32 teams. But the league will move forward with a long-expected survey of interested bidding groups to put teams in those two cities.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7146445/2026/03/25/nba-expansion-seattle-las-vegas-vote/

I'll be really curious to see if there are multiple bazillionaires out there to invest in Seattle sports franchises, as the Seahawks also are for sale. NBA "insiders" are throwing around figures between $7 billion and $10 billion for the new Sonics - and that's in addition to expansion fees. One would think an NFL franchise would fetch more, perhaps considerably more.

As for Vegas, can that market really support four pro sports franchises? Maybe it can.

There are already too many completely noncompetitive teams.  Adding more will make the product worse.  Sure some folks will get rich, but I think expansion is a terrible idea for the NBA.

[Uncle Rico]

There are already too many completely noncompetitive teams.  Adding more will make the product worse.  Sure some folks will get rich, but I think expansion is a terrible idea for the NBA.

Expansion mixed with relegation would be the way to go

[wadesworld]

There are already too many completely noncompetitive teams.  Adding more will make the product worse.  Sure some folks will get rich, but I think expansion is a terrible idea for the NBA.

Yup.

"Tanking is a GIANT issue!"

Also, "Let's add 2 more teams so there are more bottom feeders every year!"

[MU82]

There are already too many completely noncompetitive teams.  Adding more will make the product worse.  Sure some folks will get rich, but I think expansion is a terrible idea for the NBA.

Although it will be fun to have an NBA team in my town, I agree with you. If the NBA really wants a team in Seattle, it should move one of the financially underperforming current teams there.

But it doesn't matter if we agree, because the NBA is gonna expand.

[cheebs09]

Although it will be fun to have an NBA team in my town, I agree with you. If the NBA really wants a team in Seattle, it should move one of the financially underperforming current teams there.

But it doesn't matter if we agree, because the NBA is gonna expand.

Please don't give Jimmy H ideas.

[The Sultan]

Yup.

"Tanking is a GIANT issue!"

Also, "Let's add 2 more teams so there are more bottom feeders every year!"

The tanking fix is simple. Just decouple draft position from the prior season performance. But they'll do something more convoluted instead.

[MuggsyB]

I haven't been watching much NBA, but the Minny/Houston game has been absolutely insane. 

[MuggsyB]

So Minnesota was up 11 with about 3 mins to go.  Houston comes back and ties it up to force overtime.  Minnesota had 4 consecutive turnovers in that stretch.

Then, Houston goes up 13 in overtime with about 3 mins left.  They had like a 24-2 run when you include regulation.  Minny says not so fast and I think finished the game on a 15-0 run to win.  And this was without Ant, Reid, Gobert, and McDaniel in that 3 minutes of overtime. 

[wadesworld]

According to ESPN's net points metric, Knueppel has contributed 153 points above average on offense this season. No other rookie is above 18.


Knueppel stands out even when compared to the entire league, not just rookies. He's 11th overall in offensive net points; the two players directly ahead of him are Anthony Edwards and Jalen Brunson, and the two players directly behind him are Cade Cunningham and Tyrese Maxey.

Simply put, Knueppel has been one of the best players in the NBA this season. He's leading the league in total 3-point makes. He's third among qualified perimeter players in true shooting percentage, behind only Gilgeous-Alexander and Sam Merrill.

[MU82]

According to ESPN's net points metric, Knueppel has contributed 153 points above average on offense this season. No other rookie is above 18.


Knueppel stands out even when compared to the entire league, not just rookies. He's 11th overall in offensive net points; the two players directly ahead of him are Anthony Edwards and Jalen Brunson, and the two players directly behind him are Cade Cunningham and Tyrese Maxey.

Simply put, Knueppel has been one of the best players in the NBA this season. He's leading the league in total 3-point makes. He's third among qualified perimeter players in true shooting percentage, behind only Gilgeous-Alexander and Sam Merrill.

With no NBA team in Seattle, I've continued to follow the Hornets. They aren't on TV often, so I watch the 10-minute game highlight package on YouTube every night they play.

Knueppel was so overshadowed at Duke by the attention Flagg got that I admit I didn't really know what to expect of him as an NBA player ... but he is amazing.

His efficiency is off the charts. An open 3 for him is better than a semi-contested layup for lots of players. He makes great decisions with the ball and moves well without it. He is a good athlete and a willing defender. He's a coach's and teammate's dream, and he's a major reason why the Hornets have been one of the NBA's best teams since the calendar flipped to 2026.

wades, I give you a ton of credit for being so right about him.

[wadesworld]

These proposals to change the lottery format are so dumb.  So now, instead of having the 8 worst teams in the NBA, who stink and are going to lose a lot even if they're trying to win, tank, you'll have seasons where teams that are in the 5-8 seed positions tanking to try to fall to 7, thinking not only can we have two home games to win one against bad teams to get a Playoff spot, but we can also get into the lottery?

I still just don't understand the issue with tanking.  Bad teams are going to lose.  So Giannis is sitting out for the Bucks.  It doesn't matter.  The Bucks stink even with him.

[JWags85]

I still just don't understand the issue with tanking.  Bad teams are going to lose.  So Giannis is sitting out for the Bucks.  It doesn't matter.  The Bucks stink even with him.

Because its not "bad teams losing".  Its bad teams deciding they are bad before Christmas and making a mockery of the season.  Its teams doing what the Jazz did where they would completely throw 4Qs and not even attempt to tie the game when down 3.  Its teams that could have turned it around and gotten into playoff contention deciding to shut down players or "focus on youth" aka play low level 2 way guys more than usual to drop into better lottery spots.

Part of being the commissioner of a professional league is managing the brand and the perception of your league, its product, the entertainment value of it, and its reputation.  The NBA has had a negative perception of the regular season being a joke, players not trying until the playoffs, etc... which got worse when load management started in earnest.  Tanking has obviously existed for awhile, but it was usually towards the end of the season and never this egregious.  The Nets scored unnatural carnal knowledgeing 24 points in the first half last week.  That's a complete joke and slap in the face of the spirit of the game.  When people like me, who is a huge NBA fan (big Bucks fan but almost more of an NBA fan than a Bucks fan), are disgusted by it and call out what a shame it is, then its become a problem.  I don't have a big issue with the Bucks strategy in the grand scheme of it, its pretty minor and not at all that egregious.  What teams like the Nets, Jazz, and Pacers have been doing is way worse.  Kam Jones hitting a step-back game winner was a fun story, but the Nets-Pacers game where it occurred, where they both completely turtled and stopped trying to play/win in the 4Q was one of the most embarrassing NBA products Ive seen as a neutral viewer.

[WhiteTrash]

I 100% understand the problem with tanking. I just have never heard or seen any solution that will honestly work. The logic that having the worst or one of the worst records will not get you the best draft pick makes sense but the fact that some teams could essentially become permanent cellar dwellers hurts the NBA in those markets.

The NFL does nothing to dissuade tanking and it has a great history of last to first turnarounds that keep all the markets engaged and interested. 

[Uncle Rico]

I 100% understand the problem with tanking. I just have never heard or seen any solution that will honestly work. The logic that having the worst or one of the worst records will not get you the best draft pick makes sense but the fact that some teams could essentially become permanent cellar dwellers hurts the NBA in those markets.

The NFL does nothing to dissuade tanking and it has a great history of last to first turnarounds that keep all the markets engaged and interested. 

Apples to oranges.  NBA is still a star driven league.  Roster size demands a superstar and some all-star caliber players.

The NFL roster is churned over because of the way the salary cap works.  Much harder to maintain a dynasty or chance at a dynasty without a truly dynamic QB.

If the NFL had guaranteed deals and the inability to shed contracts, it would probably be different.  Teams in cap hell ride out a bad year or two and can reshape the roster quicker and easier.  The Dolphins are eating a lot of dead cap space but they'd be in worse shape had they had no choice but to keep Tua.

The NFL draft is deeper in talent as well.  You may not have HOF players in every draft but you can find plenty of players that solidify a roster and build with.

There's also a realistic path, albeit much harder in recent years, for the 4-7 seeds to win a title than in the NBA.  Being a 7-10 seed in the NBA is often no man's land.