'25-26 NBA Thread

[MU82]

The Hornets have been looking for their "big man of the future" forever. And they had him in the 2022 draft: Jalen Duren.

But they immediately traded Duren to the Pistons and drafted Mark Williams two picks later.

Duren is averaging 20.3 points and 12.3 rebounds this season for the Pistons; he is part of the young core that has taken the Eastern Conference by storm. Williams was either hurt or ineffective during his short time with the Hornets, who couldn't wait to dump him on some other team.

And that is just one example of why the Hornets always suck.

[wadesworld]

The Hornets have been looking for their "big man of the future" forever. And they had him in the 2022 draft: Jalen Duren.

But they immediately traded Duren to the Pistons and drafted Mark Williams two picks later.

Duren is averaging 20.3 points and 12.3 rebounds this season for the Pistons; he is part of the young core that has taken the Eastern Conference by storm. Williams was either hurt or ineffective during his short time with the Hornets, who couldn't wait to dump him on some other team.

And that is just one example of why the Hornets always suck.

We'll see how much by storm the Pistons take the NBA by when they aren't playing a G League schedule.  Their wins are over the Rockets (good win), Celtics, Magic, Mavericks, Grizzlies, Jazz, Nets, Sixers (x2), Wizards, Bulls, Pacers.

[MU82]

We'll see how much by storm the Pistons take the NBA by when they aren't playing a G League schedule.  Their wins are over the Rockets (good win), Celtics, Magic, Mavericks, Grizzlies, Jazz, Nets, Sixers (x2), Wizards, Bulls, Pacers.

Fair. We'll see!

[JWags85]

Spurs without Wemby and Castle vs Grizzlies without Ja is one of the worst games of the year.  Holy hell its bad.

[JWags85]

A day late, but a good time to revisit the legend of Pat Spencer...

As some of you recall, he was a lacrosse player first and foremost.  And not just a lacrosse player, but the 4x AA, won both NPOY awards, all time leader in career assists and pretty much consensus top 3 players of the last 30 years.  Picked #1 overall in the PLL draft. 

Decides to try out basketball and goes to NW for his 5 year (same way that Greg Paulus played QB at Cuse for a year after 4 annoying years at Duke). Averages 10/4/4 despite not playing basketball for 4 years.  End of the season is cancelled by COVID, but instead of going back to the PLL where anytime would salivte to have him, signs a pro BB contract in Germany.  Plays a year then comes back to the G League.

He's played G League for the last few years, but the Warriors converted him to a two-way contract last year, and then a standard deal to close out the year.  He's back with the Warriors on a 2 way this year, now averaging double digit minutes of the first time at the ripe age of 29 and was a rebound away from a triple double the other night against the Heat.

He's nowhere near as good as his little brother Cam but the fact that he's sticking in the league and performing is a pretty amazing story.  And the Pat Spencer, the accountant who moonlights as a basketball player, memes on social media are amazing.

[MU82]

Wait ... Chris Paul wasn't already retired?

[Billy Hoyle]

Spurs without Wemby and Castle vs Grizzlies without Ja is one of the worst games of the year.  Holy hell its bad.

on the topic of the Grizz, I enjoyed reading about Klay Thompson roasting Ja Morant

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/47069151/mavs-thompson-scoffs-morant-trash-talk-grizzlies-win

[MU82]

on the topic of the Grizz, I enjoyed reading about Klay Thompson roasting Ja Morant

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/47069151/mavs-thompson-scoffs-morant-trash-talk-grizzlies-win

Ja is a dope who is hurt (again) and wasn't even playing, and Klay hasn't been good for years now. They deserve each other.

[wadesworld]

Ja is a dope who is hurt (again) and wasn't even playing, and Klay hasn't been good for years now. They deserve each other.

Eh. Klay's a 4 time champion and key piece on those teams. He's on the tail end of his career and hasn't been the same since returning from ACL and then Achilles injuries. But he always plays when he's not healthy and seems to be a good guy. Ja, on the other hand, likes to act like he's from some gangster background, is often injured, and now doesn't want to play for the franchise that was trying to build around him. Klay>>>>>>>>>>Ja.

[JWags85]

Ja is a dope who is hurt (again) and wasn't even playing, and Klay hasn't been good for years now. They deserve each other.

Klay still averaged 20 points a game on 40 % shooting his last 2 years in GS.  And that was after missing 2 full seasons with brutal injuries and then came back midseason and was a big piece in winning that last championship.  Last year was the first year he took a step back and even then was still steady and a reliable scorer/shooter.

Talk **** about Ja, cause he's well on his way from being a potential new face of the NBA to a massive waste of talent, but no need to disparage a guy who will be in the HOF and was one of the more underrated defenders in the league while also being a top 10 shooter of all time at his peak.

As to the actual story, he absolutely MURDERED Ja in a polite and professional manner.  Incredible...

"It's funny to run your mouth when you're on the bench. It's kind of the story of his career so far, just leaving us wanting more."
"We need our best players to be out there, and when you're a star, it comes with a great responsibility. I hate to see that go to waste."

Just torching him with disappointment at a career wasted...while also dating a massive hip hop star that he could really flex on Ja with if he wanted to get in the mud.

[MU82]

"For years" was inaccurate, so that's my bad.

Accurate: At 35 and with a beat-up body, Klay Thompson is no longer a very good basketball player.

But yes, he zapped Ja good, and the Memphis knucklehead no doubt will reflect on his inadequacies while he counts his $200 million.

[JWags85]

"For years" was inaccurate, so that's my bad.

Accurate: At 35 and with a beat-up body, Klay Thompson is no longer a very good basketball player.

For funsies, just to needle you more, that "no longer very good" player also went for 22 on 6 for 12 from 3 in that Memphis game, despite not being a starter anymore.

But I hear your point, he's not mid 2010s rainmaker Klay, 60 points on 11 dribbles Klay.  But kind of speaks to how incredible he was that his version of washed up is 11/2/2 on under 20 min per game, bench minutes, while still being able to pop off for 20 multiple times in the last 6-7 games.  Numbers most NBA guys would dream of at age 25, much less 35.

[MU82]

For funsies, just to needle you more, that "no longer very good" player also went for 22 on 6 for 12 from 3 in that Memphis game, despite not being a starter anymore.

But I hear your point, he's not mid 2010s rainmaker Klay, 60 points on 11 dribbles Klay.  But kind of speaks to how incredible he was that his version of washed up is 11/2/2 on under 20 min per game, bench minutes, while still being able to pop off for 20 multiple times in the last 6-7 games.  Numbers most NBA guys would dream of at age 25, much less 35.

Lots of not very good basketball players occasionally have a good game, but you already knew that.

Klay was an incredible and efficient shooter/scorer. And when healthy, a good defender, too. Obvious HoFer and winner.

[wadesworld]

It is crazy how badly Horst has burned this roster to the ground. With GA they are a play in level team, which is crazy given he's one of the two best players in the world and would be good enough to be fairly competitive just by having him and a bad roster around him (like the past 2 years). Without him this is the worst team in the NBA.

Guy deserves so much better. And Doc being the coach is just the icing on top.

[BM1090]

It is crazy how badly Horst has burned this roster to the ground. With GA they are a play in level team, which is crazy given he's one of the two best players in the world and would be good enough to be fairly competitive just by having him and a bad roster around him (like the past 2 years). Without him this is the worst team in the NBA.

Guy deserves so much better. And Doc being the coach is just the icing on top.

With GA and Porter I think they are a solid top 5 team. Unfortunately they have three guys who can create offense and two of them are out.

They built the team around Giannis and it was working on offense really well. Obviously it's not going to function well without Giannis.

Agree about Doc though 100%