Around the NBA (and other Sports), 2025-26 – (Old Thread)

[ConstableGeneva]

via Evan Sidery (@esidery):

The top-10 highest paid players in the NBA for 2025-26:

Stephen Curry: $59.6 million
Damian Lillard: $58.5 million
Giannis Antetokounmpo: $57.6 million
Anthony Davis: $57.6 million
Nikola Jokic: $55.2 million
Joel Embiid: $55.2 million
Kevin Durant: $54.7 million
Jayson Tatum: $54.1 million
Jimmy Butler: $54.1 million
Bradley Beal: $53.7 million

JB not even in top 10 so not sure what I was crying about when he signed his max contract. He won FMVP the year before his extension kicked in. Three of the top 10 highest salaries are terrible deals too.

[Fierce1]

Decline in defense and lack of buy-in, according to one of the reports I read, are 2 reasons why Jenkins got fired.

Like I said, if the players don't have the coach's back, you're fired!

[phincsfan]

via Evan Sidery (@esidery):

The top-10 highest paid players in the NBA for 2025-26:

Stephen Curry: $59.6 million
Damian Lillard: $58.5 million
Giannis Antetokounmpo: $57.6 million
Anthony Davis: $57.6 million
Nikola Jokic: $55.2 million
Joel Embiid: $55.2 million
Kevin Durant: $54.7 million
Jayson Tatum: $54.1 million
Jimmy Butler: $54.1 million
Bradley Beal: $53.7 million

JB not even in top 10 so not sure what I was crying about when he signed his max contract. He won FMVP the year before his extension kicked in. Three of the top 10 highest salaries are terrible deals too.

I’m too bored to look, but a few of those guys have zero finals appearances and JB is sitting at 2. His contract will look like a bargain soon enough.

[ConstableGeneva]

via Evan Sidery (@esidery):

The top-10 highest paid players in the NBA for 2025-26:

Stephen Curry: $59.6 million
Damian Lillard: $58.5 million
Giannis Antetokounmpo: $57.6 million
Anthony Davis: $57.6 million
Nikola Jokic: $55.2 million
Joel Embiid: $55.2 million
Kevin Durant: $54.7 million
Jayson Tatum: $54.1 million
Jimmy Butler: $54.1 million
Bradley Beal: $53.7 million

JB not even in top 10 so not sure what I was crying about when he signed his max contract. He won FMVP the year before his extension kicked in. Three of the top 10 highest salaries are terrible deals too.

I’m too bored to look, but a few of those guys have zero finals appearances and JB is sitting at 2. His contract will look like a bargain soon enough.

Mainly opposed to having him as max while JT is at the supermax cos we know it will be harder to build the roster around them due to the tax and CBA penalties which is exactly what’s happening right now. Hard choices to be made moving forward if owners aren’t willing to pony up.

But it was either pay him or lose him for nothing (or whatever you can get in a trade).

[ConstableGeneva]

Cavs peaking at the right time lol.

But kidding aside, Pistons could be a postseason spoiler for anyone. Their defense has been legit for a while now. And Cade with shooters is a bona fide star (though he's out today).

[phincsfan]

Cavs making the 1 seed interesting

[snowman]

Cavs lose to Pistons. Celts 4 1/2 behind. Win at SA brings them to 4 behind with 8 games to play.

[Parliament10]

Cavs lose to Pistons. Celts 4 1/2 behind. Win at SA brings them to 4 behind with 8 games to play.

That's interesting.
It's the Cavs 1st Place to blow.

[Fierce1]

I prefer not having the #1 seed.

Let the Cavs deal with Indy or Detroit.

[ConstableGeneva]

Congrats to the Detroit Pistons for being the first team in NBA history to triple their win total the following season. Went from 14 Ws last season to 42 and counting this season.

[brackdan70]

Congrats to the Detroit Pistons for being the first team in NBA history to triple their win total the following season. Went from 14 Ws last season to 42 and counting this season.

I fully expect the Cs to do it next year.

[djFan71]

Congrats to the Detroit Pistons for being the first team in NBA history to triple their win total the following season. Went from 14 Ws last season to 42 and counting this season.

I fully expect the Cs to do it next year.

I agree. They’ll easily triple the Pistons 23-24 win total next year.

[playa-hater]

Is Nico Harrison also running the Grizzlies?

One reason why I hate when people say "they are the Professionals, so they know better" More than one Nico out there.

Who Fires someone this close to the playoffs?? Ja Morant's coach was fired 2 weeks ago.

Meanwhile the answer to Jenkins being fired is pretty obvious to me. Memphis has a ton of players but no real pecking order. Too many similar players in talent that all want PT. And when Ja is the Top of the pecking order and he sometimes is the player with the least "character", is a disaster waiting to happen.

But anyone who thinks Jenkins isn't a really good coach who has had his teams playing above their talent level for many years not being realistic. Jenkins will get a HC again and quickly IMO.

[bisme37]

I haven't been watching the Cavs very closely during their recent slump. Have they just taken their foot off the gas, or have they run out of gas? (Or something different I guess.)

[Tyakack]

Cavs making the 1 seed interesting

It's still far fetched. I think I prefer the 2nd seed anyways. Cavs are picking the wrong time of year to be in a slump though. Meanwhile we are peaking at the right time.

[playa-hater]

Scal just stated that taylor jenkins is not just a good coach but a great coach. And I believe with all the rumors flying, the one that makes the most sense is JA morant and his people forced him out because he didn't like the system he was running for Ja..

[redslastlaugh]

Drew Timme with a nice game, doing the Celtics a solid and handing the Wizards the LOSS to keep Celtics draft dream — #31 pick — Alive!!

Read on Twitter

Drew Timme signs with Brooklyn. I love this move. Guys with a niche skill like Timme who demonstrate dominance at the G League level, deserve a chance to see if they can be effective at the NBA level. I bet we see same thing for Oscar Tshiebwe who also destroys with his skillset.

[ConstableGeneva]

Sixers are missing the playoffs for the first time since 2017. Which isn’t a big deal since they don’t get past the 2nd round anyway.

[ConstableGeneva]

Sixers are missing the playoffs for the first time since 2017. Which isn’t a big deal since they don’t get past the 2nd round anyway.

[Fierce1]

Jenkins is a great coach, no doubt about that.

Just like Brad Stevens, also a great coach.

But both of them had to step down because the players didn't want them anymore.

So it's not about how great the coach is, it's about can the coach work with the players.

Jenkins even played 10 players or more every game and young guys like Wells even started games.

That's in contrast to Mazzulla who keeps his star players happy.

In the end Joe is still coaching and Jenkins is not.

Guess you can say a player's coach will always have a job in the NBA.