Discussing Other Teams' Moves - Part 8

[dckingsfan]

Las Vegas odds for the bottom 7 teams.

Code: Select all

Team   Win Total
Utah Jazz              18.5
Brooklyn Nets          20.5
Washington Wizards     21.5
Charlotte Hornets      27.5
New Orleans Pelicans   30.5
Phoenix Suns           31.5
Chicago Bulls          32.5

I think that as usual, Utah will tank hard. My guess is that they will trade Lauri Markkanen if they have a chance.

Brooklyn will be bad. How bad depends on if they play the youngsters.

Charlotte will depend on the health of Ball, he has played 1161 minutes per seasons over the last 3.

New Orleans is dependent on Zion in a contract year.

Phoenix - they have no reason to tank. Last season their C position was a mess. Now it is the forward position (IMO). Having Beal and Durant gone probably helps Booker. Guessing they will try to move Green (or if they have to Allen).

The Bulls will probably be bad, just not that bad.

Of course there could be another team that falls apart. I would think this means that best case we are one of the two or three worst teams. Worse case we are the fifth worst team.

Either way, we should be fine - especially with the Phoenix wildcard and the depth of the top tier players in this draft.

Code: Select all

Top 4    #1 Ovr
52.10%   14.00%
52.10%   14.00%
52.10%   14.00%
48.10%   12.50%
42.10%   10.50%

Phoenix is going to be just awful. Maybe worse than we are. Possibly the worst team in the league. not a chance they win 31 games.

You need to get to Las Vegas!!!

Given that there is no reason for them to tank, the dog days when most teams are out of the playoffs might not result in the same number of losses. They were the 3rd worst team on defense last year. Given their upgrade and depth at C, I don't see that happening this year. I also expect to see a big jump back from Booker.

[nate33]

Phoenix is going to be just awful. Maybe worse than we are. Possibly the worst team in the league. not a chance they win 31 games.

You need to get to Las Vegas!!!

Given that there is no reason for them to tank, the dog days when most teams are out of the playoffs might not result in the same number of losses. They were the 3rd worst team on defense last year. Given their upgrade and depth at C, I don't see that happening this year. I also expect to see a big jump back from Booker.

Yeah, simply trying to win every game is going to mean a lot in the wins/losses column. Chicago has shown that you can basically suck, but as long as you try hard and refuse to tank, 30-ish wins is a near certainty.

The one caveat here is that the West looks absolutely brutal with Portland trying to win (to make sure they don't give away their future Bucks pick) and New Orleans possibly much improved with a slimmed down Zion. Basically, 14 of the 15 teams in the conference would probably be an above-.500 team if they played in the East. But since they're beating up on each other so much, the win totals are going to be suppressed a bit.

[dckingsfan]

Phoenix is going to be just awful. Maybe worse than we are. Possibly the worst team in the league. not a chance they win 31 games.

You need to get to Las Vegas!!!

Given that there is no reason for them to tank, the dog days when most teams are out of the playoffs might not result in the same number of losses. They were the 3rd worst team on defense last year. Given their upgrade and depth at C, I don't see that happening this year. I also expect to see a big jump back from Booker.

Yeah, simply trying to win every game is going to mean a lot in the wins/losses column. Chicago has shown that you can basically suck, but as long as you try hard and refuse to tank, 30-ish wins is a near certainty.

The one caveat here is that the West looks absolutely brutal with Portland trying to win (to make sure they don't give away their future Bucks pick) and New Orleans possibly much improved with a slimmed down Zion. Basically, 14 of the 15 teams in the conference would probably be an above-.500 team if they played in the East. But since they're beating up on each other so much, the win totals are going to be suppressed a bit.

So this...

OKC, LAL, DEN, GSW, MEM, SAC, DAL & SAS got better NOP has a healthy Zion?

Portland's 1st round pick to Chicago protected for selections 1-14 in 2026, so I could see them tanking at the end of the season. There are going to be 3-5 teams that start tanking at the end of the season when the writing is on the wall - Phoenix isn't going to be one of them.

Code: Select all

Team  W    L
OKC   68   14
HOU   52   30
LAL   50   32
DEN   50   32
LAC   50   32
MIN   49   33
GSW   48   34
MEM   48   34
SAC   40   42
DAL   39   43
PHO   36   46
POR   36   46
SAS   34   48
NOP   21   61
UTA   17   65

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Derek Lively grew two inches and estimates that he is now 7' 3".

Read on Twitter

[dckingsfan]

Derek Lively grew two inches and estimates that he is now 7' 3".

Read on Twitter

Flagg/Thompson
Davis/Powell
Lively/Gafford

Is a pretty good FC, no? Guards w/o Irving - not so much.

[payitforward]

Phoenix is going to be just awful. Maybe worse than we are. Possibly the worst team in the league. not a chance they win 31 games.

You need to get to Las Vegas!!!

Given that there is no reason for them to tank, the dog days when most teams are out of the playoffs might not result in the same number of losses. They were the 3rd worst team on defense last year. Given their upgrade and depth at C, I don't see that happening this year. I also expect to see a big jump back from Booker.

Yeah, simply trying to win every game is going to mean a lot in the wins/losses column. Chicago has shown that you can basically suck, but as long as you try hard and refuse to tank, 30-ish wins is a near certainty.

The one caveat here is that the West looks absolutely brutal with Portland trying to win (to make sure they don't give away their future Bucks pick) and New Orleans possibly much improved with a slimmed down Zion. Basically, 14 of the 15 teams in the conference would probably be an above-.500 team if they played in the East. But since they're beating up on each other so much, the win totals are going to be suppressed a bit.

Good points both of you.

OTOH, they won 36 games last year -- with Kevin Durant.... They'll never get anywhere near that. 25 wins will surprise me to tell the truth....

[dckingsfan]

You need to get to Las Vegas!!!

Given that there is no reason for them to tank, the dog days when most teams are out of the playoffs might not result in the same number of losses. They were the 3rd worst team on defense last year. Given their upgrade and depth at C, I don't see that happening this year. I also expect to see a big jump back from Booker.

Yeah, simply trying to win every game is going to mean a lot in the wins/losses column. Chicago has shown that you can basically suck, but as long as you try hard and refuse to tank, 30-ish wins is a near certainty.

The one caveat here is that the West looks absolutely brutal with Portland trying to win (to make sure they don't give away their future Bucks pick) and New Orleans possibly much improved with a slimmed down Zion. Basically, 14 of the 15 teams in the conference would probably be an above-.500 team if they played in the East. But since they're beating up on each other so much, the win totals are going to be suppressed a bit.

Good points both of you.

OTOH, they won 36 games last year -- with Kevin Durant.... They'll never get anywhere near that. 25 wins will surprise me to tell the truth....

yeah, he only played in 62 games last year and really didn't play that well - especially on the defensive side of the ball. A big part of that was that he played ~ a quarter of his minutes at C.

I would take the over on 25 wins if Booker stays healthy. I would take the under on 31 wins. I am guessing their best stretch of wins will come when the season is decided.

[penbeast0]

Yeah, simply trying to win every game is going to mean a lot in the wins/losses column. Chicago has shown that you can basically suck, but as long as you try hard and refuse to tank, 30-ish wins is a near certainty.

The one caveat here is that the West looks absolutely brutal with Portland trying to win (to make sure they don't give away their future Bucks pick) and New Orleans possibly much improved with a slimmed down Zion. Basically, 14 of the 15 teams in the conference would probably be an above-.500 team if they played in the East. But since they're beating up on each other so much, the win totals are going to be suppressed a bit.

I think you have to add "if healthy" to that. NO with a healthy Zion, LAC with a healthy Kawhi, Dalals with a healthy AD, etc. OF course those players have a long history of missed games and health issues so you may be overrating their teams a bit. The ones with great benches like OKC are a different story.

[closg00]

More bad luck for the Mavs.

Read on Twitter

[LyricalRico]

Kuminga ends up back with GSW. His agent was on the Brian Windhorst podcast last week, shared some interesting stuff on why the player option vs. team option was such a sticking point. Looks like the team got the option and Kuminga got a bit more salary. Let's see how they use him. Really like the Horford addition.

I'll actually be in Cali when the Wiz play GSW on the road, might have to take a detour up to SF/Oakland...

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

GSW played LAL yesterday (preseason)

Bronny James tallied 5 points with 4 fouls and 5 turnovers.

He's a guard version of Jan Vesely.

[closg00]

A poor man’s Cooper Flag was my tagline, as a hapless franchise, they must be thrilled to have gotten him with the 11th pick.

Read on Twitter

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Jahidi White loved this guy's game before the 2026 draft. Buzelis plays like Ace Bailey.

[doclinkin]

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/282183/Nikola-Topic-Out-4-6-Weeks-After-Testicular-Procedure

Too many unfortunate jokes follow this. Especially with point guards whose job is to handle the balls.

I wonder what’s the problem. Was it the dribbling?

His teammates can now call him Nikola Testic.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

He could have a varicocele.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/varicocele/symptoms-causes/syc-20378771

Symptoms
A varicocele usually occurs on the left side of the scrotum and often produces no signs or symptoms. Possible signs and symptoms may include:

Pain. A dull, aching pain or discomfort is more likely when standing or late in the day. Lying down often relieves pain.
A mass in the scrotum. If a varicocele is large enough, a mass like a "bag of worms" may be visible above the testicle. A smaller varicocele may be too small to see but noticeable by touch.
Differently sized testicles. The affected testicle may be noticeably smaller than the other testicle.
Infertility. A varicocele may lead to difficulty fathering a child, but not all varicoceles cause infertility.

Many years ago, a doctor confirmed that I had a pea-sized lump on one of my testicles. I remember finding it on examination. I never got it treated because mine was asymptomatic. Lord knows I did not suffer infertility.

Bag of worms? In the voice of Cleveland Brown, "Ew. That's nasty! "

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/282183/Nikola-Topic-Out-4-6-Weeks-After-Testicular-Procedure

Too many unfortunate jokes follow this. Especially with point guards whose job is to handle the balls.

I wonder what’s the problem. Was it the dribbling?

His teammates can now call him Nikola Testic.

NIikola Testic's dribbling.

Ew. That's nasty.

[payitforward]

I think that may be enough on this "Topic."

[badinage]

Now, now … let’s not get testy …