2025-2026 Preseason Game 3: Miami Heat (0-3) at Orlando Magic (2-0) - 6pm ET

[drsd]

I'm very confident Magic "bench unit" will never be unit.

Franz and Paolo simply won't be happy campers if they go from their now usual 30% usage, 20 shots a game to 14 shots a game. Easiest way how to solve it is to stagger min and keep one in, other out with bench, than switch them for each other.

23 years old guys won't led go their unlimited usage for sake of winning more games. Players egos is too big especially for that age for that to be realistic approach. Also once you give them bonuses to unlock, ones who can only be unlocked if they acummulate enough counting stats, you kissed goodby chance for "logical & rational" approach to basketball among stars.

If anything, biggest victim of usage will be one of Suggs/ Bane. They won't average cumulative 30+ shots a game for sure.


Bane will have to go through adjustments as well. He goes from very clear 2# option to very clear 3rd.

I disagree. They are both getting paid massive amounts of money and want to win.

Now if they become afterthoughts in an offense (which won't happen) - sure, they wouldn't be happy. Maybe if you're end career Westbrook or Carmelo it takes a lot of adjusting, but I really doubt less "usage" is going to cause issues unless it makes them an afterthought, which is impossible.

Especially if that usage creates stagnant offense.

Paolo's contract is $239M

He will make massive $48 000 000 more if he unlocks personal achievements.


By unlocking personal achievements he will be in play for mega max after it.

It is funny how CBA is set, you don't get jack s*** for winning 60 games in regular season or even by winning championship. But if you make personal goals ( all nba team, DPOY etc.) you are eligible for more money.


Harsh reality of all nba teams:

All nba 1st team 2024-25: Not a single guy who made it averaged below 24 ppg ( MItchell) , 4/5 averaged at least 26,8 ppg.
All nba second team 2024-25: Edwards (27,6 ppg ) , Lebron (24,4 ppg, 8 apg, 7 rpg) , Curry (24,5 ppg, 6 apg ), Brunson (26 ppg, 7,3 apg) + Mobley (DPOY, all nba first def team )
All nba third team: Cade (26 ppg,9 apg) , Towns (24 ppg, 13 rpg), Williams (21,6 ppg +68 wins season + title) , Harden (23 ppg, 9 apg ) + Haliburton ( league's leading assist guy on 18,5 ppg and trip to finals )

Pretty much entire list of all nba players is made out of guys with huge usage. Huge usage leads to fat stats, fat stats lead to personal awards that unlock more money.

Supermax eligibility :

A

Players who have at least three of 1st Team All-NBA, MVP (or could include top 3 MVP voting), Finals MVP, Defensive Player of the Year. These are the true superstars of the era and are big drivers of bringing fans and revenue to the NBA.

And I'd be for the league paying part or all of an extra super-max bonus to these players, otherwise you could very well end up punishing these players by making it impossible for their teams to afford any other stars.

B

Perennial All-NBA players. Voted to at least 3 consecutive All-NBA teams or cumulative 5 All-NBA teams. Either make this the current super-max, or give these players a bump, again with the league paying for the bump.


It's dumb system, but system non less. Playing in "right way" in nba means nothing. it's not rewarding at all. Some of most impactful nba players are Dort and Caruso. Neither are top 100 in salary books

Paolo and Franz will continue to be high usage guys. It's no brainer. Our best hope as fans is that they no longer will be both: highest usage and lowest efficiency high usage guys among stars, like it was case last playoffs. But there simply isn't realistic to have Paolo go from 20 to 14 shots. Maybe from 20 to 19

Well pepe, here you are wrong.

Here are the team records of the ALL NBA squads. Excellence up top leads to winning. Nearly always.

First Team
Milwaukee Bucks — 48–34
Minnesota Timberwolves — 49–33
Detroit Pistons — 44–38
Oklahoma City Thunder — 68–14
Los Angeles Lakers — 50–32

Second Team
New York Knicks — 51–31
Denver Nuggets — 50–32
Golden State Warriors — 48–34
Indiana Pacers — 50–32
Boston Celtics — 61–21

Third Team
Cleveland Cavaliers — 64–18
Oklahoma City Thunder — 68–14
Cleveland Cavaliers — 64–18
New York Knicks — 51–31
Los Angeles Clippers — 50–32

[pepe1991]

I disagree. They are both getting paid massive amounts of money and want to win.

Now if they become afterthoughts in an offense (which won't happen) - sure, they wouldn't be happy. Maybe if you're end career Westbrook or Carmelo it takes a lot of adjusting, but I really doubt less "usage" is going to cause issues unless it makes them an afterthought, which is impossible.

Especially if that usage creates stagnant offense.

Paolo's contract is $239M

He will make massive $48 000 000 more if he unlocks personal achievements.


By unlocking personal achievements he will be in play for mega max after it.

It is funny how CBA is set, you don't get jack s*** for winning 60 games in regular season or even by winning championship. But if you make personal goals ( all nba team, DPOY etc.) you are eligible for more money.


Harsh reality of all nba teams:

All nba 1st team 2024-25: Not a single guy who made it averaged below 24 ppg ( MItchell) , 4/5 averaged at least 26,8 ppg.
All nba second team 2024-25: Edwards (27,6 ppg ) , Lebron (24,4 ppg, 8 apg, 7 rpg) , Curry (24,5 ppg, 6 apg ), Brunson (26 ppg, 7,3 apg) + Mobley (DPOY, all nba first def team )
All nba third team: Cade (26 ppg,9 apg) , Towns (24 ppg, 13 rpg), Williams (21,6 ppg +68 wins season + title) , Harden (23 ppg, 9 apg ) + Haliburton ( league's leading assist guy on 18,5 ppg and trip to finals )

Pretty much entire list of all nba players is made out of guys with huge usage. Huge usage leads to fat stats, fat stats lead to personal awards that unlock more money.

Supermax eligibility :

A

Players who have at least three of 1st Team All-NBA, MVP (or could include top 3 MVP voting), Finals MVP, Defensive Player of the Year. These are the true superstars of the era and are big drivers of bringing fans and revenue to the NBA.

And I'd be for the league paying part or all of an extra super-max bonus to these players, otherwise you could very well end up punishing these players by making it impossible for their teams to afford any other stars.

B

Perennial All-NBA players. Voted to at least 3 consecutive All-NBA teams or cumulative 5 All-NBA teams. Either make this the current super-max, or give these players a bump, again with the league paying for the bump.


It's dumb system, but system non less. Playing in "right way" in nba means nothing. it's not rewarding at all. Some of most impactful nba players are Dort and Caruso. Neither are top 100 in salary books

Paolo and Franz will continue to be high usage guys. It's no brainer. Our best hope as fans is that they no longer will be both: highest usage and lowest efficiency high usage guys among stars, like it was case last playoffs. But there simply isn't realistic to have Paolo go from 20 to 14 shots. Maybe from 20 to 19

Well pepe, here you are wrong.

Here are the team records of the ALL NBA squads. Excellence up top leads to winning. Nearly always.

First Team
Milwaukee Bucks — 48–34
Minnesota Timberwolves — 49–33
Detroit Pistons — 44–38
Oklahoma City Thunder — 68–14
Los Angeles Lakers — 50–32

Second Team
New York Knicks — 51–31
Denver Nuggets — 50–32
Golden State Warriors — 48–34
Indiana Pacers — 50–32
Boston Celtics — 61–21

Third Team
Cleveland Cavaliers — 64–18
Oklahoma City Thunder — 68–14
Cleveland Cavaliers — 64–18
New York Knicks — 51–31
Los Angeles Clippers — 50–32

2023-24.
Anthony Davis all nba second team, team in play in (47-35)
Lebron James all nba third team, team in play in (47-35)
Steph Curry all nba third team, team not in playoffs (46-36)
Domas Sabonis all nba third team, team not in playoffs (46-36)


2022-23.
Luka Dončić all nba 1st team - Dallas 38-44 and 11th on West.( no playoffs, no play in )
SGA all nba 1st team, OKC 40-42 record, not in playoffs ( lost in play in )
Lebron James all nba 3rd team, Lakers 43-39 record, made playoffs through play in
Lillard all nba 3rd team, Blazers 33-49, top 5 worst team in nba.



2020-21
Steph 1st all nba team, team not in playoffs
Lebron second all nba team, team in play in
Beal all nba 3rd team, team not in playoffs



Friendly reminder:
2020-21 : Best team Utah Jazz, amount of players in all nba teams: 1
2019-20 : Best team Bucks, all nba team members - 1
2018-19. Best team Bucks, all nba team members: 1
2017-18: second best team on East ( Celtics) , 55-27 record, ECF. Amount of players in ideal teams: 0


i think that 1989 Pistons won 63 games (most that year), destroyed their path toward title swept first , second and final round)( and not a single member of their roster was named into all NBA team.
If voting today was in fashion it was in past, position vise, there is solid chance that somebody like Tatum would have never been selected, due existence of Giannis, Durant and Lebron.

In conclusion, all nba has very little to do with team success. It's counting stats competition, but due fact best players are actually -best players, winning is byproduct.

[Skybox]

I'd add that you don't get the high usage for fat stats unless you can deliver. Winning does factor...Cam Thomas fills it up but is never discussed.

[JoshuaPotter]

I think what we will find in this upcoming era is what owners are willing to pay for championships, and what owners will retool. In my opinion having too much talent for cheap is simply unsustainable. OKC did it right, to their credit, and they are already having to make hard financial decisions.

Similarly Boston whom was willing to pay, also due to a multiple set of circumstances is cutting back, but can they afford to build a contending roster again? That will remain to be seen.

This could lead to more parity around the league unless players and teams gamify the system be it through cheating or endorsements suddenly become an even bigger contributing factor.