2025-2026: Around the League

[MasterGMer]

I have no problems with teams that try hard and just happen to lose.

Suns dominate the undefeated Spurs; what a win for a "development" squad.

Spurs shot the ball 19 more times than the Suns. Suns just happened to shoot 58% from 3. I'll take it as someone who doesn't want the Suns pick to be top 3, but not a win that is going to convince me it was anything sustainable IMO.

The Suns are a step above the tanking teams (Wizards, Pels, Nets, Jazz) for sure though. I've watched them a bit because I am obsessive like that and they play hard. And while I do think Jalen Green is mediocre, I think he will help because most games they need a little more offensive creation. And they have to try to win because they don't have their picks so that is something-- they can't lose on purpose like the others.

You don't think Sun's 70M salary per year to Booker would handicap the cap flexibility?

They need assets and picks. Plus a group of young talent built for the future. Nets is going all in on a top pick. I do not even know how the team got to where they are now from KD, Harden and Kyrie. lol. Bad asset management and leadership plus short vision. Orlando has a shorter rebuild so does Houston. And we are all contenders for playoffs. What does it say?

Plus why in the world would Pelicans trade their first round pick to Atlanta for Derek Queen? Unimaginable! That is a Top 5 pick, at least, in a super loaded draft. lol

[pepe1991]

Suns dominate the undefeated Spurs; what a win for a "development" squad.

Spurs shot the ball 19 more times than the Suns. Suns just happened to shoot 58% from 3. I'll take it as someone who doesn't want the Suns pick to be top 3, but not a win that is going to convince me it was anything sustainable IMO.

The Suns are a step above the tanking teams (Wizards, Pels, Nets, Jazz) for sure though. I've watched them a bit because I am obsessive like that and they play hard. And while I do think Jalen Green is mediocre, I think he will help because most games they need a little more offensive creation. And they have to try to win because they don't have their picks so that is something-- they can't lose on purpose like the others.

You don't think Sun's 70M salary per year to Booker would handicap the cap flexibility?

They need assets and picks. Plus a group of young talent built for the future. Nets is going all in on a top pick. I do not even know how the team got to where they are now from KD, Harden and Kyrie. lol. Bad asset management and leadership plus short vision. Orlando has a shorter rebuild so does Houston. And we are all contenders for playoffs. What does it say?

Plus why in the world would Pelicans trade their first round pick to Atlanta for Derek Queen? Unimaginable! That is a Top 5 pick, at least, in a super loaded draft. lol

Pelicans trades are so damn irrational.

Not only that they gave Hawks unprotected pick, they also returned Pacers 2026 pick back, during playoffs, days before Haliburton will end up with year long injury and days before Turner will walk off.

Just mindblowing level of incompetence.

There is on general board topic about "conspiracy theory" that Pelicans will probably be sold and relocated (back to Seattle ? Or Vegas? )

Read on Twitter

In reality, neither Sonics needed to be moved nor original Charlotte Hornets needed to be split

[MasterGMer]

Spurs shot the ball 19 more times than the Suns. Suns just happened to shoot 58% from 3. I'll take it as someone who doesn't want the Suns pick to be top 3, but not a win that is going to convince me it was anything sustainable IMO.

The Suns are a step above the tanking teams (Wizards, Pels, Nets, Jazz) for sure though. I've watched them a bit because I am obsessive like that and they play hard. And while I do think Jalen Green is mediocre, I think he will help because most games they need a little more offensive creation. And they have to try to win because they don't have their picks so that is something-- they can't lose on purpose like the others.

You don't think Sun's 70M salary per year to Booker would handicap the cap flexibility?

They need assets and picks. Plus a group of young talent built for the future. Nets is going all in on a top pick. I do not even know how the team got to where they are now from KD, Harden and Kyrie. lol. Bad asset management and leadership plus short vision. Orlando has a shorter rebuild so does Houston. And we are all contenders for playoffs. What does it say?

Plus why in the world would Pelicans trade their first round pick to Atlanta for Derek Queen? Unimaginable! That is a Top 5 pick, at least, in a super loaded draft. lol

Pelicans trades are so damn irrational.

Not only that they gave Hawks unprotected pick, they also returned Pacers 2026 pick back, during playoffs, days before Haliburton will end up with year long injury and days before Turner will walk off.

Just mindblowing level of incompetence.

There is on general board topic about "conspiracy theory" that Pelicans will probably be sold and relocated (back to Seattle ? Or Vegas? )

Read on Twitter

In reality, neither Sonics needed to be moved nor original Charlotte Hornets needed to be split

Plus they are wasting on Trey Murphy's last season's breakout year. Look at the stats.

I do think they hold Pacers pick this year, right?

[pepe1991]

You don't think Sun's 70M salary per year to Booker would handicap the cap flexibility?

They need assets and picks. Plus a group of young talent built for the future. Nets is going all in on a top pick. I do not even know how the team got to where they are now from KD, Harden and Kyrie. lol. Bad asset management and leadership plus short vision. Orlando has a shorter rebuild so does Houston. And we are all contenders for playoffs. What does it say?

Plus why in the world would Pelicans trade their first round pick to Atlanta for Derek Queen? Unimaginable! That is a Top 5 pick, at least, in a super loaded draft. lol

Pelicans trades are so damn irrational.

Not only that they gave Hawks unprotected pick, they also returned Pacers 2026 pick back, during playoffs, days before Haliburton will end up with year long injury and days before Turner will walk off.

Just mindblowing level of incompetence.

There is on general board topic about "conspiracy theory" that Pelicans will probably be sold and relocated (back to Seattle ? Or Vegas? )

Read on Twitter

In reality, neither Sonics needed to be moved nor original Charlotte Hornets needed to be split

Plus they are wasting on Trey Murphy's last season's breakout year. Look at the stats.

I do think they hold Pacers pick this year, right?

They had right to take Bucks or Pacers pick ( better pick) in 2026, and in middle of nba finals, 5 days before Halibuton Achilles tear, they traded it back to "grab" Pacers pick from 2025.
Pick turned into 23# Player.
Pacers lost Haliburton, lost Turner via FA, and are one of worst teams in nba.

If Dumars only held that trade for 5 more days, along with keeping own damn pick in Hawks trade, he would sit today pretty, with two out of top 8 best picks ,entering 2026 draft. Instead, they have no pick in 2026 . Just... crazy

On other side of a spectrum, Pacers now can engage into mini- tank as Hali is out for a year, as they are doing, and Hawks don't even care all that much about this Zingis- Young experiment, knowing they will pick different path post 2026 lottery.

[MasterGMer]

Pelicans trades are so damn irrational.

Not only that they gave Hawks unprotected pick, they also returned Pacers 2026 pick back, during playoffs, days before Haliburton will end up with year long injury and days before Turner will walk off.

Just mindblowing level of incompetence.

There is on general board topic about "conspiracy theory" that Pelicans will probably be sold and relocated (back to Seattle ? Or Vegas? )

Read on Twitter

In reality, neither Sonics needed to be moved nor original Charlotte Hornets needed to be split

Plus they are wasting on Trey Murphy's last season's breakout year. Look at the stats.

I do think they hold Pacers pick this year, right?

They had right to take Bucks or Pacers pick ( better pick) in 2026, and in middle of nba finals, 5 days before Halibuton Achilles tear, they traded it back to "grab" Pacers pick from 2025.
Pick turned into 23# Player.
Pacers lost Haliburton, lost Turner via FA, and are one of worst teams in nba.

If Dumars only held that trade for 5 more days, along with keeping own damn pick in Hawks trade, he would sit today pretty, with two out of top 8 best picks ,entering 2026 draft. Instead, they have no pick in 2026 . Just... crazy

On other side of a spectrum, Pacers now can engage into mini- tank as Hali is out for a year, as they are doing, and Hawks don't even care all that much about this Zingis- Young experiment, knowing they will pick different path post 2026 lottery.

Yup about Hawks. i do think Trae is out after this season or even before the trade deadline. I don't think they are building it with the current team. Even though they are pretty good in the Eastern Conference

[Skybox]

Seattle LOVED the Sonics...NOLA should just start over in Seattle

[eyriq]

Suns look good for the play-in this season. Jazz, Grizz, Kings, Mavs, and Pels all worse?

[TheChaser]

Do you guys think this is a style change issue or maybe a chemistry issue with adding pieces and taking into account all of the injuries last year? And do you guys think that we snap out of this?

[pepe1991]

Lester Jones, a former senior vice president of financial planning and analysis for the Atlanta Hawks, faces serious federal charges. Prosecutors say he stole $3.8 million from the NBA team to to fund a lavish lifestyle like payment for luxury cars, trips, and gifts.

This is hilarious. Every week you have new big scandal. It's like Jail Blazers, but it's no longer just Blazers but entire league.

[drsd]

The Bulls led for exactly 3.2 seconds in their impressive win over the Sixers.

Maybe Chicago is OK with the Vučević trade after all.

[pepe1991]

At least Pelicans found victim.

[zaymon]

The Bulls led for exactly 3.2 seconds in their impressive win over the Sixers.

Maybe Chicago is OK with the Vučević trade after all.

Half of their rotation is better playmakers than the guy who runs our offense.

[drsd]

And then there were none: the Blazers beat the previously undefeated Thunder. As an aside, Portland has a winning record right now. In the West.
WOW

[JoshuaPotter]

Feels like there are way too many surprises except for OKC. Little sad that we are where we are as a team. Any idea what happened in the bulls to manage an 8-1 start?

[Fortune Teller]

The Bulls led for exactly 3.2 seconds in their impressive win over the Sixers.

Maybe Chicago is OK with the Vučević trade after all.

Half of their rotation is better playmakers than the guy who runs our offense.

There's a guy who runs our offense?

[drsd]

Any idea what happened in the bulls to manage an 8-1 start?

[RookieStar]

Any idea what happened in the bulls to manage an 8-1 start?

Vuc provin us all wrong

[HighPack]

Any idea what happened in the bulls to manage an 8-1 start?

Vuc provin us all wrong

Everytime when he is in contract negotiation year he plays better

[basketballRob]

I wish they would stop having only 1 or 2 games on a certain night. That's why we end up with so many 3 games in 4 nights and awful looking basketball.

Sent from my SM-G998U1 using RealGM mobile app

[pepe1991]

Suns took 92 shots. 49 were for 3