2026 Offseason

closg00 · Post #741 » by **closg00** » Fri Aug 21, 2026 8:11 pm

closg00 · Post #742 » by **closg00** » Fri Aug 21, 2026 11:27 pm

WallToWall · Post #743 » by **WallToWall** » Sat Aug 22, 2026 4:48 pm

Even after Tre Mann trade, I think we are still in need of a true PG. Maybe the thought is to give Bub as much burn as needed to prove that he can be a passable PG. I dunno. We are lacking beyond Trae Young at the PG spot. Perhaps there will be an in-season move...?

long suffrin' boulez fan · Post #744 » by **long suffrin' boulez fan** » Sat Aug 22, 2026 10:11 pm

WallToWall wrote:Even after Tre Mann trade, I think we are still in need of a true PG. Maybe the thought is to give Bub as much burn as needed to prove that he can be a passable PG. I dunno. We are lacking beyond Trae Young at the PG spot. Perhaps there will be an in-season move...?

I’m not sure about this. I want the ball in AJ’s, Ky’s and Will’s hands as much as possible

ledell_gumbo · Post #745 » by **ledell_gumbo** » Sun Aug 23, 2026 12:20 am

I think Bub definitely deserves a season of 16-18 mpg. Seems silly to give up on a 21-year-old who has already shown improvement.

AFM · Post #746 » by **AFM** » Sun Aug 23, 2026 3:08 pm

Watch on YouTube

closg00 · Post #747 » by **closg00** » Mon Aug 24, 2026 4:56 pm

This is pretty fair, I don’t understand why the Hawks continue to be placed so highly though.

Read on Twitter

payitforward · Post #748 » by **payitforward** » Mon Aug 24, 2026 5:03 pm

ledell_gumbo wrote:I think Bub definitely deserves a season of 16-18 mpg. Seems silly to give up on a 21-year-old who has already shown improvement.

He'll get a lot more than that, I'm sure!

Post #749 » by **nate33** » Mon Aug 24, 2026 8:25 pm

ledell_gumbo wrote:I think Bub definitely deserves a season of 16-18 mpg. Seems silly to give up on a 21-year-old who has already shown improvement.

Bub will get whatever he can earn. But there is definitely a world where he does not earn 16-18 minutes per game because all of those minutes are going to other 21-year old guys better than him.

There are 240 total minutes available in a game.

I think it's a pretty good bet that our best 6 players will get at least the following minutes:
Trae: 32
AD: 28
Sarr: 28
Kyshawn: 27
Bilal: 25
Dybantsa: 25

So that's just 6 guys and we are already up to 165 minutes, leaving just 75 minutes available for everyone else.

Those 75 minutes will be split among:
Tre Johnson
Ayton
Riley
Bub
Champagnie
Middleton
Mann

Ayton is going to get at least 14, and Tre is probably going to get at least 20. Let's say Riley also gets 20. That leaves just 20 minutes for Bub, Champagnie and Middleton combined. Who gets those minutes?

And all this assumes rather meager minutes for our top 6 guys. My guess is that Dybantsa and Bilal play more than just 25 minutes.

Of course, injuries and load management will change things.

bsilver · Post #750 » by **bsilver** » Mon Aug 24, 2026 9:00 pm

I think there will be intense competition between Bub/Reilly/Mann for backup PG minutes. To give each more opportunity, Trae’s minutes should be reduced to about 28 per game.
I think Reilly has the most potential. His size, and the way he can create, give him a big advantage. If he can also make the 3, he’ll also challenge Trae for minutes.

doclinkin · Post #751 » by **doclinkin** » Mon Aug 24, 2026 10:28 pm

closg00 wrote:This is pretty fair, I don’t understand why the Hawks continue to be placed so highly though.

Read on Twitter

Knicks are likely to slip. Lost Big Mitch. Brunson had wrist surgery. They weren’t dominant in the regular season, just had a miracle run. Tough to replicate. Though maybe they get hot in the post season again. But the East is all around tougher. No tanking.

Pistons may slip. Duren possibly disgruntled, and exposed in the postseason. They lost their muscle in Beef Stew. John Collins is more of a finesse guy than an interior big. They did add shooting so maybe it gels.

How are the Lakers 8 after losing LeBJ? Reaves can’t carry them. Luka is nice but swapping Bron for Kessler is not an upgrade.

Likewise the Twolves lost 2/3s of their front court. Bigs who can shoot, to give Antman spacing next to Rudy. And you take the ball out of his hands, instead give the ball to the flashy showboat who never carried the Hornets to the postseason.

Boston loses JBrown but gets better? No. Tatum wasn’t recovered when he played last year. Is he automatically 100%?

I think the Raps with Kawhi are higher up the list.

The Pacers lose Mathurin on a lotto gamble but are better? Hali isn’t the sturdiest guy, coming off a leg injury they’ll load manage him.

The Blazers are all point guards. Plus Deni who is best when playing Point 4. That’s a chemistry mess waiting to happen.

The W’s are one year more elderly. Added only Yaxel. Ripe to drop off. And Draymond melt down.

How are the clips 21 without Kawhi. Or any center.

The Jazz should be higher up his list. Spurs #1. OKC #2. I’m fine with the Hawks ranking, they added toughness and defense. In trade and the draft.

I’d bet on the Wiz leapfrogging a few of the others on this list.

doclinkin · Post #752 » by **doclinkin** » Tue Aug 25, 2026 2:51 am

bsilver wrote:I think there will be intense competition between Bub/Reilly/Mann for backup PG minutes. To give each more opportunity, Trae’s minutes should be reduced to about 28 per game.
I think Reilly has the most potential. His size, and the way he can create, give him a big advantage. If he can also make the 3, he’ll also challenge Trae for minutes.

Yeah. I’m most curious who gets the role when Trae sits out a load-managed game.

If the team can win with him sitting, I wouldn’t be shocked if they keep him on light duty at or around 30 minutes. Atlanta burned him out playing him a heavy load, not just in minutes but possessions. He peaked at a 34+% usage rate. Opponents will wear you out if they know the ball is going thru you no matter what.

In games where Trae sits I think Bub will still take the role. I want Riley to graduate to it, but I think you need the 3pt shooting and extra space.

I still am more intrigued by our bench than the starters. Ok we will play TY + AD. Fine. But the real positional battles are everywhere else. Even to include the question of whether Sarr can play well next to AD or Ayton.

DCZards · Post #753 » by **DCZards** » Tue Aug 25, 2026 3:51 am

I also see Bub getting more minutes than Will at the backup PG. Will has shown great iso skills but I’ve seen little to convince me that he’s ready to get quality minutes as a PG.

Riley is likely to get his minutes as an off-the-bench sub for AJ rather than for Trae.

closg00 · Post #754 » by **closg00** » Tue Aug 25, 2026 12:42 pm

DCZards wrote:I also see Bub getting more minutes than Will at the backup PG. Will has shown great iso skills but I’ve seen little to convince me that he’s ready to get quality minutes as a PG.

Riley is likely to get his minutes as an off-the-bench sub for AJ rather than for Trae.

I expect Keefe to give Tre an opportunity at backup PG and let Bub and Tre earn the minutes, at-least that’s what he should be doing.

prime1time · Post #755 » by **prime1time** » Tue Aug 25, 2026 1:16 pm

closg00 wrote:
DCZards wrote:I also see Bub getting more minutes than Will at the backup PG. Will has shown great iso skills but I’ve seen little to convince me that he’s ready to get quality minutes as a PG.

Riley is likely to get his minutes as an off-the-bench sub for AJ rather than for Trae.

I expect Keefe to give Tre an opportunity at backup PG and let Bub and Tre earn the minutes, at-least that’s what he should be doing.

Other than Trae, AD and AJ nothing is being given this year. Everyone has to earn minutes.

doclinkin · Post #756 » by **doclinkin** » Tue Aug 25, 2026 1:23 pm

prime1time wrote:
closg00 wrote:
DCZards wrote:I also see Bub getting more minutes than Will at the backup PG. Will has shown great iso skills but I’ve seen little to convince me that he’s ready to get quality minutes as a PG.

Riley is likely to get his minutes as an off-the-bench sub for AJ rather than for Trae.

I expect Keefe to give Tre an opportunity at backup PG and let Bub and Tre earn the minutes, at-least that’s what he should be doing.

Other than Trae, AD and AJ nothing is being given this year. Everyone has to earn minutes.

I personally think Sarr is above AJ in that list.

If the rookie’s defense proves embarrassing, I have no doubt the team will play him off the bench until they train him up. Whereas with Alex as our longtime future centerpiece, I think you are pretty much guaranteed he gets steady and consistent minutes —even over the load-managed AD

payitforward · Post #757 » by **payitforward** » Tue Aug 25, 2026 2:15 pm

Obviously, we can't help but make these way too early minutes projections -- we're excited! But there are so very very many variables here that we're really just projecting arbitrary visions.

E.g., in '17-8, his penultimate season w/ NO, Anthony Davis played over 2700 minutes -- since then, over an 8 season stretch, he's averaged @1500 minutes a year.

Now look at those numbers in 3-year chunks, & each one declines. Anything can happen, of course, but to project more than 1500 minutes from Anthony Davis isn't useful.

I don't mean the above as critical; i hope that's obvious. It just underlines how abstract this process is.

Note as well that rookie AD -- #1 pick & one of the most highly touted rookies to enter the league -- played 1846 minutes. Yet Nate just projected AJ at about a 20% jump from that. Again, not a critique -- no way! we all hope AJ can't be kept off the floor & suffers zero injuries! -- just an indication of the limits we face thinking about the upcoming season.

payitforward · Post #758 » by **payitforward** » Tue Aug 25, 2026 2:17 pm

prime1time wrote:Other than Trae, AD and AJ nothing is being given this year. Everyone has to earn minutes.

And, in the end, those 3 guys also have to "earn minutes." This isn't an awards ceremony.

GoneShammGone · Post #759 » by **GoneShammGone** » Tue Aug 25, 2026 5:19 pm

prime1time wrote:
closg00 wrote:
DCZards wrote:I also see Bub getting more minutes than Will at the backup PG. Will has shown great iso skills but I’ve seen little to convince me that he’s ready to get quality minutes as a PG.

Riley is likely to get his minutes as an off-the-bench sub for AJ rather than for Trae.

I expect Keefe to give Tre an opportunity at backup PG and let Bub and Tre earn the minutes, at-least that’s what he should be doing.

Other than Trae, AD and AJ nothing is being given this year. Everyone has to earn minutes.

Not sure this will be true. I know we are all assuming that the team is going to be maximizing their wins this year, but I don't think its that simple. Player development, especially for AJ/Sarr/KG will still take precedence. I think the main difference this year will be that we won't be *purposely* losing games. But I can imagine a world in which Ayton is more effective than Alex, or JC is more effective than AJ or Ky, just due to the usual growing pains of young players. Nonetheless, I expect the Wizards to let the young guys play through the struggles. Winger/Dawkins are not getting fired if we only win 30 games. What matters is that the key young players take steps forward.

Post #760 » by **penbeast0** » Tue Aug 25, 2026 5:23 pm

closg00 wrote:
I expect Keefe to give Tre an opportunity at backup PG and let Bub and Tre earn the minutes, at-least that’s what he should be doing.

I haven't seen any sign that Tre can play the point; his biggest offensive weakness is that he doesn't pass the ball much even for a wing.