AROUND the NBA:

[CooPerFan]

Wemby might get his first ring soon. There will be a goat talk as soon as next season if he win the title this year.

[F Gump]

People underestimate how good Mitchell was for them. Yes, he was definitely missed.

True. And the way OKC was able to get Mitchell in the 1st place was GM wizardry.

In the 2024 draft, they began with no 2nd round pick (how odd is that!), but apparently wanted Mitchell badly. So during the draft, they made ALL of this happen ...
1 OKC trades a back of the roster guy for pick 52. They gave up a minimum salary guy (Waters) who they had developed from a free agent as a two-way for several years who they had just converted to a regular contract mid-season. Lightly used, good stats. 
2 OKC trades pick 52 with cash, for pick 40.
3 OKC trades pick 40 with cash, for pick 38. Picked Mitchell at 38.

[DallasMaverick]

I would rather become a soccer fan than follow a team with Edey, Clingan, Mara...BARF. Not interested, and I can't wait to see which team wastes their pick on that stiff. If it's Dallas, I might actually move.

Hmm…

So where, exactly, would you move to?

[KillerLeft]

Hmm…

So where, exactly, would you move to?

I had a job offer in Poland last year. China about 10 years ago. California seems nice. Anywhere but DFW (bc hypothetical Mara) and Milwaukee (bc Milwaukee), tbh.

[KillerLeft]

Wemby might get his first ring soon. There will be a goat talk as soon as next season if he win  the title this year.

I've been skeptical of the Wembenyama anointing every step of the way, but honestly if he wins a ring on his first playoff team it's going to be tough to discount that kind of talk. I mean, it's obviously premature, but he's pretty badass, tbqh.

[dirkfansince1998]

Last time the Knicks made the finals was in 1999. They faced a Spurs teams that was led by a 22 year old big...

[HoosierDaddyKid]

True. And the way OKC was able to get Mitchell in the 1st place was GM wizardry.

In the 2024 draft, they began with no 2nd round pick (how odd is that!), but apparently wanted Mitchell badly. So during the draft, they made ALL of this happen ...
1 OKC trades a back of the roster guy for pick 52. They gave up a minimum salary guy (Waters) who they had developed from a free agent as a two-way for several years who they had just converted to a regular contract mid-season. Lightly used, good stats. 
2 OKC trades pick 52 with cash, for pick 40.
3 OKC trades pick 40 with cash, for pick 38. Picked Mitchell at 38.

Ya think Presti knows what he's doing?

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Last time the Knicks made the finals was in 1999. They faced a Spurs teams that was led by a 22 year old big...

Does history repeat itself? We'll find out.

[FireNicoHarrison]

I don't know if it's worse a player who Cuban gifted away wins the Finals MVP or the Spurs.

What a disaster.

[Chicagojk]

What a series/game 7.   Spurs were great for such a young team to play like that on the road in game 7.   What a job.

No excuse for Chet's play.   I really think Wemby snatched his soul.  I do think if OKC won yesterday, that Chet would have been back to his normal self and probably score over 20 per game in the finals, but this series was really rough for him.  Wemby obviously takes Chet personal due to his gloating in their national team career before they came to the NBA.   OKC will be fine.   It will be an interesting summer for them though.

I do give the Knicks a fighting chance.   That series took a lot out of SA.   The Knicks need to jump into game 1/2.  They need a win.   I think I like the Knicks chances better against SA than OKC.  They will be an underdog in both, but I think they have certain advantages they can push.   

I was rooting for Spurs last series and that very rarely happens.  I am rooting for the Knicks in the finals.  It has been very hard for me to root for Brunson since he left Dallas, even if he is one of my favorite mavs.  I think I will be all in with the Knicks in the finals.    Fun rooting for the underdog too

[FireNicoHarrison]

Chet is a no match for Wemba from kids...

[Chicagojk]

Just seems unfair:

2021 draft- Lottery pick Josh Primo

2022 draft- Lottery pick Jeremy Sochan
first round pick- Malachi Branham (Mav great)
Frist round pick- Blake Wesley

[Chicagojk]

Finals team rage rankings:

1) Rockets- watching Castle play and realizing they picked Shepperd.

2) Sixers- Seeing they released Champagnie for Mac Maclung

3) Mavericks-  We can't feel pain any more.

4) Timberwolves-  Seeing KAT in the finals.

5) Kings-  Seeing Mike Brown vs Fox in the finals

5) OKC- seeing SA miss three pointers in the finals.  

6) everyone else in the 23 lottery who did not get Wemby

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Will Guillory: Six of the seven Spurs who played 10+ minutes tonight are 26 or younger. These dudes are just getting started.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Joel Lorenzi: Shai on how much input he'll offer on the Thunder's offseason moves: "I will have zero input. I will let Sam Presti, the greatest GM ever, do his job."


Joel Lorenzi: SGA on San Antonio as a potential longtime road block: "They’re young, talented, well-coached, play the right way, seems like they like each other. They have the make-up. You don’t beat us without the make-up."

[ThisIStheYear]

The Knicks are going to befuddle a young Spurs team and ride unprecedented finals vibes to a title. It’s still hard to comprehend the generational fumble the Mavs made in blowing a draft haul of Luka and Brunson and then losing both of them for a combined return of this year’s 30th pick, Max (an end of bench player on a title contender), and a distant 1st round pick. It’s on par if not worse than the SGA transaction. At least the Clippers got a good player out of that. I’ve never seen anything like it, and it’s just sucked the joy out of watching the NBA. The Mavs have very little to rebuild with after this draft. Cooper is definitely a player who will prioritize winning over the super max, so if the Mavs don’t create a Spurs level team around him in the next couple of years, he’s leaving too. It’s pretty bleak but maybe the new front office can pull out an inside straight.

[JamesConway816]

Totally forgot about Harrison Barnes still being with San Antonio. Cool to see that at least one of Brunson / Barnes gets to win it all this year. Both gread dudes who deserve it.

[KillerLeft]

Lu Dort is catching more heat from Thunder fans than Holmgren, even. Pretty crazy how much better these role players seem from a distance than they do when you watch them every night.

[windjc]

The Knicks are going to befuddle a young Spurs team and ride unprecedented finals vibes to a title. It’s still hard to comprehend the generational fumble the Mavs made in blowing a draft haul of Luka and Brunson and then losing both of them for a combined return of this year’s 30th pick, Max (an end of bench player on a title contender), and a distant 1st round pick. It’s on par if not worse than the SGA transaction. At least the Clippers got a good player out of that. I’ve never seen anything like it, and it’s just sucked the joy out of watching the NBA. The Mavs have very little to rebuild with after this draft. Cooper is definitely a player who will prioritize winning over the super max, so if the Mavs don’t create a Spurs level team around him in the next couple of years, he’s leaving too. It’s pretty bleak but maybe the new front office can pull out an inside straight.

Simple. It’s called Mark Cuban. The guy who also let Nash go for nothing and dismantled a championship team just because. He also had to be convinced to draft Luka after refusing to draft Giannis.

The cancer is almost gone.  I’m not sure what post-cancer will look like, but I’m pretty sure it can’t be worse.

[mvossman]

The Mavs have very little to rebuild with after this draft. Cooper is definitely a player who will prioritize winning over the super max, so if the Mavs don’t create a Spurs level team around him in the next couple of years, he’s leaving too. It’s pretty bleak but maybe the new front office can pull out an inside straight.

Flagg is going to sign his first max extension just like every max guy before him.  This organization has Flagg and Masai.  It doesn't really seem like a time to be complaining considering where this thing was a little over a year ago.