NBA Power Stinkings (Western Conference - November 2026)

Wow, this season's first Power Stinkings!  In the name of having mercy on myself and getting these posts out on time, I decided, instead of doing every team in one shot, to instead divide them by conference, starting with the West, as they currently have the worst team in the league.

15. SACRAMENTO KINGS (0-5)

Acuff Jr. may not be a revelation, but one thing he should get credit for is being NBA ready.  It ain’t like they handed him the keys and he crashed the car.  You can already tell, so long as his body holds up, that he has a career in front of him.  His game appears to be relatively cerebral compared to most PGs these days.

From the looks of things, there’s now been two exceptional rookie classes in a row which, I can’t say I readily remember happening before.  So I’m looking for some type of explanation or theory for this phenomenon.

The one I’m currently working on is that now, one-and-done has more or less become the norm.  So soon, half of the NBA is going be like college aged or some shit, thus meaning rookies will be playing largely against their own age group(?).

That said, let’s not forget why the Kings are topping this list because they still suck.  So now, I’m advocating dudes just biting the bullet and buying LaVine out.

No, I’m not trying to scapegoat him.  If dude got injured right now, I’m pretty sure this team will be even less competitive than they already are.  But it’s like, at least show some progress.

Drafting a PG who isn’t a disappoint is no reason for Sacramento fans to get excited.  The braintrust, in essence, has replaced DeAaron Fox with Acuff Jr., and there’s no guarantee the latter will ever be as good as the former.

DEANDRE HUNTER

Looking reinvigorated(?)

14. UTAH JAZZ (1-5)

In the NBA we have what you may term as precedent or team culture or however you want it put - history.  There’s some rosters that, if you show it to someone while taking the organization’s name off the top, they’d be like ‘hey, this is pretty good team’.  But then when you reveal the name of the organization, it’s like ‘oh wait, it’s the Jazz’.

Jackson Jr. is hurt, surprise-surprise.  With Kessler gone and with Jaren’s injury history, the braintrust had to know in advance that sometimes they’d be going smaller.  And yes, they do, in theory, have enough quality Gs and wings to do so.

The Western Conference, as it currently stands, is looking stronger than the East.  So I’m not trying to say that Utah’s competition isn’t fierce.  This is a young team that has to learn how to win.  And by that I mean the players themselves, like self-education type shit, with minimal input from what appears to be a nonprogressive, arguably even backwards, braintrust.

13. LA CLIPPERS (1-5)

I wasn’t expecting the Clippers to be good but at the same time not to come out looking this hopeless either.  Even if your name is Duncan or Shaq, it’s never a good thing when an organization puts too much hope in a rookie.  So the way everyone was talking about this dude Wagler before the season, in hindsight, I now see that was a warning sign.

If a no.5 pick on a veteran team needs to represent in order for them to win, that isn’t a good thing.  And he’s been putting up pretty good stats, barring a woeful FG%, which makes me think maybe the media shouldn’t have put so much attention on him to begin with(?).

What they’re saying is that Brandon “Poor Man’s Durant” Ingram will eventually make this team better.  Okay, maybe, though I’m not sure if he’s ever actually made a team better per se.  But again, who knows.  Maybe he and Garland will form a combination like Kyrie + Flagg.  But if dudes dig themselves too deep into a hole beforehand, they’ll be less incentive to bring him back from injury to begin with.

12. PHOENIX SUNS (1-3)

The Suns are one of those kinds of teams that, okay, I don’t know if tanking is still a viable option.  But it’s almost like, why even try to win?  The roster isn’t good enough, period.  I know that’s also true for teams like the Clippers.  But oing back to the organizational history type shit, no one is expecting LAC to win.  But as for Phoenix, like their graphic designs alone gives fans a false sense of hope.

I read recently that the braintrust is insisting on starting Jalen Green at point, even though he’s wascally AF and instead of letting Gillepsie, a jump-shooting whiteboy, takeover the 1.  That decision, literally, shows how dumb this braintrust has become.  Remember, this is the same organization that, a few years back, broke up a (healthy) contender to bring in KD and Bradley Beal, and in the process formed arguably the worst superteam of all time.

So I’m strongly advocating a Booker trade these days.  If he’s comfortable in Phoenix and receiving his superduper max or whatever, then so be it.  But it’s a shame to see that type of talent stuck on a team like this, that’s only a contender like once every 20 years.

11. NEW ORLEANS PELICANS (2-4)

One thing about the Pelicans, that you have to give them credit for, is that at least they have the talent.  They may be trying to make the pieces fit into time immemorial, but it isn’t like their roster doesn’t have a few discernible potential allstars.

Starting Jeremiah Fears may just be the answer they were looking for.  But there’s still a few things the coaching staff needs to work on.  For instance, unless it’s due to injury concerns, I don’t quite understand why they’d have Fears attacking the rim more than Williamson, while the latter is spending most of his time parked at the perimeter, if that's the case.  The NBA is a strange beast sometimes.

Also, shoutout to Dejounte Murray who, at this point, I think it’s more or less safe to say that he’s a victim of the Ewing effect.  Whether compatibility or injury issues, dude has never been the same since leaving San Antonio.  I can’t remember if he was traded or left on his own, but either way, yeah.  So ideally, I’m envisioning that NOP will be able to fashion him into at least a formidable sixth man.

10. DENVER NUGGETS (3-2)

Sorry, but I’m just tired of the Nuggets, which is why I stinked them this high, despite their record not being too bad.  If they manage to draft a young, promising player - like say Hyland or Watson - rest assured they won’t hold onto him for long.  So it’s like the same ol’ same ol’, hoping they’ll reclaim some magic from yesteryear.

They were recently saying something like Jokic’s ppg are down, and it’s like yeah, what do you expect.  Like how do you expect dude to stay inspired?  That’s like some racism shit, thinking every player from overseas is stupid, you know, like he’s so dumb he’s going to give his all to a losing cause.

He knows, in essence, that this braintrust hasn’t really done jackshit - in years.   DeRozan was a quality pickup.  But rest assured, just like with Westbrook, the coaching staff will fail to use him rightly.

CHRISTIAN BRAUN

Playing better than I expected

9. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (4-3)

Last week, when I made my season predictions, I forgot to put down Lendeborg as my pick for ROY.  Now I’m glad I didn’t as, if things remain as are, Boozer is gonna win it.

But still, he’s exactly what the doctor ordered, in a way.  If a team with championship aspirations - as the Warriors remain, realistically are not - are forced to start a rookie, then you’d want someone who absolutely does not give AF.  And going after Luka, who may finally average 40ppg this season?  That’s as ballsy as it gets, besides Yexel having the offensive game to back it up(?).

But who it all falls back to, of course, is Steph.  He’s a polarizing superstar, at least to me.  Like if Curry really wanted his team to win it all, he’d voluntarily take a paycut.

But you know, whatever.  People are always telling us to believe in ourselves, which is 90% bullshit.  No matter how confident you are, you need to possess the skills, resources or blessings to excel at an endeavor.  And as far as basketball is concerned, Steph appears to have all of the above.  So again, if you have to believe in any player in the NBA, that you can even surround with a Nets-like roster and still win, then you already know. 

8. MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES (4-3)

Out of every team in the conference, the one that has most surprised me, in a good way, has been Minnesota.  Ball + Edwards instantly clicked, which is something I would have never imagined.  And whereas it sucks that they forced Ant-Man into surgery, I agree that, all things considered, it’s better to be proactive than reactive.

Injury issues have gotten so bad in the NBA that now dudes have to be load managed into the hospital.  At this rate, the children of this current generation will be playing 50-game seasons, just to prevent dudes from like passing out on court.

7. OKC THUNDER (4-2)

Last week, when I predicted OKC to win it all this season, I made sure to include a disclaimer, knowing that opinion could change, especially if for instance Jalen Williams didn’t regain form, which obviously he hasn’t.  What I didn’t expect though is for things to go south this fast, including Holmgren going down, which I also now feel in hindsight I shoulda foresaw, considering that “White Wemby” has an injury history arguably more alarming than Williams (yet has also been maxxed out by OKC).

Arguably or hypothetically or however you want to put it, the only reason the Thunder won in 2024 was because Haliburton got hurt.  Last season, with Williams hobbled, they were unable to get back to the Finals.  Over the course of the summer, they lost three rotation players, besides current injuries to Jalen and Chet and Alex and Ajay and by this point perhaps even the mascot slipping on a puddle of beer or some shit.

6. HOUSTON ROCKETS (6-1)

If you notice, most of the older superstars these days - KD, Lebron, AD, Kyrie and even the Beard and Kawhi in a way are now playing on younger teams.  They’re no longer demanding on superteaming with each other and getting embarrassed accordingly.  This is a movement I’ve been long advocating and would like to believe I incepted.

Also, I’m done with my recent wave of Durant bashing.  Yes, the Rockets had a formidable foundation even before he arrived.  But his presence has brought what feels like a heightened degree of stability.  Like you just know he can score, more consistently than anyone else in the league, in a way.  And that’s a strong sense of security to have from like your oldest rotation player.

MARCUS SMART

Has fit in perfectly

5. LOS ANGELES LAKERS (5-2)

I was expecting the Lakers’ record to outperform their talent, and here we are.  But again, give credit where credit is due.

It’s possible that this roster arrangement is in fact better suited for Luka's skillset than what the Mavs put together, which is something I didn’t foresee.  But I think it’s more about him coming in as the undisputed alpha as opposed to having to establish himself, as he did in Dallas.

The baby elephant in the room is Bronny, who I don’t even think has gotten burn thus far.  But he’s a grown young man, and I’m sure both him and daddy knew the risks of forcing dude into the NBA.  It’s just a strange situation though, not that he got into the league but rather has found a permanent place(?) in it.  If dude was on OKC, he'd prolly get a rookie max or some shit.

4. SAN ANTONIO (4-2)

Unlike the Eastern Conference champs, their Western Conference counterparts have shook off their rust fast.  But I’m still leery because, it’s hard to have faith in a contender that relies so heavily on one player.  There needs to be someone besides Wemby who can consistently hold down the middle.  

I say that with a grain of salt because remember, last (regular) season the Spurs were winning, including beating OKC, without him.  And that’s one of the things pundits always imply but never state outright, that if you take Victor out of the equation, this is still one of the better, if not best smallball team.  That’s sound braintrusting though again, despite having one of the tallest dudes in league history, they could use some size insurance.

3. PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS (4-1)

I knew the Blazers were going to be formidable but wasn’t expecting them to come out this hot, like no adjustment period or none of that shit.  But really, this is the same overachieving team from last year, though with the addition of Morant and now Dame being playable.  That’s a helluva combination, confidence-wise, right there.

Ja is currently hurt, which was more or less to be expected eventually.  It’s cool, because it shouldn’t be situation where, after making notable progress last season, Scoot once again gets lost in the sauce.

2. DALLAS MAVERICKS (4-2)

When you talk about older superstars being committed to younger, unproven teams, as it currently stands Kyrie tops the list, because I don’t think anyone was really expecting the Mavs, as they are, to be formidable.  Meanwhile, they beat both the Thunder and Rockets, in consecutive games, just last week. If nothing else, that’s definitely a statement.

As for these older superstars yes, they may now be down to play on younger teams, albeit ones that are clearly contenders.  That is all of them, except Kyrie.  And it’s funny how perfectly him remaining committed has worked out, how this may unexpectedly be the type of roster makeup he needs to win a championship without Lebron.  I’m not saying that I believe something like that will happen this season.  But they’re definitely, by the looks of things, on the right path.

COOPER FLAGG

Finally making me a believer

1. MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES (6-0)

I would’ve never thought, in a million years, that this current iteration of the Grizz would ever be at the bottom of the Power Stinkings.  Their schedule thus far may not have been as challenging as some other teams, but once again, give credit where credit is due.

They even won a game without Ty Jerome - yes, against the Kings, but still.  Winning can be just as contagious as losing.  So if these dudes actually establish a winning culture, like if they really start believing they can beat the best of the best, then sky’s the limit, I guess.

CARLOS BOOZER

ROY thus far, obviously

ISIAH STEWART

Looks more energized than he did in Detroit

Why the Preseason Now Matters

The more things change, the more they stay the same.  Nowadays, anyone in any part of the world can at least watch extended highlights from virtually every NBA game, including the preseason.  But, oh sh*t, there's 30 teams, playing an 82-game regular season, not even counting the playoffs, i.e the part that really matters.  So it's hard to be genuinely interested in more than just a handful of them.

Silver and co. may end up shooting themselves in the foot with all of this parity shit.  For instance, let's take Jaylen Brown, place him on one team, put Lebron on another and then leave the remaining Sixers' more or less as it is.  None of those teams would absolutely be must watch, unless they're winning a lot of games.

With fans now accustomed to watching Lebron and with Steph more or less falling off, there's really only one singular must-watch player, whether he's on a good team or not, and that's Wemby.  Second on the list would probably be Ant-Man, when his team is actually winning.  If they decide to defuse the league by making every big star play on a separate team, welcome to boredom city.

In some rare occasions there could be three or four absolutely must-watch guys playing simultaneously.  But in athletics, age and injury can derail even the biggest stars.  For instance, remember how must watch Ja Morant was a few seasons ago (even though his team won more games without him).  And what about Vinsanity, the dunking machine who was for a time even more popular in basketball circles than Jordan?  During the last 10+ seasons of his career, he was only able to produce one worthy highlight.

All of this is my roundabout way of saying that I have no intention of watching every preseason game.  But I will once again monitor the standings and news, because they could be quite telling for the season to come.  The preseason isn't as insignificant as it used to be, and there are a number of reasons why.

THE OFFSEASON HAS CHANGED

Back in the old days, the biggest offseason roster changes tended to be the acquisition of rookies, who rarely made a notable immediate impact.  Or another way of looking at it is that it was only the worst teams who made headlines during the summer, because there wasn't as much of a reason to make major changes to the better ones.

Generally speaking, it's only garbage squads that get high draft picks.  And it wasn't until around the turn of the century that frequent trades really became common.

And even when a star was traded, in the late 20th century, it rarely resulted in an instant contender, if at all.  Take Chris Webber for instance.  He was perennial allstar-ish who was traded what, like three times in less than a decade and only played on a contender during the last of those stops.

A superstar like Moses Malone going to the Sixers and them winning that same season is rare.  Playing for the best team possible isn't cheating in and of itself; it's logic.  I already covered that a few years back, when defending Durant.

SUPERSTARS NOW SWITCH TEAMS ALL THE TIME

One of the reasons we now see more player movement is because, oh shit, how long were the contracts back in the days?  Scottie Pippen signed for what, seven years?  It was Jordan who I think started breaking that mold, after he retired the first time and came back.

So player movement isn't only about trades but also free agency.  And now that guys are signing shorter contracts, sometimes even for a year or two, besides the divas who commonly demand trades, there tends to be a number of superstars available every offseason.

WHY FIX WHAT ISN'T BROKEN?

I also think back in the old days, organizations had more grit.  When we say the NBA used to be tougher, that isn't only about physicality or whatever.  Generally, if organizations had a worthy roster, they would build on it gradually.  There was more faith in player development, you know, dudes actually getting better over time, individually or collectively.

I'm not trying to make it sound all idyllic and shit.  But I think it was just more of an understanding that things take time.  And we don't even have to go that far back to see this, like look at Kobe for instance and how bad the Lakers were after Shaq left.  No top-5 superstar these day would endure something like that.

It's Lebron who has firmly broken that mold.  Remember how bad the Lakers also were during the last few years of Kobe's career?  LBJ could never tolerate such a roster, even now in his elder seasons.  But in his case, with all of the pressure or whatever, it's understandable.  The bigger issue is the lesser dudes also adopting that same mentality.

So long as players want to win, even taking pay cuts to do so, it isn't likely that universal parity is going to be achieved, because generally speaking, you have to play with other stars to have a chance to win a championship.  And as long as everyone is compatible, the more the merrier.

CONCLUSION

Did I digress?  The conclusive point is that since so many stars and even impactful role players are changing teams annually, now the preseason matters, because at least half the rosters go through major offseason changes, even discounting the acquisition of rookies.  There were a lot of exceptional rookies last season.  But as you can see, in the grand scheme of things it didn't really mean shit for the teams they were on.  Even Wemby when he first came in, you know what I'm saying?

The bigger offseason  news these days is damn, how many superstars changed teams even this past summer?  And how many other squads acquired players like, say, Kessler or Dort or Morant who'll likely be starting?  So it's like every season, teams have to readjust and test new lineups, and that's why the preseason matters more.  Dudes are no longer fielding like the same core rosters for four or five seasons straight.

This is something I came to appreciate in 2021, when the Lakers acquired Westbrook and lost every game that preseason.  People just brushed it off like 'oh, these games don't matter. There's no way a roster with that much talent could lose'.  But those practices were in fact foretelling.  

Who Should Be Introduced Last? (Western Conference)

When a team's roster is being introduced at the beginning of games, it's an unofficial honor to have your name mentioned last, implying that your the squad's best/most-popular player.  But things aren't always that simple, because the best player and the most-popular player aren't always the same.  Also, there's other things to take into consideration, such as a player's tenure with the organization and what he's actually accomplished as a member of that team. We've already looked at the Eastern Conference and will now analyze the West, which I would say is a bit simpler, since Western Conference teams have more defined stars and less roster fluctuations.

DALLAS MAVERICKS

Last-Called: Cooper Flagg

Backup: Kyrie Irving

I'm kinda conflicted about this one but guess Kyrie would understand if they gave it to Cooper.  Irving was the backup star when the Mavs reached the Finals a couple of seasons ago and was also an allstar as a Mav in 2025.  Meanwhile, Flagg more recently won ROY.  Kyrie has tenure and more accomplishments, but I think it's generally understood that Dallas is looking forward to Cooper being the star into the future.

DENVER NUGGETS

Last-Called: Nikola Jokic

Backup: Jamal Murray

There's a lot of people who call Jokic the best basketball player in the world, which I may agree with, if we're referring solely to offense.  And as for Murray, he's a perennial-borderline (and reigning) allstar, besides also being homegrown.  So, there isn't much to debate about here.  And while we're on the subject of Jokic, one thing I do have to give to him, amongst NBA stars, is that you don't regularly hear of dude being on the injured list.  So, last-call away.

GOLDEN STATES WARRIORS

Last-Called: Steph Curry

Backup: Draymond Green

Steph is the greatest shooter in NBA history, besides perhaps being the second or third most-popular player in the league and, even as he loses consistency, remains must-watch.  Meanwhile, Draymond is also homegrown and won those four championships right alongside Curry, as a integral part of the team.  Off the top of my head, I would say Golden State is the only organization that has two players that have been around longer than a decade.

LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS

Last-Called: Darius Garland

Backup: Brandon Ingram

Darius Garland has gone from being a debatable allstar a couple of seasons ago to now being an alpha by default.  Not many players experience that kind of luck, and hopefully he'll be able to capitalize on it.  And as for the backup, all things considered (such as Ingram's health), that's probably going to be a revolving door throughout the season.  If both Darius and Brandon are hurt, which they likely will be at some point, Bradley Beal can even end up being the last-called.  That's how unsettled this roster is looking at the moment

HOUSTON ROCKETS

Last-Called: Kevin Durant

Backup: Alperen Sengun

Oh my goodness.  As I said before, the Rockets are contenders.  But amongst the internal issues that can derail them, besides injuries, is dudes not being able to humble themselves and accept roles.

Similar to the Dallas situation, Sengun may not be the best or most popular player, but he is the one who appears to be leading the team into the future.  He may not have that Cooper Flagg level of favor, but I mean, if I owned this team, all things considered I'd probably make him last-called.  But since I don't, that's not likely going to happen.

LOS ANGELES LAKERS

Last-Called: Luka Doncic

Backup: Austin Reaves

One of the few absolute no-brainers on this list.  Doncic is the A-lister, while Reaves is the homegrown star.  Bronny, the actual son of Lebron, is more popular than Austin, the basketball son of Lebron.  But despite only being surpassed in popularity by Luka, Bronny's game isn't respectable enough to earn a last-calling.

MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES

Last-Called: Cameron Boozer

Backup: Cedric Coward

At first I put Jerami Grant as the backup because, even though he's a C-lister, he still perhaps has more name recognition than anyone else on this roster besides Boozer.  But with that said, an argument can also be made for Zach Edy, who has the advantage of being homegrown, or perhaps even those other dudes, Cedric Coward and them, who are recognized as up-and-comers.  And as for Cameron, he's lucked out in that even though the Grizzlies themselves have fallen off a cliff in terms of popularity, he's set to have more freedom to do what he wants than any other rookie.

MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES

Last-Called: Anthony Edwards

Backup: LaMelo Ball

One thing you have to give to Edwards, whether or not he ever leads the T-Wolves to a championship, is that he has lived up to the billing of being a #1 pick which, if you look at NBA history, isn't as common as one may think.  Besides that, he has made the team competitive.  Before he showed up, Minnesota used to have more-talented rosters, but it's like they could never achieve anything.

Based on tenure, maybe Gobert should be backup last-called, but I think it would have to go to Ball, who's like exponentially more popular.

NEW ORLEANS PELICANS

Last-Called: Zion Williamson

Backup: Trey Murphy III

The most-popular players in the NBA are those who enter the league as stars already (often going back to high school), get drafted high (usually at #1) and then prove to actually be superstars in the league.  There's no substitute for that trajectory.  That's why, even if you try to argue that Steph or KD is better, they can never be as popular as Lebron. And that's why Kobe, who was drafted all the way down at #13, proceeded to become the most-famous basketball player in the world.

Meanwhile, Zion has never really done sh*t besides being named an allstar, but he's still benefiting from his pre-NBA fame.  Some people may label him a disappointment, but he's not a flatout bust.  The word I like to use is perhaps overrated, not as an insult but, you know what I mean.  He has yet to team-up with another A-lister so, as it currently stands, remains an indisputable last-called.

Meanwhile, I still don't know much about Trey Murphy, which is one of the curses of being stuck on a team like the Pelicans.  But I hear his name a lot, in terms of being coveted by other organizations.  So if he continues to represent and even more ideally progresses, he'll logically be the backup last-called.

PHOENIX SUNS

Last-Called: Devin Booker

Backup: Dillon Brooks

You have to give it Devin Booker that, despite being one the best scorers in the game, you never hear of him demanding a trade from the sluggishly-progressive Suns, even though it feels far-fetched to believe that Phoenix will make the Finals again during his career.  Determining a backup last-called isn't nearly as easy, but I'm going with Dillon Brooks, though it could be Jalen Green also.

OKC THUNDER

Last-Called: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Backup: Chet Holmgren

No debate, in terms of who's at the top of the last-called list, as Shai is the reigning MVP.  Choosing the backup though ain't that simple when Jalen Williams, arguably the second-best player on the squad, is available, though Chet is also arguably second-best, besides being on the court more.

PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS

Last-Called: Damian Lillard

Backup: Deni Avidja

We have to go with Lillard because, even though he didn't play the entirety of last season, he remains the greatest Trailblazer of the 21st century.  Morant is much more popular than Avidja, but Deni is a reigning allstar, while Ja is more or less fighting to keep his career alive and has yet to prove anything in Portland.

SACRAMENTO KINGS

Last-Called: Darius Acuff Jr.

Backup: Domantas Sabonis

The way the Kings are acting is as if a #5 pick, who has yet to accomplish anything really (except being picked number five), may actually get the last-call.  That's how lost in space this organization is, even though I'm not sleeping on dude.  And oh sh*t, I deadass forgot for a second that Zach LaVine is on this team.  And now that I am remembering, I don't think it'd be fair to just pop him up there.  He isn't as good as Sabonis but is more popular so may get the last-call, even over Acuff. 

SAN ANTONIO SPURS

Last-Called: Victor Wembanyama

Backup: Stephon Castle

Wemby is a no-brainer but, the funny thing is if this were a couple of months ago, De'Aaron Fox would likely be the backup.  Now that would harder to rationalize, even if he is getting paid gazillions of dollars.  Like fukaround and introduce dude last, and he may even get booed in San Antonio. So it would have to be Castle.  It's arguable that Harper is just as good (if not better), but Stephon has won ROY as a Spur.

UTAH JAZZ

Last-Called: Lauri Markennen

Backup: Keyonte George

Utah is a traditionally white franchise(?), and whereas they won't be the whitest team in the NBA this coming season, I would think they still want to embrace that tradition.  Also, Lauri is really good, even if his reign as an allstar was brief.

As far as basketball in the United States goes, Jaren Jackson is the most-accomplished player on this roster and probably the most all-around popular.  But he has yet to do anything for the Jazz, and meanwhile, Keyonte George is trending.

2026 NBA Offseason Grades (Southwest Division)

DALLAS MAVERICKS: B+

I think the Mavs have done a decent job beginning to quote/unquote build a team "around" Cooper Flagg.  The additions of Saldama and Risacher are noteworthy, even if not game changing, as this team now has more tall, skinny, rotation-worthy dudes than they even had in the Luka days.

As for Flagg, I'm still not 100% convinced of his greatness.  There are a number of rookies from last season who, if given the keys to car, I'm sure could have averaged just as many points.  But he's also a formidable rebounder, obviously.  And furthermore, it's more than apparent that the NBA actually wants him to succeed.  It kinda reminds me of how the Pelicans got Zion Williamson after AD bounced.  But even better, Cooper doesn't look like the perennially-injured type (fingers crossed).

Also, I doubt if he's going to be able to establish himself as an undisputed alpha with Kyrie around.  An undisputed alpha is someone who's inarguably better than his teammates, which isn't the case when comparing Cooper to Irving, unless the latter ends up (re-)injured which, all things considered, is bound to happen sooner or later. 

But in the meantime, that's actually my favorite move, or lack thereof, concerning Dallas's offseason, that they opted to keep "Fievel" around.  And whereas it doesn't look like they'll be reaching the Finals again anytime soon, I would say there's no more hope for the future, with this roster, than when Doncic was around.

HOUSTON ROCKETS: B+

Make no mistake about it - the Rockets are contenders.  I'm surprised by how much pundits are sleeping on this team.

But while on the subject, let me get this off my chest, why I don't think they'll actually win it all.  It's my belief - pure conjecture conspiracy-theory type shit - that the NBA doesn't want KD to win another championship, at least not as an alpha but maybe, you know what I'm saying, later in his career when he's more like a role player.

All the Rockets have to do is figure out how to play together with all of their pieces healthy, because there's only one ball to go around.  They had another quality offseason, adding Bogdanovic and Smart.  Injuries aside, they're just as deep, if not deeper, than San Antonio and OKC.

This is what I was talking about, the difference between a team like the Rockets and, say, the Suns.  Houston hasn't won a championship in over 30 years, but still, it's like dudes actually want to play for them, or something like that.

But that said, it eventually reaches a point that if you keep fielding superior rosters yet getting bounced in the 1st Round type shit, like it ain't a good look at all.  And if this team does flunk yet again which - they probably will, considering that the powers-that-be don't appear to be on their side - then what's next for KD?

MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES: B

The Grizzlies' lineup reminds me of that of the Heat - a noteworthy frontcourt, but something to be desired in the back.  And as for their frontcourt, as sizable as it may be, it's not actually intimidating, at least not yet.

Also, speaking of players the powers-that-be may not be too fond of - anyone remember Carlos Boozer?  You know, the guy who stabbed Cleveland (and by extension Lebron) in the back?  I'm just saying that, yeah.  I do find a bit odd that his son isn't getting more press, considering he was like the top-ranked college player or whatever.

What Memphis definitely loss of late, especially with the departure of Morant, is star power.  So unless they get to winning, which isn't particularly likely, at least not immediately, no one is really going to give AF about this squad.

But of course, none of us can see the future.  And you have to give to the Grizzlies for at least respectably rebounding from, just a few short years ago, being the top young up-and-coming team in the league, to losing all of the stars from that roster, to now being engaged in a noteworthy rebuild. 

NEW ORLEANS PELICANS: B

I had a wise dude once tell me that 'people are always looking for external solutions to internal problems'.  And on that note, unlike most pundits, I agree with Dumars and co. opting to basically stand pat.

A couple of short years ago, the Pelicans entered the season with the most talented starting five in the league - Williamson + McCollum + Murray + Ingram + whoever they used for that final spot - probably Trey Murphy III, whose been a coveted player for years - besides boasting a deep bench.  Yet somehow, they still managed to finish at the bottom of the standings.  Granted, that lineup may have had compatibility issues.  But still, it's been pretty obvious, at least to me, that this organization's problem hasn't been lack of talent.

Zion's health of course deserves some of the blame.  But since he's been hobbled from day one, the braintrust should've found a way to at least try to compensate by now.  And as far as standing pat is concerned, if there's anything to criticize, it's their questionable (and expensive) commitment to Williamson.

Let dudes focus on at least trying to stay healthy and making the playoffs type shit.  Then, we can take it from there.  Rushing out and trading Murphy, for whoever, isn't likely the solution unless the objective is to rebuild.  And giving that New Orleans now has quite a few old dawgs on the roster, that doesn't seem like a viable option.

SAN ANTONIO SPURS: B+

As it currently stands, I agree with analysts who argue that the Spurs are the favorites entering next season because, unlike their main competitors (i.e. the Knicks and Thunder), at least they've upgraded.  

Tobias Harris may not have been the player they needed per se, given that his skillset/style is similar to Champagnie.  But the more the merrier, I guess.  And his presence will make it easier if the Spurs decided to move De'Aaron Fox to the bench, which is something I sorta advocate, especially come the postseason.

Tobias has his moments on occasion, but conventionally speaking, he isn't a gamechanger.  However, you have to give it to San Antonio for at least getting deeper.  They acquired a quality, starter-worthy rotation player while not losing anyone of note, at least not as far as I can see

CONCLUSION

The Southwest has two contenders, and it amazes how few pundits seem to be able to recognize that even if, at the end of the day, there's only one Wemby.  But ultimately, the division is balanced by a couple of bottom-feeders.  And in the middle lies the Mavs, who may also prove garbage but at least, unlike the Grizzlies and Pelicans, have more of a foreseeable future.  And as far as offseason moves in general, Southwest teams didn't really do much but still come out looking wiser than perhaps any other division.

"The ScapeGOAT" Finally Calling It Quits

First off, let me say that in my last post, when I suggested that Russell Westbrook should, all things considering, maybe retire, I didn't know at the time that he had an offer, albeit a minimum one, on the table via the Wizards(?).  If I had known that, my tone would have been a bit different, under the belief that he could actually help a team like Washington.

I believe, if AD sticks around and is committed, that the Wizards are going to be a lot better next season than a lot of people anticipate, perhaps even one of the best teams in the East.  Everyone is talking about how wonderful Philly's braintrust is for landing Lebron and Brown.  Meanwhile, since February, Washington has acquired Davis, Young and Dybantsa, who appears to be a true #1 pick (besides acquiring Ayton and retaining Middleton).  When you look at this roster honestly, they're one of the deepest in the league.  And just as an interesting side note, that's now two consecutive #1 picks that the powers-that-be have paired with AD.

Besides the aforementioned vets (all of whom have name recognition) and Dybantsa, the roster is fleshed out by these other young, promising dudes, most notably Alex Sarr.  Usually, I don't think it's good for young players to get accustomed to losing.  But now it's like those losses from last season may have hardened them towards a brighter future, because for what it's worth, dudes were competing even while getting their asses bust.

The one person I am sorta worried about in this equation is Young and how his erratic style doesn't always translate to team basketball.  But remember that him and Collins, dudes were out there looking like Kidd + Martin for a time, like Trae knows how to throw lobs.  And now, he has more lob options than ever.  So here's to hoping, presuming he is the starting PG, that he doesn't chuck.

And yes, I can see Westbrook having fit into it all, even with his own unpredictable style.  Besides being a veteran whose resume demands respect, let's be honest.  Stat wise, even at 38 years old, Russ is better than 90% of the players in the NBA.  He may not be efficient, but when it comes to raw, all-around basketball skills, he's better or at least more versatile than any other vet on this team.  His field goal percentage may, relatively speaking, suck, but in 30 minutes, primarily off the bench if I remember correctly, he averaged 15pts, 7 assists and 5 rebounds last season.  Those are like Lebron-esque numbers.

LONGETIVITY IN THE 21ST CENTURY

That said, I can understand why he'd be compelled to call it quits, because if you are on the best players on a team, then conventional logic doesn't dictate you should be paid less than everyone else, even newjacks.  Also, damn, dude has played for 18 whole seasons.  Time sure does fly.

Players of today, at least to me, it seems like they're lasting longer.  Jordan played 15 seasons over 19 years, amidst a couple of retirements in between.  His HoF sidekick, Scottie Pippen, played for 17 years (straight).  It was rare back then for players to truly strive for 20.  Generally speaking, NBAers who were good or accomplished enough not to be forced into retirement only lasted for about 15 seasons.

But look at what's happening now.  Lebron is on the verge of potentially playing for a quarter century.  Westbrook, as established, nearing 40 years old, is one of the best individual players in the NBA.  He may not be the most intelligent so to speak, but I'd bet on him one-on-one against any other player in his height class.

PJ Tucker lasted for 20 years, even tho it wasn't all entirely in the NBA. Vinsanity did 22.  CP3 recently did 21 before being forced out of the game.  Meanwhile, Durant and Harden have thus far played 18 and 17 respectively, with no signs that either will be retiring soon.

Kobe also did 20, but his was a bit different, sorta like holdover from the 20th century.  Like Jordan, the team Bryant was on in his twilight wasn't expected to win shit, and he was only really there to sell tickets (besides presumably make money for himself).  That was how star retirements used to go.  Nearer to the end, you usually played for fame or money, regardless of how large or small it may be, but rarely a key role on a contender.

Meanwhile, look at the cats mentioned in that previous paragraph.  All of them, except for Vince, competed to the very end.  Dudes are no longer signing just to collect paychecks.  Now they want to contribute to a championship, even into their 40s.

So yes, all things considered I would have loved to see Westbrook on this Wizards' team, and I'm glad they at least showed him some respect, you know, being the only person who ever averaged a triple-double for that organization.  But you know, it's not really about Washington.  If anything, he should have stayed with the Nuggets.  And if you remember, at the time I was even questioning how they could prioritize Christian Braun(!) ahead of him.

"THE SCAPEGOAT"

On that note, I have to believe that behind the scenes, Russ is genuinely difficult to deal with.  I mean, there's no other way to rationalize how organizations have come to treat him.

Recently, some documentary about him came out called Passion Play (2021).  It was themed around that very idea, that Westbrook is this really good player though one who's like hardheaded or some shit.  I can't remember the specifics of the presentation, but I do recall walking away sympathizing with Russ instead of hating him.  In fact, if I remember correctly, it even concluded with Magic Johnson publicly apologizing for having previously criticized Russ.

But those sentiments never completely went away, and this is what I mean by behind the scenes, because I have to speculate that Westbrook did something(s) that really like pissed insiders off, though I can't quite imagine what that would be, besides his overall cockiness.  It's not like, say, DeMarcus Cousins, who publicly threatened some old white dude.

CONCLUSION

Conclusively, I have to agree with Jay-Z that it's better to "gracefully bow out" than to be forced out of the game.  That's especially true if you're in a field without a definitive retirement timeline and even moreso if you're on the greatest at what you do.

You see what happened to CP3, after a storied career, how that last episode stained his legacy.  Meanwhile, Russ has won MVP, the rarest of all NBA accolades, even rarer than making it into the HoF.  So yeah, if he'd rather retire than play for on a vet min for the Wizards or Kings, then so be it.  But all of that said, let this be a lesson to everyone.  There is a such thing as being too good, as an individual player, for the NBA.

I never really thought much about KD leaving OKC, but now, in hindsight, I understand why Westbrook was so pissed off.  He was intentionally drafted to be Durant's sidekick, and as such, Kevin may have been the only person he really had that big brother type of respect for.  The two of them together may have eventually won a championship.  But now we see that the ScapeGOAT couldn't truly humble himself to anyone else.

Dear Kawhi, Just Stay with the Clippers

So if the reports are true, that the Clippers arranged to pay Kawhi an extra $40mil(!) - another salary basically - even though he didn't have to do jackshit to earn that money, then I have two questions.  Number one, why would a player want to walk away from a sweet situation like that?  And number two, after making such an investment, why would the organization want him to go?

If or when punishments are handed down, I hope the NBA isn't too hard on Kawhi, in terms of like suspending him and shit.  Funny how you don't hear the NBPA releasing statements related to this case.  Maybe in circumventing his salary or whatever, Leonard gypped them out of a cut.

Also at this point, what I'm actually hoping is that he just stays with the Clippers.  That'll teach him a lesson.  And I mean, if the goal is parity, trading Kawhi and in the process making the Raptors really good while LAC gets even worse isn't the way to achieve it.

Of course, I can't see the future.  But what the Clippers are trying to do, in terms of roster construction, is kinda weird.  This is the curse of being too bad to be good yet too good to be bad.

Instead of fruitlessly trying to compete without Kawhi, they might as well go full rebuild and hope for the best.  Meanwhile, if they are forced to keep him, I mean the offseason is practically over.  But if Ballmer and co. still have money to spend, might as well go after DeRozan and Kuminga, i.e. the two best noncommitted free agents left.  And if the Clippers are reluctant to acquire them because of tax concerns, I mean obviously they know how to quote/unquote 'handle' those types of situations.

If Kawhi is eventually forced to stick around, then might as well put him in the best situation possible to win.  And you never know.  A full season with him as the undisputed alpha may pay off better than those failed superteam experiments of the last few years.

THE INDECISIONS

I don't know if it's just me, but starting with that whole Lebron fiasco, it feels like dudes are intentionally taking longer to make their decisions, deadass exercising their patience.  In the meantime, I can't write my predictions or rate the offseason because first of all, if DeRozan does land on a contender, chances are he's going to make a major impact.  And now that I think about it, it kinda surprises me that the Pistons haven't gotten in the conversation, but they seem to actually prefer chasing C-listers and shit.

I used to be really big Jonathan Kuminga, someone I viewed as having been underappreciated by the Warriors.  Now looking back, there's absolutely no reason Golden State shouldn't have kept him, because they need all the quality help they can get, and he's definitely better than any of the other non-star currently on their roster.

Also, it looks like a situation whereas Kuminga may never perform as well as he did on the team that drafted him.  Sometimes, it's like that.  A team needs a certain player just as much as a certain player needs a particular team.  Jonathan may not have been the future of the Warriors in and of himself, but then again, neither is Draymond, who just scored a major loyalty contract.  Oh well.  The current GSW braintrust may undervalue youth, but at least they treat a couple of proven dudes they drafted over a decade ago really well.

If Bradley Beal ends up on the Celtics or Heat and is actually healthy type shit, he'll also make a difference.  But I'm having a hard time picturing both him and PG13 on the floor at the same time, trying to play defense.  The best defense is a good offense?

THE FOOLISH KING

And then there's the ScapeGOAT who, I mean idk what else to say.  Lebron is about get paid, what, $9mil, while the Beard, a lesser player all things considered, is prolly going to end up with another $100mil-ish contract.

Westbrook, who stat-wise is better than 90% of the players in the NBA, doesn't have a contract.  Meanwhile his former partner in crime, KD, demands a max salary, even though he never accomplished anything Russ hasn't besides excelling on a team that was already poised to win without him.

But I'm not trying to minimize KD's accomplishments, because it's not like a superstar joining a contender always works.  And the results may not have been the same for the Warriors if, say, they had gotten Westbrook instead of Durant.  So I figure that Russ must really be that difficult to control, like they say, to have fallen off like this.

In the past, I was sorta like it's the coaching staffs' fault for not being able to reign him in.  But now, I sympathize with anyone who may be stuck with a subordinate - so to speak - who's an A-hole, if that is in fact the case.  But I don't necessarily believe that.  I believe that the ScapeGOAT may actually be too complete of a player, in and of himself, to play 5-on-5 basketball. 

But that said, the Kings are just about as ass-backwards as an organization can be.  For instance, even if it was the Bulls who gave LaVine that ridiculous contract, why would you be dumb enough to pick it up?  That shit was questionable from the time it was signed.  And if you don't believe me, dig through this blog and find what I postulated back then, that basically, Chicago gave Zach all of that money moreso for his marketability than productivity per se.  Meanwhile, those types of Haliburton gambles don't always pay off

Also, when have you ever heard of an organization putting their "future" in the hands of a rookie PG, who has yet to play an NBA game, that was drafted all the way down at #5?  I mean I'm not sleeping on dude, but come on.  Have we learned nothing from the faith put in the likes of Telfair and Scoot?  What about Fultz?  C'mon, dudes.

Again, I'm not sleeping of Darius Acuff. But I mean yeah, generally speaking, I can't say off the top of my head I ever seen the media bigup a #5 pick like this, regardless of position.  That's how bad everyone wants Sacramento to finally take a step forward or at least look like they know what they're doing.

Jalen Brunson: The One That Got Away

I'll be honest and say that when the Mavs traded Doncic for Davis, yes, I was a bit surprised, but I wasn't one of those kinds of people who couldn't see the logic in the decision.  There were financial factors involved, i.e. do you want to supermax a player who you know isn't likely to lead you to a championship?  And you know, it's sorta like damned if you do, damned if you don't.  Luka was the face of the franchise, and you don't want to alienate your fanbase.  But at the same time, with a superstar like that, if you don't win a championship eventually, those same fans will diss you.

In hindsight, I would say the biggest mistake Dallas made wasn't trading Doncic in and of itself but rather trading one perennially-injured allstar for another, even older perennially-injured allstar.  Also, having Anthony around never panned out as idealized because, excuse my expression, he plays like a bum.

It was blaringly obvious that the Mavs needed an interior presence more than anything.  Remember, we're now in the Wemby Era.  But there goes Anthony, executing crossovers and jacking up three-pointers, as if he isn't 7-feet tall and shit.

But now, let's go back even further to the 2022 Playoffs.  And if you dig back through this blog, this is something I pointed out at that time.

During that postseason, the Mavs were playing better with Brunson and without Luka than they were playing with Luka and without Brunson or with both of them in the lineup.  These kinds of things, they aren't easy to explain logically because of course, Doncic was putting up better stats, perhaps more than anyone else in the entire playoffs.  But he was also of course regularly injured.  Yet the Mavs, depsite being underdogs without him, led by Jalen were pulling off upsets.  And once Luka did return like fulltime, that chemistry or magic was destroyed.

Again, this isn't something I can fully explain, how the team seemed to play better without Doncic, considering that Brunson is an even bigger chuck.  But I would say that maybe, the other Mavs players were able to fukwit him more because, not trying to sound racist or anything, but he plays more of a Black brand of basketball.

Also, back then Luka appeared sorta despondent towards his teammates.  Thankfully, that problem appears to have been solved, as he seems to be a lot more connected and supportive on the Lakers.

Now we can say that, no matter how much money Dallas offered, Brunson was going to bounce anyway, to be with his dad in NY.  If the Mavs' braintrust had inside knowledge of something like that, that they didn't even have a chance, then that would explain why they didn't really try to keep him.

Indeed, the general thinking at the time was, who would pay a king's ransom for Jalen and in the process risk losing Luka?  In other words, no one was even imagining that Brunson may be the better player.  Well, that is to say no one but me.

IS BRUNSON BETTER THAN DONCIC?

So recently I was watching this video about 'who turned out to be best player in each NBA draft', and when the presenter got around to 2018, I was sure he was going to crown Luka.  Remember that both Ayton and Bagley were selected before Doncic, and even the Hawks had a chance to land him but rather opted for Trae Young.  Those decisions have gone down as some of the biggest mishaps in recent draft history.

But who the presenter actually chose - who I had totally forgotten about - is SGA.  And I mean, he's right, now looking back from the future.

I'd still contend that Doncic is the most naturally-talented player in the NBA.  But all of the things people were predicting or hoping for Luka - MVPs and championships and shit like that - it's rather been Shai who's taken them home.  Yet and still, I wouldn't go as far as to say that SGA is the better individual player(?).

And that, dear reader, is the dilemma or confusion surrounding Doncic.  Dude commonly averages close to 10apg, so you can't turnaround and be like he doesn't get his teammates involved.  But it's just like, well, I don't think there's any team in the NBA - including the Lakers, marketing aside - who would rather have Luka than Brunson at this point.  None of them, except arguably the Knicks, could see this coming.

SHOUTOUT TO THE KNICKS

One of the reasons I'm calling this the Wemby Era, even if the Spurs don't win the championship, is because once dude fleshes out and like puts on more muscle, man, he's going to be an even bigger problem than he is now.  But as it currently stands, Victor's biggest weakness is his lightassednees.  It appears, at times, that the Thunder tried to exploit that, but they don't really have the personnel to do so, especially with Williams hurt

The Knicks, however, have the personnel.  They have the best all-around wing core in the league, and they are clearly physically stronger than the Spurs.  NYK's starting five is so stacked that Mikal Bridges is like the third or fourth option or some shit.

And the way I see it, going back to Brunson vs. Luka but also with Bridges vs. Durant, that's the biggest challenge of being an NBA braintrust, as far as roster decisions are concerned.  You're forced to constantly deal with this dilemma of having to choose between what the fans want, i.e. marketability, versus actually winning.  But of course, we don't have that problem at NBA Inception.  Here, we can tell the truth.

So if you dig back, you'll see that when the Suns traded KD for Bridges, I was like why?  Kevin is and by the looks of things always will be more popular.  But, as I argued back then, Bridges is the better all-around player.

CONCLUSION

In a perfect world, all braintrusts would be incepted, and every team would consequently be a contender(?).  But in the real world, you know, niggas be doing some dumb shit.  Like if the Lakers were going to trade AD - remember, this is a franchise that always had like the best C in the league and won accordingly.  So if you're going to trade AD, why for Luka anyway?  That was a Hollywood-inspired decision.  So anytime a superstar is involved in a transaction the question must be asked - is this decision based more on popularity or competitiveness?  The Rockets going after KD, was that more about popularity or competitiveness?  Could they have made wiser decisions in pursuit of the Larry O'Brien?  And on the flip side of the coin, what about players who are devalued because they aren't popular?

2026 Elimination Ruminations: Rockets, Sixers

HOUSTON ROCKET (2-4)

Somehow, I totally forgot to write about the Rockets when they got eliminated a week ago.  So I'm sitting here watching Thunder vs. Lakers and wondering how a team as mediocre as LAL made it all the way to the Second Round, how they're absolutely no match for their opponent.  And that's when I remembered the Rockets.

The Lakers, as far as I know, are the luckiest team in NBA history.  They exceeded most peoples' expectations this past season, but once Luka went down, I think everyone knew that was pretty much it. 

But let's say, if I were writing like a movie script for the 2026 NBA Playoffs that I wanted to make money yet also be believable, even if I knew LAL wouldn't make it to the end, I wouldn't want them getting eliminated in the First Round.  In other words, they really got lucky with that Durant injury, that seemingly popped out of nowhere and kept him out the entire round.

I won't go as far as saying that adding Durant but losing Fred "Care Bear" VanVleet (to injury) is one step forward, two steps backward.  But it doesn't make much difference anyway when both of them can't play.  So it's like this postseason's iteration of the Rockets was actually worst than the team they fielded last year with no Kevin, but at least then they had Fred. 

Without doing any actual research, I think it's safe to presume that Durant and VanVleet are the oldest players on the roster.  Dudes like Sengun, Thompson and even Smith Jr. are like from whole 'nother generation as far as the NBA is concerned.  That's something to consider, going into next year, that both of the scorers this team depends on were injured and unable to help the team this postseason, and generally speaking, age doesn't go in reverse.

So yes, I do advocate Houston going out and looking for younger scorers rather than continuing to depend on the elders.  You know, do the age-appropriate thing.  No one wants to see yet another First Round exit.  But since they're already contracted, I doubt if Kevin or Fred are going anywhere.

When making such gambles, putting your championship hopes on an aged Durant for instance, you have to have that dogged, Sixers' mentality of 'if only they're all healthy, then we'll win'.  Oh well.

By the time all is said and done, the Rockets' insistence on fielding these old dudes may result in the younger ones, who actually want to win or when they start demanding more money, bouncing.  I've been advocating for years that a superstar vet like KD needs to go to a young, up-and-coming team instead of always chasing an instant championship, but it wasn't supposed to look like this.  If you look back, I'm sure I even said he should go to the Pistons.  But this is what happens when there's too much reliance on a superstar which these days, even with younger ones is not ideal.

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS (4-7)

The good news is that the Sixers' big 3 was actually healthy for the majority of the postseason.  The bad news is it not really mattering, arguably being a detriment even, when 'healthy', in this context, is a slow Joel Embiid whose defensive presence is, I would argue, even more of a nonfactor than Lebron's has become.

Lebron's defensive decline is attributable to mileage + age.  The cause of Joel's is mileage + injuries.  Age, I would argue, can be counteracted more consistently than injury.

So the first question is, why do the Sixers insist on starting and giving major minutes to a hobbled C?  Part of it, as with James, lies in the fact that Embiid is still one of the best players on the team.

But that said, these failures have been going on for years already.  Dig through the blog if you want.  The signs that Philly needs to move on from Joel have been there for a minute.  It's not like a revelation and shit.

Dude didn't start playing basketball 'til he was 16 yet has made more money, in like just a decade, than most people with jobs they hate make in their entire lives.  Dude got a (questionable) MVP Award and an Olympic gold medal, you know, when he played for a stacked Team USA instead of a disadvantaged African squad.  So what else does he want?

If the answer is a championship, then the Sixers' braintrust, as outstanding as they are at times, needs to do better.  For instance, even though he has his moments, it's still not abundantly clear why they signed Paul George for $50+mil/year(!).

PG13 is an exceptional scorer, but he's no spring chicken either, and there's a lot of younger guys who can more or less score just as well (even if not as entertaining in doing so) and are less expensive.  One name that comes to mind off the top of my head is his former teammate, Normal Powell.

So what I foresee with Philly is sorta the same as Houston, though the latter is in a better position, as the former needs to embark on a mini rebuild.  The Rockets have a core of young players, so all they need to do is make a couple of adjustments.  The Sixers meanwhile, their core for the most part, looking to the future, only inarguably consists of Maxey and Edgecombe, which is a helluva combination.  But now, they need to put the types of players around that can complement such an undersized backcourt.  They need some of those strong, versatile, Knicks-like wings - I'm thinking someone like Scottie Barnes, but I know he isn't available.  And if Draymond is forced to move or whatever, he can probably help them a bit also.

Has Golden State Become the Dumbest Braintrust in the NBA?

There's a couple of reasons why it's hard to appreciate just how ass-backwards the Warriors' braintrust has become.  First is that Steph, when he's actually active here and there, remains a MVP-caliber player, at least offensively.  Also, if you compare GSW to the other older teams, like the Lakers or Nuggets for instance, it's like 'oh, these guys ain't that bad'.  It's only when you compare them to a team like the Thunder can you truly appreciate this braintrust's inability to transition into the current decade, even though it's already halfway over.

LITTLE RESPECT FOR YOUNG, DEVELOPING PLAYERS

It all started, of course, with the trading of Jordan Poole.  I'll admit that dude has his flaws, even back during his stint in Cali.  I'll also admit that he hasn't proven as good as I thought he would since leaving.

But trading away Jordan was like, say, a father trying to trade away his son.  The organization proved more committed to getting rid of than developing him like they should.  And this is something you probably can't fully appreciate unless you go back and revisit the 2022 season, like watch every game pass January.  The Warriors were facing some key injuries (like they are now) and sucked (like they do now), but man, were they putting up some admirable fights (like they are now?).  And it proved worthwhile in the long run, as those increased minutes for role players - learning how to live without Steph, if you will - paid off and eventually contributed to the Dubs winning an unexpected championship.

Besides Poole, the other key young player - the other budding star, if you will - was Jonathan Kuminga.  There were a lot of unknown dudes who stepped up in 2022, some since losing their place in the NBA even.  But Kuminga was someone you could look at and be like 'yeah, this team has a future'.

You have Poole and Kuminga and the Gauntlet and Moody, etc., hanging in games with contenders even with Steph or Klay absent - some of those guys really young or just rookies - and you could feel confident as a Warriors' fan, that Curry and co. would be able to age disgracefully.  Instead, it's become sort of a lebronesque situation where you have older divas, if you will, exerting so much financial control and overall influence over the braintrust that limited attention is given to younger players, totally neglecting the fact that you need someone to hold your hand once you're forced to walk with a stick.

So like the Lakers, the Warriors also suck at player development.  Beside Andrew Wiggins, they haven't drafted an all-star or turned someone into an all-star since acquiring the big 3, well over a decade ago.  

Let's further go on to say, for the sake of argument, that GSW, in effect traded Poole and Kuminga for CP3 and Butler.  The latter two, it's safe to say, are future HOFers.  They are also the two most-notable additions this team has made since 2022, with Jordan and Jonathan being the two most-notable subtractions (besides Klay, who left in free agency).

That should help illustrate just how intelligent this braintrust is.  Paul wasn't a good fit, period.  I knew that from the jump and undoubtedly noted it in this blog but was also thinking like 'okay, if Steph and them want him, maybe they know something I don't'.  But now in hindsight, I realize no, they may be geniuses on the court but not basketball gurus.

Butler fit a lot better in the grand scheme of Dubdom.  But then there's the age factor of course, you know, dude being in his mid-30s and all, in the modern-day injury-ridden NBA, besides Butler having already established a notable injury history.  The logic should have been like okay, grab your Jimmy, but don't go as far as to like prioritize him over a younger, healthier and at this stage more-promising Kuminga.

STEVE KERR vs JONATHAN KUMINGA

The latter is someone who, since his rookie campaign, I've always been convinced was a potential star.  Like you could see it, but his name got lost in the sauce for a couple of reasons.  A number of dudes drafted higher than him were generating more headlines.  Also, it's like Steve Kerr wasn't giving Jon ample playing time, compared to his draft classmates.

Steve Kerr is someone who, as a coach, I've always questioned his aptitude.  He's had his moments here and there and is tougher than he looks.  But he more or less inherited a championship-ready roster from previous head coach Mark "Selfie" Jackson.  Then, going on to win a couple more with KD, i.e. GSW fielding arguably the best offensive team in history, isn't anything to pat yourself on the back about as a coach.  It's the dudes in the background, who drafted the big 3 and arranged for KD's acquitistion, who deserve more credit.

But that said, 2022 was once again amazing is definitely something Kerr should be proud of.  The mistake he and the braintrust made was afterwards not reading the graffiti on the wall, that you need to really start having mercy on the Splash Bros' legs.

The argument was that as time progressed, Kuminga would inevitably get more run.  And he did but was never truly appreciated for what he brought to the table.  Coaches these days, more or less NBA-wide, are unable to properly strategize with different players' attributes.  So it's like if a dude can't shoot 3s, then he's instantly a liability.  Come on, man.  So Jon became more like a scapegoat.

Another theory I have is that Steve Kerr is intimidated by big black dudes.  Perhaps we all are.  But in the Kuminga case, I'm thinking more along the lines of hatin' then intimidated per se.

CONCLUSION

Steph is destined to go the way of Lebron.  Some aged superstars make too much money and have too much influence for a contender to be built around them during the latter years.  The Warriors make a little bit of noise here and there, but Al Horford and them ain't intimidating nobody.  So next year, we're going to have another season of Steph + Dray + Butler?  Okay.

NBA Power Stinkings (December 2025, Part 2)

Sorry it took so long to get this second part off.  I was thining that maybe the teams on the lower half of the Power Stinking spectrum shouldnt even be mentioned, since technically they don't stink(?).  But none of us can see the future, and some of these better squad will inevitably fall off as the season wears on.

So that's the theme for today, not focusing on why these teams are good but rather postulating how they may most likely fail.

15. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (14-11)

NBC recently pointed out how the Cavs aren't doing as well as they did last (regular) season, but that may be a good thing.  No use having the best record just to flunk in the First Round.  The better turnaround is to underperform in the regualr season but then represent in the postseason.  Unforutnately though, except for that 2016 championship, that Cavs aren't known for pulling off miracles.

It amazes me how much this roster seems to depend on Darius Garland.  But the bigger issue, I would agree, is the apparent lack of development in Evan Mobley.  Like I have yet to read anything positive about him this seaosn.  And I know he isn't a bad player, being a double-double machine, defensive force and all.  But Cleveland isn't likely going anywhere special unless he develops into the Kareem I predicted him to be.

14. ATLANTA HAWKS (14-11)

Add Trae Young to the ever growing unexpectedly-suddenly-expendable superstar list.  And the thing about these scenarios, as I continually point out in this blog, is it being kinda hard to shop a max player whom even his own team doesn't want(?) anymore.  I mean, it ain't like dude is KD.

Jalen Johnson has been the talk of the town when it comes to a star who's emerged out of nowhere.  Like I never even really heard of dude before.  But suddenly he's the man and proving, as a single player, to be what Atlanta hoped for when they paired Young with Murray a couple of seasons ago.

The rest of the roster is cool and play well as a unit, but there really isn't anyone else to fear to per se.  So it's safe to say that the Hawks will rise and fall with Johnson.

And as for Trae, bringing him back at this point and trying to reincorporate him, imo, is a no-no, unless he's able to relegate himself to the 2 and play off the ball (which is unlikely) or unless Johnson gets hurt.  They can offload him for a couple of complimentary players, save money and still progress in terms of on-court production.

13. MIAMI HEAT (14-11)

The Heat are a team that are known to overachieve in the postseason regularly.  Their achievements may not be miraculous per se, not in the Haliburton sense - rather being more attributable to good organization - but you get what I mean.  Meanwhile, they have a roster that's more or less built for the modern NBA.

But depending on what team you face, being undersized isn't always a good thing.  So yeah, it does kinda concern me that they don't seem to have anything like a traditional four whom they trust with big minutes.

The bigger concern though may be their lack of depth at the point.  I don't even know who's behind Mitchell on the depth chart.  Okay, I just googled it - Jahmir Johnson.  No disrespect, but TF is that?

12. TORONTO RAPTORS (15-11)

Let me be frank and say that I have a hard time believing in the Raptors.  What I do believe in, however, is pressure defense.

I've been waiting a long time for some braintrust to develop an effective way to defend againt the incessant three-point chucking that has become the norm.  And the answer may have been there all along, you know, fullcourt D type shit.

And you have to give it to Toronto's coaches for actually convincing dudes to play hard.  It probably wouldn't work if, you know, they had a diva or two on the roster.  I guess that's the advantage of not having even a single player who's like overly popular.

I don't really know enough about the Raptors to predict what may go wrong, and I like rooting for underdogs anyway.  That said, I have yet to hear anyone mention them as contenders.  And even then, if you really want to excel in media-driven professional sports, it helps to have a superstar.

11. PHOENIX SUNS (14-10)

I firmly agree with the other pundits who assert that the Suns have thus far been the surprise team, in a way, of the season.  Players like Booker, Brooks and even Williams are far from slouches.  But still, I don't think any of us was expecting this squad to actually be formidable.  And it's kinda scary, sorta in that Pacers-from-last-postseason kinda way.  Like if a team with an inferior roster starts beating better-built squads, then the sky's the limit.

The worst thing that can happen to Phoenix is reality catching up with them, like it has with the Bulls.  You pull a Buster Douglas, beating teams that you aren't supposed to but then, after knocking out Tyson, are like 'wait aminute. I'm fodder, not a champion'.

This is actually a feel-good story, considering how much this franchise recently suffered with their quote/unquote Big 3.  And if they sustain this, I think it's safe to say that Suns are just one compatible (disgruntled) star away from being contenders, if they can get someone like that without giving up any key pieces.    

10. SAN ANTONIO SPURS (16-7)

The NBA is a superstar-driven league, but there's obviously something going on these days that we're all missing.  When the next big thing goes down, on a team who's roster has only one other proven star, yet the team performs better without him, like that kinda shit is becoming increasingly common.  But the good thing about Wemby is that at least he's too young and popular for the Spurs to consider trading or benching, even if they are arguably better without him.

The Spurs biggest drawback, come postseason time, would likely be lack of experience.  Fox has been in the league for almost a decade but only has seven playoff games under his belt.  Barnes has championship experience from his days with the Dubs, but that was a long time ago and since then, he's been stuck on teams like the Blazers.  Oh yeah, Olynyk has been around the block a few times also, but neither he or Barnes, though made men(?), are like central pieces on this roster(?).

The Spurs are young, and in today's NBA, youth is an advantage more than its ever been.  But remember, OKC is out there also.

9. ORLANDO MAGIC (15-10)

I've been consistently dogging the Bane trade for months but am now eating my words a bit.  The thing is though, the Magic have been an upper-mid level Eastern Conference team for a couple of seasons now.  So it's not like them having a winning record or holding down a 3rd or 4th seed is anything new during the Banchero era.

What is becoming increasinly obvious is that this team is better with Banchero or Wagner but not both healthy at the same time.  Interestingly, if one of them has to go and the decision was made based on on-court success rather than popularity, it would have to be Paolo, not Franz.  Apparently that's a decison this braintrust has to eventually face, and hopefully they'll do the professional rather than trendy thing.

That said, Desmond is now proving his worth.  And since we already know this team can function without its biggest star, he may now be more valuable to Orlando's success than Banchero.

8. MINNESOTA TIMEBERWOLVES (15-9)

Eventually, you have to give props where props are due.  Not every great team is going to win a championship.  Malone + Stockton never won a ring, nor has the Lob City Clippers.  But still, we appreciate them for putting on good shows, which is what entertainment is all about.

That's how I feel about the Timberwolves.  On paper, this year's roster is worst than last season.  But here they are, once again in the mix.  And all things considered, there's no reason not to belive that they can't make the WCF (and lose) yet again.  This is one of the teams that should seriously be looking for an upgrade, if finances, in any way, allow.

We already know what the T-wolves can and can do with Edwards as the undisputed alpha.  So now it's time to give Randle, a perenially-underrated player, his chance to lead.

Anthony came into the league with Jordan-like potential, but I think his ceiling has already been more or less reached.  Julius is the x-factor, and if he goes down, I think then it'd be safe to write this team off.

7. BOSTON CELTICS (15-9)

I'm a big Jaylen Brown fan.  He's a victim of colorism, always being considered a second fiddle to Tatum, despite the fact they're at least equally as good.  Jayson, make no mistake, is a phenom.  But if you were to force me, I would even argue that Jaylen is the all-around better player, an MVP type, and I'm glad he's finally getting a chance to prove that over an extended period (though not glad that Tatum is hurt).

The Celtics' roster, as a whole, isn't anyting to write home about.  All things considered, I think it's safe to say they've definitely downgraded, intentionally, from last season.

But they do have the advantage of playing for an organization with a winning culture, which, dear reader, does make a difference.  But that said, if Brown were to also go down, like if they're still able to win without them then consider Boston contenders.

6. NEW YORK KNICKS (17-7)

The Knicks are defintely at the top of my list of teams who, regardless of how good the roster may be, I have a hard time envisioning as champions.  That said, in terms of all-around talent, their starting five has to be the best in the league.  Also, they're in the East, and all of their main conference rivals have (more) serious injury issues (for now).  So as I said from the onset of this sesaon, there's no reason they shouldn't at least make the Finals.  And them versus the Thunder would be like the ultimate young squad vs. vets type of scenario.

When teams are top heavy like this, it's usually the bench that suffers, and so it is with NYK.  But in terms of what can go wrong, based on this team's recent history it would have to be injuries.

In the grand scheme of the 2025-26 Knicks, the Pistons have to be the biggest pain in the ass.  If not for Detroit, they'd be able to comfortably play the load management game and still secure the number one seed.  Bur being in this type of race means that dudes have to continue to play hard, thus increasing the liklihood of injuries.

5. DENVER NUGGETS (17-6)

The Nuggets are a team that're playing exactly to expectations, which in their case is a good thing.  They have a perennial MVP C and build around him smartly rather than making rash or trendy decisions.

It looks like Sacramento are on the verge of tanking, so I hope Denver will bring Westbrook back and give him a more solid chance to win a ring.

With that in mind, I'd still argue that the biggest potential drawback for this squad, if they once again face a team like OKC in the postseason, is lack of energy.  Denver would be an exceptional 1990s' team, back in the days when everyone was playing halfcourt.  But in the here and now, with dudes literally running themselves ragged, speed matters more than ever.

So the biggest potential drawback for this team is failure to adjust.  Again, we as fans appreciate all great squads.  But for the Nuggets to go deep into the playoffs to once again get knocked out by what will likely be a younger, faster team means that they didn't properly adjust between this season and last.

4. HOUSTON ROCKETS

The Rockets are good but, based on their record, clearly not invincible.  The liklihood is that they'll become better as the season wears on.  Imagine if Fred Van Vleet were actually healthy?  Then, they'd have to worry less about injuries, which is kinda ironic since, you know, he's injured. You don't really feel it right now, but maybe his absence will become more pronounced come postseason.

That said, it's been awhile since I've seen dudes play.  Maybe it's KD fatigue?  I don't know.  But it's hard for me to predict what can go wrong outside of injuries, which is a very common concern these days, unless of course Houston runs into Steph "the Rocket Lander" Curry come postseason.  Then, we'll really get a chance to ascertain if the Durant addition was worth it.

3. LOS ANGELES LAKERS (17-6)

I had to rank LAL lower on the power stinkings, even though they may not actually be better than Denver, because unlike the Nuggets, this team has thus far exceeded expectations.  I don't even believe the dicriders were expecting them to get off to this sound of a start or for Austin Reaves to suddenly start looking like a lock allstar.

When Lebron made a game-winning pass to a (much less-popular teammate) rather than using to opprotunity to try to perpetuate his double-digit winning streak, that was some super symbolic shit.  LBJ was never a chuck per se, but he is one of those Kobesque, obsessed-with-winning types who never seemed overly confident in his teammates, even eventually turning his back on a non-injured, semi-prime D-Wade.

So as I argued before, I dont think his newfound humbleness is based on age per se, you know, 'I'm getting old, so let me have more confidence in my younger teammates'.  Rather, Lebron has recognized that for the first time ever, he has a teammate whose hands down better, than being Doncic.  Yes, King James being nearly 20 years older than Luka does factor into that dynamic, but you get what I mean.

L.A.'s roster isn't perfect, but at the same time, you know what I mean?  NBA basketball is a team, not individual, sport.  And if dudes increasingly learn how to play together, besides having at least two exceptional scorers (not including Lebron), you know what I'm saying?  They have a number of quality role players.  (Whatever happened to Gabe Vincent?)

The downside is both Luka and Austin being white, and no, I'm not making that observation as a racist.  What I'm saying is that, when playoffs time comes around, players accordingly become more physical, and refs increasingly embrace physicality.  Take last postseason for instance.  Meanwhile, relatively speaking white players, including Doncic and Reaves based on previous observations, don't respond particularly well to overly-aggressive defenders.

So that's something to lookout for.  Lebron has reportedly committed to LAL to the end of this season.  And that's a good thing, because once whitey and them start getting tossed around, they're going to need the ironman more than ever.

2. DETROIT PISTONS

It looks like there may be a ECF this coming postseason featuring the Knicks v. Pistons, who btw had a really exciting First Round matchup last playoffs.  Detroit's performance isn't surprising per se, not to the people who believed in Cunningham and the young core.  The Pistons have played the game right, complementing promising youth with quality veteran role players who aren't divas and whose playing styles don't stunt the development of up-and-comers.

Detroit has admirable depth, but lose Cunningham or Duran, the head or the tail so to speak, and the ship likely falls apart.  That's a scary thought in today's NBA, as no team would ideally be built in such a way that a single player would knock them out of the race.

1. OKC THUNDER (23-1)

I was looking for a reason, any reason, not to do the obvious and put the Thunder at the bottom of the Power Stinkings.  But damn, 23 and 1?!  What are they going to do, lose only three or four games for the entire season?

Jalen Wiliams doesn't start the season, but still they win games.  Then SGA goes down, but still, they win games.  If they keep winning like this, the Thunder can then increasingly embark on load management yet still claim the regular season record for wins.

The reason this team looks invincible is that they don't have any superduperstars per se.  SGA, MVP he may be, isn't a Durant or Lebron or Steph.  This isn't a superteam in the traditional sense of the word, i.e. having three players who are proven perennial allstars.  They're just well built and, oh shit, moderately priced.  So the sky's the limit.  Combine their talent and athleticism with their champoinship confidence, and these dudes may be able to win it all even if SGA is hurt.

NBA Power Stinkings (October 2025, Part 2)

This is the second half of the list, meaning that we're now dealing with the teams that performed better during this early part of the season.

16. UTAH JAZZ (3-4)

The Jazz are bucking the system by first of all going big and secondly starting three Whites - bold moves, albeit ones that have yet to translate to notable winning, though things could be worse.  A lot of hope was obviously placed in Ace Bailey, who made all types of noise during the offseason but has yet to make headlines for his on-court production as a pro.  So now, I agree with a report I read a couple of days ago, that Sexton is looking like the one who got away.  He was traded for Jusuf Nurkic, another big White guy though in his case one whom the Jazz apparently don't need.

17. MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES (4-3)

The Timberwolves are too talented to be garbage, but it's hard for me to get excited about this team, especially considering that they failed to make upgrades (while concurrently losing a key player) this past offseason.  I don't want to use the word fluke, but every time they make the WCF, it's like the other team proves that Minny doesn't belong.  Fans may be expecting or hoping that AE's game takes another leap, but I think he's already more or less reached his ceiling, which isn't a bad thing in his case, but you shouldn't expect him to power a team to the Finals in the West.  So it's like now, the braintrust has to step up and prove their worth, which will be hard since, to my understanding, the ownership is frugal.  Maybe when Anthony does come back, he'd be willing to play more of a secondary, complementary role.

18. NEW YORK KNICKS (4-3)

Generally speaking, the East has always been weak in the post-Jordan NBA.  Now arguably the two most-impactful players in the conference, Tatum and Haliburton, are injured, and the Knicks still appear unable to capitalize.

I don't think there's any one person to blame, but if I were to scapegoat somebody, it'd probably be KAT.  That's not a dig against Towns but rather the braintrusts he's played for, who never seem able to effectively put a roster around him that can mitigate his shortcomings, or however you want to put it.

NYK was supposed to build on the momentum of last (off)season and come into this one hot and hungry.  None of the key dudes on this roster, besides Anunoby, has ever won a ring (I think), and they haven't lost any of their keys pieces from 2024-25.  Maybe dudes really did need Thibs to keep a fire lit under their asses.  Anyway, I agree with Draymond that, as it currently stands, there really isn't any reason for opponents to fear the Knicks.

19. PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS (4-3)

Yes, I ranked the Blazers lower on the Power Stinkings than the Knicks.  Even devoid of the leadership of Chauncey "X-Ray" Billups, Portland has managed to establish and thus far maintain a non-losing record - something which honestly, I don't remember ever happening when X-Ray was around.

It's been awhile since I heard of Scoot Henderson, and I don't want to call him a bust, but the writing is kinda on the wall.  The hype can help, but it can also hurt.

20. MIAMI HEAT (4-3)

The loss of Terry "Lil Chauncey" Rozier stings, but I'm still expecting the Heat to overachieve, maybe even beat the Knicks in the Playoffs.  I just noticed that Herro isn't around, and once he does show up, that should be a boost.  Miami is currently starting twin towers, but once Tyler returns, maybe Ware, still a work in development, will return to the bench.  That'll give the Heat something like two formidable Cs, i.e. a quality(?) 5 on the court at all times, which is a luxury most teams don't have.

21. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (4-3)

The Warriors are still my favorite team to watch, even though I don't know half of the dudes on the roster these days.  Steph, you can see some nights he's not as vibrant as in days past, but you have to give it to dude - who's not only aged but has also won like every accolade imaginable - for at least retaining the competitive spirit into his late 30s.  If healthy, this is perhaps the one team in the entire West who opponents wouldn't want to run into come postseason.

22. DENVER NUGGETS (4-2)

As far as players are concerned, Bruce Brown returning to the Nuggets, imo, was the feel-good story entering this season.  But now looking at his production, he's sorta giving off that Westbrook, too-aggressive-for-his-own-good kinda vibe.

As for Cameron Johnson, he's more or less morphed into Porter Jr. 2.0, which I guess is sorta the plan, but still.  There's only so much ball (and space) to go around, and while I've been dogging Porter all these years, maybe he was forced into that mold by the Nuggets' structure.

23. MILWAUKEE BUCKS (5-3)

I like how the Bucks have started this season, as a team with championship pedigree, even though the roster is mediocre.  I still wish that Dame experience would've worked out, but it's time to move on already, even if those types of experiments mean your roster may be under par for awhile.

But of course, I'm not dissing anybody.  As a professional, you have to be ready even if unexpectedly the spotlight is thrust upon you.  It looks like a lot of unknowns will be making names for themselves (across the league) this season.  And of course there's Giannis who, even in the age of disgruntled, diva-like, ring-chasing superstars, remains the pride and heart of this small market team.  Shit like that can take you far, especially in the East.

24. HOUSTON ROCKET (4-2)

I haven't really been following the Rockets, but I guess, judging by their record, their starting to live up to expectations after a shaky start.  In effect, they gained Durant but lost both Jalen Green and VanVleet, and that's besides Dillon Brooks.  So the question remains, is this roster actually better than last season?  At least now, with KD signing that extension, you'd expect them to keep this cast together for a couple of season rather than doing any(more) rash shuffling.

25. PHILADELPHIA 76ERS (5-2)

The Sixers have thus far exceeded expectations as far as I'm concerned.  Only those who made the decision actually know why they signed Paul George, as it was questionable from the jump whether he would contribute anything noteworthy on the court.  And now PG13 has been reduced to a non-factor, literally, as in the team may not even need him when he finally is playable.

26. DETROIT PISTONS (5-2)

I haven't heard much of the Pistons, and that may be a good thing.  Judging by their record, they're the only team in the East who had a notable postseason that has been able to pickup where they left off, and that's despite losing a couple of key role players.  All things considered, this may be the top team in the conference to actually fear.

27. LOS ANGELES LAKERS (6-2)

I'll admit that I wasn't expecting much from LAL entering this season, but there are a couple of things to consider.  For instance, after utterly failing at roster construction over the past couple of seasons, they somehow managed to nab two of the top three picks from the impressive 2018 Draft.  Ayton may never be a Hall of Famer, but he isn't a bum neither, and Los Angeles has always thrived when they had good Cs.

I wonder if LBJ, when he returns, will negatively alter the chemistry this team is building?  Sometimes, the team alpha being hurt is good thing, and that may be especially true, all things considered, with the current iteration of Lebron and LAL.  Hopefully when he comes back, he'll be more committed to fitting into the established mode (and playing D) rather than point-chucking.

28. SAN ANTONIO SPURS (5-1)

The Spurs have arguably the most domination-able player in the league, who's part of a young, hungry roster with at least one quality vet beside them.  There's still though something missing that doesn't make them team feel like contenders.  Maybe they're too young, inexperience and unproven.

Idk what the team's financial situation looks like, but if they have considerable dough to spare, San Antonio should be looking to add another vet, a borderline superstar even, sooner rather than later.

29. OKC THUNDER (8-0)

I haven't been overanalyzing this team, who they've been playing against and stuff like that, but I'll admit them going this far undefeated without Jalen Williams is impressive.  The Thunder are giving off that 'I know I'm better than you' type of confidence, which is like half the battle type shit.  They're not playing like they're trying to repeat; they're playing like they want other teams to prove their better, if so.  That may be the SGA factor because remember, at the start of his career no one was expecting him to one day be MVP.

30. CHICAGO BULLS (6-1)

When you look at the Bulls' roster, you know what I mean?  There's not a proven allstar among them.  Yet here they sit, on top of the East, which is something I would have never predicted, even for a single day, a month ago.  In the blink of an eye, Chicago has gone from 'who gives AF' to must-watch.  And the reason we must watch, if they maintain this standard, is to try to figure out why they keep winning.