Free Steve Ballmer

First off, let me say that I'm not an expert on the Aspiration scandal, nor would I probably ever be, as I now have limited interest outside of hoping that Ballmer and co. are able to get their punishment - "the harshest penalties in league history" - minimized.  This isn't something I really care to do deep research on, someone else's dirty laundry.

When I was kid, my moms used to be like 'keep your nose out of other people's business', and that's kinda how I feel in this case.  I know none of this stuff is really private, like looking in someone's window.  But still, there are some fundamental, let's say preliminary questions that I'm still having a hard time, in my own limited wisdom, processing.

WHY PUT YOUR LIFE ON THE LINE OVER SOMETHING LIKE THIS?

This question is aimed specifically at Pablo Torre, the journalist who broke the story.

Now, let's be frank.  If the Clippers really do end up having to pay $30mil(!), besides Ballmer and a couple of high-ranking executives being suspended (without pay), besides the team losing five 1st round picks(!), you have to presume that some rich, powerful people are going to be pissed off, maybe.  I've already speculated that if Kawhi was getting money under the table, Ballmer must've been receiving some too.  So maybe he'll just take it like 'okay, I jacked the money, so let me pay it back, no love loss', even though the penalty exceeds what's reportedly been paid to Kawhi.

But if not, I would believe that Torre, if he's wise, will be looking over his shoulder for the rest of his life.  And I mean okay, he's a journalist and an investigative one, obviously.   I remember once reading something like, out of every profession where a person doesn't put his life in direct danger (like a cop, fireman, etc.), journalism is the most dangerous.  So there are inherent risks, which of course Pablo is cognizant of.  But that brings me to my second question.

Why, as a journalist, out of all the things to potentially put your life on the line for, would it be a professional athlete receiving money under the table?  Like, aren't there more pertinent conspiracies going on?  What about forced vaccinations and AI and datacenters and shit like that?

What I'm imagining is that maybe dude is a superfan.  You know what I mean?  Like the implication here, from what I can gather, i.e. the rationale behind not allowing players to receive money in roundabout ways is because then richer teams can enlist someone, say they're paying them one thing but actually giving him more.  And that would adversely affect the organizations with less money, obviously.  So if that kinda shit becomes pervasive, there goes the parity.

If Torre feels like that, okay.  If he's, say, a Raptors' fan and is like 'hell no, we could've kept Kawhi if not for that Aspiration sh*t', then okay, I understand.  But if not, I mean yeah, I'm kinda wondering why he was compelled to blow up the spot.

You would have to presume he did it in the name of professional advancement.  But that said, Tim Donaghy was a more ethical whistleblower, if you will.  He exposed something that affects everybody, not just some single, already rich dude receiving extra dough - but how players and fans alike were being gypped.

BALLMER ALREADY F*CKED UP ANYWAY

So okay, Uncle Dennis and all considered, what's being implied here is that LAC wanted Kawhi, but he wanted more money than they could legally offer, so they tacked on the Aspiration deal.  If that's the case, it can be said that Steve Ballmer has already been punished because, oh shit, despite that extra $20mil+, the team still sucked.

In fact, the Kawhi + PG13 + plus eventually Beard experiment has promptly gone down in history as one of the worst superteams ever.  And, double-oh shit, Leonard missed almost half the games during his tenure with the Clippers.

They didn't like super suck but were mediocre as all damn.  Meanwhile, Kawhi didn't contribute to winning in any type of noteworthy way, nor was he present consistently enough for fans to feel confident they would see him if they bought tickets.

Please Mr. Silver, Ballmer has already been punished enough.  Why would you pay an extra $20mil+ just to make the play-ins?  LOL.  But maybe, the NBA knows something I don't.

KAWHI LEONARD - YOU HAVE TO LOVE TO HATE HIM

Since we're on the subject of Kawhi, let me get this off my chest.  The first year I've begun watching the NBA was in 1991, the postseason to be exact.  I remember because that was when the Bulls won their first championship.  They beat the Lakers and then, a week later, Magic was like 'I have HIV'.  Talk about excuses.

So now, 35 years later, let me say there's only once I ever got emotional upon a player leaving a team, and that was when Kawhi forced himself out of San Antonio in 2018.  Now let me say, I'm definitely a fan, but I don't necessarily favor Leonard or the Spurs, not like that, that I particularly care about their transactions more than anyone else's.  But the reason this bothered me, even more than Kawhi playing diva (which was the rage circa 2020), is that he singlehandedly destroyed the greatest dynasty in NBA history.

Up until that point, the Spurs were the only organization, again in NBA history, to be considered contenders for 20 years straight.  And that's besides their reputation of finding diamonds outside of the lottery and developing them into superstars, like Kawhi.

So let's imagine, even if Leonard had stuck around, San Antonio still got Wemby.  After all, they did get Duncan with Robinson already on the roster.  This would have now been the fourth decade straight they were contenders.  It was Kawhi leaving that broke that streak, even though dudes were still kinda competitive after he bounced.

And I mean, in hindsight I definitely get it.  He wanted the full Lebron/KD treatment.  I didn't fully appreciate his disgruntlement at the time, but more recently, I came to empathize.

Kawhi won Finals MVP, at age 22, after only three years in the league, over a prime Lebron and D-Wade.  Let me repeat that - over a prime Lebron and D-Wade, and dude wasn't even an allstar that season.  Btw, Wade also has the distinction of winning Finals MVP in just his third season.  But it ain't like the team he was up against, the 2005-06 Mavericks, were super.

Kawhi remained with the Spurs a few more years - eventually reaching undisputed alpha status - but never won another championship with them.  However, he put doubters to rest when he replicated the feat, i.e. leading a team to the mountaintop, with the Raptors.

Leonard's stock was higher than ever, and if I remember correctly, the Raptors were in a position to pay him more than anyone else.  So all of that considered, I understand how Ballmer may have thought he was worth an extra $20mil+.  

So presumably, the reason we don't see Kawhi consistently mentioned in the same conversation as Steph, LBJ and other undeniable greats of the day is most likely due to injuries.  All of these injuries he's suffered since going to Los Angeles, if they're really real, I would have to imagine is some kinda karma, because after Toronto, he was truly on his way to being considered an all-time great.  And what is fate punishing him for?  Sh*tting on the Spurs, of course.

Or as a wise woman once told me, 'it's not what you ask for but how you ask for it'.  If you felt the organization was undervaluing you, okay.  But deserting your teammates and shit like that, especially when you're the best player on the team, isn't a good look.  It ain't like dude was a free agent, like, say, Lebron when he left Miami.  Kawhi was just like 'fukit, I quit'.

So yeah, I do believe sometimes that the powers-that-be aren't too fond of dude and perhaps don't want him to become more influential.  But I don't believe those feelings have anything to do with the Aspiration probe per se.  But if you have to stick to anyone for doing something grimy, why not Kawhi?  This is yet another strike against his legacy.

CONCLUSION

Dear Commissioner Silver, yeah, we get it.  Lebron, the most-popular player in the NBA, just signed a deal for only $4mil/year, and by gosh, that's all he's gonna get.  We can't have organizations going around, circumventing and shit.  The struggle for parity is real, and there will be casualties.

But that said, in this case, who really gives AF?  By the looks of things, the Clippers already shot themselves in the foot, paying an extra $20mil+ for a player who, as far as I know, hasn't won jackshit for the franchise.  If that is solely the case, then this has to rank amongst the dumbest braintrust moves in NBA history, which is punishment enough.  We don't want to see dudes (continue to) suck for the next five years.  What are you trying to do, turn them back into the Clippers of old?

2026 NBA Offseason Grade: Atlantic Division

Finally, I can get around to writing these 'offseason grades' posts.  All of the major dominoes have apparently fallen, except for maybe Kawhi, who can't seem to stop tripping over his own shadow type shit.

BOSTON CELTICS: C-

I know that Boston has the tendency to overachieve, and they have some solid players, but honestly, I'm not expecting much out of this roster.  First of all, it's mostly reliant on Jayson Tatum who, for all we know, may never be able to play over long stretches again.

More notably, let's not forget that the Celtics more than willingly gave up their best player, making them arguably the dumbest braintrust of the offseason.  So the only reason they didn't get a flat F is because they were able to acquire Mitchell Robinson, i.e. the most-consequential 2026 free agent within the context of the Wemby era (tho of course he's no replacement for Jaylen Brown).  Also, even though Paul George gets dissed a lot these days, dude can still score.  So it's not like the last couple of months have been all bad.

But that said, what's really making the Celtics look ass backwards is the fact that a few of their main (conference) competitors have gotten noticeably better, while they have rather downgraded, so to speak.  Even a C-, all things considered, may be generous.  They must really, really, really be looking forward to Payton Pritchard taking a major step forward this coming season.

BROOKLYN NETS: C-

I'm looking forward to Porter Jr. + Randle being one of the better F combinations next season.  But damn, the rest of the roster has virtually zero name recognition.  This has to be, like by far, the least-popular team in the league, which is pretty amazing when you consider all of the hype surrounding Brooklyn a few years back.  Where's Jigga when you need him?

One of the biggest problems with the Nets, not even looking back at the past, is that they've come to rely too heavily on young, unproven players.  But at the same time, the braintrust like sucks when it comes to drafting.  So speaking of non-stars needing to take a major step forward next season, man.  Porter + Randle may be formidable, but if other guys don't overachieve, forget about it.

If anything, I guess we can say that Brooklyn needs to solidly lock that pair down, so at least they have a set foundation to build on.  If they do trade Porter Jr. like really, who are they going to get return to stand at the center of a young rebuild?

NEW YORK KNICKS: C+

Giving NYK a C may be generous because, in reality, they downgraded this offseason.  In terms of all-around talent, they still have the best starting five in the league.  But honestly, if not for their bench overachieving, it's unlikely they would have won that championship.

Meanwhile, the Knicks have lost their most-notable bench player (to a direct competitor), that being Mitchell Robinson.  Andre Drummond, despite being relatively slow and kinda one-dimensional, isn't a slouch.  He's also a better rebounder than Robinson.  But it's like, yeah.  When Wemby comes to town, there's going to be a problem.

But at least the Knicks were able to keep all of the rest of their dudes, and at least the team hasn't gotten smaller while the rest of league is sizing up.  But as it currently stands, given that latter fact, i.e. competitors getting bigger or deeper, I'm not overly confident they will repeat.  Also, it does look like the powers-that-be assisted them in winning, and there's no guarantee they'll get that favor again.

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS: A

I can't give the Sixers an A+ because despite having the most-newsworthy offseason of 2026, they failed to address their biggest issue - the inconsistency of Embiid's health.  They went out and got Brown plus Lebron "Donatello" James, the latter of whom, now willing to be paid like a NBA layman, ended up being the most-heavily recruited free agent.  But there are a number of elephants in the room.

First of all, to reiterate, we can't rely on Joel being consistently available.  Second, every other viable contender is bigger, i.e. taller, than Philly.  And third, oh shit, they don't even have a backup center.

Meanwhile, the idea of Lebron playing smallball 5 is no longer valid because again, competitors are now too big besides LBJ, at his current age, sucking on defense.  But since they are going to be forced to play smallball nonetheless, I have floated the idea of Ben Simmons, who can also play the 5, perhaps coming back.

That said, with or without Embiid, the Sixers should dominate other smaller teams.  Also, we have to take into consideration that besides having a boatload of talent, these guys probably want to win more than anyone else.  The energy is super exciting, to the point that losing is not an option..

TORONTO RAPTORS: F

The Raptors get an F for now for a couple of solid reasons.  They tried to trade one of their star players, only for the transaction to be voided or whatever.  That isn't ideal, because you have to presume that Ingram, despite always being in trade talks, feels at least a tad bit disgruntled.  You try to trade someone, renege and then expect him to report to the organization and give his very best, even though his (multi-million dollar) salary has already been set.  Okay.

But even more alarming is that, outside of that one failed and overall questionable move, dudes have made zero attempts to upgrade.  Granted, Kawhi is definitely worth the wait or whatever.  But if the trade ultimately doesn't go through, Toronto just completely wasted an offseason while, once again, the Eastern Conference at large has gotten better.  And it's not like the Raptors are contenders already.  That isn't admirable braintrusting.

CONCLUSION

The Atlantic should be one of the most interesting divisions next season, even if a couple of teams may be overrated.  They have the reigning champions, as well Lebron and, even though he's switched teams, Jaylen has stuck around also.  But there is balance in that the Nets, i.e. the least-interesting team in the NBA, is also present.  And as for the Raptors, they may continue to be respectable even without Kawhi.  But if he doesn't come to town, no one outside of Canada will really care to follow them.

SMH @ Toronto Raptors

There's this article recently posted on MTO News titled "James Harden Paid Gang Member to Extort Adrian Broner".  MediaTakeOut is this gossipy, psuedo-journalism site, replete with intentionally-misleading headlines, that seems to get most of its information from social media.  They often write in a way which gives the impression that they're afraid of potentially facing a lawsuit.  For instance, their articles regularly feature misspelled words, poor editing or are sometimes downright confusing.

So as far as I can gather, the above post doesn't contain any actual reports or allegations pointing to Harden having extorted Broner (besides the headline).  Rather, it focuses on this idea that all celebrities who venture into a certain part of Los Angeles are extorted by gangbangers who demand "protection" money.

And on that note, let me chime something that I find pretty interesting.  Law enforcement is ubiquitous in the United States, besides citizens being under ever-increasing levels of surveillance, and that's especially true in big cities like Los Angeles.  Yet somehow, street gangs are able to perpetuate and proliferate.  But I guess that's a discussion for another blog.

SLICING THE NBA PIE

The reason I'm bringing that whole story up is because, reading that article had me once again thinking that there's there's no way these NBA players are making as much money as their contracts stipulate.  In other words, besides gangsters, there a whole bunch of other unsavory characters, if you will, that making millions of dollars attract.  And I would further speculate that the cut of some of those characters, i.e. the more formalized payments, are actually written into the contracts.

A quick Google search reveals that NBA players, on average, actually take home about 50% of their salary.  This is after taxes of course, besides paying "NBA escrow fees", agents and a "jock tax", whatever TF that is.

As far as those escrow fees go, if I'm reading correctly, it's a 10% cut that the league takes to ensure that the owners also profit or whatever, and players may get some of it back (tho refunds aren't common).  But that said, considering that, according to Google, a superstar's contract usually averages about 50 pages(!), then yeah, I think other parties may be written in there someway somehow, even if under those aforementioned categories.

"GENERATIONAL WEALTH"

These days, you hear the media talking alot about "generational wealth" in relation to NBA players, and they imply that, in order to pass down earnings to future generations, you have to make something like $100mil.  That's bullshit.

To most people in the world, even a million dollars - or perhaps even as low as 100k - may be considered "generational wealth", because ultimately, when you find yourself with surplus, it's not about how much extra you have but how you use it.  If you look at some of the greatest tycoons in American history, i.e. those who have built up "generational wealth", many, if not most of them, started from nothing.  They began as lackeys of the same companies or industries that they later went on to dominate.

And that's why some dudes can even make $100mil+ over their career and still end up broke.  Dudes on vet min. contracts are making "generational wealth", so long as they don't blow it on frivolous shit which, all things considered, they probably will.

KAWHI & BALLMER'S "ASPIRATIONS"

Or another way of looking at it is that virtually all money in the NBA is big money.  And all of this yappng is ultimately bringing us to Kawhi Leonard.

If I'm reading these allegations correctly, besides the gazillion dollars he's already making through his standard contract, the Clippers paid him roughly $30mil extra(!) through an endorsement deal with a third party (Aspiration) even though, according to said deal, Kawhi doesn't actually have to endorse anything.  If true, that's a pretty clever way to get extra funds to a player.  And again, Steve Ballmer is one of the greatest businessmen of 21st century America.  So you have to believe he's getting a cut of that $30mil also, besides perhaps other parties.

And then, in comes the Raptors.  If Phoenix was the surprise team of the West, then Toronto was that of the East.  This franchise is like a dumping ground for players the Knicks no longer want, and like they never, ever ever ever score an A-list free agent signing.  Yet and still, they were able to take the Cavs to seven games and, imo, even tho they lost were the better or at least more promising team.

This organization, despite its territorial shortcomings, is known to overachieve from time to time.  And that's why I said, at the conclusion of last season, they were just a player away from being contenders.  I was thinking more along the lines of a formidable big, but if you need a quality C yet can't score one, Kawhi is definitely the next option.  And that's not the mention the established history he already has with the Raptors.

But the reason I'm shaking my head is because, how long has this Aspiration shit been going on now?  But you see that as soon as the offseason transaction period began, the Clippers and Raptors tried to strike that deal quick quick quick.

What they didn't realize, or perhaps what they were trying to circumvent is that Silver and co. are really clamping down, the way I see it, on players' earnings.  That's what all this "tax apron" shit is leading to, in clearly visible terms, not contenders having trim down as much as players being paid less.  And in terms of all of this Aspiration stuff, i.e. organizations finding ways to pay players formally yet off-the-books at the same time, there's probably going to be a lot more of that going on now that dudes are systematically being paid less than their worth.  Previously, I was one of those people who viewed NBA players as being overpaid.  But now, knowing they only take home half of their salaries, I understand better.

So more specifically, the reason all of this funny - in a dark humor kinda way - is because the Raptors, all things considered, took sort of an unethical action.  It appears that they thought they could take Kawhi - shadiness and all - without having to face any of the consequences themselves.

Upon realizing that they would have to, they put the deal on hold, perhaps indefinitely, considering that the league is refusing to release a definitive timeline for the end of their investigation.  That's not necessarily the bad part because no, you shouldn't pay for any wrongdoing you weren't directly a part of(?).

But what does suck is that somehow, this whole drama has led to Toronto doing jackshit this entire offseason.  That isn't ideal, since they didn't even get past the First Round, while some of their competitors have upgraded.  So yeah, it does kinda look like they tried to beat the system but are slated to take a loss instead.

CONCLUSION

If things continue as is and if they league doesn't punish them too hard, this may actually good news for the Clippers, you know, keeping Leonard.  And that's another reason why they look guilty because, looking at their roster without Kawhi, like why would they trade away the only established star on the team, i.e. their clearly-best player?  Not only would this iteration of the Clippers likely suck (even more) without Kawhi but furthermore, it'd be really difficult for them to get national TV time (i.e. sell tickets) with this cast.  It looks sorta like a sell-fast-because-the-product-is-defective type of the scenario, with the buyer also trying to take advantage of that fact.

Lebron and the (Forced) Waiting Game

I understand why Lebron is waiting things out, even more than usual.  Despite the fact that he's likely going to get paid around $10mil - i.e. more than most people earn in their entire lives - for a single season, he's 'no longer playing for the money'.

Even more than when he teamed up with D-Wade, now he wants an instant championship, as time is no longer on his side.  So instead of chopping some team's financial reserves and forcing them into a position where they can't properly flesh out the roster (i.e. what happened with the Lakers?), sit back, let the braintrusts prove their own worth and then, after the smoke has cleared, choose the team that best looks like it will win with your (aged) presence.

WHAT ABOUT THE KNICKS OR SPURS?

The media, including Rich Paul, makes it sound like the ball is all in King James's court, but idk. And the reason I say that is because, if he wanted to win a championship now-now-now, the best bet would of course be going to one of the two teams that just made the Finals.

That's the beauty of Lebron's game, in theory.  (Offensively) he can play any position, 1 through 5, at a superstar, impactual level. But the reason I say in theory is because even though he can still, to this day, dominate the post, he seems reluctant to go down there on a regular basis.  So a lot of times, you have LBJ chucking up threes like he's a little guy, despite there being actual little guys on the team (who can't play in the post like he can).  Though, in Lebron's defense, he's definitely clutch.

The Knicks just lost Mitchell Robinson, so they actually have space for another big.  That's not to say LBJ can defend Wemby or anything like that.  But now, out of all NYK's notable bench players, none of them are frontcourt - no disrespect to Drummond, who can average 10rpg in his sleep, but you know what I mean.  And that's going to be an interesting alternate look anyway, i.e. the times KAT can't play, and NYK starts Andre instead(?).

The Spurs would make even better sense.  When they lost to NYK, even before Lebron made himself available, I was saying that what they needed is another low-post presence besides Wemby (and Kornet).

Champagnie is an amazing shooter but, for a 4, appears as if they can't really do shit in the post.  Players like Castle and Harper make more noise downlow than Julian does.

San Antonio went out and got Harris, which is a sound move, i.e. potentially starting him alongside Julian.  You know, the two of them together makes sense rather than having one or the other, as Tobias also, given his size, is a shooter who's more or less a nonfactor downlow.

Lebron would be perfect because he shoots just as good as Champagnie(?) or Harris but furthermore can dominate in the post, while Victor is out on the perimeter.  His presence would free Wemby up to truly play like a guard sometimes, without having to worry about the consequences of not being in a position to get a rebound (i.e. that last-second play against the Knicks in Game 4),

But the way I see the situation, it reminds me of a saying one of my mentors used to have - "familiarity breeds contempt".  From the outside looking in, we all love Lebron.  But the people who actually know him, i.e. his colleagues, maybe all of them don't feel the same.  In other words, I find it interesting that the Spurs especially never seemed to entertain the idea of bringing the King in.

DETROIT PISTONS

The one team I've been pushing for Lebron to join, even before the offseason began, has been the Pistons.  At this point in his career, he's exactly what Detroit needs - "a secondary scorer" as the media puts it, i.e. someone who can put up points at will, but playing defense is a bonus.  It sucks that they got rid of Isaiah Stewart, but the Pistons, with Ausar Thompson may still have the defensive weapons to mitigate elder Lebron's deficiencies.

That's also presuming that Duren actually comes back.  Of late, the media has been bemoaning the idea that restricted free agents are powerless in negotiations, but I don't know.  Any contract where you can get paid tens of millions of dollars whether you're able to take the court or not sounds like a definite win on the part of the employee.  That's like being a don't-give-AF CEO of a big corporation.

But this appears to be another case where both sides aren't particularly interested.  Lebron didn't put Detroit on his list of preferred destinations, nor have they expressed an interest in having him.

And that's the interesting thing about those teams he did list.  Going to the Sixers (now with Brown) or the Heat (now with Giannis) may result in an instant championship, but neither is really guaranteed.  Philly may have depth issues (in light of the less-than-ideal health of Embiid), and Miami lacks shooting.

The teams that could more visibly slot LBJ in and instantly win - the Spurs, Knicks and Pistons, interestingly aren't even on his list (and vice versa).  Dude is feening but apparently ain't feening like that.  And the reason I didn't mention the Cavs, to reiterate, is because even though having the King buttressing Allen + Mobley would be ideal, I'm still having a hard time envisioning him and the Beard(?) playing together.

TORONTO RAPTORS

Toronto is a team which, even though they lost in the First Round, it was apparent that Cleveland wasn't necessarily better squad, and the Raptors are only one player away from being contenders.  Ideally that player would be a big, someone who could potentially play the 5 instead of Barnes, now that the NBA is embracing tallness again.

Quality, traditional-like bigs, as I foresaw years ago, are now in high demand but short supply.  So the next best thing, if you want a 4 who can play elite defense (keeping Scottie at the 5), would be to bring in Kawhi.  We were almost there, and shoutout to Steve Ballmer, who's always one step ahead in the game. Like you see how he tried to get Leonard out of there quick.

And after Kawhi, the next best available option may be Lebron.  He may not be an elite defender anymore.  But the thing about the King, besides being a giant, is that he also has a presence.

There's not many players, including some superstars, you can say that about.  LBJ may fall asleep, like a grandpa on his rocking chair, sometimes.  But when he's really vested, he always makes an impact.  James just getting a steal or dunking these days makes the crowd go crazy, even if he's away.  And all of that said, imagine if the Raptors somehow managed to get him and Kawhi(?).  Yet another reason for the King to sit back and wait.

HONORABLE MENTION: GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS

I haven't really been pushing the idea of James going to Golden State, but I'm not hating either.  If that's where he really wants to go, to finally compete in the NBA besides Curry, then the implication would be that even when they lose, you know, he won't really be vexed, since that's something they both want to do (and both have already won numerous championships).  And the only reason I remembered the Dubs is because just yesterday, Steph made some comment about wanting Lebron to come over.

The King would really have to want to be there also because, even though their roster doesn't suck, like dudes are old AF.  And this isn't even about the league trending young or anything like that.  It's about, oh shit, Butler and Porzingis?  The way Golden State's roster is designed, if they lose Jimmy again, that would be more or less akin to the Sixers losing Embiid.

It's really sad when you think about, how with some players, you can't really enjoy watching them for fear injury.  Players like Draymond, Butler and even Porzingis would help mitigate Lebron's defensive deficiencies.  But besides Green, long-term injury is more or less inevitable.

So on nights when, say, neither Jimmy or Kristaps can play, or the latter is playing but a nonfactor due to his plethora of ailments, how would this team look?  Imagine Lebron + Steph + Draymond, sans Jimmy (not to mention they recently lost Looney and Post), against a team like OKC or SA?  Like I don't even wanna see no shit like that, and they better re-sign Payton Jr.

The best way for a superstar to age is like Kareem, surrounded by younger stars, on a team that can win without always demanding too much out of him.  Lebron has been an allstar forever and probably will be this coming season also.  But still, at this point you don't want to force the onus on him.

CONCLUSION

King James is one of the few players in the NBA who could literally help any team on the court, due to his variety of styles.  And what he now lacks in defense, he makes up for in offense and ticket sales.

But that doesn't mean every team actually wants him.  It ain't like dude is some humble G-Leaguer trying to make it big.  He's the best player ever.

So yeah, it's understandable, since he's dealing with a shortlist instead of picking one specific squad and since he's willing to play for relatively nothing, that Lebron waits to see what his preferred destinations can put together without him.  None, as it currently stands, are definitively champions.  And none, as it currently stands, would have all of their shortcomings solved simply by bringing in the King.

Shoutout to Kyle Lowry

I first became aware of Kyle Lowry circa 2010, back when I was playing fantasy basketball.  During that era, I wasn't watching games or highlights, and I also wasn't reading the news regularly.  I was only focused on stats, and that's when I definitively became an NBA guru.

This was when Lowry was on the Rockets, and I'm looking at dude's stats like 'wow, I never heard of him before, but he's really good, like allstar-ish'.

The way I remember it - I don't know if this is actually accurate or not.  But the way I remember it, he was totally under the radar and underrated, sorta like Brunson was a couple of seasons ago.  So Houston didn't really try to keep him, and he ended up on the Raptors, on that team alongside DeMar DeRozan that was really, really good but could never get pass Lebron.  I predicted to myself, based on stats without even knowing how dude looked, that he was an allstar on the low, that all he needed was the right opportunity.  And that prediction became true in Toronto.

WHAT'S ALL THE CONFUSION FOR?

This story that he's about to retire, I first came across it a couple of weeks ago, via Yahoo!Sports.  Concurrently, there was another headline indicating that Kyle didn't actually announce his retirement, and that it was like fake news.

Well apparently, now that NBC is reporting it also, it wasn't false after all.  And concerning all this confusion, what I'm imagining is that maybe Lowry didn't want to retire, but, you know, better to just call it quits than end up an unsigned free agent after a storied career.  And if that's true, I'm kinda wondering why Toronto couldn't just give him a vet min, 13th-man-on-the-bench kinda contract.  I'm imagining that he can still go out there and produce on a high level (offensively) for like three or four minutes a night, like he was recently doing with the Sixers.

FORGET THE GRAVY

Kyle is also, by the looks of things, like the fattest guy in the NBA.  I don't know if that's actually fat under there, but he's really stocky for a professional basketball player.  Those kind of short, heavy PGs don't usually last long, thus indicating how strong he actually is.  But I'm sure I even said in this blog a couple of years ago, when he was with the Heat, that dude needed to drop some weight.

Maybe, if Kyle were a bit thinner, he'd be of more value, even this late in the game(?).  But at the same time, damn, 20 whole years - for a PG at that?  I criticize the Lebron Era a lot, for turning superstars into divas and making the All-Star Game suck.  But apparently, one positive is dudes now starting to push for 20-year careers standard.

It would've been kinda cool to see him back in a Raptors' uniform, even if only symbolically, i.e. as a 'locker room presence', now that Kawhi has also returned.  So, let's say there's like a ghost living in the locker room.  Would he also classify as a 'locker room presence'?

Concerning that championship that Kyle won against the Warriors, I don't remember much about that postseason but do recall that Leonard was the star of the team, but still, Lowry played a pivotal (and starting) role.  In memorializing him upon his retirement, the organization pointed out that he helped bring Toronto (and Canada) its first NBA championship, which is very much true.

CONCLUSION

I guess the moral of the story, all things considered, is that if you do want to pull a Lebron out this piece, you know, playing for 20+ years, then you should watch your weight also.  It's amusing to occasionally see a nigga looking poké, but at the same time, you know what I'm saying?

Either way, shoutout to Kyle Lowry.  Vinsanity was the first superstar to grace Canada, but Lowry was like the second-ish and furthermore, instrumental in bringing a ring up there.  But yeah, retire my nigga, and hey, extra gravy from here on in.  If someone made you retire, they're probably doing you a favor on the low.  You don't want to be out chasing around these new, young whippersnappers.  

2026 Elimination Ruminations: Celtics, Magic, Raptors

BOSTON CELTICS (3-4)

This was a really odd season in Boston.  The Celtics, without Tatum, were supposed to tank or at least be mediocre but instead, as happens sometimes (reference the 1993 Bulls), retained their championship pedigree even without the face of the franchise.  Then Jayson returned sooner than expected.  In hindsight, even though he regained form quickly, that was mistake number one.  The way dudes were playing, you shoulda let them finish the season out as is.  You see how they almost beat the Sixers, at full strength, in Game 7 without Tatum.

And while we're crying over spilt milk, let it also be known that I'm strong advocate of continuity.  Age factors, salaries, injuries, etc., you don't breakup a proven championship-level team prematurely, just because the star of the show is unable to play or whatever, taking for granted that your braintrust will promptly recuperate.  That's akin to quitting, besides betraying fans, and it's like the whole conclusive lesson of The Last Dance.  I'm not saying that still having Holiday, Porzingis and Horford around would have made a difference. But we'll never know, will we?

You can't tell a team that it's better to just play a season out without a star if he misses important segments and then suddenly at the last second, emerges playable.  Squads like the Sixers and Pistons also took such risks, and for them it paid off.

Embiid, hobbled he may be, emerged as the x-factor against Boston.  So I guess the ultimate lesson in all this, as has been the case for seasons (even when they did recently win a championship), is please Celtics, try to acquire a consistent, playable, above-average big.  Why they decided not to play Vucevic in Game 7, who knows?  And I'm not taking anything away from Queta, who's an overachiever.  But it's time to start taking the paint seriously again.  You can't have like rookies and shit running all roughshod over you during the playoffs.

ORLANDO MAGIC (3-4)

I'm not convinced that the Pistons are the better team.  Deeper, yes.  But what I rather believe is that if Franz Wagner remained playable, the Magic would have took it in five or six.  There really isn't much reason, based on this series, to believe otherwise.

Maxing Wagner out was a controversial decision, one of the main reasons (besides the fact he isn't a superstar) being his unpredictable health.  Health-wise, he's like a typical European in the NBA - an exceptional offensive force, but you wouldn't want to overplay (or overpay) him.

I'm also having a hard time understanding Orlando's fascination with Wendell Carter Jr.  I've been saying for year and years, even back when the Warriors were still formidable and everyone was still on this smallball shit, that the Magic needed to upgrade in the post.

Instead, they went out and acquired Bane.  I'm not going lie - that move panned out a lot better than I expected, if you consider barely making the playoffs and taking the number-one seed to seven games in the First Round an accomplishment.  Now, Orlando is just a couple of moves away for real.  They need to add a big who's actually effective and figure out a way to mitigate offensive deficiencies during those inevitable times when Franz can't play.

And ideally, they won't lose anyone in the process of rectifying those woes, as what ultimately did the Magic in against Detroit, more than anything, was lack of depth.  About midway through Game 6, dudes just ran out of steam and never fully regained it, outside of Banchero and his skinnier, less-talented yet still effective clone, Anthony Black.  Games 6 and 7, you could see Orlando came out hot (as usual).  The Pistons really couldn't do shit about it, but the Magic couldn't maintain the pace.

And by the way, whatever happened to Jonathan Isaac?  Remember that dude, a defensive specialist?  If he wasn't all banged up, the Magic would've won.

TORONTO RAPTORS (3-4)

As usual, despite their winning ways, the Cavs have failed to instill confidence in their fans.  They're one of the top 5, if not top 3, deepest teams in the NBA.  Yet they struggled to best an opponent with two of its starters missing the entire series.

Let's not forget that besides Ingram, who's a reigning All-Star, Quickley also isn't playable.  So instead, we have dudes starting who I never heard of before, like this cat Shead, proving heroes against one of the most-talented rosters in the league.  This series had sort of that Minnesota vs. Denver quality to it.

Right before Game 7, I stumbled across a video arguing that the Beard is 'the worst-performing superstar in NBA history'.  Until watching that clip, I didn't really know it was that bad.  In Game 7, if you look at the box score, he didn't really fare well at all, as the only reason he got near 20 pts was due to freethrows.

I know this isn't supposed to be about Cleveland, but in hindsight, that Harden trade looks sorta like one step forward, two steps backwards.  I won't go as far as to say that Mitchell is better at the point.  Harden is a lot better at getting his teammates involved.  But like his cohort, Donovan needs, indeed deserves the ball in his hand.  And that's the dilemma - having two deserving, ball dominant points (similar to when Garland was around) - on top of James' tendency to fizzle out.

That said, out of all the teams eliminated in the First Round, I would say that Toronto is the one that least needs a major roster change (outside of maybe acquiring a Giannis or something like that).  Their team is set, but damn those injuries, especially when it comes to the likes of Ingram. 

If I Could Send One Player to Any Team (Atlantic Division)

 Now that the season is winding down, I want to go into full fantasy mode and play a game of 'if I could send a player to any team'.  In other words, if there's one player I could send to any team in the name of instantly making them a contender or champion, all contract considerations be damned, who would that be?

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS - NIKOLA JOKIC

I probably said at least three years ago that, due to injury, Joel Embiid needs to retire.  I no longer feel that way.  But due to health issues, he's a classic example of why some max players aren't worth the percentage of the salary cap they consume.

So in the name of having mercy on Maxey and co., I would give them the only C who's unanimously better than Embiid - Nikola Jokic.  But even Rudolph wouldn't be able to solve all of Philly's problem, as they doubled-embiided themselves by adding Paul George for whatever reason.

BROOKLYN NETS - KEVIN DURANT

It feels like a punishment recommending that any star player goes to Brooklyu.  The Nets are rebuilding in such a way that it's hard to tell when, if ever, the process will be complete.  They made a number of notable mistakes in the past when it came to starchasing.  So I guess now, the best thing to do is just stand pat.

But the reason I'm recommending Durant is on some finish-what-you-started type shit.  Remember it was he who initiated (with Kyrie) and then led that disastrous Big 3 that Brooklyn recently put together.  Then, instead of accepting his administrative shortcomings, KD started lambasting teammates as if they weren't good enough to be on the same team with him.  Damn.  But he didn't get away with that shit at all, as the 2024-25 Phoenix Suns were arguably the worst NBA superteam in history.

TORONTO RAPTORS - STEPH CURRY

Like the Sixers, another organization I sorta forgot exists is the Toronto Raptors.  And also like the Sixers, another organization that seldom seems to perform up to the talent of its rosters.

The Raptors recently acquired Brandon Ingram - a major trade that totally slipped under the radar.  That can be huge, if both Ingram and Barnes stay healthy.

If I wanted to instantly turn this team around, I'd send them someone like Steph.  Toronto isn't particularly strong in their backcourt, and they need someone marketable who knows how to win.

NEW YORK KNICKS - GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO

Remember that this is "all contract considerations be damned".  This is if I could send anyone to the Knicks  with their current roster remaining more or less intact.  Having Anunoby would be somewhat redundant if Giannis was around, unless there's an injury.  But most of the other guys would still be needed.

KAT likes to shoot from the perimeter and isn't known as a defensive force.  Giannis, on the other hand, loves to drive and is an exceptional, even if waning, defender.  I would say that, all things considered, he's definitely a better defender than Mitchell Robinson.

This would be really fantastical, if, say, NYK were able to get Giannis for Anunoby + Robinson.  I would totally feel sorry for the latter two if something like that happened.

BOSTON CELTICS - GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO

Imagine if the Celtics were able to trade Porzingis straight up for Giannis?  That's the fantasy that I'm envisioning.

I wouldn't feel sorry for Porzingis because he already has a championship, and his health, simply put, is a liability.  When Kristaps is strong, he's one of the best players in the NBA, no debate imo.  But the consistency of his strength isn't ideal on a team trying to win another championship with him as a centerpiece.

2024-25 NBA Offseason Grades (Atlantic Division)

As I always say when it comes to these ranking/prediction posts - basketball guru I may be - take from them what you will.  There are too many variables - health, roster retention, roster compatibility, rigging, etc. - for someone like me to know who's going to end up where by the end of the day.  Also, there's so many dudes coming in and out of the NBA that after following the league for some decades, your brain sorta starts to blur.

So the assertions I make are based on how things appear on the surface, albeit using a critical eye, taking into consideration all information at hand and not just going along with what the public or media may say.  Also, I don't play favorites.  If there's a particular team I want to win, then I'll just say so.  But I'm not going to predict they're going to win just because I want them to.

That said, here are my preseason grades, based on notable transactions that may or may not have been made thus far.  And I'm going to do this division by division so that hopefully, I can eventually get to all 30 teams:

BOSTON CELTICS: B

The Celtics didn't make any additions and by the looks of things didn't particularly need to.  But the one thing that concerns me, in terms of why I didn't give them a higher grade, is because they're once again banking on the health of Kristaps Porzingis.  Well, kinda sorta.

The same thing can be said when they acquired him last season.  But by the end of the day, all things considered, it was like they didn't even need him.

I'm not dissing Kristaps.  His exceptional skillset and effortless adaptation to Boston's style of play helped the team dominate the regular season and secure home court advantage, which I guess did matter.  But there no reason to believe that he'll be able to ever like make a full playoff run.

The good news is that, it doesn't appear any team in the East  upgraded to the point of being able to dethrone the Celtics, except maybe Philly or maybe the Knicks, if they're lucky enough to be healthier come playoff time.  And that's kinda my thing.  Players like Tatum, Brown, Holiday and even White are incredibly sturdy.  But it ain't like the Celtics got any younger.  So they must really feel confident in this unit to run it back.  And well, that disposition did payoff last season.  But still, it ain't like they should be applauded for having achieved anything this offseason, unless you consider paying Tatum a gazillion dollars as an accomplishment.

BROOKLYN NETS: F

The Brooklyn Nets are like the team time has forgot.  They have like the most famous arena in the NBA, albeit coupled with what is perhaps the least-exciting roster this coming season.

I didn't give them an F because they had a bad offseason per se.  For instance, it's cool that the underappreciated Nic Claxton finally scored a payday.  Also, I'm glad that Mikal Bridges was able to get himself out of there.  But that F is more along the lines of like who even really gives a F*ck about the Nets anymore?

Again, this is an organization with a world-famous arena, representing what's arguably the most famous city (or borough) in hip-hop.  They're also supposed to have this like multi-billionaire majority owner, and that's the best they can do?  And the icing on the cake is still having Ben f*ckin' Simmons on the roster.  Oh well.  You never really know until the whistle actually blows.

NEW YORK KNICKS: B+

The reason I give the Knicks a B+ isn't because they signed Mikal Bridges, but rather because they weren't stupid enough to throw a bunch of money at Isaiah Hartenstein, who's overrated.  I'm not trying to diss dude, as I think OKC is in a position to capitalize on his attributes a lot more than NYK.  Personally, I believe that the departure of Bogdanovic was a bigger loss, because the Knicks were absolutely destroying opponents from deep.

Even with Bridges, they're basically in the same position they were last season, keeping their fingers crossed that dudes remain healthy which, all things considered, may not be particularly likely.  At least Mikal, as far as I know, doesn't have any type of troubling injury history.

But the two players you have to particularly keep your eyes on are Anunoby and especially Randle.  Like you already know that Mitchell Robinson is going to unavailable at one key time or another.  So now with Hartenstein gone, it becomes more imperative that Julius can make the playoffs.  But that said, whatever happened to Jericho Sims?

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS: C

I'm not impressed by the acquisition of Paul George for two reasons.  One is that, there really isn't any reason to believe that both he and Embiid will be healthy enough to play throughout an entire playoff run.  And second, throughout the last decade the Sixers have been able to perennially maintain more impressive rosters than any other team in the NBA.  There were a couple of seasons in the recent past where I would even argue that they had the best roster, in terms of depth + talent.  That was true pre-Jimmy Butler, post-Jimmy Butler and even post-Simmons.

But none of those iterations ever resulted in championship success, and there's really isn't much reason to believe it will now.  In fact their current roster may even be too talented, esp on the wings.

But the biggest issue currently facing this squad is its unwillingness to move on from Embiid, you know, while dude is still tradeable type sh*t.  He may arguable be the best C in the league when healthy, but a lot of times he isn't.  By this point, I think it's safe to say that he'll never be 100% again, at least not over a lengthy timespan, like an entire playoff series.  Also even when healthy enough to play and contribute (for three quarters), he sometimes acts like a brat.

I predict that by the middle of this season, other people may finally start to that it's time for Philly to move on from Joel and enter the Maxey era, so to speak.  They really need to focus on making sure that Drummond gets ample playing time and familiarity with his new teammates, like just in case.  Forcing Joel to run himself into the ground, even if he is a max player, is not the ideal strategy.     

TORONTO RAPTORS: C

I recently came across an article, I believe on Yahoo!, which criticized the Raptors for behaving like they don't know what TF they're doing.  I more or less agree, but at least their roster is such that if they make one key addition (whoever that may be), the squad could be like really formidable.

My main criticism I guess is it appearing that Toronto is building around Scottie Barnes.  Barnes is an exceptional player though one who has always been, at least imo, overrated.  But now he's been handed the keys to the car, so we'll see if he really is an NBA superstar.  That said, he doesn't strike me as being better than Siakim or even really Anunoby for that matter.

And I guess that's why Toronto deserves the type of criticism as highlighted above.  They seem to have this tendency to give up more than they gain or even when pulling off sound trades (like Anunoby for Quickley and Barrett) still appearing as if they haven't made any progress.

CONCLUSION

It looks like the Celtics will once again prevail, as they only have one injury-prone star as opposed to their main competitors (the Knicks and Philly) having at least two.

2023 Eastern Conference Play-in Predictions

Now that the 2023 Playoffs brackets are starting to settle in, I can also began my predictions in terms of who I believe will emerge victorious.  I do believe that sometimes, the better team may not emerge victorious because the NBA powers-that-be deem otherwise.  So I'm going to split each series prediction into two categories, "Fair and Share" and "What Will the NBA Do".  The first centers on who I think will win the series, barring (additional) major injuries.  And that second category is just in case I also feel that the NBA may favor a particular squad, even if they aren't better.  And to note, a higher bracket positioning doesn't actually mean that a team is superior to another.  For instance in some cases, such as has been recently pointed out with the Bucks and Celtics, the former may have a better record, but the latter matches up against them particularly well.

HAWKS (41-40) vs HEAT (43-38)

If you would have told me at the beginning of this season that the Hawks would have finished 8th in the East, I would've had a hard time believing it.  I rather thought they would be contenders, contingent on Trae Young and Dejounte Murray, two alpha PGs, working things out in the backcourt.  But not only aren't they contenders, but also, you would have to believe looking at their record, were never able to incorporate Murray as idealized, even if he is averaging over 20ppg.  In fact what it rather looks like his presence is negatively affecting John Collins' game.

FAIR & SQUARE

Tbh, I haven't seen the Hawks play enough this season to really pin down what their problem is.  But logic would dictate that if they haven't gotten their shit together by now, it's not suddenly going to happen against the Heat, a team who, despite disappointing this season also, at least know their identity.

WHAT WILL THE NBA DO?

I don't see any reason why the NBA would interfere in this one.  But I would presume they'd want Miami to prevail over Atlanta for a number of reasons, such as the Heat being more popular and also EC playoffs' fixtures.

RAPTORS (40-41) VS. BULLS (39-42)

Two more teams that disappointed this season.  Well, at least the Raptors are a disappointment to me, because I thought after getting a quality bigman (Jakob Poeltl) they were going to prove themselves contenders.  Instead, it's as if his presence fukedup their chemistry.  Oh well, no one was really expecting them to do anything this season anyway, I guess except the owners themselves, since they're reportedly on the verge of sacking Nick Nurse.

FAIR & SQUARE

I have to give this one to the Bulls, because their stars, and especially DeRozan, are known to be more clutch than those of the Raptors.  Imagine that, DeMar knocking his old squad out of the playoffs.

WHAT WILL THE NBA DO?

I also believe the NBA wants the Bulls to win.  Would they go as far as to rig for them?  In their eyes I don't think they'd be much of a difference between Chicago or Toronto potentially making the playoffs.  But what should be remembered is that the Bulls got all but decimated by the Bucks - who they would once again go to face in the First Round if they make it past the play-ins - during the 2022 Playoffs.

CONCLUSION

Miami also convincingly handled the Hawks the last year, which is presumably why they went out in got Dejounte in the first place.  So if nothing else, this play-in should act as a litmus test as to whether that experiment has been successful.  In other words, if they beat the Heat it may be considered a success and something to build further on.  But if not, well, don't blame the shit on John Collins.

Toronto Raptors = Potential Contenders

I only saw the Raptors play once this season, and I liked what I had seen but didn't really need to see it anyway, because I already know what Toronto is about.  When Kawhi left the Spurs, as intelligent as that organization is they still eventually had to go into a rebuild.  But when he left the Raptors they, under that dude Ujiri, stuck to their guns.

So getting near the trade deadline, when just a week ago it didn't look like shit was going to happen, everybody was like 'Toronto should trade, Toronto should trade'.  Well I saw them play around that same time against their Western rivals, the Warriors.  I don't remember if the Raptors won or not. But I do remember saying to myself that this team is only a solid C away from contending.

Fred Van Vleet may look like a miniature KAT, but besides for him they have a long roster, where only five of the players are 6'5" or shorter.  To me that's the future of the NBA, one day having teams with like five deadass Giannises, a bunch of tall dudes who can all do everything, which I would say the Raptors are perhaps more like than any other team.  But for now, you still need a center.  So I was looking at them amidst all of the speculation and saying to myself I hope they dumb out and trade anybody, because all they need is a C.

I don't know if Jakob Poeltl will fulfill that role, that he definitely has the potential.  And that's what makes the Raptors the Raptors.  You can't be up there and Canada dumbing out and shit like that.  If you do, your team will get relocated to Las Vegas or some shit.

CONCLUSION

You heard it here first - if Poeltl works out, the Raptors will be contenders.  I'm not saying they'll take the East, but in a way they do have just as much continuity as the Celtics (though not the Bucks).

How Ben Simmons Destroyed the Nets (and Sixers)

I' m no NBA insider or anything like that, so take what I say with a grain of salt.  I just base my conclusions on like how human beings naturally respond type shit.

Say what you want about KD leaving the Thunder to join the Warriors back in the day, but he did so as a free agent.  He didn't force himself off the team, but still, Westbrook caught feelings.

Around that same time or a little bit earlier, LBJ left the Heat, once again as a free agent.  And how the story is told is that D-Wade and them caught feelings.  No one seems to really care when the best player on a garbage team bounces.  But when the squad are contenders and something like that happens, it's like watching a championship trophy grow legs and walk out the door.  So how much more painful is it when you're a contender, and you star player actually forces his way off the team?

The first time I remember that happening is with the Spurs and Kawhi Leonard back around 2017 or so.  The Spurs haven't been the same since.  Then he left the Raptors, though as a free agent, and it's like, I mean it's all a matter of perspective.  If you're content with someone who has like no loyalty to your city coming in for one season to help you win a championship and then leaving immediately after, then so be it.

Back in "the Process" era, Sam Hinkie came under a lot of criticism, in part because over half of his picks didn't even pan as well as he thought.  But by the time he left Philly, they were in firm position to proceed towards a championship.  He at least got the pairing of Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons right, and the team had a whole bunch of other capital to go about assembling a contender.  This was before Jimmy Butler, during Jimmy Butler and after Jimmy Butler.  But all of that fell apart when Simmons decided he was no longer going to play.

Well actually, it wasn't totally his fault.  The Sixers had some good deals on the table but really shot themselves in the foot when they not only gave up Simmons but also two quality role players for the Beard.  I'm pro-Beard.  But that was just a bad roster decision (not to mention the further acquisition of PJ Tucker), especially when they could have went after someone like Sabonis or Lillard, unless the goal is to sell tickets more than it is winning.  So now in hindsight, unless Tyrese Maxey suddenly turns into Ja Morant or some shit, Simmons leaving was the end of an era.

And now, that brings us to the Nets.  Like I said before, Brooklyn getting Simmons, Curry and Drummond for Harden was a masterful move - if Ben Simmons actually plays.  If he had forced himself to get into playing shape before the Playoffs, the Nets would have had a chance.  But the roster is not built so that it would flourish with KD or Kyrie or running the point.  To be totally honest, it wasn't even built like that with Harden.  And they could have also used his exceptional perimeter defense, obviously.  You can dog Ben Simmons all you want for not shooting, but that's exactly the type of non-scoring, general-utility player you need on a team with KD and Kyrie.

And you know, I would really love to see KD, Kyrie and Simmons take the floor together.  To me, the current Nets roster is probably the second best in the East.  But KD is probably saying to himself right now, like who knows if or when Simmons will play anyway?  To this day people are still on Kyrie's ass for not getting vaccinated and missing games last season (like it would have made a difference).  But at least the team knew he would play if he could and would then plan accordingly.  With Ben Simmons on your roster, like you can't even make concrete plans at all.

CONCLUSION

I'm no little kid sitting behind a television imaging to myself that playing in the NBA is some type of dream job.  If someone has the opportunity to play in the NBA but decides not to, fuck it, more power to them.  But I would argue that what Simmons is doing isn't right.  Like I said before, either play or quit, because this isn't some benchwarmer we're talking about here.  And it's only him right now, you know, if he actually has decided to play next season, who can perhaps convince KD and Kyrie to stick around chillout.  You know what I mean?  Like post some workouts videos or play in a pro-am or some shit.  Or, just give it rest already.

Shoutout to DeMar DeRozan

Man, do I love a good karma story.  But on the surface, there was nothing really wrong with the DeMar DeRozan for Kawhi Leonard trade when it transpired.  Kawhi wanted out of San Antonio and not only got his wish but was also traded to a quality team.  Meanwhile the Raptors, it's like everyone knew they had to make some type of major change sooner or later since they couldn't get past Lebron in the playoffs (even though Toronto traded DeRozan the same summer LBJ went to the Lakers).  And in receiving Kawhi, they did in fact go on to win a championship.  And meanwhile for DeMar, I mean it's not like the Spurs were a garbage team when he went there.  And they did their thing with him in tow but apparently were not on par with the superteams of the day.

But that said, it ain't like DeMar wanted to be traded.  Unlike Kyle Lowry, the other star of the Raptors at the time, DeRozan was actually drafted by Toronto and up until his point had spent his entire career there.  And no one who watched him play would deny that he didn't give his all for the team, even if he isn't as good as Lebron.

Also, according to DeMar himself, Masai Ujiri, the then-President (of Basketball Operations) of the Raptors, promised him straight-up that he wasn't going to be traded, you know, right before he traded him.  So it's understandable why, from DeRozan's perspective, this wasn't a conventional case of a star player being swapped.  But Kawhi kinda got vengeance for him anyway by leaving the Raptors in a worst state than when he arrived and arguably even worst than he did the Spurs.

But the karma doesn't end there.  For as we speak it appears that DeMar, as a member of the Bulls, may be an upcoming All-Star starter.  The Bulls btw, who I believe had the best offseason of 2021 (along with the Wizards), are currently second place in the East.  Meanwhile the Raptors are in eighth place, which is still pretty good all things considered.  But I don't think anyone in their right mind would consider them better than the Bulls.

Meanwhile, Kyle Lowry isn't even on the above-hyperlinked list of potential All-Star guards and may never be an All-Star again.  And Kawhi Leonard, as great as he is, like who knows when we'll next see him on ab NBA court and if he'll even be able to reclaim his past form?  And it's sorta like this quote I came across, I believe from The Last Dance.  And that is it's cool to like have won a championship back in the day or whatever.  But the present always trumps the past.

CONCLUSION

So this is my way of congratulating DeMar DeRozan for currently being a better player than Kawhi Leonard or Kyle Lowry.  Honestly speaking, when the Raptors traded him it felt like they were dickriding (Kawhi)  which no professional, especially executives, are supposed to do.  And maybe back then they could have said it was all worth it, given that they got a championship out of Leonard's brief stint with the squad.  But when Leonard left, truth be told it also set Pascal Siakim's game back, who was like his Scottie Pippen.  And I have to believe that now the Raptors are missing DeMar, considering the way Kawhi up and left them cold and how they've more or less degenerated into a garbage squad in the aftermath.

But that siad, the Bulls have been looking hella vulnerable as of late.  And I still have to believe, if healthy, that the Heat (whom Lowry currently plays for) will take the East.

NBA Midseaon-ish Predictions (Atlantic Division)

I know that this article is mucho late, but I just don't have time to follow and critique the NBA as much as I would like.  And as such, in the name of actually giving a shoutout to every team in the league I decided to create a separate post of these predictions for each respective division.  And at the end of the day, whereas again I may not have digested as much NBA as desired, I've still seen enough to boldly make the following predictions concerning the near future of just about every NBA team:

BOSTON CELTICS

I feel that the Eastern Conference is faced with sort of a rock-paper-scissors scenario.  That is I can perceive the Celtics beating the Heat yet losing to the Bucks.  And then I can see the Heat beating the Bucks but losing to the Celtics.  So how the Celtics fare by the end of the season will be highly dependent on their seeding.  But even beyond that, their biggest concern these days really seems to be injury issues, as it is highly likely that one or more of their key players, even stars, will be injured during the Playoffs.

BROOKLYN NETS

The Nets are better without Kyrie Irving.  Even when KD comes back and wants to play with his lil homey, I'd still venture the say that the Nets would be better off without Irving.  But in reality being the dickridin organization that this is, they've basically sacrificed building an actual team to being a popular team - which actually isn't a bad decision marketing strategy.  And chances are Irving will spend swarths of next season injured also, basically meaning that we'll be seeing this current Nets' squad plus KD, which should make them twice as good. 

NEW YORK KNICKS

Recently one of those Forbes articles came out which once again concluded that the Knicks are the most-valuable team in the NBA.  This is despite them being garbage for like a good decade now.  So somebody's doing something right in that organization - it's just not winning games.

When this season began, I actually thought they had put a squad together that would at least contend for a Playoff spot.  That hasn't been the case.  But with the recent executive changes at least fans aren't as pessimistic about the immediate future of this team as they were just a month ago.

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS

I've long had issues with the Sixers due to what seems like their total disregard of continuity.  Yes, I would still say that on paper they probably have the best starting-five in the game.  But those starters aren't compatible.  Even the core of Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons aren't compatible unless they're flanked by shooters, i.e. the types of the players the Sixers' braintrust has zero respect for.  Moreover considering that Simmons is more or less afraid to shoot from long distances, it would probably be wiser having him play the 3 as opposed to the point.  I'd even go as far as to say this team should perhaps sign Isaiah Thomas, but I doubt they'd seriously entertain that idea.

TORONTO RAPTORS

I knew the Raptors were going to be good this season.  I mean winning a championship, even if your best player does bounce, tends to do that to a team.  But honestly they have exceeded my expectations as at this point they're holding onto the second seed in the East.  But with that compliment being uttered, it's difficult for me to foresee this squad actually making noise in the Playoffs.

CONCLUSION

Last season, we witnessed two Atlantic Division teams duke it out in a classic Eastern Conference Finals.  This season it's doubtful that either one of them will make it that far.

NBA Minute 190420: The Next Jordan/Pippen

SHOUTOUT TO KAWHI AND PASCAL

The closest I've seen to the next Jordan/Pippen would be Kawhi/Pascal.  And I'm not even going to try to say which one is Jordan and which one is Pippen.

The question now is do they themselves believe in a dynasty?  And then it's like Toronto has to do whatever it has to do to retain Leonard, even if it's Mr. T-ing a nigga's cheeseburgers.  Kawhi is the most-effective player defensively in the entire NBA against Golden State.  And then of course you have to make sure you have the best type of roster to capitalize on that type of dual-talent, if they don't already.  Kyle Lowry, as great as he is, is only the third or fourth-best player on this team right now.

SHOUTOUT THE BROOKLYN

The Sixers turned it up a level and started busting Brooklyn's ass.  Maybe Philly really is a superteam when they're most-renowned player is sidelined, and they still perform like this.  I think Brooklyn's biggest problem is lack of depth in the middle, because at the end of the day there are more average-sized niggas that are good at basketball than giants.

SHOUTOUT TO PATRICK BEVERLY

Reportedly the Warriors petitioned the NBA to do something about Patrick Beverly's defense after losing Game 2 to the Clippers.  Their response was apparently calling more fouls on him, which got him into foul trouble in Game 3 versus the Warriors, which Golden State won.  He was assigned to Kevin Durant, who went on to be the star of game.  But the NBA never officially chastised Beverly's defense.  So that begs the question that if they actually do let Patrick play his game, can the Clippers win the series?

NBA All-Africa Team

If tomorrow basketball replaced soccer as the number-one sport in Africa, in about 10-15 years at least 50% of the NBA would be Africans.   The NBA is estimatedto consist of about two-thirds “Black” players, the overwhelming majority of those of course being African-Americans, and genetically (sub-Saharan) Africans are more or less the same as African-Americans except with the advantage of being physically stronger due to never leaving their indigenous environment.  It would take more in-depth research to find out exactly how many African players are in the NBA (and the number's always fluctuating), but here’s the list of the best African players (by position) currently in the Association.  For the sake of reality an “African” in this article is defined as someone who has at least one African parent:

C - JOEL EMBIID (CAMEROON)

I’ve already predicted that if healthy Embiid is taking MVP this season.  The Sixers are quietly the second or third-deepest team in the NBA, and if “the Process” plays regularly they’re going to win a lot of games.

ABOUT CAMEROON

I don’t know much about Cameroon except it’s in West Africa, and the national football (soccer) team occasionally comes to Ghana to play (and vice versa). In fact that reminds me that the “Indomitable Lions” are one of only two African nations to ever win an Olympic gold medal (2000) in football.

PF - SERGE IBAKA (CONGO)

Gone are Serge’s glory days with the Thunder, but he is now an integral part of the highly-competitive Raptors, a team that could really use an adequate fourth wheel to become contenders.

ABOUT CONGO

I don’t know much about modern-day Congo besides what everyone else knows, that it’s always in the news due to an atrocious civil war.  I got a homey from there we used to call “Congo Boy” whose cool asfuk, and every time I asked him about this he would more or less ignore me.  The Congo has a long, bloody history of violence since the days of European colonialism, and the Black population of Brazil, which is the largest group of people of African descent outside of Africa, actually owe their ancestry to this part of the world, which I heard on a clear day can actually be seen from the coast of Brazil.

SF - ANDRE IGOUDALA (NIGERIA)

Although it doesn’t show in his face, I knew just based on the last name that Andre had to be an African.  During his days in Philly, Igoudala evolved into the first real “glue guy”, a jack of all trades who can serve as team leader/star even if he didn’t score a lot, and he’s still the best glue guy in the NBA.  This is likely due to his incredible strength, and I would venture to say that he’s the naturally physically-strongest player in the NBA.  (Phenotypically) Igoudala looks just like an Ewe homey I have in Madina named Anderihno, whose diesel asfuk even though he doesn’t do like jacksh*t.

ABOUT NIGERIA

Even though Angola are like the perennial African champions, I think Nigeria will be the country that first produces a team that can realistically compete for a gold medal in basketball - if they are actually given a fair shake at the Olympics.  Note that most of the players on this list aren’t even like eligible to play for their native countries and would have (and probably be proud) to compete in the Olympics as Americans instead.

SG - VICTOR OLADIPO (SIERRA LEONE & NIGERIA)

In his short career Victor is already what we could safely consider a journeyman, but he is also one of the few noticeable names to come out of the 2013 NBA Draft.  Good luck with him as a member of the Pacers this coming season.

ABOUT SIERRA LEONE

I don’t know much about Sierra Leone except again it’s always in the news for all the wrong reasons and that it’s a small country.  Not a place that I ever thought about visiting.

PG - DENNIS SCHRÖDER (GAMBIA)

It took a little bit of digging to verify this one, but as a resident of the Eastern Hemisphere myself I knew an ass-black nigga like Dennis Schröder coming out of Europe had to be from Africa, and true indeed his mom is from the Gambia.  Note that he’s currently the best player on the “German” National Team, and thank goodness he did prove to be African, or else I would have had to put Emmanuel Mudiay in this slot.

ABOUT GAMBIA

Gambia is a small Muslim country with a big river running through it and to my knowledge is the only predominantly Muslim country in West Africa.  They had some minor beef with Ghana a few years back for detaining some Ghanaian migrants, but I think that issue has been recently resolved. 

CONCLUSION

Note that four of the five countries on this list are in West Africa, the ancestral birthplace of African-Americans. The above-listed is a team that if they played cohesively could win an NBA Championship.