[NorrinRaddParticipant]

Wembanyama is shut down for the season, guess the Spurs are added to the list.

[HitsterParticipant]

The Spurs would love anything in the top 4 I’d not personally want to see Flagg and Wemby playing as a duo as their games are a bit similar. But I’d love the Spurs to get someone like Ace.

Do teams like Philly keep Embeast sat out or try for the play in. The lottery changes with 4 spots up for grabs has certainly made things more interesting.

[OhCanada-Participant]

Philly is doomed right now with or without Embiid. It doesnt really matter. When Embiid plays the team chemistry is off and the body language is terrible. When he doesn’t play they lack talent. Either way unless things have changed since the allstar break they suck. I watched Toronto beat them before the break and Tyrese Maxey only took 2 shots in the first 3 quarters, finished 1 for 9 with 4 turnovers. There were clearly issues. Theyve been trying to win games.|

I don’t think Norrin was suggesting they shutdown Wemby to tank hes just saying they might as well improve their lottery odds now that its happened. I also dont think the Spurs can tank. I mean I guess you could find a way to sit out Fox but say what you want about Paul but when you have him on your roster you arent really able to bottom out because he’s been reinforcing positive habits and a winning mentality in all these young players and they have been practicing them and improving on those teachings so to just shut all of that down and make a push to lose would not be good.

[BothTeamsPlayedHard-Participant]

The Spurs traded for De’Aaron Fox on February 3rd. It is February 20th. The Spurs aren’t shutting down Wemby to tank. They are shutting him down because deep vein thrombosis is a serious thing, and the long-term diagnosis and treatment should not be rushed. Just think about the math for a second. Right now, the Spurs have a 4.5% chance to get the #1 pick. If they trot out their two-ways, Blake Wesley, Charles Bassey, and Mamu the rest of the way, they might get to 9%, but probably less. This isn’t something they wanted to do.

[NorrinRaddParticipant]

it’s not what they wanted, but now they’re likely on the tank list. Maybe not though, we’ll see.

[HitsterParticipant]

The Spurs will still be playing to win but when we have two teams near the top of the lottery meeting there is almost less incentive to raise your game than when you are playing a contender.

The Spurs currently have something like 9th pick and then 12th via Atlanta so already have nice draft options.

I hope this won’t be a long term problem with Wemby as he must take a lot of flights and DVT is always a worry there. We need a fit and healthy Wemby to be one of the league’s top stars over the next decade.

[HitsterParticipant]

The Spurs can try a few things out minus Wemby and Stephon Castle’s RoY odds have probably shortened now.

[HitsterParticipant]

The Spurs are rebuilding steadily, if they had been in a rush they would have drafted with the 8th pick last year instead of adding future assets. They have Wemby, Castle and now Fox as their core. Vassell possibly too, Barnes can be a role player for a few more years and I can see CP3 looking to finish his career there – Wemby surely gives him a good a chance of a title as anywhere else in next few years.

Sochan will be due an extension too this year and if the Spurs get lucky in this year’s lottery they could be a force next season. The team has lost a number of tight games this year I noticed. Is this due to Pops not being there to make some key calls I wonder.

[NorrinRaddParticipant]

If the Spurs are anywhere picking in the top 3 – lets just say they’d be primed to be very good for a long time… And Cooper Flagg would be an even better fit than Ace… Ace Bailey would be a perfect fit too, but Flagg makes any team in the league immensely better the second he steps on the court as an NBA player… both players should have a great career, but Cooper’s on another level.

[HitsterParticipant]

Cooper and Wemby together with Castle there too would be one of the great defensive line ups. Fox runs the point and you find the best pure shooting SG you can.

[HitsterParticipant]

Talk that Embiid is looking at other options as regards his ongoing knee issue including possible surgery. I could see him being shut down and the 76ers going into full tank mode. If they could get Embiid sound again and keep their own draft pick then they could improve for a run or two with Embeast and PG13. Also if they land an elite prospect they would have Maxey and him going forward.

[NorrinRaddParticipant]

Embiid is a walking what if story already. Jokic to me is better – and has been better at both there peaks for quite some time now… it’s too bad, Embiid’s prime should be about now and – well he’s too injured to be. Anthony Davis is a great player but shared a similar fate in his career.

[HitsterParticipant]

Embiid it was waiting for him to play (sat out two years I think) then he was seen as the next superstar big man but wasn’t that durable. The two scoring titles and MVP award but then the injury last season from which he possibly rushed back and might now need further surgery.

Embiid has 452 regular season NBA games, AD has played 779 regular seasson games and Jokic 726 games. AD was drafted in 2012 and Jokic and Embiid in 2014. AD had the two seasons 20-21 and 21-22 when he missed a lot of games but his durability is much near Jokic’s than Embiid’s..

Could AD have challenged for an MVP award being on the same team as LeBron I don’t know but that window was probably 21 to 24.

[NorrinRaddParticipant]

No, only because LeBron has to be the reason when AD was on the team… AD imo is better than LeBron if he gets the usage.

[HitsterParticipant]

AD should really have become a better player than LBJ past 2020 but AD had a couple of injury hit years and LBJ still played to an elite level. I wonder if LBJ gets a new deal this summer does he get an NTC but the Lakers had offers for him before when he didn’t have one so he could have been traded regardless of who he is.

[HitsterParticipant]

Embeast out for the season so looks like Philly are entering the stakes fully.

[NorrinRaddParticipant]

I hope it backfires, not a fan of the tank… But I do get it, I’d do the same thing.

[OhCanada-Participant]

They probably win more games without him.

[Andrew1984Participant]

Before the season started and throughout most of it, I had a gut feeling that Brooklyn would somehow end up with the No. 1 overall pick. I don’t know why, but I could just see Cooper Flagg in Brooklyn. He’s from the NE; it’s a big market, it just seemed like their turn. But the Nets have not tanked very effectively; right now they’re tied for the 6th worst record; the odds are just too long. So I’m now switching my prediction to Utah, reviving the excitement of Stockton-to-Malone. Things have a way of working out for Danny Ainge.

[BothTeamsPlayedHard-Participant]

I guess I have a very different viewpoint on the gap between a 14% chance of landing the top pick and a 9% chance. The odds are long no matter what, which is theoretically why the league flattened the lottery. Tanking doesn’t really get you great odds.

That, of course, assumes the rise of tanking was based on a real world view of team building where everybody is chasing all of Sam Hinkie’s banners in Philadelphia and not the wild fiction of teams shedding payroll to maximize owner profits and maximize time frames for executives by selling hope instead of hard work and smart decisions.

[HitsterParticipant]

Philly could be back in “Trust the process” if they get lucky in the lottery. If Embeast ever gets sound, PG13 has one or two more good seasons plus Maxey and the draft pick and you have a contending team potentially.

As a neutral Brooklyn would be a good choice to get the top pick or a very good pick. A lot of the moves this summer will involve the Knicks and their cap space. Plus Danny Ainge won’t be far behind.

[BothTeamsPlayedHard-Participant]

Dallas winning the lottery would be hilarious, and trigger conspiracy theories even Aaron Rodgers couldn’t believe.

[OhCanada-Participant]

Even if they get a top 4 pick.

[NorrinRaddParticipant]

I’m rooting for Toronto to get Cooper Flagg!!! Might as well, I have no dog in this fight. We’re going to hear conspiracy theories for at least half the teams that can get the first pick.

[HitsterParticipant]

Dallas have never won the lottery either. If the Spurs come out lucky again then people would start moaning. They have a pretty good perhaps the best success rate with their first picks.

[HitsterParticipant]

DeAndre Fox to have season ending surgery on a finger injury. I guess Stephon Castle can get a run as a starter now and increase his RoY chances even more.

The Spurs I could see reducing CP3 and Harrison Barnes’ minutes too. They might as well look to maximize their draft status.

[HitsterParticipant]

PG13 shut down for the season by Philly. So they are all in for the Cooper Flagg stakes too.

[Author]

Posts