NBA "superstars" are embarrassing and need to be suspended

[Wolvesfan21]

Oddly enough, I think social media has had a big impact on how the referees are handling flopping. After a particularly egregious flop by SGA was shared on X thousands of times a few weeks ago, it seems like the referees were embarrassed by it, because SGA is not being rewarded nearly as much as he used to be. This may be a trend...Jokic's last two games were big free throw games for him, but he had 8 or fewer attempts in 8 of the 10 preceding games. As I said before, I'm seldom offended by something a player does to try to gain an advantage. That said, I would like it if the refs stopped rewarding flops mainly because our team isn't very good at it!

Public embarrassment is a good one. The media should really be jumping on these guys more for flopping too, call them out for being bitches.

I come from a golfers background and mentality. You don't do whatever possible it takes to win, you win or lose with class and respect the game most of all, you call yourself on penalties! These guys like Joker and SGA are not respecting the game and utterly classless.

I know some people want Ant to become a bitch and foul grifter, but I respect him more for playing the game straight up. The act of the play shouldn't be to ultimately just draw a foul, it's to make the bucket. If you also draw a foul, thats the bonus. Not the ultimate goal of the play. I don't want to watch guys hunt for fouls all game. It's not appealing obviously.

Not a golf player myself but I love the parallel! Respect the game and respect yourself! I can say with 100% confidence that we're in their position I would regard my integrity much higher than winning at all cost.

I'm glad Ant doesn't grift and the "Heys" can be mildly annoying but the dudes whistle is awful and I'd be pretty pissed too

I'm with you 100% and that's why I respect Ants game so much and he does get a shit whistle. I could take a few less heys and maybe he'd be more effective when he did "hey" the ref.

I guess sure if you can create contact and still finish great. Creating contact just to bait a foul though is ugly basketball, it's not really basketball. You're not playing the game the way it's meant to be played. The basic essence of basketball. No wonder why viewership is going down! People don't like watching it either.

I don't remember Jordan foul grifting, When he did he finished a lot too. Same with Kobe, Shaq. Etc... I think Ant can become one of these guys that carries the league, I don't think SGA or Joker have the game thats as appealing to the avg person. I think a big part of it is how they play.

[Porckchop]

Jokics game is the most appealing style of play I’ve seen since magic. Jokic just begain throwing his arms up to sell calls because I think he got tired of watching his peers continually being rewarded for flopping. I guess when in Rome. It’s necessary to stay competitive and at least he doesn’t fall to court every play. He’s smart enough not to risk injury. Besides fans have not only accepted but expected super star whistles since the Jordan years. Jokic has two games of 20 fts. Shaq has 36 and 1 with 31.

[AbeVigodaLive]

Jokics game is the most appealing style of play I’ve seen since magic. Jokic just begain throwing his arms up to sell calls because I think he got tired of watching his peers continually being rewarded for flopping. I guess when in Rome. It’s necessary to stay competitive and at least he doesn’t fall to court every play. He’s smart enough not to risk injury. Besides fans have not only accepted but expected super star whistles since the Jordan years. Jokic has two games of 20 fts. Shaq has 36 and 1 with 31.

Jokic has been crafty with the grifting for awhile now... it's not some brand-new thing. Although it could be more obvious or common this season.

As far as the Wolves own superstar... what do we want from him? Level up and maybe bring the team to the next level? Then he has to become a student of the grift. It's a MUST-HAVE skill in the NBA right now. And it would add 3 to 4 points every game. That's such a massive improvement, easily the single biggest way to improve this Wolves team.

Or, appreciate him for not grifting. It's a nice badge of honor, but it only goes for so long. In the end, it's going to cost the Wolves basketball games, which in turn, will change our perception of just how good our local superstar player really is. And less winning = more clamoring for Edwards to leave.

In addition, the NBA WANTS the grifting. They WANT the constant social media engagement about officials and flopping and all that. And that means it's not going away. As one move becomes a "point of emphasis" three more grifting moves will take its place.

Join the grift. Or lose.

[AussieWolf3]

Jokics game is the most appealing style of play I’ve seen since magic. Jokic just begain throwing his arms up to sell calls because I think he got tired of watching his peers continually being rewarded for flopping. I guess when in Rome. It’s necessary to stay competitive and at least he doesn’t fall to court every play. He’s smart enough not to risk injury. Besides fans have not only accepted but expected super star whistles since the Jordan years. Jokic has two games of 20 fts. Shaq has 36 and 1 with 31.

Jokic has been crafty with the grifting for awhile now... it's not some brand-new thing. Although it could be more obvious or common this season.

As far as the Wolves own superstar... what do we want from him? Level up and maybe bring the team to the next level? Then he has to become a student of the grift. It's a MUST-HAVE skill in the NBA right now. And it would add 3 to 4 points every game. That's such a massive improvement, easily the single biggest way to improve this Wolves team.

Or, appreciate him for not grifting. It's a nice badge of honor, but it only goes for so long. In the end, it's going to cost the Wolves basketball games, which in turn, will change our perception of just how good our local superstar player really is. And less winning = more clamoring for Edwards to leave.

In addition, the NBA WANTS the grifting. They WANT the constant social media engagement about officials and flopping and all that. And that means it's not going away. As one move becomes a "point of emphasis" three more grifting moves will take its place.

Join the grift. Or lose.

Respect your opinion, but hell no

[AbeVigodaLive]

Jokics game is the most appealing style of play I’ve seen since magic. Jokic just begain throwing his arms up to sell calls because I think he got tired of watching his peers continually being rewarded for flopping. I guess when in Rome. It’s necessary to stay competitive and at least he doesn’t fall to court every play. He’s smart enough not to risk injury. Besides fans have not only accepted but expected super star whistles since the Jordan years. Jokic has two games of 20 fts. Shaq has 36 and 1 with 31.

Jokic has been crafty with the grifting for awhile now... it's not some brand-new thing. Although it could be more obvious or common this season.

As far as the Wolves own superstar... what do we want from him? Level up and maybe bring the team to the next level? Then he has to become a student of the grift. It's a MUST-HAVE skill in the NBA right now. And it would add 3 to 4 points every game. That's such a massive improvement, easily the single biggest way to improve this Wolves team.

Or, appreciate him for not grifting. It's a nice badge of honor, but it only goes for so long. In the end, it's going to cost the Wolves basketball games, which in turn, will change our perception of just how good our local superstar player really is. And less winning = more clamoring for Edwards to leave.

In addition, the NBA WANTS the grifting. They WANT the constant social media engagement about officials and flopping and all that. And that means it's not going away. As one move becomes a "point of emphasis" three more grifting moves will take its place.

Join the grift. Or lose.

Respect your opinion, but hell no

To be fair... it's not really an opinion.

+3 or 4 points per game takes the Wolves from a mid-tier WC playoff team to a 55+ win team with homecourt in the first round.

I find the non-grifting style to be endearing and infinitely easier to root for, too. We just have to come to terms that it will cost the Wolves wins. If we're cool with that (and everything that comes with fewer wins)... cool beans.



[Note: Just this past week... we saw the Nuggets beat the Wolves in part because of some very timely grifting from Jokic (2 points here, one point there, etc.). The Nuggets are currently a #3 seed and the Wolves are #6. Take away those plays and MN is .5 game back from Denver instead of 2.5 games back.]

[Wolvesfan21]

Jokics game is the most appealing style of play I’ve seen since magic. Jokic just begain throwing his arms up to sell calls because I think he got tired of watching his peers continually being rewarded for flopping. I guess when in Rome. It’s necessary to stay competitive and at least he doesn’t fall to court every play. He’s smart enough not to risk injury. Besides fans have not only accepted but expected super star whistles since the Jordan years. Jokic has two games of 20 fts. Shaq has 36 and 1 with 31.

Jokic has been crafty with the grifting for awhile now... it's not some brand-new thing. Although it could be more obvious or common this season.

As far as the Wolves own superstar... what do we want from him? Level up and maybe bring the team to the next level? Then he has to become a student of the grift. It's a MUST-HAVE skill in the NBA right now. And it would add 3 to 4 points every game. That's such a massive improvement, easily the single biggest way to improve this Wolves team.

Or, appreciate him for not grifting. It's a nice badge of honor, but it only goes for so long. In the end, it's going to cost the Wolves basketball games, which in turn, will change our perception of just how good our local superstar player really is. And less winning = more clamoring for Edwards to leave.

In addition, the NBA WANTS the grifting. They WANT the constant social media engagement about officials and flopping and all that. And that means it's not going away. As one move becomes a "point of emphasis" three more grifting moves will take its place.

Join the grift. Or lose.

I don't think they want it at all. I find it as a bad watch ever since maybe Harden made hunting for fouls a winning strategy. Would watch lots of non Wolves matchups back in the day, now I strictly watch the Wolves. I just don't care for the brand of basketball being played a lot of the time and I just don't care to watch it.

I think you're simply turning off fans from watching, thats not a good thing.

[AussieWolf3]

Jokic has been crafty with the grifting for awhile now... it's not some brand-new thing. Although it could be more obvious or common this season.

As far as the Wolves own superstar... what do we want from him? Level up and maybe bring the team to the next level? Then he has to become a student of the grift. It's a MUST-HAVE skill in the NBA right now. And it would add 3 to 4 points every game. That's such a massive improvement, easily the single biggest way to improve this Wolves team.

Or, appreciate him for not grifting. It's a nice badge of honor, but it only goes for so long. In the end, it's going to cost the Wolves basketball games, which in turn, will change our perception of just how good our local superstar player really is. And less winning = more clamoring for Edwards to leave.

In addition, the NBA WANTS the grifting. They WANT the constant social media engagement about officials and flopping and all that. And that means it's not going away. As one move becomes a "point of emphasis" three more grifting moves will take its place.

Join the grift. Or lose.

Respect your opinion, but hell no

To be fair... it's not really an opinion.

+3 or 4 points per game takes the Wolves from a mid-tier WC playoff team to a 55+ win team with homecourt in the first round.

I find the non-grifting style to be endearing and infinitely easier to root for, too. We just have to come to terms that it will cost the Wolves wins. If we're cool with that (and everything that comes with fewer wins)... cool beans.



[Note: Just this past week... we saw the Nuggets beat the Wolves in part because of some very timely grifting from Jokic (2 points here, one point there, etc.). The Nuggets are currently a #3 seed and the Wolves are #6. Take away those plays and MN is .5 game back from Denver instead of 2.5 games back.]

Id rather watch the team I'm rooting for be entertaining and play good basketball than win at cost. I don't consider fandom a championship or bust endeavor as that is a mighty good way to guarantee that you will be disappointed.

So my hell no, is in response to your opinion (supported by facts) that the team should try to grift more. I also don't think that the league "wants" grifting but the billionaire class is so detached from what people actually want from the products they consume that they have no idea how to create a good product. Because if they did, they could have dealt with issues like this and team tanking a loonnnng time ago

[AbeVigodaLive]

Respect your opinion, but hell no

To be fair... it's not really an opinion.

+3 or 4 points per game takes the Wolves from a mid-tier WC playoff team to a 55+ win team with homecourt in the first round.

I find the non-grifting style to be endearing and infinitely easier to root for, too. We just have to come to terms that it will cost the Wolves wins. If we're cool with that (and everything that comes with fewer wins)... cool beans.



[Note: Just this past week... we saw the Nuggets beat the Wolves in part because of some very timely grifting from Jokic (2 points here, one point there, etc.). The Nuggets are currently a #3 seed and the Wolves are #6. Take away those plays and MN is .5 game back from Denver instead of 2.5 games back.]

Id rather watch the team I'm rooting for be entertaining and play good basketball than win at cost. I don't consider fandom a championship or bust endeavor as that is a mighty good way to guarantee that you will be disappointed.

So my hell no, is in response to your opinion (supported by facts) that the team should try to grift more. I also don't think that the league "wants" grifting but the billionaire class is so detached from what people actually want from the products they consume that they have no idea how to create a good product. Because if they did, they could have dealt with issues like this and team tanking a loonnnng time ago

I find the tanking stuff mostly a non-issue. They've already flattened the odds quite a bit and in a league where about 20 teams just can't get even a look from prized FAs... the draft is the only way to build. I hope they don't make it more prohibitive to bottom feeders.

But I disagree that the league hasn't been aloof at best with the grifting. I'm 99.9% certain that the NBA loves almost any online engagement... and a HUGE chunk of online discourse surrounds officiating issues. Whether it's hoops, politics, tv, online influencers or other... any publicity can be seen as good publicity. Simply, engagement farming is good for business.

In fact, online engagement is how the NBA is growing its brand across the globe. I saw a graph that showed the NBA with 210M+ social media followers. The NFL, obviously much more popular with American tv viewers and other metrics, has only 83M+ followers.

I also think the NBA's 30+ year history of player fandom > team fandom is part of this social media focus. As is the way younger generations "watch" the NBA. They're more likely to catch a few highlights on social media over watching a game for 2 hours on tv.

I've written this before, but I don't think many of us here are the target audience for the NBA. As weird as it sounds, casual fans are how the league will grow... and make money.



[Note: As far as the championship or bust mentality... as a lifelong Minnesotan, I've never taken much stock in that approach for obvious reasons. Heck, I think the Utah Jazz had an incredible run (and enviable run) throughout the 80s and 90s and into the early 2000s. Others might call that a failure for "reasons" that again elicit more engagement farming online. Again, I'll root even harder for this team if they don't grift... but it comes with a downside. Fewer wins. And eventually, fewer wins will probably not be tolerated by the team's superstar(s). History won't remember the grifting nearly as much as the champion behind the grifting.]