Around the NBA:2025-6

[AussieWolf3]

NAW was almost out of the league, Bones was out of the league, 24 ppg scorer that gets double teamed most games Cam Thomas gets waived twice in a month. I think there is enough talent in the league for 2 more teams. Hopefully Vegas doesn't become another LA/Miami where all the star players want to go there and play. We don't need another team that steals players.

That almost (maybe ?¿) Proves my point, there are guys --- particularly American athletes--- who can run the floor and score, but they lack enough all around basketball skills to be relied on to get rotation minutes.

I would estimate that every team has at 1 player that simply isn't an NBA baller, and some teams have multiple of those players in their rotation! Hell,. competitive teams like Denver this year and LAL last year have/had this problem.

I would think that if the league is really ready for two more teams, than this wouldn't be the problem.

Here is a very tangible example: Rebounding specialists. There used to be a place in the NBA for elite rebounders that couldn't do much else (think Kenneth Faried or Chris Dudley), but now there is no way those guys would get minutes because bigs these days need to have other skills besides just being a big bodied banger that crashes the glass. Andre Drummond, a former lottery pick and one-time all star early in his career, has barely hung on as a backup Center with a skill-set and game that would have made him a sure-fire starting Center and likely multiple-time all-star back in the 90s and aughts.

As for the Europeans, they are one of the reasons the NBA is more skilled that ever. It's a far more international league now than it was 20+ years ago.

This is definitely something I've thought about and probably the biggest point in favor of expansion

[Coolbreeze44]

I think there are plenty of players to support 2 expansion teams, but Aussie is right about the way the US is not developing players correctly. If you haven't done it, I would encourage you to go watch a high level AAU tournament and see how the game is being played. You would be amazed at how many players play a similar style to Ant, only without the talent. If you get your hands on the ball, you better do something with it. After all college scouts are watching and scholarships + NIL dollars are at stake. What you don't see is the free flowing, fast break, pressure defense, while making cuts and setting screens in the half court basketball that I love. Other countries are beating us at our own game.

[AbeVigodaLive]

I think there are plenty of players to support 2 expansion teams, but Aussie is right about the way the US is not developing players correctly. If you haven't done it, I would encourage you to go watch a high level AAU tournament and see how the game is being played. You would be amazed at how many players play a similar style to Ant, only without the talent. If you get your hands on the ball, you better do something with it. After all college scouts are watching and scholarships + NIL dollars are at stake. What you don't see is the free flowing, fast break, pressure defense, while making cuts and setting screens in the half court basketball that I love. Other countries are beating us at our own game.

Hell... AAU is problematic at ALL levels.

We often talk about the me-first style at the highest levels... but I find the AAU structure even more alarming at lower levels where 97% of the kids will never play college ball.

It's a money grab in every way. But today's model makes it seem like the kids are missing out on "development" if they don't play.

[Coolbreeze44]

I think there are plenty of players to support 2 expansion teams, but Aussie is right about the way the US is not developing players correctly. If you haven't done it, I would encourage you to go watch a high level AAU tournament and see how the game is being played. You would be amazed at how many players play a similar style to Ant, only without the talent. If you get your hands on the ball, you better do something with it. After all college scouts are watching and scholarships + NIL dollars are at stake. What you don't see is the free flowing, fast break, pressure defense, while making cuts and setting screens in the half court basketball that I love. Other countries are beating us at our own game.

Hell... AAU is problematic at ALL levels.

We often talk about the me-first style at the highest levels... but I find the AAU structure even more alarming at lower levels where 97% of the kids will never play college ball.

It's a money grab in every way. But today's model makes it seem like the kids are missing out on "development" if they don't play.

Amen Sir

[WildWolf2813]

it's Tim

and if he leaves, I guess I'd be OK with it, only it leaves the POBO job as a less than desirable job for the next guy since he's cleaned us out of assets.

Really? Do you think Rudy, Randle, DDV, Jaden, Beringer, and this year's 1st rounder aren't assets?

It's not exactly a war chest, but I think there are assets that can be further harvested, traded, or developed.

Rudy? No because his value to someone else is nonexistent til Beringer is ready, whenever that is.

DDV? 1 year left. He might have some value. His value will decrease once he gets the kind of money Naz gets.

McDaniels? They're not moving him unless they're getting Giannis, so his value is more for us.

Beringer? Kinda pointless to move him if he's there to succeed Gobert.

This year's first? Not an asset.

[WildWolf2813]

there is a talent deficit in the league, definitely enough to not want 2 more teams.

at the end of the day, we see all this supposed top end talent and these teams take em and still think it's not enough and many times they're right. Nobody wants to take a guy, go full steam ahead only to find out the ceiling is low.


The Nets are in a position where they have a really good coach and the team is super green. They play anywhere from 3-5 rookies at a time. They're just searching for a top end talent. At their best, they're feisty and might steal a win. At their best, 25-27 wins is doable, but what does that do?

The league has never had more talent than right now. Roster building is not about talent. It is about fit and chemistry. So you can have good players and still suck.

Yeah, mostly agree. We've seen how the demise of "super-friends" teams in the recent past (Brooklyn, Phoenix, Clippers) has been overtaken by mostly organic roster-builds through smart drafting and adroit trades. The fact the Wolves can barely secure a 5th or 6th seed in the West goes to show just how damn good the league is now.

The Wolves can barely hold onto a 6th seed because we have talented idiots.

[Coolbreeze44]

Love seeing the Lakers get blitzed by OKC. Man, I hate that team.

[FNG]

Love seeing the Lakers get blitzed by OKC. Man, I hate that team.

Hahaha, I know, Cool! And you're gonna get a lot of chances to hate them later this month...we're gonna smoke 'em!

[Coolbreeze44]

Love seeing the Lakers get blitzed by OKC. Man, I hate that team.

Hahaha, I know, Cool! And you're gonna get a lot of chances to hate them later this month...we're gonna smoke 'em!

I hope you're right. Color me skeptical.

[TheFuture]

I think there are plenty of players to support 2 expansion teams, but Aussie is right about the way the US is not developing players correctly. If you haven't done it, I would encourage you to go watch a high level AAU tournament and see how the game is being played. You would be amazed at how many players play a similar style to Ant, only without the talent. If you get your hands on the ball, you better do something with it. After all college scouts are watching and scholarships + NIL dollars are at stake. What you don't see is the free flowing, fast break, pressure defense, while making cuts and setting screens in the half court basketball that I love. Other countries are beating us at our own game.

Hell... AAU is problematic at ALL levels.

We often talk about the me-first style at the highest levels... but I find the AAU structure even more alarming at lower levels where 97% of the kids will never play college ball.

It's a money grab in every way. But today's model makes it seem like the kids are missing out on "development" if they don't play.

I mean, it has been that way for 3+ decades. They just got sick of arguing about it, and made it all legal.