Around the NBA 2026-27

[Q-is-here]

The misery for Charlotte continues. Now 3-6 with the NBA's worst offensive rating. Gee, ya think they miss LaMelo??

I know they have had a couple of guys out (like nearly every other team these days), but the majority of their roster is healthy, including Naz, the key player they got in exchange for Ball. Don't look at his Net Rating and Net On/Off Rating! It's ugly. I don't think he's having a great time there....

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If Ball was traded because he didn't fit "Charlotte culture", then this is example #1,267 of why talent > culture in the NBA. Culture matters, but it simply can't make up for a shortage of elite talent. I think one of Finch's strengths is to incorporate flawed, but talented players - including less-than-ideal cultural fits like Julius - into winning basketball. Rather than focusing on their weaknesses, he embraces their strengths and makes the most of them.

While I agree that Ball's impact is significant and Charlotte misses him...

... Coby White (even if overrated) has only played 34 minutes this season. Kon Knueppel has played only 6 minutes. Brandon Miller has been overwhelmed as the #1 option without Ball and Knueppel's gravity.

3 starters (Miller, Shroder and someone named Sion James) are shooting below 37%. Heck, it's four players if you count White's appearances.

Our guy Naz showed some creative chops in his first game with 7 assists and 1 TO. He's had only 10 assists and 23 TOs since.

Meanwhile, in Minnesota...

Understood on Coby and Kon, but nearly everyone has injuries. Hell, we're missing Ant, DDV, and now Shannon. At this point, anyone fielding a roster with all of their top 7 or 8 guys healthy and playing is the exception, not the rule.

[Monster]

The loud online posters on reddit and youtube that swore Utah was going to be a top 4 seed this year have to be in shambles. 1-7 start to season after dropping one to the Pelicans last night. You can't go from tanking multiple seasons developing losing habits, to just turning it on. Yes they have some injuries, but they were pretty overrated coming into the season

What drugs were they on?

I could maybe been on the if they stay relatively healthy ( big if for a couple guys) they could be around .500 and therefore have a legit shot at the playoffs. Their bench is not great. So far Jackson Hayes has played the 5rh most minutes and Svi is 6th. Thats BAD.

[Q-is-here]

The Wolves would be the 4th seed in the East right now. The Atlanta Hawks, the current 4th seed in the East, would be the 10th seed in the West. Unbelievable. Some things never change.

[AbeVigodaLive]

The misery for Charlotte continues. Now 3-6 with the NBA's worst offensive rating. Gee, ya think they miss LaMelo??

I know they have had a couple of guys out (like nearly every other team these days), but the majority of their roster is healthy, including Naz, the key player they got in exchange for Ball. Don't look at his Net Rating and Net On/Off Rating! It's ugly. I don't think he's having a great time there....

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If Ball was traded because he didn't fit "Charlotte culture", then this is example #1,267 of why talent > culture in the NBA. Culture matters, but it simply can't make up for a shortage of elite talent. I think one of Finch's strengths is to incorporate flawed, but talented players - including less-than-ideal cultural fits like Julius - into winning basketball. Rather than focusing on their weaknesses, he embraces their strengths and makes the most of them.

While I agree that Ball's impact is significant and Charlotte misses him...

... Coby White (even if overrated) has only played 34 minutes this season. Kon Knueppel has played only 6 minutes. Brandon Miller has been overwhelmed as the #1 option without Ball and Knueppel's gravity.

3 starters (Miller, Shroder and someone named Sion James) are shooting below 37%. Heck, it's four players if you count White's appearances.

Our guy Naz showed some creative chops in his first game with 7 assists and 1 TO. He's had only 10 assists and 23 TOs since.

Meanwhile, in Minnesota...

Understood on Coby and Kon, but nearly everyone has injuries. Hell, we're missing Ant, DDV, and now Shannon. At this point, anyone fielding a roster with all of their top 7 or 8 guys healthy and playing is the exception, not the rule.

While injuries are part of the game... depth varies from team to team. Obviously, Minnesota is deeper than Charlotte.

That's a different discussion than Charlotte making a mistake by trading Ball. (Which very well could be true... but a different discussion.) Heck, his injury history might have played a factor in moving on from him since they questioned whether they had the depth to stay afloat if he was to get injured again.

[FNG]

The Wolves would be the 4th seed in the East right now. The Atlanta Hawks, the current 4th seed in the East, would be the 10th seed in the West. Unbelievable. Some things never change.

Ha, yeah. I don't think I was alone in predicting the East would be stronger than the West this season. But here we are just 10 games in, and the West is already 13 games over .500.

[Monster]

The Wolves would be the 4th seed in the East right now. The Atlanta Hawks, the current 4th seed in the East, would be the 10th seed in the West. Unbelievable. Some things never change.

Ha, yeah. I don't think I was alone in predicting the East would be stronger than the West this season. But here we are just 10 games in, and the West is already 13 games over .500.

It's also still pretty early and some East teams that likely will be pretty good teams are underachieving. Let's see what things look like in another 10 games. Of the teams that are supposed to be good I could see Miami struggling a while longer before getting things kinda figured out. I would be more skeptical if Spo wasn't such a good coach.

[Lipoli390]

https://youtube.com/shorts/9N4Av2yxIW4? ... 6O5dGlR4Po

Very sad. Naz is obviously in a mental funk. I hope he gets his mind right.

But let’s not gloss over the fact that the talent around Naz isn’t very impressive. The Hornets organization clearly failed to grasp the enormous positive impact LaMelo had on that team. When I hear their coach say Naz didn’t play up to the team’s standards I’m reminded of the Hornets front office comment that Ball didn’t live up to the “Hornets culture.” They have an NBA franchise in Charlotte that seems to be just a bit delusional to say the least.


Naz needs to get his head on straight, but so does the Hornets organization.

[FNG]

https://youtube.com/shorts/9N4Av2yxIW4? ... 6O5dGlR4Po

Very sad. Naz is obviously in a mental funk. I hope he gets his mind right.

But let’s not gloss over the fact that the talent around Naz isn’t very impressive. The Hornets organization clearly failed to grasp the enormous positive impact LaMelo had on that team. When I hear their coach say Naz didn’t play up to the team’s standards I’m reminded of the Hornets front office comment that Ball didn’t live up to the “Hornets culture.” They have an NBA franchise in Charlotte that seems to be just a bit delusional to say the least.


Naz needs to get his head on straight, but so does the Hornets organization.

Yeah, well said, Lip. Naz's numbers are very bad compared to his usual...only a 50.6 TS% and more turnovers than assists. It may be because he's getting used to a new team, or it may be that he's better in a 6th man role than starting. Whatever it is, it's not working. And it appears we dodged a bullet...we upgraded at the PF position, and substituted giddy (Ball) for moody (Naz/Ju). I'll always cheer for Naz and hope he figures it out, but TC looks better and better every day.

(not to mention Jaden is hilarious in the TSR commercials!).

[AussieWolf3]

(not to mention Jaden is hilarious in the TSR commercials!).

You can tell he's really excited about it too

[FNG]

(not to mention Jaden is hilarious in the TSR commercials!).

You can tell he's really excited about it too

It's interesting, Aussie...Jon K asked Donte on his podcast who his funniest teammate was. I thought for sure he would say Ant or Bones. But he said Jaden! He said something like "you guys all think Jaden is so quiet and reserved, but he cracks me up everyday!". Who would have guessed that?