NBA 2025-26 NBA Thread

[Valparaiso]

Shai is a great player, but for me he's not esthetically pleasing to watch, with his nonstop exaggerated head & body reactions and crazy theatrical eyes that oversell every bump, even the ones he initiates. Jokic reacts less to actual hacks than Shai does to incidental contact.

 

[ambchang]

Jokic is simply unreal. I know rules, play styles and pace have all changed and it leads to some crazy stats in today's era, but offensively I just cannot see anyone better than Jokic, ever. Not Jordan, not Bird, not Chamberlain. It is absolutely unreal. He is currently at 52.7 in assist %. I am no even sure how that is possible for a non-PG, let alone a centrr. Sure, small sample and what not, but he have had 5 seasons previously where he had over 40%! As a comparison:

• The player he is most often compared to, Bird, never cracked 30% once.
• Wilt's year where he led the league in assists, he had 23.2.
• Walton, the previous best passing big ever, cracked 20 twice (high of 22.8).
• Jokic's numbers are those of Magic (40+ in 8 out of 13 seasons), Westbrook (stat pad king), Harden, and Rondo, who are all PGs.
• Stockton was at another level where he had 50.2 for his career, and only fell below 40 once (his rookie year), but we all know Stockton does nothing but assist-pad and the Jazz ran the entire offence through him.
• Others like Chris Paul, Steve Nash have better assists% numbers overall but again, they are all PGs. While Jokic also gets much lower TO% than those PGs.

Jokic basically is an al-time best PG level in asissts, and on top of that he scores! And he sets awesome screens! And he gets offensive rebounds. he basically does every offensive category at an all time elite level.

I believe there is some bias towards today's NBA, as we also have Doncic, Trae Young and Haliburton putting up some insane numbers as well (on offense). The rules have changed to benefit them, and the open court with movement as well 3s allows for way easier offensive management. Still, other than Doncic, nobody else is able to put everything together, offensively, like Jokic can, and Jokic does the other little things as well.

 

[ambchang]

OKC is doing well, but at least statistically, they are not ridiculously far ahead of everyone else.

Their simple rating system (a combination of net rating and strength of schedule) still puts them 1st at 11.14, but the Nuggets are at 10.31 and the Rockets are at 9.7 (We are ranked #9 with 4.71, even though our NRtg is 4th at 6.8 because our strength of schedule is sitting at 25th in the league). OKC looks good, no doubt about it, especially with the beat down they had on the Warriors and the Lakers.

 

[Valparaiso]

So old he broke his hip.

His hip snapped while he was trying to get his AARP card out of his wallet.

 

[Valparaiso]

Jokic is simply unreal. I know rules, play styles and pace have all changed and it leads to some crazy stats in today's era, but offensively I just cannot see anyone better than Jokic, ever. Not Jordan, not Bird, not Chamberlain. It is absolutely unreal. He is currently at 52.7 in assist %. I am no even sure how that is possible for a non-PG, let alone a centrr. Sure, small sample and what not, but he have had 5 seasons previously where he had over 40%! As a comparison:

• The player he is most often compared to, Bird, never cracked 30% once.
• Wilt's year where he led the league in assists, he had 23.2.
• Walton, the previous best passing big ever, cracked 20 twice (high of 22.8).
• Jokic's numbers are those of Magic (40+ in 8 out of 13 seasons), Westbrook (stat pad king), Harden, and Rondo, who are all PGs.
• Stockton was at another level where he had 50.2 for his career, and only fell below 40 once (his rookie year), but we all know Stockton does nothing but assist-pad and the Jazz ran the entire offence through him.
• Others like Chris Paul, Steve Nash have better assists% numbers overall but again, they are all PGs. While Jokic also gets much lower TO% than those PGs.

Jokic basically is an al-time best PG level in asissts, and on top of that he scores! And he sets awesome screens! And he gets offensive rebounds. he basically does every offensive category at an all time elite level.

I believe there is some bias towards today's NBA, as we also have Doncic, Trae Young and Haliburton putting up some insane numbers as well (on offense). The rules have changed to benefit them, and the open court with movement as well 3s allows for way easier offensive management. Still, other than Doncic, nobody else is able to put everything together, offensively, like Jokic can, and Jokic does the other little things as well.

Aaron Gordon might be a bit better than Horace Grant and I'd say Jamal Murray has an impact similar to Toni Kukoc, but Jokic has never had a teammate at the level of Pippen or Rodman... at best he had MPJ as a Ron Harper or Steve Kerr level depth guy rounding out his team. Jokic has never had an All-Star, All-NBA, or All-Defensive teammate.

 

[STAT88]

It’s looking like the Nuggets will be the main challenger to OKC and the only real hope of stopping a repeat/3-peat.

I also give the Rockets an outside chance against OKC. I can’t see anyone in the East beating Denver let alone OKC.

Back to Denver, Cam Johnson has been incredibly underwhelming offensively however it looks like the Nuggets have taken a major leap defensively this year and even taken a step offensively.

Last season they had a NTRG of 3.8 (ORTG: 118.9, DRTG: 115.1)

This season they have a NTRG 13.3 (ORTG: 122.6, DRTG: 109.6)

Adding JV, Bruce Brown and Hardaway to replace Deandre Jordan and Westbrick has been a definite improvement quality and also depth. But I also think Cam Johnson replacing MPJ has helped them defensively and he still provides spacing for others to operate despite shooting an abysmal 22% from 3 so far.

The fourth WCSF team will probably come from LA, Minny, GS. I can’t see the Spurs winning a series against any of those 3 teams at this stage, maybe Minny due to being a more favourable matchup. GS too experienced and the ref whistle for Steph flailing and Draymonds moving screens/blocking. Luka is very hard to beat in a series, especially a young team like the Spurs.

 

[STAT88]

JMark your suns are looking very good. I had them in the bottom end of the play-in fight coming into the season as I felt like it would be a positive for them swapping out Durants old no defense playing ass with quality size in the middle (Williams), defense and off ball shooting on the wings (Brooks) and putting the ball in Bookers hands more and moving defenses around with penetration as opposed to Durants stagnant isolation type offense.

 

[Lefty20]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1988991094558695442

 

[STAT88]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1988991094558695442

Spurs fans should be thankful this guy played a huge part in getting Dylan Harper.

 

[bozhemoi]

Half the board was screaming for Ajay Mitchell on draft night so of course we trade the pick and end up with some nobody that's never even gonna sniff the league.

Cheaping out on 2nd rounders is gonna cost the Spurs eventually tbh.

Who was screaming for Ajay Mitchell? I saw way more Cody Williams voters that anything like Ajay Mitchell.

 

[Shmurs]

Mitchell is fine. He’s not a needle mover on a team like ours. If he’s drafted by a different team you probably get a Grimes-level asset.

It’s good guard depth. Better than McLaughlin. But not something to lose sleep over.

 

[Lefty20]

Spurs fans should be thankful this guy played a huge part in getting Dylan Harper.

And he was definitely a positive in Castle's development. I ain't mad, tbh.

 

[Valparaiso]

Cedric Coward ranks #1 in latest ESPN ROY ranking

NBA rookie rankings: Where do Flagg, Edgecombe and more land early this season?

From top-10 picks to late first-round draft steals, who are the top rookies that have impressed early this season?

www.espn.com

NBA.com has it:
1. Kneuppel
2. Coward
3. Flagg
4. Edgecombe

Kia Rookie Ladder: Hornets' duo makes its mark in Top 5

Changes mark the Rookie Ladder as Charlotte big men Kon Knueppel and Ryan Kalkbrenner stand tall in the Top 5.

www.nba.com

 

[scott]

Who was screaming for Ajay Mitchell? I saw way more Cody Williams voters that anything like Ajay Mitchell.

There were a handful of us.

 

[bozhemoi]

There were a handful of us.

Everyone conveniently forgets their bad takes.

 

[scott]

Everyone conveniently forgets their bad takes.

Want to lay out all yours? Otherwise, what's the point of this?

 

[Valparaiso]

Atlanta just beat Utah, making them 8-5 on the season. They were 1-3 with Trae before he got injured, and are 7-2 without him.

 

[Raven_]

Cedric Coward ranks #1 in latest ESPN ROY ranking

NBA rookie rankings: Where do Flagg, Edgecombe and more land early this season?

From top-10 picks to late first-round draft steals, who are the top rookies that have impressed early this season?

www.espn.com

NBA.com has it:
1. Kneuppel
2. Coward
3. Flagg
4. Edgecombe

Kia Rookie Ladder: Hornets' duo makes its mark in Top 5

Changes mark the Rookie Ladder as Charlotte big men Kon Knueppel and Ryan Kalkbrenner stand tall in the Top 5.

www.nba.com

just trying to make it interesting tbh

 

[Quentin_Compson]

It’s looking like the Nuggets will be the main challenger to OKC and the only real hope of stopping a repeat/3-peat.

I also give the Rockets an outside chance against OKC. I can’t see anyone in the East beating Denver let alone OKC.

Back to Denver, Cam Johnson has been incredibly underwhelming offensively however it looks like the Nuggets have taken a major leap defensively this year and even taken a step offensively.

Last season they had a NTRG of 3.8 (ORTG: 118.9, DRTG: 115.1)

This season they have a NTRG 13.3 (ORTG: 122.6, DRTG: 109.6)

Adding JV, Bruce Brown and Hardaway to replace Deandre Jordan and Westbrick has been a definite improvement quality and also depth. But I also think Cam Johnson replacing MPJ has helped them defensively and he still provides spacing for others to operate despite shooting an abysmal 22% from 3 so far.

The fourth WCSF team will probably come from LA, Minny, GS. I can’t see the Spurs winning a series against any of those 3 teams at this stage, maybe Minny due to being a more favourable matchup. GS too experienced and the ref whistle for Steph flailing and Draymonds moving screens/blocking. Luka is very hard to beat in a series, especially a young team like the Spurs.

I agree that the Nuggets are really looking good. Jokic is his usual ridiculously great self, and they seem a deeper team with their offseason acquisitions. But I think some of their early season defensive numbers are probably a bit fluky. According to Basketball Reference, their opponents are only shooting 31,7 % from downtown so far, which will probably regress to the mean at least somewhat.

 

[Mugen]

Who was screaming for Ajay Mitchell? I saw way more Cody Williams voters that anything like Ajay Mitchell.

Cody Williams was a lottery pick. Ajay was a 2nd rounder in a shitty draft.

Ton of people on ST were eyeing Mitchell with our early 2nd rounder that year. People were fine with Furphy as well. Instead the Spurs sold off the pick and traded for a guy that can't even shoot in a Spanish league.

 

[LeBowen]

Instead the Spurs sold off the pick

Project Marvel isn't going to fund itself, tbh.
What do you think those ~20 SRPs we have are for?

 

[brazil]

Jokic is simply unreal. I know rules, play styles and pace have all changed and it leads to some crazy stats in today's era, but offensively I just cannot see anyone better than Jokic, ever. Not Jordan, not Bird, not Chamberlain. It is absolutely unreal. He is currently at 52.7 in assist %. I am no even sure how that is possible for a non-PG, let alone a centrr. Sure, small sample and what not, but he have had 5 seasons previously where he had over 40%! As a comparison:

• The player he is most often compared to, Bird, never cracked 30% once.
• Wilt's year where he led the league in assists, he had 23.2.
• Walton, the previous best passing big ever, cracked 20 twice (high of 22.8).
• Jokic's numbers are those of Magic (40+ in 8 out of 13 seasons), Westbrook (stat pad king), Harden, and Rondo, who are all PGs.
• Stockton was at another level where he had 50.2 for his career, and only fell below 40 once (his rookie year), but we all know Stockton does nothing but assist-pad and the Jazz ran the entire offence through him.
• Others like Chris Paul, Steve Nash have better assists% numbers overall but again, they are all PGs. While Jokic also gets much lower TO% than those PGs.

Jokic basically is an al-time best PG level in asissts, and on top of that he scores! And he sets awesome screens! And he gets offensive rebounds. he basically does every offensive category at an all time elite level.

I believe there is some bias towards today's NBA, as we also have Doncic, Trae Young and Haliburton putting up some insane numbers as well (on offense). The rules have changed to benefit them, and the open court with movement as well 3s allows for way easier offensive management. Still, other than Doncic, nobody else is able to put everything together, offensively, like Jokic can, and Jokic does the other little things as well.

Jokic also shoots 40% on 3s on 4,5 attempts per game and he is 80%+ on FTs. He is better, taller, stronger version of Magic tbh who was a PG Center at both PG and Center.. crazy.

 

[LeBowen]

To put things into perspective, best box plus/minus seasons.

 

[Valparaiso]

Immanuel Quickley's last 5 games:

pts/assists/rebounds/steals/TOs/ +/-

25/6/1/0/2/ +13
24/5/8/2/1/ +20
22/6/6/0/1/ -8
18/6/5/3/2/ +5
15/7/6/1/1 +11

Immanuel Quickley Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more | Basketball-Reference.com

Checkout the latest stats of Immanuel Quickley. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, draft status, shoots, school and more on Basketball-Reference.com

www.basketball-reference.com

 

[bozhemoi]

Cody Williams was a lottery pick. Ajay was a 2nd rounder in a shitty draft.

Ton of people on ST were eyeing Mitchell with our early 2nd rounder that year. People were fine with Furphy as well. Instead the Spurs sold off the pick and traded for a guy that can't even shoot in a Spanish league.

My point is that everyone swears this was their pick when they're also the same types who swore Ryan Rupert had to be our pick or another few dozen of complete failures. Sure, a few people might have liked Ajay Mitchell. They also liked bombs. No one is impressed.