Southwest Division preview
Reminder that power isn't something you earn, power is something you take.
PREVIOUSLY: ATLANTIC, SOUTHEAST, PACIFIC.
DALLAS MAVERICKS
Last season: 39-43, fell in Play-In, traded Luka Dončić for some reason?
Offseason: earned the No. 1 pick, for some reason? Everything's legal now.
C: Dereck Lively – yeah, they're really going for it. Waves of depth be damned, Jason Kidd is running huge. I'm in favor, in principle, 7-footers are taller than 6-footers. Also because lets try this shit: Lively shouldn't be treated like a bit player but the idea is enticing, its application in Dallas a luxury: Lively lays the onus on the referees in the opening minutes of each half while gobbling numbers on both ends. It throws a bone toward Lively (22 midseason), and it allows Anthony Davis to call himself a "forward."
C/F: Anthony Davis – if he can do forward stuff alongside Lively and Daniel Gafford, sure. These aren't the ideal 3-and-D centers to play above Anthony Davis, but it has dunk appeal. Jason Kidd, the CEO coach best used to saving his own ass above others, might be the best person to handle all this nonsense.
F: Cooper Flagg – same age as LeBron when James began his pro turn, Flagg will try to fit in tastefully but he can't help but put up numbers.
F: P.J Washington – much talent on these Mavericks but these Mavericks require tangible buckets and occasional passing in Kyrie Irving's absence, actual box score contributions, this is where Mr. Washington (only 27) works well.
SG: Klay Thompson – positively Klay Thompson-like in his first year with the Mavericks, will turn 36 midseason and be asked to crank up the usage to GSW-levels with Irving sidelined.
When will Jason Kidd, ex-NBA point guard, field a team featuring an NBA point guard? D'Angelo Russell is the best option here, a scoring lead guard who during a brief return to the Nets late in 2024-25 dropped his shot in favor of slipping Rajon Rondo-like passes through unsuspecting defenses. Can be argued his shot dropped him. D'Angelo turns 30 midseason and started 536 times in 629 opportunities.
We're convinced Dennis Smith Jr. can still get at it, right? Not yet 28, worked in Real Madrid last season (he might be a little handcheck-y because he's used to playing real basketball). Here for defense and transition bursts on a team which desperately needs backcourt athleticism.
Dante Exum is perhaps the best of all three PG4JK candidates, his coach knows him best, sometimes that's what matters most. That, and the shoe company. And the player's agent's history with the franchise. And the salary. Also, there might be off-court distractions, personal issues, money or relationships or both. Plus the point guard's individual interactions with the other four starters. Beyond that, though, it's all about Coach and Player.
Daniel Gafford missed 21 games down the stretch of 2024-25 and the Mavericks won nine of them, didn't matter, they weren't climbing out of the Play-In with regular season wins ... Dwight Powell is still here, mostly for Dirk stories.
If Caleb Martin doesn't return into a replacement-level helper it probably doesn't matter, the team has Naji Marshall and Max Christie.
Marshall attempted way fewer threes in his first season with the Mavericks, more interior looks, these looks suited him: 13.2 points per game (though his three-point percentage dropped from 39 in New Orleans to 27).
Christie turns 23 midseason, a volume three-point guy who makes an average amount of threes, a supposed-to-be defender. Still, long, young, rangy. I don't think I've used "rangy," yet. I love doing these, I'm having the time of my life doing these, thank you for reading them.
Brandon Williams got a full-time gig with the Mavs late last season after averaging 16 points and four assists off the bench in March, nailing 62 percent of his twos.
Jaden Hardy is pugnacious defensively and gets to the line, point guard-size but a shooting guard's appetite, good enough to win NBA games in the third quarter.
Moussa Cisse, undrafted 23-year old 6-10 big who worked at Memphis, Ole Miss and Oklahoma State, battled journeyman Jeremiah Robinson-Earl for a final roster spot and, like, was there a livestream for this or will there be clips on social later or, what.
Like I'm going to pretend to know what's going on with ACL tears in 2026, Kyrie Irving might be back for the playoffs (fewer travel miles between games to worry Dallas doctors, fewer chemtrails to worry Kyrie) after 13 months away from the game, possibly earlier.
The large lineup would be understandable if the Mavericks boasted obvious punch off the pine, which Dallas does not. It is not an inexplicable rotation, NBA talent is finite (gotta grab it!) and each of these big men are talented. Each of these men require singular support. Best way to go about that is to throw a lot of talls at each other.
The Mavericks upended a franchise's path to acquire Anthony Davis, which means accommodating him, which means creating the best path for Anthony Davis. The excuse to abandon that path for Flagg – the Lakers are kinda doing the same thing, Luka for LeBron – must be handled with care usually reserved for holding onto children. Jason Kidd must conduct the rotation carefully, as if he were wearing something to protect his hands.
I'm trying not to say it.
Here, listen to Jimmy Durham:
Future Maverick signees will be watching: Anthony Davis traded from the team he signed for only to be superseded in the superstar order by a literal kid on a rookie deal.
In the meantime, with two centers plus two jammed-in power forwards (Washington, Flagg) keeping opponents busy, Anthony Davis may escape 2025-26 with fewer bruises than he's used to.
That's a hope, Davis gone wild in the box score while Flagg fills in with whatever's left available. That only works if the defense can keep trouble out of the lane, that only works if the offense allows for five men who want to shoot in the paint (and all at once) somehow delivers efficiently.
We respect this roster; but Dante Exum. It severely lacks in firepower. There are starter replacements on this bench, but nobody we'd like stepping into reserve minutes. Then there is the burden of the West, though I spot a way around this.
While (technically) the East is supposed to earn a Finals representative this season, Adam Silver can step in at any time to stop this, claiming best interests of the sport, his league, its broadcast partners. Silver may, legally, call up a Western squad once he realizes, holy shit, this Cavs team is embarrassing, and they're still going to beat New York.
If so, Dallas always has that whole, "the West starts in Ft. Worth"-argument. Less argument than law.
The Mavericks would be off for a month by mid-June, able to roll out and sufficiently compete with Oklahoma City.
Guess: 44-38, tied for No. 7 in West.
HOUSTON ROCKETS
Last season: 52-30, lost at home in Game 7 of a playoff game because Buddy Hield went for 22 points in the first half.
Offseason: added Kevin Durant by the end of that halftime, lost Fred VanVleet in September.
C: Alperen Şengün – only 23, already a year into Ime Udoka's system, he can tell when his coach his joking and when coach is serious. AP is a serious course: 20 and 10 and five dimes.
PF: Jabari Smith Jr. – Jalen Smith played 2700 minutes for Houston last season and the Rockets were a top-four defense. Was Dillon Brooks a chunk of that success? Sure, but Smith has a say, and I sez Smith can continue molding himself into a no stats (no blocks!) All-Star. Houston's spacing begs to be amended, but wonky big lineup options are a game-long luxury, not an up-all-night problem.
F: Kevin Durant – so he'll take a ton of twos, so what, he'll also splash from deep when needed and show these Rocket kids more in one month than visiting Hakeem Olajuwon could with daily classes. Sorry that Dream had to catch a stray there but what is Olajuwon teaching them, how to Hammertime? Durant is from another era as well, but his footwork and fingertip influence is exactly what this roster requires observing. This is their five-tool hero, they'll take his tutelage and drag it past the three-point line.
G/F: Amen Thompson – will try to be everything and soon but does not need to prove his Hall of Fame candidacy between now and Christmas. Thompson's visualized NBA stardom since childhood, I'll trust him more than most, but he really does need to spend the year letting the game tell Amen what it wants from him. Playoffs hit, and he may be ready to turn Pippen, push the ball toward paydirt.
PG: Reed Sheppard – uneasy stewardship at the moment from the 21-year old, but the percentages will come around.
The word count on these is already too large, otherwise I'd waste your time with thoughts of Brent Price and Matt Maloney. Each were fragile, Sheppard isn't fragile, rather a sturdy prospect. But he has to hit, Fred VanVleet was supposed to be this team's volume three-point shooter, Houston will miss him badly.
Steven Adams, starting at center, is the key to the kingdom. Nobody needs swingin' the key around for six months while we're still schlepping toward the kingdom. Take the key out when necessary, no sooner. So, of course he starts on opening night.
This is why I never played 'Zelda.' Adams is best meant to alter games in May and possibly June, not now, not with 82 games to go. If this is a bid to keep him in shape and establish rhythm, fine, but go slow, Adams is 32.
This team was built for Kevin Durant to miss 37 games, Tari Eason is aching to take a little more on and VanVleet's removal may force him to. The 24-year old transition master strangely turned it over ten times in the playoffs. Worked 79 games last two seasons after signing in for 82 contests his rookie year.
Houston could do way, way worse than Aaron Holiday stepping into major point guard minutes. On any other team, his height would be a bother but not the Rox, who rue the absence of Fred VanVleet, shorter than Aaron. Holiday sneakily turned in several years of efficient volume scoring from deep, we're gonna miss FVV, but Holiday can spin 1800 positive minutes.
Jeff Green is so old that Kevin Durant calls him "Unc." Green will become annoyed with being called this so he'll make a joke about '"Roc,' live" and it'll go nowhere save for a few laughs coming from behind a wall. That was the coaching staff, and they're not helping.
It says here Josh Okogie earns a fair amount of free throws, which, OK, that scans. Ever felt like you weren't completely finished with a player but couldn't figure out why (Okogie is a career 30 percent three-point shooter)? Is this because I've seen him gather so many transition free throws? Or is it just because I'm so kind, forgiving? Can't be that, I must have seen him at the line a bunch.
Dorian Finney-Smith was over 40 percent from deep the last two seasons and if it keeps up for the 32-year old, the Rockets will be well on the way.
DFS and Jae'Sean Tate (who missed Houston's postseason) had similar right ankle surgeries over the offseason. Tate enters season six at age 30 and found a kindred spirit in his new head coach, who no doubt missed his glue guy in the playoffs. If either long forward delivers typical, healthy output, the Rockets are sturdy enough to outlast the West.
Clint Capela is not the answer to Adams falling off, Capela may turn out to be as bad a pairing with AP as AP and Adams are great a pairing. Or, Clint and AP could pair wonderfully. Every dumb regular minute counts, and Clint makes nothing.
Letting loose with Steven Adams doesn't guarantee his discs will slip. Adams' residency wouldn't guarantee spectacular 52-win season, or an improvement without VanFleet. His presence in the lineup is a reflection of this coaching staff, the pressure to succeed and yesterday. Fred Van Vleet isn't around to deflate, to talk through, Kevin Durant just got here, and Amen Thompson thinks he's supposed to be in charge.
He might be, a vacuum exists: Dillon Brooks was the team's go-to defender and Jalen Green its always-there shot-creator and each were traded for Kevin Durant and Kevin Durant's two-pointers. And the assurance that Durant's way is the correct way, codified in writing through 2028.
If you believe in the brunt of a badass locker room, this is the team for you. VanVleet is in street clothes but they didn't take his phone away, he's still all over his teammates. Dorian Finney-Smith and Jeff Green are not dragging these legs up and down practice for some bullshit from their teammates or coaching staff. Aaron Holiday is bloody well built for this scenario.
A championship in Houston doesn't require Durant's showiest moments, look-at-me leaks to the press or gotta-give-it-to-him posts. Nothing different, just ball. There is enough here for Durant to be himself, for the Rockets to thrive.
Are there enough three-pointers here? I'd like to watch it not matter.
Guess: 53-39, No. 3 in West.
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES
Last season: 48-34, fired a head coach with nine games to go, survived Play-In but swept in first-round.
Offseason: Desmond Bane lost to Florida in a tax dodge. Zach Edey pulled over for speeding around the same spot around Shadeland that I'm always, like, "holy crap, I should slow down," the Grizzlies underwent several surgeries, a calf strain, a turfed toe.
C: Jock Landale – turns 30 soon, was born the day after Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness came out. Good player. Does everything well but block shots. Jock would rather foul. Part of more than a few great runs from the Rockets the last two seasons, a better all-around player than Jay Huff and far more composed than Memphis' rookie big man was in 2024-25.
C/F: Jaren Jackson Jr. – Tyler Herro played three more games than Jaren last season and pulled in 38 more defensive rebounds. Jaren also led the league in fouls. I'd still trade 38 first-round draft picks for Jaren Jackson Jr., he is awe-some, his floater in the lane is one of the NBA's great go-to moves. Right turf toe surgery in offseason, was supposed to be revaluated sometime in November, already back for exhibition season ball. Don't hurry back on turf toes, look what happen to Dizzy Dean.
G/F: Jaylen Wells – pushed the ball like it was his job last season which the Grizzlies will miss from Bane, the insistence to not hold up for superstar stuff. Not a superstar in training but will be a very good player, only 22, nose for the lane and the bucket, should get more opportunities from the referees after a breakout rookie run.
SG: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope – made only 34 percent of his three-pointers in Orlando in 2024-25 which I get, it is humid down there, damp, the ball is heavy. Steamy. Steamball. No such excuses in Memphis. KCP won't be expected to create nearly as much as the departed Desmond Bane, but he'll be treated by the coaching staff as a 40 percent three-point splasher (his overall rate the five seasons previous) worth taking advantage of, passing to. Turns 33, say it with me, "midseason."
PG: Ja Morant – back for opening night and OK, if he's cool with that, if he's healthy.
If he is, if it is consistent, the many holes on this Memphis team will be ably covered by one of the game's transcendent players.
Ty Jerome earned the nod at point guard in the exhibition season, good. Ty Jerome is out for at least a month with a calf strain, not good. Jerome's last season may have been a little hot streak but even if the 28-year old falls completely back to earth, he's a mover, a shaker, someone to run plays and encourage teammates after they totally blow it, as a complete and total unit, defensively.
If the output answer is somewhere in the middle, call it a Ty, the Grizzlies will absolutely lap up that passable resemblance Jerome's 44 percent three-point shooting and routine free throw trips from 2024-25.
Santi Aldama turns a playmaking corner this season? We have something to threaten with, every night. Santi has to be a Big Gravity Boy, either with his shot or pass or running through the lane ahead of whatever is left of this fast break. Needs to start breaks. Needs to do it all, is 24, can handle it.
Brandan Clarke popped around and into another supreme year for the ledger in 2024-25. He's another guy who might help with Bane gone, last year Clarke crushed in a lineup with Jaren/Santi/Jaylen and Scotty Pippen Jr., who is 25 in a few weeks and quite used to taking over for Ja Morant by now. Pippen's dynamism, including those mistakes, makes him a must-watch off that pine.
Zach Edey was awesome in his rookie season but I'm ready to wave off all of 2025-26. He'll miss at least the first two months of the season after undergoing left ankle surgery in June, I'm not sure the Grizzlies want their seven-and-a-half-foot center learning how to run again while navigating NBA lanes in January and February.
Until then, here, 70 minutes of big:
Imagine this guy in five years.
GG Jackson is still 20 and ready to contribute buckets, last season could not have been easy for him and you get the feeling he'd like to take part in his first postseason, brighter lights, wider lanes, refs respecting ballers ... Cam Spencer and his brother could not be more Maryland if they tried ... Vince Williams Jr. is a lefty off guard and so far that's my favorite thing about him, it hasn't been the cleanest run for the 25-year old but he'll have space to make an impact with Bane out.
John Konchar's hit 150 free throws in his career (307 games), similarly-sized San Antonio Spur Keldon Johnson hit 150 free throws last year (77 games). Konchar attempted eight free throws in the exhibition season (five games), he attempted eight free throws in all of 2024-25 (46 games).
Cedric Coward is absolutely expected to take minutes from veterans this season, I won't say who but his name is "JOHN."
The warming part is the early entrance: Jaren and Ja returning, wanting to be part of this. I worry about each, nobody remembers who started on opening night when we're limping in December, but the West is as up for grabs as anything. Teams only have to win, like, 62 games to avoid the Play-In.
When healthy, Memphis boasts a potentially potent rotation. But I don't know where Morant will be all year. I don't know if Edey is safe to let run free, same with Jaren Jackson. GG was injured last year, Jaylen hurt himself, KCP could be done, Ty Jerome was somewhat scuttled against top postseason talent and that was before the Grizzlies did a "whoa, whoa, whoa, don't touch it" with his Achilles tendon. Also, a rookie?
Yet the same spin could let loose any number of wins. Grizzlies fans have watched this before, one heroic lineup lasting for three weeks before giving way to another. Because injuries, or maybe because an All-Star gets in a spat with a child.
Ja is an all-time point of attack guy, Jaren an all-time big, enough to wonder if the Grizzlies can't combine for four playoff wins in a row. Those pair provide a high-to-low sheen that compares favorably with any other duo in the NBA, let alone the young ones. They are, at worst, the best NBA Jam duo in the NBA. No OKC combo comes close.
Keeping it together until April? Morant's turn to take over. Narrative MVPs, Mr. Morant, the quickest way back.
Guess: 36-46, tied for No. 12.
NEW ORLEANS PELICANS
Last season: NOLA's best player missed 52 games and was out of shape, another All-Star hopeful missed about the same amount and tore his Achilles, forwards were injured, guards were out.
Offseason: NOLA's was perhaps the NBA's most-mocked front office during the offseason.
C: Yves Missi – all-around skills with a 12th man's approach. Immediately pegged as someone to restrain from the Pels' offensive glass, yet the loss of surprise via Missi's exposed rep did nothing for their collective butts' hopes at keeping Missi off the boards. Finished top-three in offensive rebound rate, No. 9 in block rate, only 3.6 fouls per 100 possessions as 20-year old rookie. Missi worked but one year at Baylor before the Pels selected him No. 21 in 2024.
PF: Zion Williamson – nah.
F: Trey Murphy III – star potential for all sorts of fans. You and I know Trey Murphy III as the person who led the NBA in turnover rate in 2023-24, natch, then there are the fans who recognize the guy who averaged over 21 points per outing before that torn labrum knocked him out of 2024-25. The rest, and smartest, perpetually beam at the idea of a guy named "Trey Murphy III" being an NBA player and shooting a lot of three-pointers (38 percent, career). If Trey Murphy III works 70-odd games after missing 50-odd games combined the last two seasons, Trey Murphy III will be a complete and utter upgrade on Brandon Ingram's best moments with New Orleans. Turnovers add up! Or, in the case of Trey Murphy III, they don't.
F/G: Herb Jones – missed 62 games last season but if he goes Full Herb this season, the Pels will compete for Play-Ins. If not, the Pels will not be defending this particular season.
PG: Jordan Poole – turns in a good faith effort and could lead this team into a playoff return, I've no worries about Poole's ability to repeatedly do the right thing. I don't think he'll guard anyone, but that's only half the game.
Jeremiah Fears will be useless on defense and tired most the season but at the moment we want to watch him for 32 minutes a night:
Kevon Looney's best years are not past him, should do wonders clearing space for his slicker teammates and he doesn't even turn 30 until, midseason. Warriors will miss him, Pelicans will enjoy his presence a great deal.
Saddiq Bey's looked rather Saddiq Bey-like in the exhibition season, if he can manage passable defense, the Pelicans could wear some teams out ... Jordan Hawkins does, compared to the rest of the players on the court with him or in the NBA as a whole, very little ... Jose Alvarado, complete opposite, still only 27, a supreme ()luxury if he can remain healthy ... Jaden Springer is that ex-Celtic, Jalen Bridges is on the Celtics, neither will play this year but these are things to remember if you require clicking their names on a drop down menu.
KARLO MATKOVIC was some League Pass fun in 2024-25, now he's gotta play backup center. Sturdy frame, already 24, he's alright, I don't know why I capitalized his entire name but why not, all the other fonts are too tiny on uniforms ... Micah Peavy is a 24-year old rookie swingman who appeared somewhat undaunted by his pro debut during the exhibition season ... I don't like to make jokes about people's names but I make an exception here because logging onto Christian Shumate is how I met my second wife.
Very much ready for Derik Queen to become my favorite NBA player. Get well soon, tall man with skills.
Dejounte Murray may not return this season due to an Achilles tear.
Williamson's production is so profound, even in his wobblier times, that the Pelicans must not be written off in spite of the well-earned reaction to Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver's draft night shenanigans. Do they say "shenanigans" in Baltimore?
Slim or otherwise, if Zion works 60-some NBA games, his teams can win against any lineup in the NBA, and a puncher's chance means a reasonable hope for .500. Sprinkle around those two-way vets and a well-meaning Poole? Fears and Missi and maybe Derik Queen makes a move midseason? Favoring Derik Queen was never the question, only the price paid for his services. His baskets don't count for less because the Pelicans didn't ask for protections on the pick they gave up for him.
They should have.
Nobody here played here last season, and I'm not talking about the new Pelicans added over the offseason. Jones and Murphy and Zion are a triptych to fear, but it never pans out because someone's always in a sling.
Those were freak injuries, and Williamson is in better shape, actually working out in the offseason. Why shouldn't he remain healthy?
Fine. But how many line up alongside him?
Guess: 29-53, No. 14 in West.
SAN ANTONIO SPURS
Last season: 34-48, Gregg Popovich stepped aside after five games due to frightening health reasons, Victor Wembanyama missed half the season due to frightening health reasons, Chris Paul played all 82 games, little went according to plan.
Offseason: Stephon Castle wins Rookie of the Year, Spurs clicked up five spots in lottery to choose No. 2 prospect, Wemby with clean bill of health.
C: Victor Wembanyama – blood clot setback was scary, I will try not to forfeit the minutes he's available watching other basketball games.
F: Harrison Barnes – more career points than Peja Stojakovic, Steve Smith, Jermaine O'Neal. Doesn't miss games, hit a career-high in three and two-point percentage last season, turned it over 50 times in 2230 minutes, turned 33 in May.
F: Jeremy Sochan – busted right wrist will keep him out of season opener, busted left thumb cost him a third of 2024-25, still defends as best as anyone here and only 22. Point-center in his future, next decade, for now he has to find a path toward health, a summertime calf injury cost Sochan runs with the Polish team at Eurobasket.
G: Stephon Castle – adaptive young (turns 21 on Nov. 1) professional brought squared shoulders not typically spotted on rookies his age, any age, and we respond well to quadrant stability.
PG: De'Aaron Fox – traded midseason and had to share the ball with Chris Paul, then an injury, it was odd, it was different. Presumably better this year, without CP3.
Fox will miss the start of 2025-26 with a hamstring pull. The Spurs drafted perhaps the best lead guards in each of the last two drafts. Fox is 28 in December and yet the Spurs inked him to a four-year extension, over $222 million. San Antonio gave up two picks for Fox, its own 2027 first-rounder and Minnesota's 2031 first-rounder, the latter earned from the Kawhi Leonard deal. Large and symbolic commitments and I don't get it.
Surely neither pick (Minnesota and San Antonio have All-NBA players) will be a lottery selection. Surely Fox has much to give and much to teach. His usage won't take away from Castle and Dylan Harper (20 in March), rather, save the pair from routinely exposing their estimable flaws on the largest stage. Surely San Antonio doesn't need to waste a second of Wemby, capable of starring on a playoff team even when he doesn't know his best game yet, a disgruntled ex-All-Star with a thirst for the postseason is sometimes the quickest way toward returning toward respectability.
There is a seamless world where Fox can stick through the rest of his contract without getting in the way, I'd love to see it safely trickle through. Until then? That's a lot of guys who need the ball, and the tall guy I'd like to see with the ball.
Dylan Harper is a slow burn, confident. He'll wait until you stop thinking about him for a second before he impresses you.
Devin Vassell worked off the bench to start 2024-25, off ball all season, 16.3 points per game on 37 percent from deep, limited turnovers, and the Spurs still went and got another guard. As they should, Harper is the business, but Vassell will prove wild luxury once the Spurs turn a corner, one of the last players to work multiple seasons under coach Popovich.
Keldon Johnson occupies the same hold, though Johnson is far more adept at finding buckets away from the action. The Spurs did well to pull what could be a ten-year double-figure scorer with the No. 29 pick, gleaned from dealing Kawhi Leonard to Toronto. Johnson took up a lot of the cutting and interior slack with Wemby out in 2024-25, there's no reason why this 26-year old can't keep it up with the big man back.
Carter Bryant is long, 3-and-D Arizona product who turns 20 in November and contributed more fouls than field goals to the Wildcats last season, shot 37 percent from deep but only 70 percent from the floor. Spurs drafted him, though, so I'm sure he's great, I'm sure he'll earn $50 million a year someday.
Lindy Waters is here now, 28 and ready to actually bust the actual jaws of several of his young teammates, at the behest of his front office and coaching staff ... The deeper Jordan McLaughlin fell in Minnesota and San Antonio's rotation, the greater his three-point percentage. He is small, so maybe the rest helps.
Julian Champagnie at $3 million a year might be the best contract in the NBA, he doesn't do anything but the right thing, play defense and talk a lot and hype teammates ... While in Utah, ex-Jazz center/forward Micah Potter looked like an actor playing Greg Foster in a movie about the 1990s Bulls, he'll replace Sandro Mamukelashvili in the sense that the Spurs don't need Sandro Mamukelashvili much anymore, because Wemby's back.
Luke Kornet can work center around Wemby's big forward, Kornet can play either position without Wemby, Luke can dunk and make the extra pass and doesn't turn the ball over. Kornet making eight figures in his early 30s doesn't bother me, it isn't as if the Spurs don't see those contract extensions coming ... Kelly Olynyk is here to remind kids that just because you have a cool name, that doesn't make you a cool person. ... Bismack Biyombo is the last Bobcat seen in the wild.
BOBCATS WHO DIDN'T ACTUALLY PLAY FOR THE BOBCATS
Ronny Turiaf, Doug McDermott, Josh Smith, Dale Davis, Šarūnas Jasikevičius, Anthony Johnson, Isaac Okoro, Hersey Hawkins, Chris Duhon, Nicolas Claxton.
TWO MADE-UP CEREALS I'D BUY
Cinnamon Shakes. Apple Splashes.
BACK TO THE SPURS
It isn't a bad team, and Wemby cannot be matched. Many, many possessions will be given to the other team (either directly or eventually) in the rebuilding spirit, forays for Stephon so he doesn't feel the sophomore cinch, dribbles for Dylan Harper. Those will add up, but the Wemby possessions drag the Spurs out of water and back to shore.
From there, the competence. If health holds, Fox in prime, Keldon Johnson off ball, Devin Vassell on the nose, Luke Kornet in the extra minutes. If Harrison Barnes falls off, unlikely but due at some point, Jeremy Sochan does things other NBA players cannot do. This group is dotted with NBA personalities, and players to move paper into wins.
If everyone stays on the floor, and Fox turns in an All-Star level season as expected. Harper wasn't ever going to be Rookie of the Year, now he doesn't have to gun for numbers on a bad team, Castle wants to win, Wembanyama champing after too long away from the thing he's best at.
One of the things he's best at. Victor is a special fella!
Welcome back, special fella.
Guess: 41-41, No. 9 in West.
UNTIL YOU CAME INTO MY LIFE
Thank you for reading!
