Who’s retiring James Harden’s number? Houston?

Why are you expecting mid-1st Round picks who are 19-20 years old to be NBA-ready?

You draft them for what you expect they will become, not for Year 1 production.

Goga Bitadze has been an underrated factor in the Magic’s defense and overall play so far. Has been great in Wendell Carter’s absence.

Mo Wagner has also taken advantage of the increased opportunity since Carter has been out too.

Perhaps Carter is expendable?

He’s lifted his way up to 188lbs (was listed at 174lbs previously) according to his recent social media posts, so we’re likely to see an in-shape, bigger, stronger Ja when he returns.

Memphis’ 26th game of the schedule is December 19th in New Orleans, against his AAU buddy and fellow Sourh Carolinan and 2019 top draft pick Zion Williamson, so you would assume that’s when Ja will be back on the court.

LaMelo Ball over Ja Morant?

RJ Barrett over Desmond Bane?

Santi Aldama a possible lottery pick.

People are overlooking that Sexton basically missed more than a full year of basketball due to injury within the past couple of seasons too. He’s played every game so far this season, but played just 59 of a possible 164 regular season games across the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons.

He low-key played his best basketball in Washington last year. Probably should still be on a team somewhere.

I think what most obviously hurts Embiid’s “all time” standing is the volume of games he’s played, and volume of great games he’s played. He’s 4 months away from turning 30, but has only played 410 (equivalent to 5 full 82 game seasons) of a possible 736 regular season games up to his 10th season in the league, and is a notable playoff under-performer (compared to his regular season output, whether due to injuries, teammates, or other factors).

The bigger question is, why do so many people think the G-League is better preparation for the NBA than NCAA basketball or an international pro league?

Embiid is doing it on an insane all-time USG% (36.6 over the last 4 years), along with an insane FTr (.593).

Embiid is obviously very talented and a very efficient scorer, but he’s also getting prime Jordan level touches and foul calls to help him along the way.

I’m a bit puzzled as to where this narrative has come from that Aaron Gordon was a “role player miscast as a star” before coming to Denver (I’ve seen similar things said outside of this thread too).

Gordon was an athletic high draft pick that might have been expected to develop into a #1/#2 option in Orlando, but the Magic never fully used him that way. From when he became a full-time starter in his 3rd year (2016-17), Gordon was 3rd-5th in USG% among the Magic’s starters every season until he left Orlando mid-way through the 2020-21 season, except for 2017-18 where he was 2nd (just ahead of Evan Fournier), but then went back to being a lesser option after that.

Yes, he’s scoring far more efficiently in Denver (.596 TS%) than in Orlando (.531 TS%), but that’s a product of being on an overall better team, better shot selection (particularly going from 54.3% of his FGA in Orlando coming outside 10FT, to 39.0% in Denver), and getting better/smarter looks from an all-time playmaker teammate in Jokic. His volume of touches is essentially the same (19.8 USG% in Denver, 20.8 USG% in Orlando).

I think more accurately he was a role player expected to be a star, who never really got used like one or became one, who is a better fit playing his role on a better team.

They’re just this year’s version of last year’s Kings.

This.

The human body isn’t really designed for the regular pounding a professional athlete or prospective professional athlete will give it, especially if you are above-average height/weight, like basketball players mostly are.

Some can handle it, or develop their bodies to handle it, bit some simply can’t. It seems like the Ball brothers simply can’t.

I get why they have them, but I always feel odd about there being courtside seats between the player’s benches and the scorer’s table. Just feels a little too close.

Look beyond the basic stats.

FTr, TRB%, AST%, TOV%, DRtg, WS/48, PER, BPM and VORP all down or at some of his poorer levels in a number of years. By Giannis’ recent lofty standards, he really hasn’t had a great start to the season.

Josh Giddey is meant to be a point guard (has spent most of his NBA career so far being played out of position due to roster construction). Dyson Daniels is also a guard/wing type. Tyrese Proctor is expected to be a high draft pick this year too.

On the older side, Dennis Schroeder just led Germany to a FIBA World Cup win.

And you know, Luka.

I think it’s moreso just a reality check for those that overhyped or overestimated what Wemby would be or is right now.

The expectations of many of how good Wemby and the Spurs would be right away were simply unrealistic.

I love how 3/5 of the “starters” have never actually been charged or trialed for their “crimes” (outside the court of public opinion).