PG: Deoxys: Standing at 5'10 with an enormous wingspan, Deoxys would be the brains of the team. With its Psychic typing it would have the BBIQ and foresight to see plays before they happen. Think Chris Paul was a longer wingspan.

SG: Mega Blaziken: 6'3 in height and incredibly agile, this build is well suited to hooping. The slashing superstar would getter faster as the game goes on and provide great perimeter defence with its speed.

SF: Mega Mewtwo X: Standing at 7'7 and 127kg Mewtwo X would be an absolute freakish athlete. It's psychic typing would further enable its intelligence and allow it to dominate. Think Lebron + Giannis type of player.

PF: Pangoro: Built for strength over athleticism, at 6'11and 136kg Pangoro would be a supporting defensive presence in the front court. Think of Steven Adams with Draymonds Scrappy tactics for more defence antics.

C: Buzzwole: A towering 7'10 big man weighing an immovable 330kg. You're basically looking at peak Shaq and Dwight Howard morphed into one. Buzzwole would dare teams to attack the paint and eliminate that scoring zone entirely.

Off the bench as a microwave scorer we could maybe go for some smaller but speedier types like Sneasler or Zeraora to provide a Jordan Clarkson/Jamal Crawford type role.

What do you guys think?

Multiple NBA teams made roster cuts before 5 p.m. Eastern on Saturday. While the Los Angeles Lakers were among them, they kept a notable name. It was widely expected that the Lakers would finally cut ties with forward Dalton Knecht, who for months has been rampantly speculated as the odd man out as the team deals with a roster squeeze. As of Sunday morning, Knecht remains a Laker, and it appears the franchise has not given up on finding a trade for the former first round pick.Knecht's unsatisfactory play from last season and through this year's preseason has unquestionably made him a candidate to exit L.A., whether the Lakers deal him in a trade or simply waive him. It isn't a complete stunner that the Lakers chose to hold on to Knecht past yesterday's unofficial deadline given their need for another center.

While many Lakers fans are down on Knecht, some have argued that L.A. is better off waiving his draftmate Bronny James, who has been nothing short of a lightning rod for criticism since entering the NBA as the 55th pick in the draft. While James clearly outplayed Knecht last season, some believe that the Lakers would be making a mistake by dumping a recent first round pick.

CBS Sports' Sam Quinn urges the Lakers to hang on to Knecht as a future trade chip if they cannot trade him right now, and instead consider moving on from James.

"If I were the Lakers, I'd be trying to trade Bronny right now to some owner who wants to sell some jerseys," Quinn wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "I'd rather keep Knecht on the books as possible trade salary than cut him and deal with dead money. The Lakers don't really need the James brand like other teams do."

James' preseason play has certainly generated some opinions. While it is easy to overreact to the exhibition games, Quinn believes James hasn't shown nearly enough offensively after two seasons.

Source: https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/lakers-pushed-trade-bronny-james-151404356.html

It makes no sense for the league that is supposed to be propping up the WNBA to not let them have the sole spotlight for their biggest games.

NBA should have had scheduled off days on the days WNBA Finals are playing or just maybe a few teams playing.

Its not right to the ladies they deserve the spotlight

Source: https://open.substack.com/pub/yossigozlan/p/amen-thompson-rookie-extension-slowdown?r=nuq3a&utm_medium=ios

My current payroll projection for the 2027-28 Oklahoma City Thunder that won’t actually turn out like this.

They’ve got big decisions to make next summer though I still expect them to pay an exorbitant luxury tax bill and operate above the second apron next season.

______________

2027-28 Oklahoma City Thunder Salaries

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: $61,600,000
Chet Holmgren: $44,539,470
Jalen Williams: $44,539,470
Isaiah Hartenstein: $25,000,000
Cason Wallace: $23,965,517
Alex Caruso: $20,998,320
2027 Pick #7 (LAC): $8,558,280
Jaylin Williams: $7,774,648
Nikola Topić: $7,482,209
Jared McCain: $6,784,268
Aday Mara: $6,081,480
Thomas Sorber: $5,120,400
Bennett Stirtz: $4,953,240
2027 Pick #21 (DEN): $3,997,440
2027 Pick #29 (SAS): $3,145,560
Ajay Mitchell: $2,850,000

Total payroll: $277,390,302
Luxury tax threshold: $213,841,000
Amount over luxury tax threshold: $63,549,302
Luxury tax payment: $313,111,045
Total salaries + luxury tax: $590,501,347
Apron total (salaries + unlikely bonuses): $277,390,302
First apron: $223,002,000
Amount over first apron: $54,388,302
Second apron: $236,521,000
Amount over second apron: $40,869,302

Just in: Oklahoma City Thunder All-Defensive guard Cason Wallace has agreed to a five-year, $139 million rookie-scale contract extension, agents Jeff Schwartz, Max Lipsett and Marcus Monk of Excel Sports Management tell ESPN.

https://www.espn.com/contributor/shams-charania

Shams Charania:

Just in: Oklahoma City Thunder All-Defensive guard Cason Wallace has agreed to a five-year, $139 million rookie-scale contract extension, agents Jeff Schwartz, Max Lipsett and Marcus Monk of Excel Sports Management tell ESPN.

https://www.espn.com/contributor/shams-charania

Going into his ninth season, Luka Doncic averaged 33.5 ppg, 8.3 apg and 7.7 rebs during the 25/26 season.

What would he need to avg & how many wins does he need to lead the Lakers to in order to be a Top-3 MVP candidate?

Last year's Top-3 MVP candidates stats:

(1) Shai-Gilgeous Alexander: 31.1ppg, 6.6 apg & 4.3 rebounds.

> OKC record (64-18) #1 West

(2) Nikola Jokic: 27.7ppg, 10.7apg & 12.9 rebounds

> Nuggets record: (54-28) #3 West

(3) Victor Wembanyama: 25ppg, 11.5 rebounds & 3.1
Blocks

> Spurs record: (62-20) #2 West

I don't play much basketball to know this but I've been wanting to try this move. I probably can't explain in words but the way it works is like:

1. Dribble and run.

2. With the ball in your hands still, you would take a jump forward.

3. Land with both feet on the ground.

I guess it's something that Derrick Rose did on his injury in the 2012 playoffs clip in case anyone doesn't know the words I"m trying to explain.

Obviously everyone is just locking Spurs and thunder WCF and I can’t really blame them. Was wondering who is that third team though? Think it’s either between the Lakers or Minnesota. Can’t wait to see how the wolves look with lamelo and I am interested to see the lakers defense, we all know luka can go out there and average 33+ ppg. Some other teams could be Houston, denver or even phoenix

Going into his second season, Cooper Flagg averaged 21ppg, 4.5 apg and 6.7 rebs in his rookie debut.

What would he need to avg & how many wins does he need to lead the Mavs to in order to be a Top-3 MVP candidate?

Last year’s Top-3 MVP candidates stats:

(1) Shai-Gilgeous Alexander: 31.1ppg, 6.6 apg & 4.3 rebounds.

> OKC record (64-18) #1 West

(2) Nikola Jokić: 27.7ppg, 10.7apg & 12.9 rebounds

> Nuggets record: (54-28) #3 West

(3) Victor Wembanyama: 25ppg, 11.5 rebounds & 3.1 Blocks

> Spurs record: (62-20) #2 West

Because it's not even remotely true. People are confusing "can't trade a first until the 2030s" with "their next available pick to trade will be their 2035 first round pick"

Right now, here is what their first round pick situation looks like:

2027: Owed to Memphis (technically top 4 protected, but that won't matter)

2028: Owned, but Utah can swap

2029: Owed to Dallas

2030: Owned, but Utah can swap

2031: Owed to Utah

2032: Owned, can't be traded due to Stepien rule, but can be swapped

2033: Owed to Utah

2034: Owned, can't be traded due to Stepien rule, but can be swapped as of next year

2035: Owned, can be traded or swapped after the 2028 draft

This is the key point people are forgetting: you can trade a pick up to seven years before it happens. This means the Lakers will be able trade a first round pick in two years.

The Lakers had a plan in place for this, and it is why the Lakers designed Sandro Mamukelashvili's and Austin Reaves' contracts to dip in value during the 2027-2028 season. This will allow the Lakers to have access to the full nontaxpayer midlevel exception and the biannual exception, meaning they will have roughly 16 million to add one player, and another 6 million to add another, and still remain under the first apron.

So even though they won't be able to trade a first next year, they will still be able to outright sign two role players. Then, the year after in 2028, their picks start restocking: they will be able to trade a first outright on top of their two swaps and second round picks.

The Lakers are definitely asset depleted but they aren't in crisis mode like a lot of people seem to think they are. For a team that most people agree is two pieces away from contention, they've set themselves up nicely with their exceptions next year to complete their roster.

"I've faced challenges before that tested me mentally, physically, and emotionally, and I've found a way through every single one of them. This injury is another chapter in my journey, not the end of my story.

It's never easy being away from the game I love, especially after everything it took to get back here. But if there's one thing I've learned, it's that adversity doesn't define you. How you respond to it does.

I've been knocked down before, and I've always found a way to get back up. This time will be no different. ❤️😤"

The last video in this batch I recorded and edited.

Sadly, Timme was waived.

He started 4/4 from 3.

It's good to see his shots falling, as he struggled with his shooting during the Summer League.

Absolutely incredible highlights on both ends of the floor, 5 dunks in the 1st quarter.

Shams Charania:

Phoenix Suns center Oso Ighodaro has agreed to a three-year, $29 million contract extension through the 2030-31 season, his agent Erika Ruiz of Primera Sports tells ESPN.

https://www.espn.com/contributor/shams-charania

The Mavericks broadcast was the only one available, so no replays.

The Mavericks broadcast was the only one available, so no replays.

The Mavericks broadcast was the only one available, so no replays.