#NBAHindsight No. 24

The best time to buy an NBA franchise was 13.5 years ago.

The second-best time to buy an NBA franchise is probably not today.

#NBAHindsight No. 21, inspired by @hardbap.bsky.social!

There are four players on NBA Mount Rushmore: Russell, Kareem, MJ, and LeBron. You can make a solid argument that each one is the greatest.

The more difficult question is who's number 5?

Duncan? Wilt? Kobe? Mikan? Your Favorite Player?

#NBAHindsight No. 5:

Only trade draft capital for underpaid/overperforming players.

The last four Finals teams had underpaid players. It's tough to win big without them in an apron league.

The draft is the main source of underpaid players. Thus, only trade draft assets to add such a player.

It’s a tough day in the NBA, so my eighth #NBAhindsight is this:

You never know what demons other people are dealing with. Even people who seem to have it all.

So, take care of yourself, respect each other, reach out to friends you’ve lost touch with, and love your family.

#NBAHindsight No. 3:

The “we were just sick of the guy” era continues:

Luka shipped for AD
Ja Morant shipped for Grant
Jaylen Brown shipped for Paul George
Deandre Ayton shipped for Hardy

The main motivation for each team shipping the better player appears to be personalities, not talent or $$.

#NBAHindsight No. 10:

Milwaukee could avoid making its cap-circumvention obvious by giving Gary Trent a “made to be traded" contract.

Give him two years / $64 million, with the second year a team option. Then pick up the option when you “can’t find the right trade” in year one.

No one says boo.

#NBAHindsight No. 7

Pick 31 is worth more than No. 30. The talent is roughly the same, but 31 comes with more leverage.

No. 30 is guaranteed ~$6M over two years, with two more years ($9M) non-guaranteed.

This year, No. 31 got <$1.5M guaranteed (historically low) on a four-year deal worth <$10M.

#NBAHindsight No. 13

Telling fans the truth is not part of the GM’s job.

But keeping your promises to players/agents is.

#NBAHindsight No. 13:

Don’t talk about basketball on social media if you can’t even spell players name’s right.

#NBAHindsight No. 12:

What made OKC special the last two years was Shea + depth.

This summer they shed that depth, and next year they will have to cast off more. That lowers the floor for a club that’s played 202 games the last two seasons.

I'd have moved Caruso or even Jalen before doing that.

#NBAHindsight 11:

The Lakers would be better *this* year if they’d given Mamu’s money ($13M) to LeBron and signed Smart or Rui to the room exception over Sexton.

Looks like they are building a great bench but only have three starters. With few assets, they have to hope Thiero and Carr develop.

#NBAHindsight No. 6

Some teams don’t understand that the value of picks and swaps has gone way up.

Every non-playoff team has a 5 to 9% chance at the top pick, and a 22 to 33 % chance at the top-4.

That's 14 teams with the same odds as the 6th to 8th worst records under the old system.

#NBAHindsight No. 4

Optionality is a dumb word.

You may have options. You may have flexibility.

You don't have or need optionality.

Stop endumbnifying the community, NBA decision-makers!