A Tale of Two Cities.

[Soapy]

NBA Finals Most Valuable Player:
Nikola Jokic (C, Denver): 30.2 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 12.7 APG, 2.3 SPG, 3.3 TOPG, 55 FG%, 53 3P%

Most Valuable Player:
Luka Doncic (G, Dallas): 33.2 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 8.8 APG, 1.6 SPG, 3.8 TOPG, 50 FG%, 37 3P%, 76 FT%

Rookie of the Year:
Paolo Banchero (F, Orlando): 19.6 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 3.5 APG, 2.3 TOPG, 44 FG%, 31 3P%, 76 FT%

Sixth Man of the Year:
Russell Westbrook (G, Milwaukee): 15.4 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 6.6 APG, 2.9 TOPG, 44 FG%, 30 3P%, 66 FT%

Defensive Player of the Year:
Nicolas Claxton (C, Brooklyn): 12.9 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 1.0 SPG, 2.6 BPG

Most Improved Player:
Alperen Sengun (C, Houston): 14.6 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 3.9 APG, 1.1 BPG, 55 FG%, 33 3P%, 75 FT%

Coach of the Year:
Joe Mazzulla (Boston): 57-25, 1st in East

All-NBA First Team:
G Luka Doncic, Dallas
G Ja Morant, Memphis
F Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee
F Jayson Tatum, Boston
C Nikola Jokic, Denver

All-NBA Second Team:
G Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City
F LeBron James, LA Lakers
F Jaylen Brown, Boston
F Jimmy Butler, Miami
C Joel Embiid, Philadelphia

All-NBA Third Team:
G Trae Young, Atlanta
G James Harden, Philadelphia
F Julius Randle, New York
F Kevin Durant, Phoenix
C Bam Adebayo, Miami

All-Defensive First Team:
G Luka Doncic, Dallas
F LeBron James, LA Lakers
F Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee
F Evan Mobley, Cleveland
C Nicolas Claxton, Brooklyn

All-Defensive Second Team:
G Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City
G Anthony Edwards, Minnesota
F Jayson Tatum, Boston
F Jimmy Butler, Miami
C Rudy Gobert, Minnesota

All-Rookie First Team:
G Jaden Ivey, Detroit
F Paolo Banchero, Orlando
F Jabari Smith, Houston
C Walker Kessler, Utah
C Jalen Duren, Detroit

All-Rookie Second Team:
G Andrew Nembhard, Indiana
F Bennedict Mathurin, Indiana
F Keegan Murray, Sacramento
F Tari Eason, Houston
F Jeremy Sochan, San Antonio

[Soapy]

Former Laker Carmelo Anthony officially retires from the NBA as LeBron James the last of a dying breed
After nineteen years in the NBA, future Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony has called it quits, officially retiring after spending the 2022-23 NBA season as a free agent.

Anthony last played for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2021-21, averaging 13.3 points per game alongside 2003 draft classmate LeBron James. It's a testament to James' greatness and longevity that while all of his peers are stepping away from the game of basketball, he is fresh off arguably his most impressive playoff performance against the Denver Nuggets.

During his prime with the Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks, Anthony was one of the NBA's best scorer, averaging 22.5 points per game throughout his career on 44 percent shooting and averaged at least 20 points per game through his first fourteen seasons. He was a ten time All-Star and six time All-NBA, making the second team in 2010 and 2013.

Other notable retirements include Derrick Rose, Kyle Lowry, Al Horford, Eric Gordon, Goran Dragic, George Hill, Jeff Green, P.J. Tucker, Rudy Gay and Udonis Haslem.

[Soapy]

duplicate

[Soapy]

The French Connection: Spurs land the golden ticket with Tony Parker in attendance
Even with a somewhat tumultuous exit with the San Antonio Spurs, Tony Parker remained a legend within the organization and a fan favorite, getting his jersey retired in 2019 to cement his legacy as one of the organization's greatest player.

With the prize of the night being the right to select French wonderkid Victor Wembanyama, it was only right that Parker, arguably the greatest French player in NBA history, was in attendance for the Spurs as their good luck charm.

The former Finals MVP proved to be just that as San Antonio landed the number one overall pick with Houston and Charlotte rounding out the top three. While both the Spurs and Parker kept it coy at the conclusion of the lottery, Parker is a big believer in Wembanyama's talent. Wembanyama spent the 2021 season with French Pro A team ASVEL, of which Parker is a co-owner and president.

However, Wembanyama was on Parker's radar for years before that. Parker told Insider that fellow French NBA player Nic Batum sent Parker a highlight video of Wembanyama when the big man was just 13 or 14 years old.

"[Batum] was like, 'Man, we need to follow him. He's gonna be the next big thing,'" Parker recalled.

NBA Lottery Results
1. San Antonio
2. Houston
3. Charlotte
4. Detroit
5. Washington
6. Utah
7. Orlando
8. Toronto
9. Indiana
10. Utah
11. Portland
12. Oklahoma City
13. Orlando
14. Sacramento
15. Portland

[Soapy]

Henderson, Thompson show out at the NBA Draft Combine to make case for No. 1 pick
For most people, It's been a foregone conclusion for the past twelve months that France's Victor Wembanyama will the number one overall pick, it was just a matter of which team that would be.

With San Antonio holding the draft pick, a team that was ahead of the international craze that has taken over the NBA, it would be a safe bet to pencil the Frenchman's name into that slot but Scoot Henderson and Ausar Thompson didn't appear to get that memo.

With Wenbanyama predictably sitting out the NBA Draft Combine, Henderson and Thompson stole the show with Henderson running a blazing 3.02 seconds in the three-quarter sprint and Thompson being not that far behind with 3.07 seconds, both finishing top three at weekend's end. Thompson's 42-inch vertical was the best of the weekend while Henderson's 39-inch vertical at six-foot-two is nothing to sneeze at.

Henderson and Thompson showed some much improve shooting during both drills and live play as those are the biggest knocks against them in their scouting report. While Thompson likely won't ever be a knock down shooter, at six-foot-seven, his movement skills at his size paired with his creative ball handling skills make him a potential dynamic slasher at the next level.

It was a good couple of days for Brandon Miller whose three reps on the bench press drew comparisons to Kevin Durant as Miller is a skillful three level scorer that plays bigger than size suggests at six-foot-nine and just 200 pounds. There are some off the field concerns with Miller that likely take him out of the running for a top three pick but if San Antonio were to choose the option of getting a king's ransom for the number one overall pick, he's another option that could come in and contribute right away.

[Soapy]

Los Angeles Lakers in desperate need of shooting in this year's draft
Despite barely making the playoffs, the Los Angeles Lakers pushed the top seeded and eventual champion Denver Nuggets to six games and did it with little to no help from their role players as Austin Reaves, Dennis Schroder, Lonnie Walker and Malik Beasley all struggled from outside. The Lakers need to invest in their outside shooting this offseason and thankfully, there are some sharpshooters in this year's draft that could help the team that should be available with the eighteenth pick.

Perhaps the best spot up shooter in the draft is Gonzaga's Julian Strawther who shot 52 percent from three-point range this past season for the Bulldogs. Even adjusting for the NBA three-point line, that's a ridiculous clip and Strawther has gotten better each year he's been at Gonzaga, shooting 32 percent from three as a freshman. In the tournament, Strawther averaged 23.8 points per game along with 4.2 rebounds and 4.8 assists so he's more than just a spot-up shooter.

Another interesting name is Baylor Scheierman who doesn't have the upside of Strawther in terms of being the complete package but he's just as good of a shooter, shooting 42 percent for three this past season and led the NCAA in three pointers made and attempts. Unlike Strawther, Scheierman isn't a threat to put the ball on the floor and make things happen on his own at the NBA level but he's a decent enough defender, athlete and finisher around the rim to be worth taking a flyer on later in the draft, possibly in the second.

A name to watch in case the Lakers want to move up or his injury history causes him to slide down is Michigan's Jett Howard who missed some time as a freshman due to injuries although his physical checked out at the combine. Howard is a unique talent as a six-foot-nine guard that showed elite shot creation while at Michigan. Howard is a solid finisher on top of being one of the best pure shooters in this draft class. He shot just 40 percent from the field and 31 percent from three this season but those numbers should improve as Howard continues to grow as a basketball player. He's currently expected to be a potential ten pick so a bit out of reach with the eighteen pick but with the right moves or a little bit of a luck, he could be in play for the Lakers.

[Soapy]

Could Kyrie Irving be a potential unlikely fit for the San Antonio Spurs?
With sixty million dollars in cap space and the right to the number one overall pick, the San Antonio Spurs could be an attractive location for top free agents for the first time in a decade.

At the top of the list might be an unlikely candidate in Kyrie Irving who is widely expected to test free agency before considering returning to the Dallas Mavericks or potentially land with the Los Angeles Lakers. Irving's flirtation with the Lakers and former teammate LeBron James has gone on for the better part of two seasons but if Irving wants a max contract -- which appeared to be the crux of his issue with Brooklyn -- few teams can offer it to him with chief among them being the Spurs.

While an odd fit on the surface, Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich has raved about Irving in the past and pairing a dynamic and electric point guard like Irving with the likes of Victor Wembanyama -- assuming the Spurs select him -- makes all the sense in the world.

Will Irving, now 31, be on board for a potential fast-track rebuild? Even with the signing of Irving, San Antonio would have enoguh cap space to go after another max-level player the likes of Khris Middleton and Kristaps Porzingis but the question remains if even with Wenbanyama and all of this cap space, is San Antonio an attractive place for free agents?

[Soapy]

San Antonio Spurs trade Devonte Graham, Doug McDermott for additional first round picks
Less than 24 hours before the draft, the San Antonio Spurs have traded guard Devonte Graham along with a 2027 second round pick to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for the 24th pick in this year's NBA draft and a 2025 second round pick and forward Doug McDermott and a 2027 second round pick to the Chicago Bulls for a first round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

The move cleared up nearly $25 million in cap space for the Spurs and netted them an additional draft pick in this year's deep draft class on top of their number one overall pick. San Antonio will enter free agency with the second most cap space behind only Houston who has $86.47 million in salary cap room compared to San Antonio's $81.11 million. Detroit is third with $75.74 million.

The Rockets are expected to make a move for James Harden this offseason and with San Antonio's recent moves, they could also be preparing themselves for some whale hunting of their own this offseason. There's also next year's class which includes Anthony Davis, Jaylen Brown, Paul George and of course, Kawhi Leonard.

[Captain Canada]

This dude can't help but touch San Antonio

[Soapy]

This dude can't help but touch San Antonio

ayoooooo