2025-2026 Tank Race Prediction Contest and Current Results Thread

[Handlogten's Heros]

The Indiana trade was bad luck. This was traded before Haliburton went down. It wasn't a bad trade at the time, but looks bad now. The Atlanta trade is still unfathomably bad.

Yes and no on the Indiana trade. I saw an old tweet of mine from the time that basically said I wouldn't do it. It was like locking in what would be the worst possible outcome for that pick (or close to it) just to get it a year earlier. The whole value of unprotected picks is really the uncertainty element. Its the whole weird short term thinking that went into their whole offseason. Yoloing the pick next year for the Atlanta pick with no protections. Swapping CJ for Poole because he makes a bit less this year that helps you sink below the tax.

So I do kinda blame them for doing that. Those picks are valuable because of the 5-10% chance of something bad happening... then something bad happened. At least maybe wait until draft night when you see if there is something that may slip to you that you like.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

We need Cody to start instead of Svi....but that's a hard ask when we're winning and AA had to get his mic drop moment in. I bet AA felt awesome in that moment though, worth losing a FRP.

This. It was such a weird press conference. He has a weird energy imo.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

On one hand OKC has so many picks still that I doubt they care about the preserving a late first round pick, I'm sure they are much more interested in the small possibility of a lottery pick.

On the other hand we still kind of control whether that pick conveys or not. It's completely in our control to tank hard enough to ensure it conveys, which at that point OKC gets nothing.

I think there is some middle ground where the cost of the Jazz not having to sit healthy players is worth it to OKC to not lose out on the pick. I can't quite get to what that cost would be, so maybe I'm wrong.

Yeah I am not sure here. If we had a cheap good role player they needed I could see that kinda thing being appealing. As far as the asset goes I think they would just like the high end outcome over what I'd offer to kill the obligation.

We need to do the right thing anyway... which is to be a bottom 5 team. Problem is Ainge already kinda dug in (that shouldn't really be a problem), we didn't extend our second best player - so can't load manage him, the young players all seem to have taken decent steps forward (not really a problem).

It has to come with Svi. If that means Ainge removes him through a trade... then so be it. If its talking to Hardy about getting Williams out there for Svi... then so be it. Going from 25 wins to 30 wins is absolutely malpractice this season. Manage Lauri on b2bs... he's already paid and playing a lot anyway.

 

[Tremendous Upside]

We need Cody to start instead of Svi.

Even if Cody got into the rotation, Hardy would never start him. He's the worst player in the league. For a coach, there are limits to being a laughing stock.

 

[SoberasHotRod]

Yes and no on the Indiana trade. I saw an old tweet of mine from the time that basically said I wouldn't do it. It was like locking in what would be the worst possible outcome for that pick (or close to it) just to get it a year earlier. The whole value of unprotected picks is really the uncertainty element. Its the whole weird short term thinking that went into their whole offseason. Yoloing the pick next year for the Atlanta pick with no protections. Swapping CJ for Poole because he makes a bit less this year that helps you sink below the tax.

So I do kinda blame them for doing that. Those picks are valuable because of the 5-10% chance of something bad happening... then something bad happened. At least maybe wait until draft night when you see if there is something that may slip to you that you like.

For some reason I had it in my mind that they just shifted years, traded an unprotected 2026 pick for an unprotected 2028 or something like that.

You are right, trading a 23rd pick for an unprotected pick was bad, not nearly as bad as the Atlanta trade, but still bad.

 

[Tremendous Upside]

Manage Lauri on b2bs... he's already paid and playing a lot anyway.

You can't pull that crap after what happened last season.

Either you trade Lauri or play him.

 

[KqWIN]

This. It was such a weird press conference. He has a weird energy imo.

A lot of ego for guys in his position, I’d say it’s kind of typical. Probably felt a lot better to have a mic drop moment than some non-answer.

Truthfully, I think the whole situation is kind of screwed because of the two half tank years. We really have only tanked for one year, but it feels like 3. The half tank years may even feel worse because you had to quit half way through instead of having reasonable expectations before the season.

I see why people are impatient, whether that be fans, FO people, or players. But we kinda got one year of tanking for the price of 3.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Right now I think Was, Bkn both finish below us. I also think 1-3 of Phx/NOP/Sac/Bos/Ind will finish below us on accident or with a stealth tank. I think we are okay I guess. I prefer to lock in at #3.

I think Charlotte is actually solid if they have decent health.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

A lot of ego for guys in his position, I’d say it’s kind of typical. Probably felt a lot better to have a mic drop moment than some non-answer.

Truthfully, I think the whole situation is kind of screwed because of the two half tank years. We really have only tanked for one year, but it feels like 3. The half tank years may even feel worse because you had to quit half way through instead of having reasonable expectations before the season.

I see why people are impatient, whether that be fans, FO people, or players. But we kinda got one year of tanking for the price of 3.

I think its the ego mixed with the face and his mannerisms. It feels like fake confidence/ego.

He apparently got Danny to chill on drafting Fears so I feel somewhat indebted to him lol.

We have commitment issues.

 

[Tremendous Upside]

Right now I think Was, Bkn both finish below us. I also think 1-3 of Phx/NOP/Sac/Bos/Ind will finish below us on accident or with a stealth tank. I think we are okay I guess. I prefer to lock in at #3.

I think Charlotte is actually solid if they have decent health.

Washington is a better team than us. They're very close to being legit decent.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Washington is a better team than us. They're very close to being legit decent.

Nah. If they end up with a better record its because they are in the East. Not better than us.

 

[SoberasHotRod]

Right now I think Was, Bkn both finish below us. I also think 1-3 of Phx/NOP/Sac/Bos/Ind will finish below us on accident or with a stealth tank. I think we are okay I guess. I prefer to lock in at #3.

I think Charlotte is actually solid if they have decent health.

My current expectations is the 6th pick. I think we end up with the 4th or 5th worst record and get passed by one or two teams in the lottery.

We're probably like 8th worst record by the all star break and then get more aggressive about losing.