New week, new set of likes and dislikes for the week. We’re going full NBA for this one, from the Ill-fated Game 7 to the damn draft-day trades they just wouldn’t fix.
Like #1 – Utah rolling the dice on Ace Bailey
Top prospect Ace Bailey tried to steer his draft destiny by ghosting teams in the top 5 and making it clear he mainly wanted Washington, New Orleans, or Brooklyn, who all picked outside that range. The Utah Jazz, sitting at No. 5, didn’t flinch. They took him anyway and seemingly switched up the whole vibe.
Bailey eventually reported, giving Utah a major asset. Whether they keep him or flip him for a haul, the Jazz now hold all the cards. It was a gutsy move, and it paid off. Not every team would’ve had the stones.
Like #2 – Another Brad Stevens Masterclass
Just a year removed from an NBA title and already facing a major cap crunch, the Celtics were hit with more bad luck – Jayson Tatum’s torn Achilles means he’ll likely miss the entire 2025-26 season. But Brad Stevens didn’t flinch. In classic quiet assassin fashion, he flipped Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday’s massive contracts for Anfernee Simons, Georges Niang (both on expiring deals), three second-round picks, and some breathing room under the dreaded second apron. It’s not flashy, but it’s smart. Stevens isn’t done – free agency starts tomorrow, and you just know he’s got more chess moves coming.
All props to yet another Brad Stevens masterclass.
Dislike #1 – The Draft-Day Trade Hat Nonsense
In the immortal words of MMA legend Khabib Nurmagomedov: This is number one bullsh*t. I mean.. a player gets picked, the camera zooms in, emotions are high… and he’s wearing the wrong team’s hat because the trade isn’t official yet. Everyone knows he’s going to another team, but he’s still forced to do the interview repping a franchise that won’t even have his rights in a few hours. Fans hate it, analysts rant about it every year, and the NBA just shrugs. It’s just unnecessarily confusing. Just fix it. It shouldn’t be hard for a multi-billion company.
Dislike #2 – Game 7’s Sour Note
The 2025 Finals gave trueblue hoop fans a dream matchup – OKC’s elite defense versus Indiana’s offensive wizardry – culminating in a gritty, back-and-forth seven-game classic. But Game 7, the grand finale, felt hollow. Tyrese Haliburton went down just seven minutes in, right as he was heating up. The Thunder earned their crown and capped off a spectacular season, but the injury robbed fans of what could’ve been an epic finish. Instead of fireworks, we got a giant “What if?” It’s nobody’s fault – just a tough, disappointing twist to an otherwise legendary series. Oh well.
