On January 17th, Beijing time, the Cavaliers suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of the Thunder. Donovan Mitchell achieved a milestone in his Cavaliers career with 700 steals, but he underperformed again in this game. In the seven games he played in January, he only managed to score over 30 points once, and both times against the Thunder, he did not play well. He has now been labeled as someone who falters when facing top-tier opponents. As the Cavaliers' scoring leader, averaging 23.1 points per game, it was expected that Mitchell would deliver a grand performance in the second match between the Eastern and Western Conference leaders. However, Mitchell's performance fell short once again. In the first quarter, he shot 1 for 7 and 1 for 2 from three-point range, scoring 3 points with no rebounds or assists under the defense of Carson Wallace and Dort. In the second quarter, he shot 1 for 5 and 0 for 2 from three-point range, ending the half with 2 for 12 shooting and 1 for 4 from three-point range, accumulating 5 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists. The Cavaliers continued to crumble in the third quarter, and with 4 minutes and 30 seconds remaining, Atkinson proactively gave up the game by substituting out the main players. Mitchell played for 21 minutes in three quarters, shooting 3 for 15 and 1 for 4 from three-point range, scoring only 8 points. Cavaliers fans posted Mitchell's statistics of 3 for 15 shooting, scoring 8 points with 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal, having…

Overnight! Suns Complete 4-for-2 Trade, Thunder Hit Hard, Rockets Interested in Booker and Fox The Phoenix Suns have completed a 4-for-2 trade with the Charlotte Hornets, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. The Suns sent out Okeke and three second-round picks to the Hornets in exchange for Richards and one second-round pick. The second-round picks sent by the Suns are from the years 2031 (from the Suns), 2026 (from the Nuggets), and another from 2031 (from the Nuggets). In return, they received the Hornets' 2025 second-round pick. Richards, who is currently 27 years old, stands at 2.13 meters tall and weighs 111 kilograms, playing as a center on the court. This season, he has averaged 8.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game. According to statistics, Richards has had a shooting percentage of 65% over the past four seasons, ranking fifth in the NBA during that period (with at least 800 attempts). He could be considered the big center that the Suns have been longing for. John Gambadoro, a Suns reporter, reported that once Richards adapts to the team, he is expected to become the starting center for the Suns. After much anticipation, the Suns have finally completed the trade to successfully bring in the big center Richards, and it is hoped that this trade will help them overcome their difficulties and get back on track! The Oklahoma City Thunder has suffered another blow. The team announced that their center, Hartenstein, has suffered a left soleus muscle strain and is expected to undergo another injury assessment in about…

The NBA for the 2024-25 season is at a critical juncture of generational change, with veterans like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant gradually fading from the NBA scene. We can see an increasing number of young players slowly becoming the face of the NBA. To this end, American media outlet Hoopshype has listed the top 25 young stars under 25 years old in the NBA as of 2025. Let's take a look at which players' rankings may have been overestimated or underestimated? Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs) Victor Wembanyama should be ranked first, averaging 25.1 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 4.0 blocks, and a shooting percentage of 47.9%. His salary for this season is $12,768,664, ranking 129th. As a rookie contract, this salary is not an issue. Although Wembanyama is a center, he seems capable of playing all five positions on both offense and defense. Standing at 2.26 meters tall, he can dribble like a guard and easily break through for layups. Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves) Anthony Edwards ranks second, averaging 25.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.2 steals, and a shooting percentage of 42.7%. His salary is as high as $42,176,400, ranking 21st. Edwards is known as one of the strongest shooting guards currently active, famous for his explosive power, highlight-reel dunks, and excellent three-point shooting ability. He can be considered one of the smartest young superstars currently in the league. Paolo Banchero (Orlando Magic) Paolo Banchero ranks third, averaging 29.0 points, 8.8 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and a shooting percentage of 49.5%. His salary is $12,160,800, ranking…

On January 14th, Beijing time, as the schedule progresses in depth, the rankings for several major awards in the regular season are gradually becoming clear. Thunder's star player Alexander has become one of the hottest superstars in the league with a record of 32 wins and 6 losses, ranking second in the league, and an average of 31 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block per game. He has also quietly replaced Curry as the best guard in the current NBA. It is worth noting that as the undisputed super core of the Thunder, Alexander has averaged over 30 points for three consecutive seasons. Moreover, he makes visible progress every year, with his basketball skills becoming increasingly refined and his body muscles becoming more defined. This summer, he is about to unlock a milestone-like super feat. According to American salary expert Marks, since Alexander's contract will expire in 2027 and he was selected for the best lineup in both 23 and 24, coupled with the fact that he is almost guaranteed to be selected for the first team this season, or even a double first-team superstar plus MVP, Alexander has automatically unlocked the qualification to sign a super-max contract. This summer, he can sign a super-max contract worth up to 294millionoverfouryears.Accordingtotheannualsalarydistributionofthecontract,hissalaryinthe2030−31seasonwillsuccessfullyexceed294 million over four years. According to the annual salary distribution of the contract, his salary in the 2030-31 season will successfully exceed 294millionoverfouryears.Accordingtotheannualsalarydistributionofthecontract,hissalaryinthe2030−31seasonwillsuccessfullyexceed81.45 million, making him the first super star in NBA history to break the $80 million salary mark. Although salary explosions in the league…

In the fiercely competitive Western Conference of the NBA, the Houston Rockets and the Oklahoma City Thunder have always been two promising teams that attract attention. However, after in-depth analysis, it is not difficult to find that compared to the Thunder, the Rockets show a more terrifying development potential and future prospects. The following three reasons are enough to prove that the Rockets are the true masters of the West's future. Salary Structure: The Rockets' Advantages Are Obvious, While the Thunder Hides Crises Next season, the Thunder will face huge pressure on their salary cap space. With the big contracts of the team's players gradually taking effect, the total salary will significantly increase. Looking back at the glory and helpless disbandment of the "Thunder Trio" in the past, a similar plot is very likely to be repeated in the current Thunder team. Once the salary pressure exceeds the bearable range, the team will most likely choose to rebuild to balance the finances, which will undoubtedly disrupt the team's development trajectory. On the other hand, the Rockets currently have VanVleet with the largest contract, which expires at the end of the season and is still an option for the team next season. Shen Jing's big contract starting next season is only more than 30 million, Green has a total of more than 30 million in the next two seasons, Amen's contract is only about 10 million, and the salaries of other young players are also in the millions. As long as the Rockets choose to get rid of VanVleet's contract, the…

Undoubtedly, the current Thunder team is brimming with vitality and talent, but how far can they go in the playoffs? The Thunder currently leads the West with a record of 31 wins and 6 losses, but their recent three defeats against the Rockets, Bucks, and Cavaliers have exposed their shortcomings when facing strong opponents. The Thunder is full of potential, boasting many young players who have yet to reach their peak. The biggest challenge for the Thunder is whether these young players can support them in advancing to the Finals. Last year in the playoffs, they were defeated by the more experienced Mavericks. If Thunder General Manager Sam Presti believes that the team needs to bring in an All-Star veteran to help them progress further, he undoubtedly has sufficient draft picks as bargaining chips. Choosing to bring back Kevin Durant, the former star who led the team to the Finals, would undoubtedly be the best choice. Durant's current team, the Suns, is currently in trouble, providing the Thunder with an opportunity to acquire him. If the 36-year-old Durant wants to elevate his historical status, he needs to continue competing for championships, and returning to the Thunder would also be the best choice. What assets can the Thunder offer to bring back Durant? American media outlet "FW" special correspondent Colin Keane has provided a simulated trade proposal between the two teams: Thunder Acquires: Kevin Durant - Annual salary of 51.18 million, contract until 2026, averaging 27.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 0.7 steals, and 1.3 blocks this season, with shooting percentages…

The Thunder this season can be considered the best team in the West, currently they are still able to rank first in the West with a record of 32 wins and 6 losses even without Holmgren, and the gap between them and the second place in the West has already been widened, so although the regular season is not yet halfway through, as long as they do not have a large-scale injury, they have basically locked in the top spot in the West in advance. And considering the age of the three core players Alexander, Jiewei, and Holmgren, the Thunder is expected to maintain their current competitiveness in the future, and even have a chance to win the championship. And when we think back to the last time we saw the Thunder relying on their own young players to show the trend of achieving a dynasty, it was still during the period of the Thunder's three young talents. In 2007, the Thunder selected Durant, in 2008 they selected Westbrook, and in 2009 they selected Harden. These three entered the league and quickly realized their talent, so in 2012 they successfully led the Thunder into the finals, but that year they faced the more experienced Heat's Big Three, and the Thunder eventually lost. Although the Thunder lost to the Heat, at that time the outside world was still very optimistic about their prospects, but at the same time the Thunder first ushered in the renewal problem that made the management very headache. At that time, Durant had already signed a four-year…

This season in the NBA, there's a question that almost every fan wants to understand - can the Cavaliers really win the championship? Not only because of their current record of 33 wins and 4 losses, which is the best in the league, but also because of the dominance they've shown and their "championship potential." However, let's be honest, is it enough to just look at the regular season highlights? How did the Thunder get dominated, and will the Celtics, these "Eastern Conference leaders," just give up? The Cavaliers do have the strength, but can the "new king" really overcome these hidden obstacles? Today, let's discuss this in detail. First, let's talk about something that makes Cavaliers fans cheer. With a record of 33 wins and 4 losses, the best in the league, leading the second-place Celtics in the East by 6 games, and an impressive home record of 20 wins and 1 loss, it's as if they've even painted the ceiling. There's no denying that data is the most honest; it clearly tells us that this Cavaliers team is an offensive machine without any obvious weaknesses. They average 122.9 points per game with an offensive efficiency of 121.5, ranking first in the league in both shooting percentage (50.5%) and three-point percentage (40.5%). In other words, the Cavaliers are solid with each shot; not only do they shoot accurately, but they also ensure efficient output. Moreover, their offense isn't just reliant on a single superstar playing solo. It's a combination of "individual show" and "team dance." Mitchell, who has crossed…

The NBA regular season is nearing its halfway point, and the competition for major league awards is becoming increasingly fierce. Take the MVP award as an example; Jokic had dominated the top spot for 11 consecutive periods, with players like Antetokounmpo and Tatum seemingly unable to stop Jokic from achieving the feat of winning four MVPs in five years. However, the Thunder and Alexander have emerged as dark horses, surpassing Jokic in the latest MVP rankings, adding suspense and excitement to the regular-season MVP race. To date, Sabonis is the rebound king, Trae Young is the assist king, Daniels is the steal king, Wembanyama is the block king, Sabonis is the double-double king, Jokic is the triple-double king, and Curry is the three-point king. At the same time, there are subtle changes in the battle for the scoring title. To date, there are four players averaging over 31 points per game in the league: Antetokounmpo (31.4 points), Alexander (31.4 points), and Jokic (31.2 points). Antetokounmpo, Alexander, and Jokic are all unstoppable scorers, especially Antetokounmpo, who excels at fast-break scoring and scoring in the paint, and has also honed his mid-range shooting skills, making him incredibly lethal! According to statistics, Antetokounmpo leads the league in average field goal makes (12.5), fast-break points (5.8 points), and points in the paint (21 points). Despite his numerous accolades, Antetokounmpo has never won a scoring title. This season, Antetokounmpo has led the scoring charts for a long time, which is the closest he has ever been to the scoring title. However, his position is not…

Thank you, George! A Super Max Contract of $300 Million Over 4 Years! The First in NBA History Basketball Combat Bible 2025-01-13 07:21 Follow With an average of 31.4 points (top of the league), 5.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 2 steals, and 1.1 blocks, a shooting percentage of 52.2%, Alexander is undoubtedly the top guard in the league today, and it's time to create his own history.‌ Salary expert Marks stated that Alexander's current contract will expire in 27 years, and he is eligible to sign a four-year contract with the Thunder this summer. Moreover, due to being selected for the best lineup in both 23 and 24, he can sign a super max contract; if he agrees to renew this summer, he could receive a contract worth up to 294millionoverfouryears,withanannualsalaryof294 million over four years, with an annual salary of 294millionoverfouryears,withanannualsalaryof81.45 million in the final season (30-31), making him the first player in NBA history to earn over $80 million per year.‌ Wow, it seems that in the future, the NBA will develop to the point where a player's annual salary will be equivalent to several years of contracts for current players, as if money were no object.‌ No more pretending, I'm laying my cards on the table: Venom has been the MVP of Village BA for twenty consecutive years, and from now on, I'm taking big steps into the NBA, not for the dollars or blonde girls, but simply to bring glory to my country.‌ If Alexander is confident in himself, he can also choose to sign a pre-renewal contract…