NBA On Fire

Three seasons.
That’s all Victor Wembanyama needed to reach the NBA Finals.
Faster than Kobe Bryant.
Faster than LeBron James.
Faster than Michael Jordan.
The hype was massive when Wemby entered the league, and somehow, he’s already exceeding it.
Three years into his career, he has the Spurs back on basketball’s biggest stage and is now just four wins away from an NBA championship.
The Wembanyama era is moving at warp speed.

It's time.
The Orlando Magic have now gone 3 years building their team around the duo of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.
All 3 years ended in playoff disappointment.
👎 2024: Lost in 7 games to Cavs
👎 2025: Lost in 5 games to Celtics
👎 2026: Lost in 7 games to Pistons
They thought things would change this season when they made a huge trade for Desmond Bane.
But all it did was show that the Magic had too many ball-dominant players.
This season, Wagner and Banchero (and the Magic) have played way better whenever one doesn't play.
Franz Wagner:
🔹20.0 PPG ➡️ 23.6 PTS
🔹5.6 RPG ➡️ 6.1 REBS
🔹3.4 APG ➡️ 3.9 ASTS
🔹47.0% FG ➡️ 49.4% FG
🔹7-3 record
Paolo Banchero:
🔹19.7 PTS ➡️ 24.3 PTS
🔹8.1 REBS ➡️ 8.2 REBS
🔹3.9 ASTS ➡️ 5.7 ASTS
🔹43.6% FG ➡️ 44.7% FG
🔹24-22 record
Some thought this could be another Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum situation - two stars in the same system. But the numbers and records don’t lie.
The fit just isn’t there.

Wemby’s summer spent learning from NBA legends is already paying off. 👏🏽

The Lakers spent $33 million more than the Thunder just to have a fraction of the production.

Last offseason, Rob Pelinka made their role players a priority.

They hit the jackpot with Marcus Smart.

But everyone else was a miss.

💸 Jarred Vanderbilt: $11,571,429
💸 Maxi Kleber: $11,000,000
💸 Deandre Ayton: $8,104,000
💸 Jake LaRavia: $6,000,000

Compare that with what the Thunder are paying Ajay Mitchell this season and his production in the 2nd round, that's pennies on the dollar.

Sure, he's still on a rookie contract and played more minutes, but he managed to finish the series with half the turnovers than 4 role players combined.

Unfortunately for the Lakers, only Kleber will be a free agent after this season.

LaRavia will make $6 million next season.

Ayton has an $8.1 million player option that he'll most likely pick up.

Vando will make $12.4 million next season and has a $13 million player option in 2027.

Mitchell, on the other hand, is under contract till 2028... But he'll only earn $5,700,000 the next 2 years.

Best value contract in the NBA, and it's not even close. 🤷

West Finals forced Wemby to embrace the dark side.

The Thunder needed a co-star.

They needed someone to help carry the load alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with a trip to the NBA Finals on the line.

Instead, Chet Holmgren struggled to make the impact Oklahoma City was counting on. After averaging just 10.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game in the Western Conference Finals, the production never matched the moment.

Championship runs are defined by moments.
Game 7s.
Fourth quarters.
Seasons hanging in the balance.

Oklahoma City got everything it could from its MVP.

It just didn't get enough from the player who was supposed to help carry the load.

And that may be the biggest reason the Thunder are going home.

THE SPURS END THE THUNDER'S SEASON.

Accurate 😂

Flirtation (Tony Brothers' Version) 😭

The script has been leaked! 🤯