Spurs Select G Malaki Branham with the 20th Pick in the 2022 NBA Draft

[onechance87]

I didn’t believe the spurs were tanking at all this season.
1) there’s no one to tank. Obviously it’s better to get a higher pick but this years draft? You can get the same quality of picks from 1 to 5
2) nobody was “injured” for too long. There was that ball boy incident but it wasn’t too ridiculous.
3) the spurs are actually playing better as the year went on. If you’re tanking to do it the other way.

That said, I didn’t think the team was going balls to the wall to maximize wins either. They were clearly experimenting with things. Sochan at PF being the obvious one. But wemby at the perimeter, then more in the paint. Then wemby facilitates more, Champaigne in the starting lineup. The spurs were testing out things to see what works and get a rough outline of how a team should be built around wemby. If they lose they lose, but if the win all the better.

It’s frustrating to watch, especially when the team was playing like a pickup game at the first 1/3 of the year and pop just didn’t do anything. There are still many fundamental flaws in the players skills now that the coaches should be correcting. I’m not sure if there are reasons being it or PATFO is really that incompetent (I doubt it) but regardless it is undoubtedly a disappointment for the fans. Not sure what the objective of the team was coming into the year but whatever it was I hope they achieved it.

Well they said they wanted to see what they got and what works.What showed this year was that this roster is a losing no talent
no iq team put together.Half these guys got to go.

[Atl Spur]

His lack of a high bbiq is hard to watch…..growing pains! A hard to accept loss yet productive!

[SpursFan86]

While it’s nice that his 3 ball has become semi-respectable, his short/mid range game has really been brutal this year. It’s something I’ve felt all year but finally decided to check the numbers:

FGA from 3-10 feet out: 33% this year vs. 52% last year
FGA from 10-16 feet out: 51% both this year and last year
FGA from 16 feet out to 3P line: 26% this year vs. 44% last year

Just odd - last year he looked so comfortable with those little floaters and pull up jumpers from short/mid range…this year it’s like a miracle if he makes one.

[SouthernFryd]

The guy is a catastrophe.

[SouthernFryd]

"he can hit a 3 ball." His offense is coming around.

Stop it. The guy can lose you the game all by himself with his stupidity and arrogance. Start looking at other parts of players games besides whether they can shoot a ball.

[Pauleta14]

Someone needs to ask Pop why he puts the ball in his hands in key moments. surreal to watch

[Atl Spur]

Someone needs to ask Pop why he puts the ball in his hands in key moments. surreal to watch

Because he has to learn…..no better time than now. That golly gee reaction piss me off though! lol

[NASpurs]

Because he has to learn…..no better time than now. That golly gee reaction piss me off though! lol

Learn what dumbass? You act like he's going to be here long term and will be our finisher

[spurraider21]

What does he do better than Lonnie Walker did? If Walker wasn’t good enough (pulled his QO) then why is Branham?

[Tyronn Lue]

What does he do better than Lonnie Walker did? If Walker wasn’t good enough (pulled his QO) then why is Branham?

Not cost. Ceiling maybe? Has LW peaked? Pop seems to give up on some guys who do ok elsewhere.

[onechance87]

Because he has to learn…..no better time than now. That golly gee reaction piss me off though! lol

He needs to learn to handle the ball.Just looks akward him holding the ball.Looks like he could lose the ball
at any moment lol.

[Atl Spur]

Learn what dumbass? You act like he's going to be here long term and will be our finisher

lol…… but I’m Mrs. Cleo right? Envy is a disease…. MB needs real game time situational minutes.

[rankingtear]

What does he do better than Lonnie Walker did? If Walker wasn’t good enough (pulled his QO) then why is Branham?

Branham can run some PNR makes him more viable as a 6th man. Branham also played a good 2 man game with Liddel in college , Lonnie never did at any point in his career.

[pad300]

Someone needs to ask Pop why he puts the ball in his hands in key moments. surreal to watch

What part of "PATFO is tanking this season" don't you understand?

[MultiTroll]

What part of "PATFO is tanking this season" don't you understand?

4 wins in the last 6 games.
With a 5th win absolutely being reached for in the Sixers.

[z0sa]

What part of "PATFO is tanking this season" don't you understand?

PATFO didn't tank until about 5 games ago, and the players still aren't tanking (at least, on purpose).

It should have been common sense that Wemby and his (professional support) team would not be on-board with even a hint of tanking until the end of the season. Looks like they aren't even on-board up to last night, tbh. However with Keldon and Wemby both getting ankle injuries, I think it's likely we don't see either again on the court in a Spurs uni until next pre-season.

[onechance87]

PATFO didn't tank until about 5 games ago, and the players still aren't tanking (at least, on purpose).

It should have been common sense that Wemby and his (professional support) team would not be on-board with even a hint of tanking until the end of the season. Looks like they aren't even on-board up to last night, tbh. However with Keldon and Wemby both getting ankle injuries, I think it's likely we don't see either again on the court in a Spurs uni until next pre-season.

we gonna need wemby to try to beat memphis next game.

[Pauleta14]

Because he has to learn…..no better time than now. That golly gee reaction piss me off though! lol

Learn what? Play PG?

It made zero sense with Tre and Graham available unless u want to be sure not to win

[Pauleta14]

What part of "PATFO is tanking this season" don't you understand?

Do you even watch games?

[Jordan Jackson]

Learn what dumbass? You act like he's going to be here long term and will be our finisher

Seriously. I’d be shocked if he’s still in the league in 3 years. Never thought I’d see someone so clueless on defense since Bryn Forbes - but here we are.

[itzsoweezee]

What part of "PATFO is tanking this season" don't you understand?

So they played wemby 43 minutes because they were trying to tank?

[Atl Spur]

Learn what? Play PG?

It made zero sense with Tre and Graham available unless u want to be sure not to win

You are being to shortsighted.

[exstatic]

Not cost. Ceiling maybe? Has LW peaked? Pop seems to give up on some guys who do ok elsewhere.

LW is the same as he was here, it’s just that other teams tolerate mistakes and bad defense. He playing the only NBA role where he won’t fail: bench point getter. The players he’s playing against don’t expose his defense as often, and he isn’t expected to create for anyone other than himself

[Atl Spur]

LW is the same as he was here, it’s just that other teams tolerate mistakes and bad defense. He playing the only NBA role where he won’t fail: bench point getter. The players he’s playing against don’t expose his defense as often, and he isn’t expected to create for anyone other than himself

No word salad necessary:

Low bbiq+athlete+ journey man = LW

San Antonio has had many players with a mixture of those attributes have lengthy careers here but there must be some self awareness to help offset.

[Tyronn Lue]

I think those guys have utility but the Spurs don't need 4 of them starting.