Mannix’s Nba Notebook: Victor Wembanyama’s Terrifying Start And Early Season Shockers

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Welcome backmost to Open Floor, from Los Angeles, wherever nan 2 section teams are disconnected to coagulated starts. The LeBron-less, Luka-less Lakers stole a crippled successful Sacramento down 51 points from Austin Reaves (think he is getting paid adjacent summer?), while nan Clippers shook disconnected that opening nighttime pasting successful Utah to triumph 2 consecutive complete nan Suns and Trail Blazers arsenic they caput into a existent litmus test: Tuesday’s Peacock-streamed showdown pinch nan Warriors.

In today’s issue, I return a person look astatine different pivotal infinitesimal for NBA commissioner Adam Silver. The commish has navigated turbulent times good successful his decade-plus connected nan job. He steered nan NBA retired of nan Donald Sterling messiness and led nan measurement successful sports’ return to play during nan pandemic.

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This latest ungraded is simply a peculiarly sticky wicket. For nan 2nd clip successful 18 months nan integrity of games has perchance been compromised. While nan NBA dealt pinch nan Jontay Porter business successful 2024 swiftly and decisively—Porter has been banned for life—the allegations against Terry Rozier and Chauncey Billups are much serious, and with nan feds progressive will play retired very publicly successful nan months up (both Billups and Rozier person denied immoderate wrongdoing). How Silver deals pinch nan sinister constituent of sports gambling could specify his clip arsenic commissioner.

Podcast Alert: Rachel Nichols joined maine Tuesday for a heavy dive connected Victor Wembanyama’s early play surge, nan Knicks’ accommodation to life nether Mike Brown, Boston’s post–Jayson Tatum stumble and more. Listen here, here and here.

Now a fewer freebies …

You person seen it. Late successful nan 2nd 4th of Sunday’s triumph complete Brooklyn, Wembanyama swatted an effort by Noah Clowney, recovered successful clip to artifact another changeable from Terance Mann, dribbled nan shot conscionable wrong nan Spurs’ logo earlier pulling up for a 25-footer. On X, I cracked that Wembanyama is built from nan DNA of Bill Russell and Stephen Curry. I didn’t get overmuch pushback.

What a commencement to nan play for Wembanyama. Through 4 games Wemby is averaging 31.0 points, 13.8 rebounds and 4.8 blocks. He scored 40 (on 71.6% shooting) connected opening night, blocked nine shots against Zion Williamson & Co. 2 days later and vanished nan week pinch 55 points successful back-to-back games against nan Nets and Raptors. More important: Each crippled ended successful a win.

To opportunity nan Spurs are excited astir Wembanyama’s commencement is an understatement. Defensively, Wembanyama is nan astir terrifying unit since Russell. He leads nan convention successful blocks, is successful nan apical 10 successful contests and has altered countless more. Indeed, Spurs officials statement that moreover nan shots Wemby isn’t officially contesting are efficaciously altered. Witness nan ceiling-scraping floaters Cam Thomas tossed up connected Sunday aliases nan 180-degree turns Raptors wings did successful nan paint. Just nan thought of Wembanyama makes teams deliberation differently.

Offensively, Wembanyama continues to play pinch spot and composure. He’s dipping his enarthrosis connected drives, dropping his 7' 4", 235-pound framework consecutive into opponents’ chests. He’s besides not rushing erstwhile teams spell mini connected him. When nan Pelicans started Saddiq Bey connected Wemby, he patiently exploited nan mismatch. For 2 years coaches person seen immoderate occurrence putting smaller, beingness defenders connected Wembanyama. As 1 told maine complete nan weekend, “You can’t do that anymore.”

It’s early—real early—but count maine arsenic amazed to spot Rob Dillingham commencement nan play retired of nan Minnesota rotation

Donte DiVincenzo seizing nan starting spot from Mike Conley was a mild shock; Conley has been a starter successful Minnesota for nan past 2 1/2 seasons. But it was stunning to spot Bones Hyland getting minutes that were expected to beryllium earmarked for Dillingham. Dillingham wasn’t dazzling successful nan preseason—11.8 points connected 45.3% shooting—but surely location was much to beryllium gained playing him complete Hyland … right?

Obviously not. Asking astir immoderate Timberwolves folks astatine Crypto.com Arena connected Friday—where Dillingham played 1 infinitesimal successful nan 4th fourth earlier being forced to time off aft taking an errant Deandre Ayton elbow to nan face—a connection that came up was trust. As successful Minnesota can’t spot Dillingham to beryllium nan benignant of defensively sound, debased turnover backup. At slightest not yet, anyway.

Timberwolves defender Rob Dillingham dribbles nan shot against nan 76ers. / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The Wolves, if you recall, invested a batch successful Dillingham, trading a 2030 prime switch and an unprotected first successful ’31 for nan authorities to draught him successful ’24. They need a return connected that investment. Anthony Edwards’s unfortunate wounded could create an opportunity for Dillingham; indeed, he played 12 minutes disconnected nan chair against Denver connected Monday. He needs to return advantage of it.

Shaquille O’Neal—never 1 to awkward distant from offering opinions connected large men, particularly those successful purple and gold—offered immoderate ray disapproval while JJ Redick told reporters that he has had discussions pinch Ayton astir expanding his level of physicality.

Ayton’s consequence was impressive. He racked up 15 points and 8 rebounds connected Friday against Minnesota. He added 22 and 15 connected Sunday against nan Kings. He sewage different 16 points and 8 rebounds connected Monday against Portland. Ayton told reporters his teammates person taken a Hulk-like attack pinch him, getting Ayton angry earlier games.

Lakers halfway Deandre Ayton looks to walk nan shot during nan first 4th against nan Kings. / Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

“I’m like, ‘Oh, this is simply a point y’all want to do. Y’all want to get maine connected edge,’ ” said Ayton. “Y’all want maine fired up. I for illustration it. Dudes really care.”

Ayton seems bought into his domiciled arsenic a defender/rebounder/lob threat who will occasionally cod passes successful nan station and showed processing chemistry pinch Luka Dončić earlier Dončić’s injury. The Lakers were thrilled to get Ayton astatine a bargain-basement value successful nan offseason. This is what they were hoping for.

What gives successful Orlando?

The Magic coughed up 136 points to nan Joel Embiid–less 76ers connected Monday, nan 2nd clip successful 4 games they person been gashed for 125 aliases more. Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe shredded Orlando’s perimeter defense, which is still moving Jalen Suggs backmost into nan rotation.

Offensive issues successful Orlando are nary surprise, moreover pinch Desmond Bane successful nan mix. But this was a squad that vanished 2nd successful nan NBA successful protect ratio nan past 2 seasons. A squad that needs to beryllium that businesslike to contend. Said Paolo Banchero, “We’ve conscionable sewage to fig it out.”

That was my take, anyway, aft watching Ajay Mitchell driblet 26 points connected Indiana connected Saturday. We cognize nan talent good is deep successful OKC. But, yeesh, Mitchell? This is an ex-second-round prime who played 36 games past play and a whopping 84 minutes successful nan playoffs. Through 4 games, Mitchell is averaging 18.7 points. If this keeps up, he’s a shoo-in for Most Improved Player.

Thunder defender Ajay Mitchell dribbles nan shot while Pacers defender Ben Sheppard defends. / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

You cognize really this ends, right? The Thunder smartly signed Mitchell to a three-year, $9 cardinal woody past summer, per Spotrac, pinch a freaking squad action astatine nan backmost extremity of it. If Mitchell continues to develop, OKC will undoubtedly rip up that 3rd twelvemonth to motion Mitchell to a much lucrative semipermanent extension. That will beryllium huge successful nan years ahead, erstwhile nan Thunder person to make difficult decisions connected Lu Dort and Alex Caruso.

By nan way, if this year’s second-rounder, Brooks Barnhizer, who is kinda bizarrely getting minutes, turns into a player, nary squad should beryllium allowed to waste and acquisition nan Thunder immoderate picks anymore, ever.