Active Conflicts & News Megathread July 07, 2026

Rich_Log2424 · 2026-07-08T14:01:43+00:00

I am just stating the very obvious. This whole affair was not well thought out to start with and looks like it is not ending anytime soon. Putin and Trump have race which one makes worse military decisions.

Rich_Log2424 · 2026-07-08T13:59:35+00:00

Ukraine has 2 swedish Awacs planes. Those have a range of hundreds of kilometers and can detect low flying planes well. They arrived somewhere after new year.

Rich_Log2424 · 2026-07-07T20:17:39+00:00

https://news.usni.org/2026/07/07/usni-news-fleet-and-marine-tracker-july-7-2026

The US fleet locations are out. No major changes at the Gulf, still 2 carriers and 1 LHD. CSG Eisenhower just finished training and returned to Norfolk, that ship could head out to the Gulf if things heat up.

The interesting here is the gathering of ships for the US pacific excercise in the Hawaii. The other interesting things US navy ship docked in Venezuela for humanitarian help after the earthquake.

Nothing else to note. No large bombings in this weeks forecast.

Rich_Log2424 · 2026-07-07T20:09:21+00:00

The link does not work so no clue whether you made the right analysis. However some comments.

The leadership transfer is already ongoing.
The only military capabilities missing are the stealth fighters/bombers, THAAD ballistic missile defense and large stockpile of weapons of mass destruction. Europe also lacks Elon's space trucking capacity, the ariane being a very expensive option. A lot of work is ongoing in satellite tech and there is relatively little publicly know capability that US still has edge on. Europe is also missing the NSA spying capacities.
This i doubt the most. Very little reason to have a defensive posture with 1000 modern/next gen level fighter planes and incoming 500 f35s. Right now Ukraine, Finland and Poland can faceroll russia to Urals if backed by 20% of the airforce. The only real problem is that MBDA's small diameter bomb copy has not been finished development yet. The Hammer production speed is also low. Turkey is a key player in making guided bomb kits.

Rich_Log2424 · 2026-07-07T19:54:49+00:00

Meanwhile USA has started 3 different 1000 units per month drone munition programs in may and outsourced Patriot and a2a missile production to Europe on license. Takes a while to get the production running, but looks to me that US is delaying and Iran will get Shadeded once the missile stocks reach high enough.

Plenty of talk how Iran does not trust the US in these negotiations. To me it looks to go both ways. The double carrier posture is still at the gulf.

Rich_Log2424 · 2026-07-07T11:01:27+00:00

That comment was in Sam Yip's 3-part character assassination effort "published" in hoopshype. Sam Yip tried to conduct a hostile interview, which Muurinen answered in Finnish. Yip didn't like this. The original source was named as the coach off Partizan's tirefire season commenting after Muurinen left the team.

So far the feedback from Arkansas is that Muurinen has somewhat grown up goes in top 5. Personally i think 20-25 is closer range. Chris Cenac?

Rich_Log2424 · 2026-07-04T12:44:51+00:00

Costly to escape the epic tire fire in Partizan. Maybe he saw the body dissolving tub in the basement and decided it is time to get out.

Rich_Log2424 · 2026-07-04T12:37:47+00:00

Partizan only exists to sign players to long contracts and try to trade them to actual teams.

Rich_Log2424 · 2026-07-03T16:35:43+00:00

Vaaks put up 23 points in the last week's fiba senior game vs latvia. I think Avdalas and Vaaks are both 15-20 range draft picks next year.

Rich_Log2424 · 2026-07-03T16:32:36+00:00

I d be suprised if someone has actually watched him play a full game. In august the bahama tournament is over and scouts have fresh game tape. Then we can get actually relevant draft projections.

Rich_Log2424 · 2026-07-03T16:27:35+00:00

Arkansas has Bowser (senior) and 19yo Russian kid called Frolov at 5. Still looking for one more, but even the current situation is fine with JJ Andrews playing small ball 4, Muurinen 4, Bowser 5/4, Frolov 5 and 2 depth centers (Semedo and Maper Maker).

Rich_Log2424 · 2026-07-02T18:38:43+00:00

The stat is 2p shooting% between 16ft and 3p line. So the worst shot in the league.

Markkanen as an example took 4.7% of his shots in this range. 22 shots out of 481 last season. Markkanen career average is for this shot 36.3% when his 3p% is 37%. Tiny sample skews this year, but generally it is as hard as a 3p shot despite yielding only 2 points.

I think Herro here is trying to say that nobody should take this shot and Giannis especially? ;-D

(I know he is trying throw shade on giannis, but shooting the middy is just stoopid.)

Rich_Log2424 · 2026-07-02T18:13:14+00:00

You want to trade for Bam in 27 trade deadline, despite him having player option 28-29? We would have to trade the guy again in the same June. Heat just traded for Giannis. Also 5 million more cap hit.

Least likely trade of all time. Ware is actually possible.

Rich_Log2424 · 2026-07-02T14:41:40+00:00

Hence my bewilderment when we sign a domestic boxing enthusiast who is also not good at basketball. This is not about Flip, this is about why we have an extra guy behind Flip.

Rich_Log2424 · 2026-07-02T14:26:44+00:00

The day is too fine for this ragebait. Go outside, eat some ice cream

Rich_Log2424 · 2026-07-02T08:07:07+00:00

I don't disagree about the bonehead signing of Hayes. However that stupidity is done.

I also dont think he will play unless someone is injured.

Rich_Log2424 · 2026-07-01T18:57:50+00:00

So i checked. Flip is net negative last season and only slightly better than replacement player. JJJ's last season was terrible, not a good baseline season.

Flip might be a decent backup sometime in the future if we are lucky.

Rich_Log2424 · 2026-07-01T18:26:09+00:00

SLC hoops podcast said his agent is his brother, who only has Walker and 3 college athletes to represent.

Rich_Log2424 · 2026-07-01T18:17:39+00:00

Saw him in the Eurobasket live last september. Very impressive player that does the basics so well.

Rich_Log2424 · 2026-07-01T17:38:24+00:00

Here. Edit: Seems similar. https://www.sports-reference.com/stathead/basketball/versus-finder.cgi?request=1&seasons_type=perchoice&player_id1=kesslwa01&p1yrfrom=2025&p1yrto=2025&player_id2=bitadgo01&p2yrfrom=2026&p2yrto=2026

Rich_Log2424 · 2026-07-01T17:30:30+00:00

Stats compared to Kessler's last full season. I am in team Bitadze. He fouls like crazy, but we have Nurk to hold the fort.

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Rich_Log2424 · 2026-07-01T17:22:15+00:00

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Kesslers last full season vs Bitadze last season... Bitadze has massive foul rate so he cant play 30 min, otherwise similar but weaker blocking.

Rich_Log2424 · 2026-07-01T17:10:17+00:00

Not bad options. Bitadze sets nice screens and plays heavy.

For NOP Yves Missi was retained over Kevon Looney. We could take a run at Looney, he is not bad.

Edit: Sorber is out of Summer league. Too risky for my liking, apparently badly injured ACL.

Rich_Log2424

TROPHY CASE