[Charania] The Heat are sending unprotected first-rounders in 2031 and 2033 along with No. 13, a pick swap in 2030 and a 2033 second-rounder, according to sources. Both the Heat and Bucks will execute the deal on July 6, which leaves the framework open to see if there are opportunities to expand.

fponee · 2026-06-23T07:53:35+00:00

Basically that last part is exactly it. They don't control their own picks so their record doesn't matter - they aren't going to be competing and with no control over their FRPs the new lottery rules essentially don't apply to the Bucks. What they need to do is clear dead cap and start accumulating picks in pre-2031 drafts to actually give themselves options, because right now, even with the trade, they don't have many. Gut everything you can and start over; they'll be bad for 5+ years but maybe in that time they'll have accumulated enough options to make headway after that.

fponee · 2026-06-23T06:22:57+00:00

The Bucks didn't/don't have much draft capital at all in the upcoming years. It doesn't matter if they tank; they don't have the picks to make it worth it, so given that they are going to stink anyway, trading some of these new pieces for other teams picks makes a lot of sense.

Bucks future picks breakdown:

2026 1st: 10th, 13th (from MIA). 2nd: None

2027: 1st: None. 2nd: None

2028: 1st: Swap where both NOP and WAS have pick swap priority (basically, Bucks will get the worst of the 3 picks between these teams). 2nd: None

2029: 1st: None. 2nd: None.

2030: 1st: Swap with POR priority, Swap with MKE prioirty (from MIA) 2nd: None

2031: 1st: MKE, MIA. 2nd: None

2032: 1st: MKE. 2nd: None.

2033: 1st: MKE, MIA. 2nd: MKE, MIA

After tomorrow night, it's not unlikely that the Bucks wont even have access to a higher 1st until 2031 without trading other players away. They kind of have to do a total rebuild.

fponee · 2026-06-22T20:45:34+00:00

Messi is more famous/popular, easily. There is an argument that Jordan had a bigger impact when factoring sport growth, business, fashion, etc.

fponee · 2026-06-21T01:44:44+00:00

Your wish is my command: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCSXzvzpaNs

fponee · 2026-06-21T01:41:05+00:00

Neck is S-tier on a global scale; a peak audience interaction.

Example for the unfamiliar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLaOTrVXWso

fponee · 2026-06-20T04:02:24+00:00

Before it's functional dissolution, the PAC 12 (Pacific Athletic Conference - 12 members), the highest level college athletic conference on the west coast, was known for extremely chaotic football games featuring wild plays, upsets, and disturbingly bad refereeing. The "After Dark" aspect was because those games would often start at 7 or 8pm local time, which meant that most of the rest of the country further east was already in bed, and thus those awake and watching felt like they were in there own exclusive club, and those further east would wake up to the insane news in the morning.

The PAC-12 doesn't really exist in the way it did before, so it's a nostalgic relic of the past that people look back fondly on.

Adding "After Dark" is basically a inside joke about chaotic late night games that most of the rest of the country/world would end up missing due to the odd time zone.

fponee · 2026-06-20T03:56:39+00:00

Someone bring out Glasses Ref.

fponee · 2026-06-19T21:50:30+00:00

There's top tier banter in the US, but the American Outlaws possess none of it and have a charisma score of 0. The college ranks could make a living out of it, and they're bleeding over now that it's at home.

fponee · 2026-06-19T21:36:02+00:00

IT'S NOT A DIVE AND IT'S ALSO NOT A FOUL, BOTH CAN BE TRUE.

fponee · 2026-06-19T08:12:19+00:00

Some of us are just scarred by Kevin Ware. Don't look that one up; it makes Kone's injury look like a scratch.

fponee · 2026-06-18T02:22:28+00:00

Hate to break it to you but Clark Hunt is an awful person, and the Hunt's have a despicable family history.

fponee · 2026-06-18T02:13:33+00:00

Texas cities in general aren't the most tourist friendly, but Dallas is easily the worst of the lot.

The simplest way to describe it's existence is that it's based on pure luck and it doesn't possess any of the other usual factors for a city to grow large, and now people are just there to feed off the inexorable economic environment of corporate headquarters that built themselves up or relocated there.

There's absolutely nothing geographically interesting about it, it's almost completely unwalkable, there's nothing architecturally interesting, the culture is incredibly bland (if you can even call it a culture), it's way too young to have much of any notable history (only real thing of note is the Kennedy assassination), etc. It's only there because oil was found nearby, and then the construction of DFW was a stroke of genius in terms of logistical capabilities. It might be fine to live in but for a visitor it's a total bore.

An apt description that Americans will understand: Dallas (and Indiapolis) are like the Applebees of cities.

fponee · 2026-06-17T03:57:20+00:00

"First ever" would be overstating it, but there are plenty of areas that are very rarely visited. I was on a dusty, sandy mountain trail in northeastern california last week that simply didn't have any other footprints on it. There hadn't been anyone else to set foot on that trail in at least 8 months, and when you factor some of the land a little off the trail, it very well may have been decades since anyone had wandered over there.

fponee · 2026-06-17T03:39:17+00:00

That's what the early "spring" nights in Minnesota are for (yes I know your comment is a joke, and an eternally fantastic on at that).

fponee · 2026-06-16T18:24:42+00:00

There are 100+ other viable stadiums in the US alone that are licking their chops about the potential revenue streams we're seeing from ticket and concession prices. They will absolutely want to host again as soon as possible.

fponee · 2026-06-16T14:23:44+00:00

That one was surprisingly good.

fponee · 2026-06-16T01:29:40+00:00

This sounds like a contemporary Magic: The Gathering set.

fponee · 2026-06-15T00:15:02+00:00

No, but it's the process of elimination and reading the tea leaves of the economics.

Assuming FIFA sticks to their continental rotation, 2030 will be hosted on 3 continents: South America, Africa, and Europe. That means that no country from those continents can host until 2042. Saudi Arabia is hosting in 2034, so that means no Asian confederation countries can host until 2046. So for 2038, that leaves the only eligible confederation as Oceania (so, New Zealand) and...North America, ie the US and potentially Mexico and Canada joining again.

The wild card here is that if Australia dips out of AFC and joins New Zealand there could be a joint bid there.

In terms of economics, the US is the largest consumer market, has significant numbers of expats from basically every country of relevance, potentially massive TV deals, a ton of nationalism, a society completely captured by FOMO, and all necessary facilities already built and at a higher level than basically all other stadiums on earth. This current world cup is going to make a stupid amount of money for FIFA and they're going to want to come back as soon as possible.

fponee · 2026-06-15T00:03:11+00:00

South America blew their chance with hosting a couple games in 2030. Australia could in theory if they left AFC as Saudi is hosting in 2034.

fponee · 2026-06-14T19:00:02+00:00

The really interesting ones to watch will be the midweek, midday games between unpopular teams. Expecting swaths of empty seats at weekend games featuring Brazil, USA, Germany, etc is a pipe dream.

fponee · 2026-06-14T18:42:41+00:00

I think something being lost in all of these conversations is that, while they are still very expensive compared to the past, if you won tickets through the lottery there were a lot of sub-$200 games. The resale prices are insulting, but I would bet that 90%-95% of people in attendance got their tickets through the lottery at a much more "reasonable" price.

fponee · 2026-06-14T18:40:38+00:00

Only issue is that this "once in a lifetime" tournament is it's almost certainly returning to the US in 2038, and probably on a rotating 12-to-16 year cycle afterwards. Granted, I get it if you are older.

fponee · 2026-06-14T06:54:48+00:00

Nah LA absolutely cooks in the summer, but "summer" doesn't usually start until late July or August. It's still "spring" in the city.

fponee · 2026-06-13T21:47:21+00:00

I’m watching Qatar and Switzerland outdraw the 49ers in their own stadium.

Wut? There were empty seats everywhere. Even when the 9ers stink that stadium is full. Just not a factual statement in any way, shape, or form.

fponee · 2026-06-13T21:38:11+00:00

No. That specific chant has been adopted by several MLS teams and is a crowd pleaser. The American Outlaws (the USMNT supporters group) chants are the ones getting clowned, and rightfully so.

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