Impatience has become the norm in our society. We moan when we see anything but "same-day delivery" for our online orders. We cancel our Ubers and Lyfts if they're more than 10 minutes away. We don't even watch the opening credits for our favorite shows any more thanks to the "skip intro" button.
So it should be no surprise that NBA fans aren't exactly thrilled about the preseason. If there were a "skip preseason" button on League Pass that would take us directly to opening night, the vast majority of us would press it. But, while much of it holds little meaning, there are valuable lessons to be learned in the preseason.
This year seemed more dramatic than most, and some key contenders are facing troubling situations. With the exhibition games officially behind us and opening night set for Tuesday, let's take a look at the winners and losers from the 2022-23 NBA preseason.
Loser: Draymond Green
There's not much more to say about this situation that hasn't already been said, but there's no question that Green has thrown a decently sized wrench into the opening months of the Warriors' title defense. Multiple members of the team, from Steve Kerr to Stephen Curry to Kevon Looney, have mentioned a breach in trust and a rift in culture that will need to be repaired over the course of the season.
Green's uncertain future with the team (he said he does not expect to come to terms with the Warriors on an extension this season) only adds further intrigue, but as we know, winning cures all. If Golden State gets off to the start it's certainly capable of, the whole incident may dissolve into a distant memory. But the first time the Warriors encounter a rough stretch, it will be interesting to see if the normal bickering that goes on within a locker room is exacerbated because of Green's actions.
Winner: Jordan Poole
Not only did Poole take the relatively vicious punch from Green that we all saw in the infamous video, but he also got back on the court to finish shooting drills that same day. A couple days later he put up 25 points in a preseason game against the Lakers, scoring 11 straight during the third quarter, including this ridiculousness that even left Kevin Durant in awe.
Who thinks to do some shit like this #boynice https://t.co/9V6pAGqQ4m
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) October 10, 2022
Then, for good measure, Poole agreed a four-year extension with the Warriors that could pay him up to $140 million, cementing his place as one of the core pieces of Golden State's future.
Kerr said that Poole was involved in the decision not to suspend Green, so it seems like he is ready to move on from the incident as well. In an alternate universe, Poole goes to the front office and demands that Green be traded or some other ultimatum. The Warriors are fortunate that Poole has been so forgiving, but we'll see if there are any lingering issues as the season progresses.
Loser: Russell Westbrook
After a disappointing 2021-22 season and endless trade rumors over the summer, any thoughts of things suddenly becoming normal with Westbrook in Los Angeles quickly vanished with a couple of viral videos from the preseason. First, there was Westbrook refusing to join an impromptu team huddle during the Lakers' nationally televised game against the Timberwolves.
It's the preseason and I don't read much into anything. But if I were to read too much into something.......... pic.twitter.com/Hgcb91PNu5
— Jacob Rude (@JacobRude) October 13, 2022
Then people realized that Westbrook had also not joined the team huddle prior to that same game.
Russell Westbrook appeared to stand off to the side during the Lakers’ pregame huddle on Wednesday against the Timberwolves.
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) October 13, 2022
🎥 @_michaelmorales10 on Instagram pic.twitter.com/DAVkZISSwv
Westbrook explained the incidents, saying that the pregame ritual is the same one he's been doing since he entered the league, and that during the mid-game huddle, he was speaking to coaches, which the video doesn't show.
"You can cut any video and make anything you want out of it. It's not up to me to be able to judge that," Westbrook said. "I'm a genuine team player. I've never had a problem being with my teammates, and I'll continue to do what I've been doing."
On Friday, Westbrook came off the bench for the first time in a Laker uniform -- he's started every regular-season game since his rookie year in the NBA. Lakers coach Darvin Ham had indicated that Westbrook commanding the second unit was a possibility, but it's another thing to see it with a player of Westbrook's pedigree. Unfortunately, the bench experiment lasted only five minutes before Westbrook left the game due to a hamstring injury.
On top of all that, the Lakers will soon resume trade discussions surrounding Westbrook after a pause during training camp, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. So yeah, not a great preseason overall for the 33-year-old guard.
Winner: Ben Simmons
Yes, he was unfairly clowned for throwing up an airball at a team event, but overall this was a great preseason for Simmons for one reason and one reason only: He played basketball!
Between mental health issues and back surgery, it was certainly fair to question when we would see Simmons suit up for the Brooklyn Nets, so it was an absolute delight when he took the court during their first preseason game.
Not only did he play, but he also looked pretty damn good.
If there's one play that should terrify the rest of the NBA, however, it's this one from Wednesday's game against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Man, that's beautiful basketball.
If Simmons can be a willing screener for Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, he essentially becomes a Draymond Green-like master of the short roll with his passing and vision. He's also quick and powerful enough to roll all the way to the basket and finish at the rim. Simmons looking this good absolutely raises the Nets' ceiling this season, provided the stars can stay healthy.
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Winner: Jamal Cain
The Heat have a knack for finding and developing diamonds in the rough -- Gabe Vincent, Max Strus and Duncan Robinson all come to mind -- and they may have done it again with undrafted 6-7 forward Jamal Cain. The 23-year-old rookie spent four years at Marquette, before finishing up his college career with one season at Oakland University, and immediately opened eyes during Heat training camp. He finished the preseason with averages of 10.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals in just over 21 minutes per game. He also knocked down 38 percent of his 3-pointers, after shooting just 30 percent last season at Oakland.
Cain's length and versatility on the defensive end make him a perfect fit for Erik Spoelstra's scheme, and he might even have the opportunity to occasionally slide into what appears to be a rotating slot at starting power forward. Cain displayed incredible instincts, especially on the offensive glass (2.4 per game in the preseason), and finished at a high rate around the rim.
Spoelstra has already developed a pet play for Cain, using a shooter to set a backscreen on his man for the lob.
He also has a penchant for perfectly timed cuts when his defender falls asleep.
With his standout play in camp, Cain earned himself an upgrade from an Exhibit 10 contract to a two-way deal, and he could eventually develop into a solid rotation piece for Miami. Not to mention, Jamal Cain is just the most awesome name.
Loser: Phoenix Suns
Not only did the results of the Robert Sarver investigation reveal a toxic workplace environment that precipitated the forthcoming sale of the team, but the Suns also entered the preseason with a standing agreement to trade Jae Crowder that has yet to be fulfilled.
You don't often see a team win 64 games one season and have one of its key pieces ask out the next, but here we are, and the issues in Phoenix don't end there.
Deandre Ayton, whom the Suns chose not to extend last season before matching Indiana's offer sheet this summer, said early in camp that he had not spoken to head coach Monty Williams since the Suns' embarrassing 123-90 Game 7 loss to the Dallas Mavericks in the second round of the playoffs.
Deandre Ayton said he and Monty Williams haven't spoken since Game 7 of Suns-Mavs series. #Suns pic.twitter.com/rdVJll9LYn
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) September 27, 2022
Williams and Ayton got into it during that fateful Game 7, which resulted in Ayton playing just 17 total minutes, and three in the second half. The two have since talked and "everything is back to normal," according to Ayton, but it's hard to imagine the relationship is at 100 percent.
For a team as successful as the Suns have been the past two seasons, the situations with Crowder and Ayton certainly raise questions about their outlook for this season.