Around the NBA: Week 18 (2/17 - 2/23)

[Split T]

Playing through pain?

Tramadol is a strong painkiller from a group of medicines called opiates, or narcotics. It's used to treat moderate to severe pain, for example after an operation or a serious injury. If you have long term pain, your doctor may also prescribe it if weaker painkillers no longer work.

Tramadol is a fairly weak opioid, but it is an opioid and a controlled substance.

[ShelC]

Spurs donesky.

[Superbone]

Wow, that sucks. Would have been fun to see the two 7'3" guys go at it tonight.

[TOO]

Flagg, Wemby and Castle. The NBA, where shenanigans happen.

[Split T]

You think the blood clot is fake?

[Superbone]

Flagg, Wemby and Castle. The NBA, where shenanigans happen.

Ah, that's probably it. Spurs are known for that. They are the masters of it. Who can forget them having both David Robinson and Tim Duncan. We get one #1 overall in franchise history. They get them back-to-back in multiple years.

[TOO]

You think the blood clot is fake?

No, I think the Spurs will win the lottery. Weird that's what you took from that lol.

[Superbone]

You think the blood clot is fake?

Probably not but maybe not season ending? But if you know the time out is going to prevent you from making the playoffs, why not tank all the way and make it season ending?

[Split T]

You think the blood clot is fake?

No, I think the Spurs will win the lottery. Weird that's what you took from that lol.

They didn’t need Wemby to have a blood clot to win the lottery.

[Wally_West]

Spurs one of the teams rumored to want KD. Wemby’s idol so I’m sure he’s pushing for it. That 2025 lotto pick looking nice.


Castle, Barnes, Keldon Johnson, 2025 high lotto pick for KD?

I’d do that deal.


Too bad there’s no chance since KD clearly going to be traded to the Lakers.




Lakers clearly bullshited their way of the deal cuz they got wind KD wants to be a laker.

Like I said, get ready to buy an Austin Reaves jersey.

[Mori Chu]

Wow, that Wemby story is a real shocker. Hope it isn't anything too serious. Really want to see him have a long healthy career and not be sidelined all the time with injuries.

[Mori Chu]

Interesting. Thanks, Wally. Do we buy that it was an honest mistake based on the similar sounding drug name?

IMO, probably not. My sense is that these guys aren't stupid, they have agency, and they know what they are putting into their bodies. But the punishment seems really harsh given the nature of the drug. Tons of NBA guys are using other things such as pot or other pain relievers with no penalty. I don't think this drug gives him a performance benefit.

[BigLewy]

25 games for misuse of a mild pain reliever, 30 games for beating the shit out of your spouse (Miles Bridges). Seems fair.

[Cap]

Toradol or Tramadol, it’s a bad idea to be taking someone else’s prescription meds when you’re a professional athlete. If you need the drug, get your own prescription. It’s not like you’re a commoner who has to wait weeks to see a doctor.

[Superbone]

Interesting. Thanks, Wally. Do we buy that it was an honest mistake based on the similar sounding drug name?

IMO, probably not. My sense is that these guys aren't stupid, they have agency, and they know what they are putting into their bodies. But the punishment seems really harsh given the nature of the drug. Tons of NBA guys are using other things such as pot or other pain relievers with no penalty. I don't think this drug gives him a performance benefit.

I agree with all of that. I don't like that they try to cover it up as a simple mix up. And Cap is right, get your own damn prescriptions!

[TOO]

Spurs one of the teams rumored to want KD. Wemby’s idol so I’m sure he’s pushing for it. That 2025 lotto pick looking nice.


Castle, Barnes, Keldon Johnson, 2025 high lotto pick for KD?

I’d do that deal.


Too bad there’s no chance since KD clearly going to be traded to the Lakers.




Lakers clearly bullshited their way of the deal cuz they got wind KD wants to be a laker.

Like I said, get ready to buy an Austin Reaves jersey.

Id also do that deal, but Sam Antonio is already calling Castle and Wemby area 51 because of their numbers, I don't think he'd be available.

[Split T]

I think it’s very likely Portis is telling the truth when he says he thought he was taking toradol. I work in healthcare and have seen even healthcare professionals get those two medications mixed up. I have less sympathy for him though because he was taking someone else’s prescription regardless.

[Split T]

Spurs one of the teams rumored to want KD. Wemby’s idol so I’m sure he’s pushing for it. That 2025 lotto pick looking nice.


Castle, Barnes, Keldon Johnson, 2025 high lotto pick for KD?

I’d do that deal.


Too bad there’s no chance since KD clearly going to be traded to the Lakers.




Lakers clearly bullshited their way of the deal cuz they got wind KD wants to be a laker.

Like I said, get ready to buy an Austin Reaves jersey.

Id also do that deal, but Sam Antonio is already calling Castle and Wemby area 51 because of their numbers, I don't think he'd be available.

They don’t get to keep Castle and Vassell though…well unless they are also giving us a top 3 pick…then I’ll take Johnson/Barnes/top 3 pick and a future 1st

[Mori Chu]

Why would you take random pills some weirdo hands you? What is he, a little kid? Bobby Portis is an NBA veteran, he's 30 years old. He has seen other guys (e.g. Ayton) get suspended for taking banned substances. All these guys who have been in the league a while should know better. Again I think the penalty is too severe, but still, I don't like this mindset that the players are babes in the woods who can't exercise any basic judgment about what medications they are taking and putting in their bodies. This is a prescription drug, he should have gotten a prescription for it, not taking random pills somebody else gave him without a doctor visit or prescription.

[Split T]

Why would you take random pills some weirdo hands you? What is he, a little kid? Bobby Portis is an NBA veteran, he's 30 years old. He has seen other guys (e.g. Ayton) get suspended for taking banned substances. All these guys who have been in the league a while should know better. Again I think the penalty is too severe, but still, I don't like this mindset that the players are babes in the woods who can't exercise any basic judgment about what medications they are taking and putting in their bodies. This is a prescription drug, he should have gotten a prescription for it, not taking random pills somebody else gave him without a doctor visit or prescription.

NBA players pay other people to tell them what to eat, drink, take, etc…I think it’s weird to you and me because that’s a foreign concept to us.

Portis has probably been prescribed toradol before from a team physician…it is used all the time for athletes. I don’t think it’s that weird for him to think, oh perfect here’s my assistant with some toradol, let me take that.

I agree it’s dumb to take a medication without a prescription, but I can see how it happens. Also half the people that come to the hospital don’t know what meds they are taking. They just take what they are told(in my professional experience, though most of these people are old).