The Athletic NBA Daily Contending Spurs + Who wants Ja Morant? | Slam N Jam
Jan 9, 2026
Jared Weiss, an NBA reporter for The Athletic, joins to discuss the San Antonio Spurs' recent successes and the influence of rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama. He delves into the team's chemistry with players like Fox and Castle, while analyzing their promising future. The conversation also touches on the Spurs' shot variability and Wemby's minute management, alongside a fun segment on team trivia. Weiss provides insights into the potential of Dylan Harper’s development and shares anecdotes from the Spurs' locker room.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
RJ Barrett's Floater Elevated Raptors
- RJ Barrett drastically improves the Raptors' offense when he plays, driven by a high-efficiency floater and interior scoring.
- His floater evolution transformed Toronto's half-court offense and lifted the team's overall rating.
Free-Throw Outrage Is Exposure, Not New
- The online free-throw discourse is amplified by endless highlights, making historically common strategies seem new and controversial.
- High free-throw rates historically accompanied elite players; today's outrage often reflects exposure, not novelty.
Kings' Collapse Becomes Strategic Asset
- The Kings have unexpectedly fallen into a historic negative point-differential, positioning them as a stealth tank with controlled future assets.
- Their retained first-round picks through 2030 make their current struggles strategically valuable for a rebuild.