Wemby Gets Revenge, Morey’s Out, and a Trade-Fueled Mega-Mailbag With Kirk Goldsberry and David Jacoby

May 12, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

The San Antonio Spurs’ Game 5 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves was not just a playoff victory. It was a statement about the future of the Western Conference, delivered with a force that rattled both the Timberwolves’ championship window and the Boston Celtics’ long-term prospects. Bill Simmons, joined by Kirk Goldsberry and later David Jacoby, used the game as a springboard into a sprawling conversation about Dylan Harper’s terrifyingly precocious playoff play, Daryl Morey’s ouster in Philadelphia, and a mailbag that ranged from lottery reform to the league’s next blockbuster trade.

Wemby’s Revenge and the Spurs’ Accelerated Timeline

Victor Wembanyama was ejected from Game 4 for throwing an elbow, a moment of frustration born from a series of physical fouls the Timberwolves had been administering all series. “Do it until they call it,” Goldsberry noted, comparing the strategy to the old-school treatment of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Shaquille O’Neal. In Game 5, Wembanyama responded by scoring 16 points in the first six minutes, finishing with 27 points, 17 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 blocks. He was plus-24 in 32 minutes.

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What you'll learn

1 (03:04) **Spurs-Wolves Game 5: Wemby’s Revenge and the Rise of San Antonio** - Simmons and Goldsberry recap the Spurs’ dominant Game 5 win, focusing on Victor Wembanyama’s explosive response after being ejected in Game 4.
2 (12:11) **Minnesota’s Predicament: A Closing Window in a Loaded West** - The hosts analyze the Timberwolves’ future, questioning their ability to compete with the rising Spurs and Thunder given their salary cap constraints and aging roster.
3 (22:28) **OKC-San Antonio: The Best Series in Eight Years?** - Simmons and Goldsberry preview a potential second-round matchup between the Thunder and Spurs, arguing it could be the highest-level series in terms of talent and ceiling since the 2018 Rockets-Warriors.
4 (29:35) **Daryl Morey Fired: The End of an Era in Philadelphia** - Simmons and Goldsberry react to the Sixers firing Daryl Morey, analyzing the hits and misses of his tenure and the specific moves that led to his downfall.
5 (40:25) **Mailbag: Lottery Reform and Super Fan Representatives** - The mailbag segment begins with a discussion on how to fix the NBA Draft Lottery telecast, with Kirk, Jacoby, and Simmons brainstorming ideas.
6 (52:26) **The Pacers’ Cosmic Karma and the Zubac Trade** - The mailbag addresses the Pacers’ wild playoff history and the controversial decision to trade for Ivica Zubac, which cost them a top-five pick.
7 (59:04) **Jalen Duren’s Playoff Struggles and Restricted Free Agency** - The panel discusses the dilemma facing the Pistons with Jalen Duren, who has been awful in the playoffs after a great regular season.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Guests on this episode

Kirk Goldsberry

Show Notes

The Ringer’s Bill Simmons is joined by Kirk Goldsberry to discuss the Spurs taking a 3-2 lead against the Timberwolves and the 76ers moving on from Daryl Morey (2:27). Then, David Jacoby joins to answer some mailbag questions with Bill and Kirk (41:49).

Host: Bill Simmons

Guests: Kirk Goldsberry and David Jacoby

Producers: Chia Hao Tat and Eduardo Ocampo

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