Honestly - if that feature alone makes it into 2k27, then it's an instant no-buy from me. I think it's the biggest scam and predatory feature of all. I could care less about the capbreaker or the season-specific badge perks being added to the season pass ("clutch-gene" or "hot-start"). But 4 regular ones resetting every 7 weeks? That shit is just blatant that 2k wants your time or money, like a scientologist.

Also - the fact that it's 8 times a year (8 seasons) that you NEED to grind or pay in order to make your player undeniably and competitively better. Every day you don't make it to 35 on the season pass during a season, is another day less that you'll get to actually enjoy your build. It's an actual scam that I could grind for multiple weeks, and have only like 2 and a half weeks to enjoy my character before having to do it all over again.

New season starts, and all of a sudden it's pay-to-win central. Every bro who dropped an extra $40+, is instantly better than you. You know, if someone drops like $200 to make their character 99 overall on the first couple of days of this game, whatever. I'll do my grind, take a few weeks and then feel like I earned my build.

If I have to repeat this shit every 7 weeks, or get punished by people who no life this game or pay to win, then I can't keep up the act. Also, did you know that how much season XP you earn is based off of performance? That dude who is dribble spamming, shot chucking, and ball hogging is actively wasting your time in more ways than one.

Also - random FU is also the Skill boosts. "You can't make a build do everything, but actually here's some consumables that actually help you do everything." It's just a VC sink to make you buy or grind more lol.

“Free agency plans and whether this roster can contend soon”

Oh boy this AI summary tool is going to get dirty on this subreddit 😂 is it a curse or blessing that we got it during the offseason?

Unless they drop the Hive LE somewhere in the article mid-week… 👀

• IMO Lakers will play heavy counters to our schemes used in Games 4 & 5. We're likely on the "defensive" when it comes to coaching schemes in this series. We need to see what Reddick throws at us tonight and hopefully, if we can adapt quick enough.
• Lakers will likely play more smart (not marcus), not desperately. Desperation will come in game 7, which is why this game will likely be more difficult. They likely won't play risky.
• Any team good enough to win games already in the playoffs (like the Lakers), is less likely to get swept overall, (and we need a perfect reverse sweep). Each game that progresses in this series also increases the Lakers chance of winning the following game (from a statistical odds standpoint). ass math
• It's going to be daunting for Rockets players going into the game 6 tonight knowing that if they pull it all off, there's still a chance to lose the next game and have all this effort be for nothing. I think that aspect is going to weigh on the players' minds even more than games 4 & 5. Hopefully the home crowd can tune out this vibe for the young guys.
• We still need A level performances from our young core. If one doesn't deliver tonight, it could sink the whole ship and the Rockets cannot afford to make any mistakes. This is the series that can prove if that core CAN be consistent, but that doesn't mean our players are guaranteed to be consistent.
• Hate to say it: but "what about Lebron's legacy?" - I think he's gonna try REAL hard to not be the guy that lost the first playoff series against a team that started 0-3. I think Lebron tries harder to carry during Game 6, to not even push the chances of that scenario happening during a Game 7.
• No team has ever won a series after starting 0-3. Which means that until the Rockets are up with 0.0 seconds remaining in the 4th quarter of Game 7, all statistical chances point us as favorites to LOSE, including tonight.

THAT SAID - #1 Thompson, LET'S HOPE FOR A GOOD GAME 6