CBS SportsYahoo SportsThe RingerThe AthleticBleacher ReportNBA Index1HawksZaccharie RisacherZaccharie RisacherZaccharie RisacherZaccharie RisacherZaccharie RisacherZaccharie Risacher2WizardsAlex SarrAlex SarrAlex SarrAlex SarrAlex SarrAlex Sarr3RocketsReed SheppardReed SheppardReed SheppardReed SheppardReed SheppardReed Sheppard4SpursStephon CastleStephon CastleMatas BuzelisStephon CastleStephon CastleNikola Topic5PistonsMatas BuzelisMatas BuzelisDalton KnechtTRADE- MEM – ClinganMatas BuzelisMatas Buzelis6HornetsDalton KnechtDalton KnechtStephon CastleDalton KnechtDonovan ClinganStephon Castle7Trail BlazersDonovan ClinganDonovan ClinganDonovan ClinganCody WilliamsCody WilliamsCody Williams8SpursTidjane SalaunCody WilliamsDevin CarterTidjane SalaunDalton KnechtDevin Carter9GrizzliesCody WilliamsDevin CarterTidjane SalaunTRADE – DET – BuzelisRon HollandDonovan Clingan10JazzNikola TopicTidjane SalaunRon HollandNikola TopicDevin CarterJa’Kobe Walter11BullsDevin CarterRon HollandCody WilliamsTRADE – LAL – CarterRob DillinghamKel’el Ware12ThunderRon HollandCarlton CarringtonZach EdeyCarlton CarringtonTidjane SalaunTidjane Salaun13KingsJa’Kobe WalterTristan da SilvaKel’el WareRon HollandZach EdeyTristan da Silva14Trail BlazersKyshawn GeorgeJared McCainNikola TopicZach EdeyTristan da SilvaDalton Knecht15HeatRob DillinghamNikola TopicRob DillinghamJared McCainCarlton CarringtonRon Holland1676ersTristan da SilvaJa’Kobe WalterRyan DunnRob DillinghamJared McCainTyler Smith17LakersJared McCainKyshawn GeorgeJared McCainTRADE – CHI – ShannonJa’Kobe WalterJared McCain18MagicCarlton CarringtonRob DillinghamCarlton CarringtonTristan da SilvaNikola TopicKyle Filipowski19RaptorsZach EdeyZach EdeyKyshawn GeorgeJa’Kobe WalterKel’el WareRob Dillingham20CavaliersJohnny FurphyTerrence Shannon Jr.Johnny FurphyJohnny FurphyKyshawn GeorgeCarlton Carrington21PelicansYves MissiYves MissiYves MissiYves MissiYves MissiDaRon Holmes22SunsTyler KolekTyler KolekTristan da SilvaIsaiah CollierRyan DunnYves Missi23BucksRyan DunnIsaiah CollierJa’Kobe WalterKyle FilipowskiJaylon TysonTerrence Shannon Jr.24KnicksKyle FilipowskiKel’el WareIsaiah CollierTyler KolekBaylor ScheiermanRyan Dunn25KnicksIsaiah CollierDaRon HolmesKyle FilipowskiBaylor ScheiermanTyler KolekZach Edey26WizardsCam ChristieJohnny FurphyTyler KolekPacome DadietIsaiah CollierIsaiah Collier27TimberwolvesTerrence Shannon Jr.Cam ChristieBaylor ScheiermanTRADE – PHO – DunnJohnny FurphyKyshawn George28NuggetsDaRon HolmesTyler SmithDaRon HolmesDaRon HolmesDaRon HolmesKevin McCullar Jr.29JazzAJ JohnsonKyle FilipowskiJaylon TysonKyshawn GeorgePacome DadietJohnny Furphy30CelticsBaylor ScheiermanBaylor ScheiermanTerrence Shannon Jr.Kel’el WareJonathan MogboOsasere Ighodaro

NBA Index 2024 Mock Draft – 6/24/24

*Sticking with just the 1st round for now. 2nd round mock drafts are for psychopaths.

1. Atlanta Hawks
   • Zaccharie Risacher – Wing – France
     • Most of the mocks have either Risacher or Clingan here. I don’t see why they’d draft Clingan since they just extended Okongwu. Yet again, Coach Snyder was pretty successful in Utah building an entire defense around an elite rim protector.
   • Dark horse: Stephon Castle, Donovan Clingan or trade down
2. Washington Wizards
   • Alex Sarr – Big – France
     • They’ve been one of the worst defenses in the league for several years running. They need improvement everywhere, but Sarr is the first step to respectability.
   • Dark horse: None. Sarr is a lock.
3. Houston Rockets
   • Reed Sheppard – Guard – Kentucky
     • Houston is facing a ton of questions with their guard rotation. Has Jalen Green really taken a leap? Can Amen Thompson be a lead guard eventually? Do they opt-in to the 3rd year of VanVleet’s $40mil+/year contract? Sheppard will help answer a lot of those questions. That said, we know Udoka doesn’t want a youth movement. He’s looking for vets to take the next step in Houston.
   • Dark horse: Stephon Castle or possible trade down
4. San Antonio Spurs
   • Nikola Topic – Guard – Serbia
     • Best passer in the draft throwing lobs to Wemby? Yes please. I’m sure Popp can wait a year while Topic recovers from a partial ACL tear. Plus they can address the PG spot more immediately with their 8th pick. Anything to avoid playing Sochan as Point Forward anymore!
   • Dark horse: Stephon Castle or Zaccharie Risacher 
5. Detroit Pistons
   • Matas Buzelis – Forward – G League Ignite
     • Pistons would be overjoyed to see Buzelis fall to them here. New regime in place, new coach coming (likely James Borrego), they’ll look to add scoring around Cade, Ivey, and Duren.
   • Dark horse: Zaccharie Risacher
6. Charlotte Hornets
   • Stephon Castle – Wing – UConn
     • A perfect fit in Charlotte alongside LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller. The Hornets will be overjoyed if he falls to them at 6.
   • Dark horse: Donovan Clingan 
7. Portland Trail Blazers
   • Cody Williams – Wing – Colorado
     • Overloaded in the backcourt, but big contracts upfront with Ayton and Grant, it seems they need help on the wing. Cody Williams has a super high upside and doesn’t need the ball in his hands to contribute. Portland can afford to wait as Williams develops over time.
   • Dark horse: Dalton Knecht or Donovan Clingan
8. San Antonio Spurs
   • Devin Carter – Guard – Providence
     • Devin Carter is destined to go to either the Spurs or Heat. If San Antonio can leave this draft with their backcourt of the future – Topic & Carter – alongside wings Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson, do-everything-forward Jeremy Sochan, and Wemby at Center, they’ll be well on their way to returning to the playoffs.
   • Dark horse: Nikola Topic or Tidjane Salaun
9. Memphis Grizzlies
   • Donovan Clingan – Big – UConn
     • Not sure if they foresee JJJ as their long-term center or if they want to get him some help upfront. Either way, I doubt Clingan falls passed 9.
   • Dark horse: Dalton Knecht
10. Utah Jazz
    • Ja’Kobe Walter – Guard – Baylor
      • With Markkanen and Kessler in the front court, their next mission is to surround Keyonte George with backcourt help, especially if they end up moving on from Clarkson & Sexton. Enter fellow Baylor alum, Ja’Kobe Walter.
    • Dark horse: Devin Carter
11. Chicago Bulls
    • Kel’el Ware – Big – Indiana
      • Trading Caruso for Giddey was the first step for CHI to A) retool on the fly and B) getting younger in the process. Giddey needs shooters around him and maybe a rim-running Big. Ware has attitude question marks, but he has arguably the highest ceiling in the draft. Tantalizing talent is hard to pass up here.
    • Dark horse: Devin Carter, Tidjane Salaun, or possible trade down
12. Oklahoma City Thunder
    • Tidjane Salaun – Forward – France
      • If Clingan is here, OKC is taking him. Wouldn’t be shocked if they actually used some of their future draft picks to trade up to ensure they get their man. 
    • Dark horse: Donovan Clingan, Zach Edey, or they’re trading up
13. Sacramento Kings
    • Tristan Da Silva – Forward – Colorado
      • I’ve seen Da Silva mocked here quite a bit. With Sabonis at Center, they need big forwards around him, ideally who can also stretch the floor, in order for the Kings to get back to the playoffs immediately and make another run. Da Silva has the size, shooting, and maturity to check all 3 boxes.
    • Dark horse: Ron Holland or Dalton Knecht
14. Portland Trail Blazers
    • Dalton Knecht – Wing – Tennessee
      • Obviously this depends on what they do at 7, but Portland was one of the worst 3pt shooting teams in the league last year. They’re desperate for some off-the-ball gravity to open up space for Scoot, Sharpe, and Ayton. Knecht likely won’t fall passed 14.
    • Dark horse: Donovan Clingan or Matas Buzelis
15. Miami Heat
    • Ron Holland – Wing – G League Ignite
      • Probably the highest ceiling in the draft, if there’s anyone who can get the most of Holland’s athletic tools, it’s Spo.
    • Dark horse: Carlton Carrington or Kyshawn George
16. Philadelphia 76ers
    • Tyler Smith – Forward – G League Ignite
      • I doubt Morey stays at 16. He’s looking for win-now guys, ideally who can shoot and spread the floor for Maxey and Embiid. Smith can do that, but is he ready?
    • Dark horse: Carlton Carrington, Bobi Llintman or trade out
17. Los Angeles Lakers
    • Jared McCain – Guard – Duke
      • Another possible trade, but will be interesting to see if Redick looks for a fellow Duke guard to spread the floor, defend opposing PGs, and not be intimidated when playing with LeBron & AD. McCain is a great value here.
    • Dark horse: Carlton Carrington, Rob Dillingham or trade out
18. Orlando Magic
    • Kyle Filipowski – Big – Duke
      • They are set defensively, but desperately need 3pt shooting. Enter Flip, whose 3pt shooting would make life easier for Paolo, Franz, and Jalen.
    • Dark horse: Carlton Carrington, Kel’el Ware, or DaRon Holmes
19. Toronto Raptors
    • Rob Dillingham – Guard – Kentucky
      • With Barnes and Poeltl upfront, and Quickley in the backcourt, the Raptors have the makings of a solid defense next year. However they need some on ball creation to support Barnes, their de-facto point forward. Dillingham is one of the most electrifying players in the draft and won’t be asked to do too much in Toronto.
    • Dark horse: Zach Edey or Carlton Carrington
20. Cleveland Cavaliers
    • Carlton Carrington – Guard – Pittsburgh
      • Insurance for the potential trade of either Mitchell or Garland. I actually think the Cavs will keep both for the near future. However, adding Carrington from just over the border takes the pressure off Cleveland’s star guards from having to carry the team offensively every night. 
    • Dark horse: Tyler Smith or Bobi Klintman
21. New Orleans Pelicans
    • DaRon Holmes – Big – Dayton
      • Would almost immediately become the starting Center, assuming the Pels don’t re-sign Valanciunas. Holmes’ ability to step out and shoot will open up so many things for Zion, Jones, Murphy, C.J., and Ingram (assuming he’s still there).
    • Dark horse: Kyle Filipowski or Kevin McCullar Jr.
22. Phoenix Suns
    • Yves Missi – Big – Baylor
      • Nurk had a career high in games played last season. That won’t happen again. The Suns need a Big that can protect the rim and do the dirty work so KD, Booker, and Beal can do their thing.
    • Dark horse: DaRon Holmes or Kevin McCullar Jr.
23. Milwaukee Bucks
    • Terrence Shannon Jr. – Wing – Illinois
      • One of my favorites, Shannon can come in and provide scoring off the bench immediately. As Middleton fades, Shannon could see a significant role as the Bucks attempt to make another run.
    • Dark horse: Kevin McCullar Jr. or Jaylen Tyson
24. New York Knicks
    • Ryan Dunn – Forward – Virginia
      • No way the Knicks let Dunn get passed them here. Thibs will play him 40 minutes a night on his day off.
    • Dark horse: Kevin McCullar Jr. or possible trade up
25. New York Knicks
    • Zach Edey – Big – Purdue
      • If Hartenstein leaves as a free agent, that’s a big hole upfront that Mitchell Robinson isn’t healthy often enough to fill. Edey will immediately be a fan favorite in Gotham, and could prove quite valuable, as Thibs remains one of the last old-school coaches in the NBA.
    • Dark horse: Terrence Shannon Jr. or possible trade up
26. Washington Wizards
    • Isaiah Collier – Guard – USC
      • The Wiz would be overjoyed at the prospect of drafting arguably the best center in the draft in Sarr followed by arguably the point guard in the draft in Collier. There will still be plenty of talent available for Washington here, but if Collier is available, they won’t let him slip.
    • Dark horse: Jaylen Tyson or Tyler Kolek
27. Minnesota Timberwolves
    • Kyshawn George – Guard – Miami
      • Kyshawn is basically younger Slo-Mo, only he can actually shoot. He’d fit in perfectly in support of Ant.& KAT. Furthermore, he has PG skills and can eventually be groomed to fill in for Conley as he ages.
    • Dark horse: Cam Christie or Tyler Kolek
28. Denver Nuggets
    • Kevin McCullar Jr. – Wing – Kansas
      • McCullar Jr. fits with a lot of teams in the 20s, but I doubt Denver let’s him slip passed them. They struck gold with another Kansas wing in Christian Braun. They might try it again with McCullar. That said, the rumor is they’ve made a promise to DaRon Holmes here.
    • Dark horse: Jaylen Tyson, DaRon Holmes, or Bobi Klintman
29. Utah Jazz
    • Johnny Furphy – Wing – Kansas
      • After nabbing JaKobe Walter at 10, the Jazz add another wing who can shoot in Furphy. A future starting 5 of George, Walter, Furphy, Markkanen, and Kessler has a lot of potential.
    • Dark horse: Tyler Kolek or Jaylon Tyson
30. Boston Celtics
    • Osasere Ighodaro – Big – Marquette
      • The defending champs have very few holes. That said, with KP’s injury history and Al Horford’s age, they can’t rely solely on Luke Kornet to man the middle. Ighodaro is exactly the sort of mature, high IQ, winner that would fit in perfectly with the Celtics.
    • Dark horse: Zach Edey or Bobi Klintman

NBA Index 2024 Draft Big Board – 6/24/24

*This is a ranking of who I believe will be the best player of this group long-term. It’s not a guess on Rookie of the Year. It’s a prediction of who I’d want on my team in 5+ years from now.

**Wasn’t able to scout Pacome Dadiet, Ajay Mitchell, Melvin Ajinca, Cam Spencer, or Tre Alexander. I expect each of them to be drafted in the 2nd round.

***Official NBA Draft Combine Measurements

1. Matas Buzelis – F – 19 years old
   • Height: 6’9″
   • Wingspan: 6’10”
   • The Good: Legit 4 with good size and length. High IQ player, despite playing with Low IQ talent on G-League Ignite, excellent off-ball defensive player, knows when to rotate, can defend the rim, plus athlete, on offense he doesn’t dominate the ball, connecting piece, good passer & cutter, opportunistic scorer
   • The Bad: Shooting, didn’t shoot well from 3 last year, despite plenty of great looks, form is solid, no issues with technique, shot just didn’t fall. However, prior to his one season with Ignite he was hitting 40%+, will also need to improve his handle.
2. Stephon Castle – W – 19
   • HT: 6’6″
   • WS: 6’9″
   • The Good: Arguably best perimeter defender in class besides Dunn, can guard 1-4, excellent on or off-ball, good shake to his game, excellent athlete with good measurements, dawg, winner, high floor
   • The Bad: Very few holes in his game, but is he really a PG, as he claims to be? He wants the ball in his hands, but he mostly played off the ball at UConn. Certainly seems capable though. Needs to be more consistent with his shot, but solid form and footwork on jumper.
3. Nikola Topic – G – 18
   • HT: 6’6″
   • WS: 6’6″
   • The Good: One of the best passers in the class, great feel, gets to the rim at will despite not being particularly explosive, capable shooter, great size for a PG, decent handle, has played with men professionally last few years. high ceiling.
   • The Bad: Coming off partial ACL tear, won’t contribute to a team until start of 2025 season, subpar wingspan, inconsistent shooter and defender, wherever he ends up, will probably need the ball in his hands to be affective.
4. Devin Carter – G – 22
   • HT: 6’2″
   • WS: 6’9″
   • The Good: Great measurements, near +7 inch wingspan, will be able to guard 1-3 easily, one of the best perimeter defenders in class, excellent shooter, improved every year in college, solid PnR scorer & distributor, high floor, reminds me of Jrue Holiday, dawg
   • The Bad: Older for a rookie, shoots well but slow release, will need to speed up shot, low ceiling, but I love this kid.
5. Cody Williams – W – 19
   • HT: 6’7″
   • WS: 7’1″
   • The Good: Great measurements, zero holes in his game, does everything well, 7+ foot wingspan will allow him to guard 1-4, underrated passer, capable shooter, JDub’s little brother, cerebral player, high ceiling
   • The Bad: suffered injury prone season at Colorado, though he has no holes, he’s not elite in any area, handle is questionable, shot is inconsistent, needs to put on strength immediately
6. Tidjane Salaun – F – 18
   • HT: 6’9″ 
   • WS: 7’2″
   • The Good: Excellent measurements will allow him to play (and defend) 5s, though he’s a Power Forward for sure, good free throw shooter & 3pt shooter, especially deep 3s, excellent off-ball cutter, plus athlete, very good defender, outstanding motor, playing professionally despite being one of the youngest in the draft.
   • The Bad: Super raw. His motor, effort, & dimensions hide possibly average IQ, handle needs a lot of work, will be a project, likely won’t be able to contribute for first few years in the league
7. Zaccharie Risacher – W – 19
   • HT: 6’9″
   • WS: 6’10”
   • The Good: Decent size for a big wing, playing professionally in France, huge improvements in the last year, particularly in 3pt shooting, where he’s one of the best in the class, has some shake to his game, will likely be able to contribute immediately to a team despite youth
   • The Bad: Too thin to play the 4 in most lineups, average athleticism, though a high IQ player, his effort comes & goes, though an excellent shooter he can be a bit streaky
8. Alex Sarr – Big – 19
   • HT: 7’0″
   • WS: 7’4″
   • The Good: Potential monster defensively, can block shots as well as anyone in this draft beside Clingan, can switch out on perimeter and hold his own, very good rim-running potential, has shown glimpses of Stretch5 potential, shot looks good, has been playing professionally in NBL, excellent size & length
   • The Bad: Good, not great, athlete, 3pt shot looks good, but more theoretical right now, poor rebounder and he avoids physicality, will need to put on strength
9. Kel’el Ware – Big – 20
   • HT: 7’0″
   • WS: 7’5″
   • The Good: One of my favs in the draft, excellent height & wingspan, one of the best in the class, can score from anywhere, excellent post moves but can step out to 3pt line and be a legit threat, defensively can protect the rim while also switching out on perimeter, very good shot blocker, improved motor & work ethic
   • The Bad: Definitely needs to put on weight, but the biggest question for him is his attitude, had difficult freshman year at Oregon, despite showing glimpses of potential, outplayed Derrick Lively at Duke when they went head-to-head, but effort waned and his playing time did as well. Much improved under Coach Woodson at Indiana. If his mind and motor are right, he’s a steal.
10. Reed Sheppard – G – 19
    • HT: 6’2″
    • WS: 6’3″
    • The Good: Best shooter in the class, 50%+ from 3, excellent passer, can play on or off the ball, high IQ, excellent off-ball defender, sees a couple plays ahead, gets tons of deflections and surprisingly good shot blocker, outstanding athlete makes up for poor measurements
    • The Bad: The measurements, he’ll only be able to defend other guards, not big enough to bother wings, handle can use work, on-ball defense is a question, super quick guards will likely give him trouble. Shooting will keep him in the league for a long time, but does he have potential beyond that?
11. Bubb Carrington – G – 18
    • HT: 6’4″
    • WS: 6’8″
    • The Good: Quickly rising up draft boards, excellent dimensions and possibly still growing, huge growth spurt two years ago, can shoot from anywhere, outstanding handle, unlimited confidence, great shake, difficult to keep out of the paint, improved C&S player
    • The Bad: kinda new to the scene, played well at Pittsburgh, but with little fan fair, can be a bit of a gunner, though he didn’t have much help at Pitt, PnR offense will need to improve, defensive liability right away
12. Jaylon Tyson – G – 21
    • HT: 6’6″
    • WS: 6’8″
    • The Good: Very cerebral player, High IQ on par with Topic, Carter, & Sheppard, excellent shooter, very good body control, outstanding size for a guard, can play on or off the ball offensively, leader, plays at his own pace, good rebounder, strong
    • The Bad: subpar athlete, decent dimensions but lacks burst, question mark defensively, who does he guard? Will he be able to overpower pro defenders the way he did in college?
13. Dalton Knecht – W – 23
    • HT: 6’5″
    • WS: 6’9″
    • The Good: He and Sheppard best shooters in class, can shoot from anywhere, gets shot off quickly, 3 level scorer, just as adept coming off screens as he is penetrating the defense, really good measurements allow him to score over the top of defenders at the rim
    • The Bad: major defensive liability, will put forth an effort, but has difficult time keeping guys in front of him, will be targeted immediately, excellent athlete but questionable side-to-side movement
14. Tristan Da Silva – F – 23
    • HT: 6’8″
    • WS: 6’10”
    • The Good: Has played professionally oversees, outstanding shooter, opportunistic scorer, often was better than Cody Williams at Colorado, leader, dependable, good size, will be able to play the 4 with no problem, immediate contributor, think better shooting Jaime Jacquez.
    • The Bad: older rookie with questionable athletic marks, won’t ever be physically dominant, average rebounder, will need to get bigger and show more consistency on the defensive end
15. Bobi Klintman – F – 21
    • HT: 6’9″
    • WS: 6’11”
    • The Good: Dark horse rookie of the year candidate, playing professionally in the NBL now, has played as a pro in Europe and for a year at Wake Forest too. Very skilled forward who can shoot, pass, run and defend. Though not elite at any one thing, I fail to see why he isn’t higher on people’s boards. He’s ready to contribute right away, and with plenty of room to grow, if he was 2 years younger he’d be a lottery lock
    • The Bad: Has been a solid role player wherever he’s been, but never a go-to guy, fast and long, but not an exceptional athlete, shot can come and go, a little older for a rookie. 
16. Ja’Kobe Walter – W – 19
    • HT: 6’4″
    • WS: 6’10”
    • The Good: One of the best players in his high school class, he has a +6 inch wingspan and a beautiful looking shot. Though he didn’t shoot it well in his lone season at Baylor, the form is solid and he’s destined to improve. Better yet, he’s excellent off the ball, knows how to find cracks in the defense or run off screens to get some daylight for his J. Very good athlete, solid defender.
    • The Bad: Not much shake yet, handle can abandon him in traffic, his shot looks great, but he’ll be expected to hit the 3 with higher consistency if he wants to be a starting SG
17. DaRon Holmes – Big – 21
    • HT: 6’9″
    • WS: 7’1″
    • The Good: One of my personal favs, improved every year in college, became a good 3pt shooter on decent volume, but more than willing to take bigger guys off the dribble, or punish smalls on the block with an array of post moves. Defensively, he’s already one of the best shot blockers of his class, with the feet to stick with wings on switches. Rumored to already have a promise in the late 1st round, possibly going to DEN.
    • The Bad: Is the one year of excellent 3pt shooting just an outlier, or is it here to stay? He doesn’t necessarily have the agility to play the 4, but he’s also a bit undersized at C. 
18. Ryan Dunn – F – 21
    • HT: 6’6″
    • WS: 7’2″
    • The Good: The best defender in the draft, by far. Can guard 1-5 with a 7’2″ wingspan, considered by scouts as one of the best defenders in any draft class, both on and off the ball, can shut down his man while also being an elite help-side defender, loves coming out of left field for a block at the rim or a strip down-low, excellent all-around athlete, great motor, knows how to cut off the ball on the offensive end to make himself a threat to score, superb rebounder
    • The Bad: Offense. Can’t shoot yet. Form isn’t broken, but it’s not exactly pretty either. Though he can attack the rim with straight line drives, he has very little shake to his game. Will need to play around shooters at the next level
19. Ron Holland – W – 18
    • HT: 6’7″
    • WS: 6’11”
    • The Good: probably the best athlete in the draft, can guard 1-4 easily, relentlessly attacks the rim, both in half-court and transition, completely unafraid of shotblockers, led the Ignite in scoring and was their leader, despite being the youngest player on the team, one of the best players in his high school class, possibly the highest ceiling of anyone in this draft
    • The Bad: Can’t really dribble, pass or shoot, questionable IQ, hasn’t figured out when to attack and when to pull back, incredible tools but will need patience and development
20. Donovan Clingan – Big – 20
    • HT: 7’2″
    • WS: 7’7″
    • The Good: Likely a top 7 pick based on all reporting, a can’t miss prospect with a super high floor, best rim defender in the league, a plug-n-play center who is good enough to be a starter immediately, has won wherever he’s played, more than capable of switching on the perimeter in a pinch
    • The Bad: Has zero offensive game besides being a lob threat, showed an ability to make a backdoor bounce pass occasionally, little post skill, poor FT shooter, no Stretch5 evidence yet. I like him, but he needs to be surrounded by shooters and a good lob thrower to be successful.
21. Kyshawn George – G – 20
    • HT: 6’7″
    • WS: 6’10”
    • The Good: Can shoot the cover off the ball, excellent size, ability to run point, see over defense, good handle, played professionally overseas for a year
    • The Bad: poor athletic testing, fairly slow, has difficult time creating his own shot off the dribble, defensive liability, very thin, poor motor
22. Nikola Durisic – W – 20
    • HT: 6’7″
    • WS: 6’8″
    • The Good: Great shooter with surprising athleticism, can take defenders off the dribble and get to the rim, excellent off-ball shooter and cutter, high IQ, played professionally for years
    • The Bad: Not huge for a wing, will have trouble with physicality of NBA’s wings, will have a target on his back on defense
23. Terrence Shannon – W – 23
    • HT: 6’6″
    • WS: 6’9″
    • The Good: One of my favorite players, completely fearless, bounced around a bit in college but has shown glimpses everywhere, outstanding transition player, opportunistic scorer, has improved his 3pt shot every year, decent length, can guard 1-3
    • The Bad: A little old for a rookie, inconsistent shot, can have tunnel vision, handle needs work, good but not great athlete
24. Johnny Furphy – W – 19
    • HT: 6’8″
    • WS: 6’8″
    • The Good: One of the best shooters in the class, clean stroke, no hitches, reminds me of Klay, good size, best in C&S situations, has more to his game than Gradey Dick or Luke Kennard comps
    • The Bad: Stringbean, will need to get stronger, no off-the-dribble game yet, competes defensively but will need to drastically improve
25. Dillon Jones – G – 22
    • HT: 6’5″
    • WS: 6’11”
    • The Good: One of my favs, a guard with near 7 foot wingspan, looks and plays a lot like Donovan Mitchell, only without the athleticism, a leader, dawg, fearless, good defender, physical, can guard 1-3
    • The Bad: A little old for a rookie, will he be able to bully NBA guards, inconsistent 3pt shot
26. Juan Nunez – G – 20
    • HT: 6’4″
    • WS: 6’7″
    • The Good: Excellent PnR PG capable of running high-level offenses immediately. Played professionally in Span for a few seasons, good size, solid handle, outstanding passer, capable shooter
    • The Bad: Has a hitch in his 3pt shot that will be a problem, will undoubtedly have problems trying to stay in front of quick NBA guards
27. Rob Dillingham – G – 19
    • HT: 6’1″
    • WS: 6’3″
    • The Good: Quickest players in the draft, unstoppable one-on-one, can score via C&S or off the dribble, fearless, 3 level scorer, reminds me of Kemba Walker or Lou Williams
    • The Bad: Terrible defender so far, very small, will be targeted relentlessly on defense, has tunnel vision, not a pure point guard, looks to score first
28. Isaiah Collier – G – 19
    • HT: 6’3″
    • WS: 6’5″
    • The Good: One of the best players in his high school class, a bowling ball who’s nearly impossible to stay in front of, gets to the rim at will, can get up & over most shot blockers despite stature, underrated passer, solid out of the PnR, not a shoot first guy
    • The Bad: Struggled as a freshman at USC, both individually and as a team. Attitude questions, can wear his frustration on his sleeve, will he be able to get to the rim against NBA size? The J comes and goes, will need to be more consistent so defenders don’t go under every screen.
29. Kevin McCullar – W – 23
    • HT: 6’5″
    • WS: 6’9″
    • The Good: Decent size for an NBA wing, can guard 1-3, digs in on defense, plays bigger than his measurements, reminds me of Josh Hart, 5th year senior was the unquestioned leader for Coach Self at Kansas, knows how to play in a team concept defensively, more than capable C&S shooter.
    • The Bad: Athletically sound, but limited. Will never be a go-to scorer, not much shake to his game, though he can shoot, his shot isn’t pretty. Will need to work with shooting coach to speed it up. Ultimately he’s a role player on a good team.
30. Zach Edey – Big – 22
    • HT: 7’4″
    • WS: 7’11”
    • The Good: One of the biggest players ever to be drafted, has only been playing organized basketball for 6 years, most dominant player in NCAA for two consecutive years, can punish any switch in the post offensively, slow but good footwork, likes to get to the middle for a hook shot, but has step-through counters as well, capable rim runner as well. Defensively, his presence alone is a rim deterrent, good shot blocker, occasionally able to switch out on perimeter in a pinch. I have faith he can play in today’s NBA due to his size, hands & work ethic.
    • The Bad: Incredibly slow, which is to be expected for someone his size. But not just athletically – he also reads the game slowly. Willing passer out of the post, but has tough time seeing where the double team is coming from, needs to make his move on the Catch, rather than the Catch & Scan.
31. Jared McCain – G – 20
    • HT: 6’2″
    • WS: 6’4″
    • The Good: One of the best shooters in his class, can get to his shot both off the dribble and in C&S situations, will be able to play off the ball at the next level if required, tough, solid handle, strong, competes on defense
    • The Bad: Not exceptionally big or exceptionally quick. Will only be able to guard other teams PGs. Not enough shake to beat defenders off the dribble. Average athlete. Will he be able to get his shot off against NBA level defenders?
32. Tyler Smith – F – 19
    • HT: 6’9″
    • WS: 7’1″
    • The Good: Great size for a Stretch4, great shooter, quick release, pretty shot. Defensively can defend the rim a little with his length.
    • The Bad: Average IQ player, average rebounder, average defender, what can he do besides shoot 3s? Maybe he can max out as a Gallinari-type.
33. Justin Edwards – W – 20
    • HT: 6’6″
    • WS: 6’10”
    • The Good: One of the best players in his high school class, outstanding athlete in a tier right below Ron Holland or Ryan Dunn. Great size & length, tough, capable shooter, good IQ, comfortable playing off the ball as he did at Kentucky
    • The Bad: Never really found his footing under Calipari, inconsistent player, you forget he’s out there sometimes, questionable shooter, probably a better pro than college player, gets lost defensively
34. Baylor Scheierman – W – 23
    • HT: 6’6″
    • WS: 6’8″
    • The Good: One of the best shooters of this class, lefty with a clean stroke & quick release, comfortable getting it off with a man in his face, off the dribble or in C&S situations. Won’t just settle for 3s, willing to attack the paint, unselfish player, high IQ, dominated at Pre-Draft Combine in Chicago, the shooting will keep him in the league for a long time.
    • The Bad: Though he has decent measurements, he’s probably too slow to stick 2s and not big enough to defend 3s, poor handle, generally will only go left, will he be able to get his shot off against NBA length?
35. Cam Christie – W – 18
    • HT: 6’5″
    • WS: 6’8″
    • The Good: One of the youngest players in the draft, showed plenty of flashes as a dynamic shooter and scorer, raw but solid foundation of shooting and handle, will require patience
    • The Bad: Won’t contribute to winning for a few years, good size, but needs to put on weight, defensively gets lost constantly
36. Kyle Filipowski – Big – 20
    • HT: 6’11”
    • WS: 6’11”
    • The Good: Highly skilled Big who can do most things well offensively. Very comfortable playing out of the high post or beyond the arc, pretty shot that he can get off quickly, more than willing to pump & go on fly-bys, will attack the rim with force, strong, sturdy base
    • The Bad: Disappointing measurements, will never be a rim protector, moves his feet well but won’t ever wow you with his quickness or athleticism. Had troubles against NBA level Bigs while at Duke. Though he’s an excellent passer out of the high post, most teams don’t run that sort of offense, so he’ll need to be a legit 3pt threat if he wants to stay in the league.
37. Ariel Hukporti – Big – 22
    • HT: 6’11”
    • WS: 7’3″
    • The Good: Solid measurements and athletic testing makes me believe Hukporti will finally get drafted this year. Moves his feet really well and also can defend the paint, has played professionally in Europe and in the NBL for several years now. A starter on one of the better teams in Australia. A PnR rim runner who will provide plenty of rim gravity. 
    • The Bad: Can’t really shoot beyond 12-15 feet, great motor but gets himself into trouble with loose dribble, good size but not huge, will have problems agains the giant centers. But he’s the sort of guy who will play for 10 years due to his hustle and IQ.
38. Adem Bona – Big – 21
    • HT: 6’8″
    • WS: 7’4″
    • The Good: One of the best motors in the draft, outstanding athlete, fantastic measurements, will be able to defend bigs and wings and help out on guards. Hasn’t been playing organized ball for too long, so plenty of room to grow. Will be a fan favorite wherever he goes, will just need patience and tutelage.
    • The Bad: A bit undersized for a big, the biggest centers will give him problems, offensively he can’t shoot outside of 5 feet, hasn’t demonstrated much in the way of dribbling or passing, never-ending motor gets him into foul trouble too easily
39. Tyler Kolek – G – 23
    • HT: 6’1″
    • WS: 6’3″
    • The Good: A pure and steady point guard who will be able to immediately be your first PG off the bench, excellent handle, outstanding shooter, high IQ player, tough, competes on defense.
    • The Bad: small and slow, will have a tough time defending quicker NBA guards, will need to learn to play off the ball at the next level
40. Yves Missi – Big – 20
    • HT: 6’11”
    • WS: 7’2″
    • The Good: Excellent all around athlete for a Big, one of the best rim-runners in the class, always a threat to oop the alley, quick feet and length allows him to switch on the perimeter, will be able to defend the rim right away
    • The Bad: New to the game, can’t shoot besides dunks, even layups give him problems, no touch to speak of, showed glimpses of being able to straight-line attack the rim, but doesn’t look comfortable doing so. Will require lots of patience.
41. Harrison Ingram – F – 21
    • HT: 6’5″
    • WS: 7’0″
    • The Good: Big, strong, and skilled forward. Capable of playing bully-ball down low or will happily step outside to shoot 3s. Short but with huge wingspan, was one of the best players in his high school class
    • The Bad: Struggled to find his footing in college, subpar defender, doesn’t use his bulk well enough, will need to work on fitness and being more consistent from 3 at the next level if he wants to stick
42. Keshad Johnson – F – 23
    • HT: 6’6″
    • WS: 6’10”
    • The Good: Came on a bit out of the blue in the Pre-Draft Combine, willing to do the dirty work, tough, uses bulk well, undersized 4 but has good length and is an excellent athlete, would be a fan favorite where he goes, floor burn guy
    • The Bad: Doesn’t do anything exceptionally well, poor handle, inconsistent shot, turnover prone when asked to do too much
43. Osasere Ighodaro – Big – 21
    • HT: 6’10”
    • WS: 6’11”
    • The Good: High IQ, big strong athlete, excellent screen setter, good rebounder & passer, can switch on the perimeter in a pinch, sees the court well, can be used as a fulcrum in the high post like Sabonis
    • The Bad: Likely too slow to play the 4 and too small to guard most 5s, not a great athlete, can’t really shoot, will need to develop that part of the game.
44. Enrique Freeman – F – 23
    • HT: 6’7″
    • WS: 7’2″
    • The Good: One of the best rebounders in the country, fearless, tough, strong, excellent length, good athlete
    • The Bad: Not much he can do offensively besides attack the glass and set screens. Undersized for a center, yet can’t really shoot. His shot looks good, but it hasn’t translated, older for a rookie
45. Bronny James – G – 19
    • HT: 6’2″
    • WS: 6’7″
    • The Good: Arguably the biggest name in the draft despite being a 2nd round pick most likely, outstanding athlete, excellent shooter, certainly has the genes, tough, scrappy, fearless, solid defensively. Future as a 3&D guy capable of guarding 1-3.
    • The Bad: Some health concerns earlier this year gave everyone pause, but doctors gave him a clean bill of health, will his dad’s shadow affect his mentality at the next level when everyone will be gunning for him. Will need ton work on his handle for sure, but can stick in this league due to his IQ, effort, athletic tools, & shooting.

April 22, 2024

Time to pick the winners of the annual NBA Awards. Naturally, I won’t select a Most Clutch Player, as it is a stupid award & I refuse to recognize it. Additionally, I will include my predictions doomed to fail from back in October. 

MVP

• Finalists
  1. Nikola Jokic (Favorite) (My Pick) – He undoubtedly deserves his 3rd, entrenching him in the conversation for a spot on the Top 20 All-Time List. Amazing 4-5 year run he’s on. If he manages to repeat and win a second championship, we need to begin speaking about Joker in a historical context. Is he a future Top 10 player ever?
  2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
  3. Luka Doncic
• Initial Predictions
  1. Nikola Jokic
  2. Giannis Antetokounmpo
  3. Luka Doncic
  4. Honorable mentions: Anthony Davis, Steph Curry, Devin Booker, Jayson Tatum

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

• Finalists
  1. Rudy Gobert (Favorite) (My Pick) – Best defensive player on the league’s best defensive team. The rumors of his demise clearly immature, the French Rejection continues to be a One-Man Top 10 Defense, regardless of the cast around him. Though I believe AD deserves a mention here, the award is Gobert’s once again, his 4th. 
  2. Bam Adebayo
  3. Victor Wembanyama
• Initial Predictions
  1. Anthony Davis
  2. Rudy Gobert
  3. Bam Adebayo
  4. Honorable mentions: Alex Caruso, Jaren Jackson Jr., Draymond Green, Evan Mobley

COACH OF THE YEAR

• Finalists
  1. Mark Daigneault (Favorite)
  2. Chris Finch (My Pick) – I think Finch deserves it over Daigneault, though certainly neither would be a poor choice. The reason I pick Finch here is simply that the pressure on him was far greater than on Daigneault. Figuring out the Gobert-Towns pairing, allowing Edwards to take that next step, surviving Towns’ injury, building the NBA’s best defense – incredible job by Finch.
  3. Jamahl Mosley
• Initial Predictions
  1. Chris Finch
  2. Taylor Jenkins
  3. Eric Spoelstra
  4. Honorable mentions: Darvin Ham, Steve Kerr, Mark Daigneault, Ty Lue

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER OF THE YEAR (aka MOST PLEASANT SURPRISE)

• Finalists
  1. Tyrese Maxey (Favorite)
  2. Coby White (My Pick) – Even for the biggest Sub-Zero supporters, few could have seen this Coby White season coming. Before the season started, there was discussion of him coming off the bench behind Javon Carter! He far outplayed the contract he signed this summer, which was a 3 year deal around $12 million per year. Imagine how much he’d make if his free agency was this summer! He’d be making twice that number, easily.
  3. Alperen Sengun
• Initial Predictions
  1. Desmond Bane
  2. Tyrese Maxey
  3. Mikel Bridges
  4. Honorable mentions: Coby White, Austin Reeves, Jaden McDaniels, Devin Vassell, Trey Murphy, Alperen Sengun

6TH MAN OF THE YEAR

• Finalists
  1. Naz Reid (Favorite)
  2. Malik Monk
  3. Bobby Portis (My Pick) – Always the bridesmaid, never the bride. Portis has been in consideration here for years. Though I love Naz, and he played incredibly with KAT out, my pick goes to Bobby. The Bucks have had a wild ride of a season – new coach, injuries, controversies, etc. One of the few constants has been Portis off the bench. It’s time.
• Initial Predictions
  1. Bobby Portis
  2. Immanual Quickley
  3. Santi Aldama
  4. Honorable mentions: Malik Monk, Kyle Anderson, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Andrew Nembhard

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

• Finalists
  1. Victor Wembanyama (Favorite) (My Pick) – Yes, I typically like to give this award to a rookie who’s contributed to a winning team. But sometimes a player’s numbers and performance are so head & shoulders above everyone else’s, you simply must reward them accordingly. And being that Wemby stands literally a head & shoulders above everyone else, he’s getting this prize. We’ve never seen a player like him. He’s changing the game right before our eyes. I’ve counted dozens of highlight reel plays he made this year that were unprecedented in bball history. Assuming he stays more or less healthy, he’ll likely win 5+ DPOY awards, plus at least 1 MVP. 
  2. Chet Holmgren
  3. Brandon Miller
• Initial Predictions
  1. Victor Wembanyama
  2. Brandon Miller
  3. Jaime Jacquez
  4. Honorable mentions: Amen Thompson, Scoot Henderson, Keyonte George

NBA All-Star Selections – ’23-’24

Though it’s probably overdue to expand the official all-star selections from 12-15 players (ya know, the size of actual active NBA rosters), I’ll stick with the current format as is:

• The 10 starters – two guards and three frontcourt players per conference – are chosen by a combination of fans (50% of the vote), current players (25%) and media (25%).
• The 30 NBA coaches select the 14 reserves, voting for two guards, three frontcourt players and two players at any position in their respective conferences.
• Commissioner Adam Silver selects the replacement for any player unable to participate in the All-Star Game, choosing a player from the same conference as the player who is being replaced.

Inevitably, some greats are going to be left on the cutting room floor. Happens every year. If we expanded the rosters to 30 players each, there will still be players you shamefully need to leave off. Nature of the biz. I’m just glad these votes have no impact on players’ salaries, as the All-NBA votes do (which is insane, btw). Anywho, here we go:

EASTERN CONFERENCE

• STARTERS
  • Guards
    • Tyrese Haliburton – quickly becoming the face of the league, best offensive player not named Joker or Steph.
    • Damian Lillard – probably Mitchell should’ve gotten this spot, Dame’s crunch-time heroics disguise a down shooting year.
  • Frontcourt
    • Giannis Antetonkounmpo – 2nd best player in the world, a one-man wrecking crew.
    • Joel Embiid – 3rd best player in the world having an all-time great offensive season.
    • Jayson Tatum – best player on the league’s best team, hitting his prime soon.
• RESERVES
  • Guards
    • Donovan Mitchell – deserves to be starting, carrying banged up Cavs to 5th seed & climbing.
    • Jalen Brunson – the face of New York City basketball today.
  • Frontcourt
    • Bam Adebayo – Perennial Top 5 Center is quietly becoming the best player on his team.
    • Jaylen Brown – Is he still the 2nd best player on the Celtics? Their record gives JB this selection more than his actual play, which has been good, but not great.
    • Paolo Banchero – Magic’s best player, the team’s coming back down to earth after a early rise to the top of the East.
  • Wild Cards
    • Tyrese Maxey – Last year wasn’t a fluke. Fastest end-to-end guard in the league besides Fox, a legit number 2, in competition for Most Improved Player.
    • Scottie Barnes – Rap’s poor record dim the shine coming off Scottie’s wonderful all-around season. Darko was right – he’s becoming one of the faces of the league.
• 5 HONORABLE MENTIONS
  • Coby White – best player on an average team, he’ll be back here in the future
  • Trae Young – overrated player with amazing stats, the worst perimeter defender in the NBA
  • Dejounte Murray – Underrated season on a disappointing team, will soon be a Laker
  • Kristaps Porzingis – Thou shalt not pick 3 players from one team, will he play enough games
  • Jimmy Butler – won’t play enough games, but he doesn’t care

WESTERN CONFERENCE

• STARTERS
  • Guards
    • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – The best player the average fan doesn’t know of. Top 10 player now. Legit #1 on a contender
    • Luka Doncic – MVP candidate having another elite season. Will the team be good enough in the playoffs. No one will want to play against them in 7 game series.
  • Frontcourt
    • LeBron James – Kawhi probably deserves to start, but what LeBron is doing at age 39 is unprecedented. Still a Top 15 player – averaging 25, 7 & 7 on 52% from the field
    • Kevin Durant – Has had to carry a bigger load due to Beal’s injuries, still putting up amazing numbers for anyone his age. Also a Top 15 player.
    • Nikola Joker – The Best Player in the World is ready to repeat. He’s never looked better
• RESERVES
  • Guards
    • Anthony Edwards – Best player on the West’s best team. One of the young faces of the NBA, probably its most exciting player.
    • De’Aaron Fox – Best player on struggling Kings team, fastest end-to-end player just about to enter his prime.
  • Frontcourt
    • Domas Sabonis – One of the league leaders in points, rebounds and assists per game, he’s proving that you can win with a Non-Shot-Blocking Center.
    • Anthony Davis – 3rd best center in the league having a phenomenal season for underachieving Lakers, will compete with Gobert for DPOY award.
    • Kawhi Leonard – Best Player on the climbing Clippers, resembling 2019 Kawhi, can he stay healthy?
  • Wild Cards
    • Steph Curry – Grandfathered in despite down year individually and team-wise.
    • Paul George – the perfect #2 for the Clips, plug-n-play perfection who’s healthy and as good as ever.
• 7 HONORABLE MENTIONS
  • Desmond Bane – best player on a horrible team, possibly the Most Improved Player
  • Lauri Markkanen – also the best player on a horrible team, last year’s Most Improved Player
  • Rudy Gobert – 2nd best player on a great team, but is disliked throughout the league
  • Karl-Anthony Towns – 3rd best player on great team, is also disliked throughout the league
  • Devin Booker – Top 10 player in the league, the first injury replacement
  • Alperen Sengun – Half the league is kicking itself for passing on Baby Jokic in the draft
  • Jamal Murray – the 2nd half of the best 1-2 combo in the NBA, won’t play enough games

December 19th, 2023

Now that we’re a third of the way through the season, I’d like to take a look back and evaluate what I originally predicted the standings to look like in the East & West compared to where it is today. Per usual, I was way way way off on several of these projections (coughchicagocoughbullscough).

EASTERN CONFERENCE

PRESEASON PREDICTIONS                                     STANDINGS AS OF 12/19/23

1. Boston                                                                             1. Boston
2. Cleveland                                                                        2. Milwaukee
3. Milwaukee                                                                      3. Philadelphia
4. New York                                                                        4. Orlando
5. Philadelphia                                                                   5. New York
6. Chicago                                                                          6. Cleveland
7. Atlanta                                                                            7. Miami
8. Indiana                                                                           8. Indiana
9. Miami                                                                             9. Brooklyn
10. Orlando                                                                        10. Toronto
11. Toronto                                                                        11. Atlanta
12. Brooklyn                                                                      12. Chicago
13. Charlotte                                                                     13. Charlotte
14. Detroit                                                                         14. Washington
15. Washington                                                                15. Detroit

WHERE I WAS RIGHT AND WHERE I WAS WRONG

Boston has come out guns blazing. Arguably the most impressive team in the entire NBA. One of the few squads who are top 5 in both offensive and defensive rating. They’re on the short list of teams who can realistically win the ch’ip this year.

Milwaukee, New York, and Philly are all in the top 5 in both columns. That said, I thought the James Harden mess would set Philly back further. Instead, it’s unlocked Maxey, Embiid, and Nurse. Nobody will want to play them come playoff time. Also, what Milwaukee is doing is impressive, given they have so many new faces, including a first-time coach. 

I was right about Charlotte, Detroit, & Washington bringing in the rear of the conference. However, I was dead wrong about Chicago & Atlanta. Figured continuity would reign supreme. I figured wrong. Furthermore, Cleveland is about to take a tumble in the standings now too, as Garland and Mobley are injured. Plus Mitchell will likely be traded by the deadline. They’re a Play-In team potentially.

My biggest miss was Orlando though. I thought they were another year away. But defensively, they’ve arrived. One of the best defensive teams in all the NBA, even if they fall back in the standings a bit after this hot start, they’ve announced they’ll be a force to be reckoned with. And they’ve done this without their starting C (Carter Jr.) and their starting PG (Fultz). Plus they have tradable pieces if they wanted to make a midseason addition. Hat tip to the Magic.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

PRESEASON PREDICTIONS                                     STANDINGS AS OF 12/19/23

1. Sacramento                                                                     1. Minnesota
2. Minnesota                                                                        2. Oklahoma City
3. LA Clippers                                                                      3. Denver
4. Denver                                                                              4. Sacramento
5. Los Angeles                                                                    5. Dallas
6. Golden State                                                                   6. LA Clippers
7. Phoenix                                                                            7. New Orleans
8. Memphis                                                                          8. Los Angeles
9. Dallas                                                                                9. Houston
10. New Orleans                                                                  10. Phoenix
11. Oklahoma City                                                               11. Golden State
12. Houston                                                                          12. Utah
13. San Antonio                                                                    13. Memphis
14. Utah                                                                                 14. Portland
15. Portland                                                                          15. San Antonio

WHERE I WAS RIGHT AND WHERE I WAS WRONG

Very proud of my Sacramento, Minnesota, and Phoenix picks. I thought the Suns were a play-in team, too top-heavy, not enough depth, injury-prone. They didn’t disappoint. And I projected SacTown and ‘Sota to be among the best teams in the West. Teams that haven’t “been there before” (and by “there” I’m referring to 1st in the standings) will go extra hard in the regular season to get there. Teams that have “been there, done that” don’t value home court throughout the playoffs as much. Regardless, these teams aren’t going anywhere. The Kings were 3rd last year. They’re here to stay. And regarding Minnesota, this is officially a team that can win the championship. They’re well-coached, they have elite size, and AntMan believes he’s the best player on whatever court he steps on.

The big ones I got wrong here are the Thunder and Mavs. Generally, I bet against Kyrie, no matter what the odds. But Luka’s Greatness beats Irving’s Craziness, and the Mavs halfcourt offense is humming along as well as ever. I expect them to fall a little, but they’re playoff bound. The Thunder, like the Magic, I was too late on. I predicted it would take them another year. But Holmgren is playing like a vet, JDub is one of the best young Wings in the west, and SGA is one of the best players in the league. They’re young, exciting, and well-coached. They’re here to stay, IF they remain healthy.

In Defense of AKME

• by Paulie G of the NBA Index – 12/8/23

Defending Karnisovas and Eversley is no easy task. They were hired in April 2020, with the promise of fast-forwarding the ongoing rebuild the Bulls seemed perpetually stuck in. In the 3.5 years since, the Bulls have made the playoffs once, and won a single playoff game. They were recently voted dead last in the NBA in combined value of team assets. They aren’t exciting to watch. Their best players don’t play well together. Their young players haven’t developed as quickly as we hoped. And in a world where Ws (125) & Ls (133) are the only categories that matter, it’s hard to argue with the statement that the AKME regime, thus far, has been a failure.

However, I took a deeper dive into this and tried to look at it objectively. I’ve watched literally every single Bulls game since AKME took over and am well aware of the vitriolic hatred spewed on social media every time Patrick Williams steps out of bounce while Tyrese Haliburton hits another stepback 3. I didn’t do this to be a contrarian. My motivation isn’t to zig just because everyone else is zagging. I want to see the Bulls win just as much as anyone else. And that’s the reason why, after evaluating AKME’s performance so far, I’m still quite confident they’re going to turn this around.

Category 1 – Coaching Hire

Let’s begin with the first move they made – the hire of Billy Donovan, who had just led OKC to a 44-28 record in ’19-’20, good for 5th in the West in the first post-Westbrook season. They were expected to immediately go into tank mode, but Billy somehow turned a mixture of journeyman Dennis Schroeder, a 21 year old SGA, a supposedly washed-up Chris Paul, and Danilo Gallinari into a functioning basketball team who became a real threat. After that season, Sam Presti made the decision to dive headfirst into a rebuild, Billy didn’t want to stick around for it, and AKME swooped in and signed him merely days after his resignation from OKC. Billy’s career winning % is .559, known as a players-coach, but is well-respected throughout the league by players & coaches alike. The upgrade over Jim Boylen, by itself, merits a good grade. And though it hasn’t been all sunshine & rainbows here in Chicago, overall, the Billy Donovan hire was a Win for AKME.

Coaching Hire Grade: B+

Category 2 – Draft

Every Haliburton 25 & 10 game I’m sure causes AKME sleepless nights. I actually had Haliburton #1 on my board in 2020. Yes, even ahead of Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball. Alas, they forgot to call me on draft day. Regardless, though I generally give rookies 4 or 5 years to judge what sort of player he’ll become, it’s fairly clear that the pick of Patrick Williams over Tyrese Haliburton (not to mention Desmond Bane & Devin Vassell) was a big miss. However, let’s quickly take a look back to the summer of 2020. If you recall, the pandemic had just taken over the world. Scouts and execs couldn’t travel to see players in person, the NCAA season was postponed, prospects couldn’t come in for tryouts, there was no pre-draft combine, and interviews were being done over Zoom. Not the ideal atmosphere for real evaluation. Furthermore, Patrick was one of the fastest risers leading up to the draft. In fact, the rumor was that Coach Pop had promised him the Spurs would take him at 11 (where they would eventually take Williams’ FSU teammate, Vassell). Either way, though it’s a miss, it certainly wasn’t a fireable offense (like Wiseman at 2, Bagley at 2, etc.). And, let me go on record here, I still am a firm believer in Patrick Williams. He was one of the youngest players in that draft class, and is still only 22. I think he’ll be an all-star one day.

Looking at the rest of their draft record, it’s way too early to come to a determination on guys like Ayo, Dalen, and Julian. Though there seems to be a universal desire to shit on the Dalen pick, particularly when passing on Walker Kessler, keep in mind that so did 20 other teams. WAY too early to come to any conclusion on Dalen. He’s played 40 games. Total. And he happens to play the same position as Demar. Did we really expect him to come in and produce immediately?

Lastly, can we keep in mind that Karnisovas was the same dude that drafted Nikola Jokic, and Jamal Murray, and Monte Morris, and Michael Porter Jr., not to mention making the draft day trade that landed the Nuggets both Gary Harris and Jusef Nurkic in exchange for Doug McDermott, getting the better of GarPax. With this sort of track record, shouldn’t we give AK a little more leash?

Draft Grade: C-

Category 3 – Trades and Strategy

At the core of this category sits 4 transactions: Lauri trade, Vuc trade, Demar Trade, Lonzo trade. The Demar trade was obviously a Win for the Bulls. Demar has significantly outplayed the cost to get him. The Lonzo trade started as a W, but his injuries render the grade an Incomplete. Still, for what they gave up to get him, it certainly wouldn’t be considered a Loss. That said, the Markkanen trade was a clear loss. They got back basically Derrick Jones Jr. & a future lottery-protected POR 1st rounder. DJJ has proven to be a valuable role player, he’s starting right now for the Dallas Mavericks and guarding the other team’s best perimeter player. Unfortunately for CHI, Lauri went on to become an all-star. They better make that POR pick count!

Now, the Vuc trade. The basic outline of that deal was Wendell Carter Jr., ’21 1st round pick (became Franz Wagner), ’23 1st round pick (became Jett Howard) for Vuc, who was coming over in his prime, during an all-star campaign, averaging 24 pts & 11 reb while shooting 40% from 3. Now, I don’t value mid-1st round picks as highly as others, and AKME assumed they’d be giving away 2 mid-tier 1sts for Vuc. If you recall, immediately after the Vuc trade, Zach got hurt, then got covid, then they went on a west-coast roadtrip and got smoked, cratering their place in the standings, directly leading to the Magic getting the 8th overall pick in ’21, who became one of the best young Wings in the league in Franz Wagner. If that pick was in the 12-18 range, the trade would be an unmitigated Win for AKME, as Franz would never have dropped that far. Additionally, if ORL had taken Franz with their own pick at #5 (instead of Suggs), or OKC at #6 (Giddey), or GS at #7 (Kuminga), it would have also been a W for AKME. Getting Vuc for WCJ, Kuminga, and Jett Howard sounds much better, doesn’t it? The point is they wanted out of the lottery, they wanted established talent rather than hopeful talent, they wanted the playoffs, they wanted to be relevant, and they were willing to risk a small % of their future to do it. If you think it was too much future, that’s fair. But I understand & respect the strategy.

Trades & Strategy Grade: C

Category 4 – Negotiations

There seems to be a common misconception that the Bulls routinely bid against themselves. But I challenge anyone to come forth with evidence showing that Demar had no other suiters willing to spend similar $ for him in ’21, or Zach in ’22, or Vuc & Coby & Ayo this summer. Why does everyone just assume they had no other offers? You may look around the league, come to that conclusion yourself, but that’s irresponsible because we truly don’t know. That said, if you think we overpaid for them regardless, that’s fine. But I think there’s value in NOT playing hardball with our own players. And besides, the Caruso contract alone should merit a good grade for AKME. And Coby’s is beginning to look pretty damn tasty too.

Negotiations Grade: B

Category 5 – Roster construction

Here lies AKME’s biggest failure. They hitched their wagon to an injury proned dude in Lonzo. They failed to surround a poor rim defender like Vuc with big wings who can help protect the paint. Furthermore, there seemed to be a lack of direction in Style of Play. If Billy wanted to play fast, why run so much through ISO-Centric Flow-Killing Ballstoppers like Zach & Demar? If Billy wants to run more offense through Vuc, why did he have him picking & popping so much for the first couple seasons. Also, they never should’ve started Pwill right away. Too much pressure placed on a 19 year old. They should have taken a note from the Spurs and made Patrick go to the G-League for a while. Get real reps, learn how to be a pro, and then let him join the big club. Additionally, they should have learned earlier that he wasn’t a PF and more of a Wing.

Roster Construction Grade: D

Category 6 – Flexibility:

I often hear that AKME is stubbornly refusing to acknowledge their own mistakes; that they’ve been unwilling to pivot once they (hypothetically) should have known their plan wasn’t going to work; that instead of being flexible and making changes, they chose to double-down. For example, once Lonzo went down, why did they not prioritize replacing him with a real Point Guard. In that instance, if you recall, they thought Lonzo was coming back for the ’22-’23 season. They didn’t learn until later that he was going to miss the whole year. So, looking at it objectively, if the Bulls started so well with Lonzo in the ’21-’22 season before he got hurt, it makes sense to wait and see what they look like when he returns without making any major changes until then. Unfortunately for AKME, Lonzo never returned, which is why AKME aggressively signed Jevon Carter this offseason. But they didn’t really double-down. It’s not like they mortgaged more Future for the current squad. On the flipside though, they clung to cherry-picking Win-Loss stats to show the hypothetical potential of their team. For example, I’ve never seen a front office be so proud of a post-trade deadline record of 14-9 when the only major addition was Patrick Beverly. They should have known after 1 season that the Zach-Demar combo was not going to work, and they should have traded at least one of them before this season began.

Flexibility Grade: C

Final Conclusion

The record is the record, so they’ve failed thus far. The roster construction is their biggest black mark. I do appreciate the strategy. Many GMs cling to their jobs by trading for pick after pick after pick and then selling Hope & Patience to the fanbase, saying “Yes, our team sucks right now, and will likely continue to suck for a few more years. But look at all these draft picks we’ve got!” Ultimately, AKME picked a lane and that lane hit a dead-end. However, they didn’t gamble away all their future assets to do it. And ultimately, shouldn’t we give a management group at least 5 years to turn things around? Jerry Krause had 15 seasons. GarPax had 17. Can’t we give AKME more than 3.5!?

Final Grade: C

We’re a quarter of the way through a roller-coaster of the season. Storylines are in abundance – the Pacers Offense, the Wolves Defense, the Celtics Everything, In-Season Tournament Success, In-Season Tournament Courts Failure, Kenny Smith’s beard, etc. But for this exercise, let’s hand out some awards!

To provide some clarity, these are my picks for who deserves these awards IF the season ended today. They are not my end of year predictions, which I’ve already written about.

Defensive Player of the Year

• Rudy Gobert
  • Defensive Win Shares: Ranked 1st in the NBA – 1.5
  • Total Reb%: 6th – 19.7
  • Reb/game: 4th – 11.6
  • Blocks/game: 5th – 2.4
  • MIN – 2nd in Points Allowed/game – 105.9
  • MIN – 1st in Defensive Rating – 107.94
• Deserves Mention:
  • Anthony Davis
  • Joel Embiid
  • Mitchell Robinson

Coach of the Year

• Jamahl Mosley – Orlando Magic
  • Record: 14-6
  • Last 10: 9-1
• Deserves Mention
  • Chris Finch – Minnesota Timberwolves
  • Mark Daigneault – Oklahoma City Thunder
  • Rick Carlisle – Indiana Pacers

6th Man of the Year

• Immanuel Quickley – New York Knicks
  • PPG: 15.4
  • 3pFG%: 37%
  • FT%: 88%
• Deserves Mention
  • Bobby Portis
  • Tim Hardaway Jr.
  • Kyle Anderson

Most Improved Player

• Tyrese Haliburton
  • PTS/Game – Last Year to This Year: 20.7 –> 27.0
  • AST/Game – Last Year to This Year: 10.4 –> 11.8
  • FG% – Last Year to This Year: 49% –> 52%
  • 3P% – Last Year to This Year: 40% –> 44.7% (8.8 attempts per game)
  • VORP: 1.7 (5th in NBA
  • Win Shares: 3.1 (5th in NBA)
• Deserves Mention:
  • Alperen Sengun
  • Tyrese Maxey
  • Franz Wagner

Rookie of the Year

• Chet Holmgren
  • PTS/game: 17.6
  • BLK/game: 2.2
  • Reb/game: 8.0
  • Ast/game: 2.6
  • Stl/game: 0.9
  • FG%: 53.1%
  • 3p%: 39.5%
  • OKC’s record: 13-6
• Deserves Mention:
  • Jaime Jacquez
  • Victor Wembanyama
  • Jordan Hawkins

Most Valuable Player

• Nikola Jokic
• Deserves Mention
  • Joel Embiid
  • Jayson Tatum
  • Giannis Antetokounmpo
  • Shae Gilgeous-Alexander
  • Tyrese Haliburton

All NBA Teams

• Using the updated rules, where positions do not apply, and players must play at least 79% of games to be eligible. This is based on the minimum games played rule of 65 out of an 82 game season.
• 1st Team:
  • Nikola Jokic
  • Joel Embiid
  • Tyrese Haliburton
  • Shae Gilgeous-Alexander
  • Giannis Antetokounmpo
• 2nd Team:
  • Steph Curry
  • Jayson Tatum
  • Anthony Edwards
  • Luka Doncic
  • Kevin Durant
• 3rd Team:
  • Damian Lillard
  • Jalen Brunson
  • Paolo Banchero
  • Bam Adebayo
  • Tyrese Maxey

Top 10 best players at each position

*For this exercise, though nearly every player in the league plays multiple positions or redefined positions or nontraditional positions or positionless basketball, we’ll be basing this list on the standard roles of Point Guard, Shooting Guard, Small Forward, Power Forward, & Center.

*This list is fluid. It will change each season, and often midseason.

*Also important to this exercise, we need to define what “best” actually means. So let me first explain what it does NOT mean.

• Most valuable player to their team
• Most physically talented player
• Best all-around player
• Most dominant player
• Player I’d want taking a last second shot
• Player I’d want in a must win game
• Player I’d start my organization with

All of those definitions are fine, but each is flawed. Additionally, we must eliminate variables that can influence the decision, such as contract, organizational situation, head coach, etc. However, variables that are included in consideration are things like proneness to injury and off-court issues, as these issues directly affect on-court availability.

Here is the most accurate way to define what “best” means in the NBA, and therefore, the criteria I use in formulating this list:

• The BEST PLAYER is the first player I would pick – from the entire pool of available NBA players – if I were starting a team today – with the goal of winning a championship THIS SEASON. 

So, based on this rule, and with the understanding that the answer will be different for anyone and everyone, here is my list.

-As of 10/24/23-

POINT GUARDS

1. Steph Curry
2. Luka Doncic
3. Damian Lillard
4. Jamal Murray
5. Tyrese Haliburton
6. De’Aaron Fox
7. LaMelo Ball
8. Darius Garland
9. Jrue Holiday
10. Tyrese Maxey

SHOOTING GUARDS

1. Devin Booker
2. SGA
3. Donovan Mitchell
4. Anthony Edwards
5. Desmond Bane
6. Jaylen Brown
7. Dejounte Murray
8. Zach Lavine
9. Klay Thompson
10. Bradley Beal

SMALL FORWARDS

1. Jayson Tatum
2. LeBron James
3. Kawhi Leonard
4. Jimmy Butler
5. Paul George
6. OG Anunoby
7. Mikel Bridges
8. Franz Wagner
9. Scottie Barnes
10. Demar DeRozen

POWER FORWARDS

1. Giannis Antetokounmpo
2. Kevin Durant
3. Aaron Gordon
4. Lauri Markkanen
5. Pascal Siakam
6. Jaren Jackson Jr.
7. Paolo Banchero
8. Evan Mobley
9. Zion Williamson
10. Julius Randle

CENTERS

1. Nikola Jokic
2. Joel Embiid
3. Anthony Davis
4. Bam Adebayo
5. Domas Sabonis
6. Karl-Anthony Towns
7. Rudy Gobert
8. Kristaps Porzingis
9. Nikola Vucevic
10. Myles Turner

In the same way that “Remember when…” is the lowest form of conversation, coming up with trade proposals is the lowest form of basketball fandom.

First off, whatever idea you’ve thought up while on your lunch break or chatting with your friends, pro-sports organizations have entire departments consisting of really smart people whose job is literally to study the team, league, numbers, trends, analytics, contracts, and salary cap to come up with ways to improve the squad, often via trade. And they’ve surely discussed your idea months ago and likely poo-poo’d it. So, believe me when I tell you, I’m nowhere near my high-horse. I don’t own a horse, never wanted a horse, barely know how to ride a horse. I’m not discovering anything new.. 

Secondly, when a player gets traded, his wife gets traded, his kids get traded, their schools get traded, their friends and families get traded, etc. A trade completely upends a player’s life. Anyone can live in a fantasy world above the clouds and throw around ideas, but the reality is pretty sobering. Most people don’t want to get traded (unless their name is James Harden). So it shouldn’t be taken lightly.

That aside, here are some Zach Lavine trade ideas!

1. Timberwolves
   • Wolves receive Zach Lavine
   • Bulls receive KAT Towns
   • Why it works:
     • Minnesota needs shooting and halfcourt scoring. Zach provides both. Plus, they’d immediately have the 2 most athletic wings in the league with Zach and Ant-man. They won’t have to worry about any Towns vs Edwards battle over whose team it is anymore. And Jaden McDaniels and Naz Reid can easily fill those KAT minutes and provide 75%+ of his production.
     • For Chicago, KAT would slide in at the 4-spot, immediately providing some much needed size and shooting. And if Billy can get a team with Demar, Zach, and Vuc to play top 5 caliber defense, then he can get KAT to be consistent at that end too.
   • Why it doesn’t work:
     • ‘Sota probably wants to see where this season is going. They’re the 2nd best team in the West right now, and they’re a real threat. They have size, defense, veteran leadership, shooting, coaching, and one of the most exciting players in the league in Edwards. They probably don’t want to make any crazy midseason trades and risk messing it up.
2. Knicks
   • Knicks receive: Zach Lavine
   • Bulls receive: RJ Barrett, Evan Fournier, 2025 Bucks 1st rounder, unprotected Pistons 2024 2nd rounder
   • Why it works: 
     
     • The rumors have swirled for about a year now that the Knicks made calls about the price of Lavine. For NY, Zach immediately becomes their 2nd best player and best scorer. Their halfcourt offense routinely stalls out and Zach would pump some life into it. Thibs tends to play a very basic, ISO-heavy offense, which Lavine would thrive in. 
     • The Bulls would be overjoyed with this haul. Fournier still has some life left. the 2nd round Pistons pick will certainly have value, though the Bucks pick likely will be in the 20s. But the key here is Barrett. He’s a real hooper, a reliable 20-5-5 guy who gets to the rim and plays defense. He’ll never be a superstar, but you could do worse as a 3rd or 4th option on a contending team.
   • Why it doesn’t work:
     • Word around the campfire is that the Knicks have soured on Zach since the summer, likely due to the fact that Barrett (and Quickely, DiVincenzo, & Hart) has looked so good. Zach’s a better player, but they can get 75% of the production for half the cost. Furthermore, it sounds like Zach’s Klutch representation doesn’t want to do business with the Knicks CAA connections, a’la Leon Rose.
3. Lakers
   • Lakers receive: Zach Lavine
   • Bulls receive: D’Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent, 2029 unprotected Lakers 1st round pick, 2025 Clippers 2nd rounder
   • Why it works:
     • The expected rise of Austin Reaves has stalled slightly. The Lakers were relying on him to be the lead creator for 20 minutes a night while LeBron rests. That may be too much, too soon for Reaves. Enter Lavine, who would immediately become the 3rd best player on the team and potentially its leading scorer. LeBron would get the most out of him certainly. Plus the Klutch connections are undeniable. And besides, the Russell and Rui contracts were essentially written with a clause saying “We’re paying you this much because we’re probably going to trade you.” The longer the Mavs and Kyrie play well, the less likely he’s coming to LA. And Zach is a pretty good consolation prize.
     • For the Bulls, the draft pick is the main thing. That’s the prize here, as they’d be looking to replenish their draft stock. Gabe Vincent and Rui Hachimura just proved that they can play crunch-time minutes for a championship contending team. This deal would give the Bulls flexibility as well, in case they would want to continue making moves this offseason.
   • Why it doesn’t work:
     • It’s probably a useless exercise, honestly. All three Lakers players can’t be traded until December 15th at the earliest. And I predict AKME doesn’t want to wait that long, losing games while this cloud hangs over the team. Plus, 2 of them are guards, and the Bulls already have a crowded backcourt rotation. I like Rui and that 2029 pick could be gold, but I think the Bulls could do better.
4. 76ers
   • 76ers receive: Zach Lavine
   • Bulls receive: Tobias Harris, 76ers 2026 1st rounder, 2029 Clippers 1st Round Pick Swap, Knicks 2024 2nd rounder
   • Why it works:
     • Morey is on record saying he wants that 3rd star to make a real championship run. Zach would certainly suffice. They don’t want to waste anymore prime Embiid years, and this deal would immediately put them neck and neck with the Celtics. The draft picks are very valuable, but it’s a worthwhile cost for Lavine. Furthermore, though Tobias Harris has played well for them so far, getting Covington and Batum in the Harden deal should make Harris expendable.
     • For Chicago, the Harris’ contract expires at the end of the season, so no long term commitment. Meanwhile, this draft compensation is really enticing, particularly that 2029 Clippers 1st Round swap. The Clips core is getting older and is injury prone. By 2029, they’ll likely all be retired. And besides, and Clippers draft pick will almost always have value.
   • Why it doesn’t work:
     • Two main reasons. First, though Morey wants a 3rd star, he has the draft assets to go after bigger fish than Lavine. Second, the Sixers are playing the best ball they’ve played in 4 years right now. And Tyrese Maxey is the engine. I don’t think they would want to upset the chemistry they’re playing with right now. The Maxey-Embiid pairing is quickly climbing the ranks of best duos in the league. And guys like Melton, Covington, Batum, and Harris are the ideal role players to surround them with.
5. Raptors
   
   • Raps receive: Zach Lavine
   • Bulls receive: Pascal Siakim & 2026 1st round pick
   • Why it works:
     • The Raps need shooting and halfcourt scoring. Zach provides both. Furthermore, if they know Pascal is walking after this season, they can’t go down the Fred VanVleet road again. They have to get SOMETHING in exchange for their best player since Kawhi. And Zach is more than something. Plus he’s under contract for 4 years. The Raps would have to throw in a future 1st round pick because the Bulls are risking Siakim leaving next summer. But this deal allows Barnes to play PF, and they can run out Schroeder, Lavine, OG, Barnes, and Poeltl. That’s a bonafide playoff team in the east.
     • The Bulls would do this deal because they know Pat Williams isn’t a PF by now. He’d be moved to his more natural SF spot, where he & Pascal can provide the front line defense that Vuc doesn’t offer.
   • Why it doesn’t work:
     • The Bulls don’t want to trade one ballstopper for another. The criticism of Siakim has been, despite his obvious success, he often takes a lot of time to get into his shot, stalling an offensive flow. Though accurate in the past, Pascal has adapted his game and rarely pounds the air out of the ball anymore. But Chicago might not want to risk it anyway.
6. Pelicans
   • Pels receive: Zach Lavine
   • Bulls receive: Brandon Ingram and Kira Lewis
   • Why it works:
     • New Orleans is struggling right now, and besides health, the number 1 reason is lack of shooting. With Tre Murphy & CJ McCollum out, they’re actually relying on rookie Jordan Hawkins to spread the floor. Zach would immediately upgrade their offense via his shooting alone. Plus, with Zion, they have a bonafide Alpha that will allow Zach to play off the ball and be a secondary creator, which is a better fit for him. Furthermore, the Zion-Ingram tandem has always been a clunky fit because they both play best with the ball in their hands and they aren’t great C&S players. Additionally, with guys like Dyson Daniels, Tre Murphy, and Herb Jones waiting in the Wings, Ingram is somewhat expendable. Kira Lewis would be a throw-in for salary matching purposes.
     • Chicago could use the additional size Ingram will bring. Though not a great rebounder, he is better than Zach in that department. He’s young still and still has room for improvement. The Bulls need big wings.
   • Why it doesn’t work:
     • The last thing AKME wants is another ballstopper who doesn’t know how to play off the ball & refuses to catch and shoot when given open Catch & Shoot opportunities. I love the idea of Ingram, seems like a good kid who works hard and can get you 20+ on any given night. But he might just be a Forward version of Zach
7. Magic
   • Magic receives: Zach Lavine
   • Bulls receive: Jalen Suggs, Gary Harris, Jonathan Isaac, Magic 2025 1st rounder unprotected
   • Why it works:
     • For Orlando, they’re loaded with young talented players, especially in the backcourt. But it’s become a logjam because they essentially all offer the same exact skills – none of which is shooting. Cole Anthony, Markelle Fultz, Jalen Suggs, and Anthony Black – all talented, but none are consistent shooters. Enter Lavine, who would immediately become their best player, while also won’t dominate the ball. He’ll allow Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero to continue to play their style and lead the team. Plus he’ll open up driving lanes for them. And he has that Seattle area connection to Paolo. Love this deal for the Magic.
     • This one is my favorite. To begin, I love Suggs. He’s not a shooter, but he’s a pitbull defensively and knows how to play. Plus he’s improving from beyond the arc. Isaac, as he showed against the Bulls already this week, still has some spring and plenty of defensive chops left, despite his poor injury history. He’d slide in at the 4 and immediately be our best rim protector. Harris would be needed for salary purposes. The 1st rounder would certainly be in the teens, as I don’t anticipate the Magic becoming a top flight team right away. But still valuable
   • Why it doesn’t work:
     • No reason, besides the Magic might just not be too into Zach Lavine. If Zach doesn’t show them something soon, this deal could be off the table entirely. He sucked in Game 1 this week. He has another opportunity tomorrow. 

See Red Fred, Paulie G of the NBA Index, and Basketball Historian Tim Gallagher discuss the win vs the Jazz, Dalen Terry, and the early season surprises in the NBA.