Ty's 2024-2025 NBA Preview: Not the Worst, but Not Very Good Division

Welcome to day two of my 2024-25 NBA countdown.

Coming in at number 25 I have the Toronto Raptors. It feels like they're trying to rebuild, but the front office is too competent to fully blow it up. They make moves that make too much sense and this pushes them to over 30 wins and at the back end of the lottery, if not out of it all together. Scottie Barnes has the goods to be the number 1 guy on this team. He can handle the ball, is a good passer and rebounder and can score from all three levels. He just needs to stay on the court. They acquired RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley last season and both of those guys played well. I think Barrett is happy to be home and Quickley knows he's going to get real minutes and real shots. Gradey Dick has maybe figured something out, he looked good in Summer League, but he doesn't have the look or feel of a real player on a title contender. They're taking a chance on Davion Mitchell, who can defend but cannot shoot. Bruce Brown should be on a true playoff contending team. His talents are being wasted here. Ja'Kobe Walter is interesting. Chris Boucher is at the back half of his career. Kelly Olynk is mediocre at this point. And Jakob Poeltl is an okay rebounder and nothing else. The Raptors have some decent top end talent, but the bench is thin. Maybe some of the young guys will hit, but they are still far away from truly contending.

At number 24 I have the Utah Jazz. This team starts hot and really fades. I know that's by design, but still, that has to hurt their top guys. Lauri Markennen has proved me wrong. That dude can ball. He is good and deserves to play for a contender. Jordan Clarkson has game. He's not much of a defender, but boy oh boy can he score. I don't know if he will be with the Jazz all season, and if he is, good for them. Keyonte George is interesting, but he is young and needs a little more time to develop. Real minutes would be nice too. Walker Kessler has kind of fallen off a cliff. He doesn't bring much of anything anymore. Collin Sexton is good. He got real playing time and he proved he can stay on the floor with the best of them. Isaiah Collier can be an electric bench scorer, but he has to fully round out his game before he is looked at as a real NBA threat. I cannot stand Kyle Filipowski. He is a perfect fit for Utah, not because of his game, but because of his attitude and weird family stuff. I've always been a fan of John Collins, but he has never really lived up to his draft position. And Patty Mills got a deal based on one good game in the Olympics. The Jazz have a true all star in Markennen and a decent scorer in Clarkson. Outside them and Sexton, this team is funky. I'd love to see them continue to go for it if they start strong. But history tells us that is not the case. And I think they really want to tank and try to get that first, second or third pick in the draft.

At number 23 I have the Chicago Bulls. This team is in purgatory. They can't decide if they want to tank or stay in the play in race. They have been in the play in the past couple years because they hover around 35-38 wins every year. Zach Lavine needs a change of scenery. He is hurt, not as good as he used to be and has asked out many times before. He can still go off for 30, but it is an even more rare occurrence nowadays. Coby White is becoming a damn good player. He has upped his game every season and I expect more from him this year. Josh Giddey is fine, but he is unplayable in important games due to his awful shooting, and he has off court stuff that he has to deal with. Lonzo Ball is in line to play his first game in two years, so who knows what we will see from him. I bet he won't be nearly as explosive though. The rookie Matas Buzelis has some swag, now we need to see if that translates on the floor. Nikola Vucevic is cashed out. He is washed. Patrick Williams is never going to happen. He is done. I like Kenny Lofton Jr, but he is more novelty than anything else at this point. The Bulls need to go full rebuild. They started this offseason when they traded Alex Caruso and let DeMar DeRozan walk. Now they need to fully pull off the bandaid.

At number 22 I have the Atlanta Hawks. This team was in the Eastern Conference Finals three years ago. Now they're here. Trae Young is a fine scorer and point guard, but he is small, he is a zero on defense and he whines way, way too much. I would not want him on my team. He can shoot, but that's all he offers at this point. Clint Capela needs less playing time or to go to a middling team. His time has passed, he cannot shoot jump shots and doesn't have the bounce he used to. Zach Rissacher was the first overall pick in the draft, and has looked pretty good in the preseason. But he is young and skinny and kind of soft right now. Bogdan Bogdanovic had a good Olympics, but I feel like he is an overrated bench player. Jalen Johnson is a very good player. He came on super strong after he recovered from injury last season and I expect him to take an even bigger leap this year. He's awesome. Onyeka Okongwu is okay,  but he is a bench player at best. De'Andre Hunter has never taken the next step since he entered the league. Dyson Daniels is intriguing. The Hawks have to make a decision on Trae Young. Once they do that, they can take the next step to starting over.

The final team for today, at number 21 I have the San Antonio Spurs. I feel like they're going to make the biggest leap of any team this season. Victor Webanyama is legit. He is the next superstar in this league. He can literally do it all. He is a joy to watch and if his Olympics were a sign of things to come, watch out. Chris Paul will bring a nice veteran leader that this young team is begging for. He will be the leader they need. Devin Vassell has true game. He is a very good role player and fits in with this roster very well. I'm very high on the Stephon Castle draft pick. He is very explosive. Jeremy Sochan needs to fully buy into being a defensive enforcer. That is where he excels. Keldon Johnson, much like Vassell, is a perfect fit for Wemby and Greg Poppovich. I like that they acquired Harrison Barnes. He, much like CP3, is a nice steady veteran presence. Tre Jones is an okay backup. Zach Collins has never worked out. Malaki Branham and Malachi Flynn are essentially the same player, but they are years apart in age. The Spurs are going to take a jump. Wemby and CP3 want to win. They have some decent role players. But, the bench is pretty thin and a big leap for this team is equal to 32-35 wins.

That's it for today. Come back tomorrow for the next five teams.

Ty

 Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

Thoughts on Where Zach LaVine Should Play Next

The Bulls and Zach Lavine have decided that they are going to look for a trade that benefits both parties. This has been a long time coming. I'm not much for breaking a team down and fully rebuilding, but this current iteration of the Bulls needs to do something. They are more in the mud than the Magic were when they were pretty much the 7 or 8 seed for three or four straight years. The Magic went for the full rebuild, and they finally look like they are getting better, doing it through the draft. I think that is the route the Bulls should go. But, for the time being, trying to trade Zach Lavine is a very good start.

Lavine is a very, very good offensive player in the NBA. He can score and he can score in bunches. When he catches fire there are few in the NBA that can stop him. But he plays no defense. He has also lost a step. He doesn't jump out of the gym anymore. And he seems to get irked at the little things. I do think there are a few teams out there that could use him as a pure scorer, but I don't think he really moves the needle much for a true contender.

I saw that the 76ers were one of the first teams mentioned that may go after him. He would be a nice scoring addition, but I personally do not like the fit. Tyrese Maxey is finally playing free and loose and he is thriving. He just scored 50 the other night. His shot looks better and he is much, much younger than Lavine. Joel Embiid also seems to be having fun playing with Maxey as the second option. Tobias Harris is solid as a rock with the touches he gets. I just don't like the idea of Lavine coming in and taking touches from Maxey and messing with Embiid's happiness and taking touches from Harris. The 76ers are in a good place and they would be wise to keep it this way.

I also read that the Knicks may look into a Lavine trade. Why would they do that when they have a competent squad for the first time in forever? Jalen Brunson has earned the right to be the driver of the Knicks. Julius Randle seems to be coming out of his slump. RJ Barrett is doing what suits him best. Immanuel Quickley is a good 6th man. Donte DiVencenzo is thriving with his former Villanova teammates. And Josh Hart is their jack of all trades. The Knicks finally have a competent and competitive team. There is no need to rock the boat there.

The Kings were mentioned on a podcast the other day as a possible Lavine destination. I ask again, why? They have a fun, fast and young team. De'Aron Fox is back and looks amazing. Damontas Sabonis is back to his dominant ways. Keegan Murray is getting better and better. Kevin Huerter is a good bench scorer. Harrison Barnes brings a veteran and championship winning pedigree. Adding Lavine makes no sense, and makes an already mediocre defense even worse. Other than that, what other contender would really need Lavine?

As for the rest of the league. The Nuggets are out. The Mavericks have nothing left to trade. Neither do the Lakers or Clippers. The Timberwolves have a fine enough squad as well, and they have nothing to trade. The Bucks can't afford him and have Damian Lillard. I could go through a bunch of teams that are playoff contenders and give you a reason why they should pass on Lavine. I also think the Bulls are going to have to take a lowball offer from a non playoff contender team to offload Lavine. That would be a good start to the rebuild. The Grizzlies could trade some young guys, picks or salary to land Lavine and he may make them fun again when Ja Morant comes back. The Pistons could trade salary to land Lavine to help some of their youth. The Jazz may look into getting Lavine to pair him up with Markannen. The Bulls could take on Collin Sexton in a deal with Utah. These are the teams that the Bulls and Lavine are going to have to make a deal with in my opinion. Both may not like it, but that seems to be best for them all.

I am interested to see what happens to Lavine because I do enjoy watching him play. I just really think he will have to end up playing on a lower level team. That makes the most sense to me. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

Ty Ranks the 2023 - 2024 NBA Teams - Good Band Playing in a Bad Venue Division

Day three of my preseason NBA countdown gets us into the playoff team mix today. As I continue this countdown I am getting more and more excited about the upcoming season.

At 20 I have the Chicago Bulls. This team needs to pick a lane. They should probably rebuild, but they seem to want to stay in the play in mix. They are also older, so I am kind of confused as to what their long term plans are. I am a fan of DeMar DeRozan. He has been a solid player his whole career and he continues to put up solid numbers. I think DeRozan will not be fully appreciated as a player until he retires. Zach Lavine is still here and he can still score in bunches. He doesn't have the hops that he used to, and he is not a very good defender. But, the guy can score. I don't know that he will finish the season with the Bulls, but they have him for now. Lonzo Ball is out all season and that is a bummer. Alex Caruso has never been able to find the guy who he was with the Lakers. Coby White is an okay enough player, but his talent hasn't really translated in the NBA. Andre Drummond likes to make wild proclamations, and while he is a good rebounder, he doesn't do much else. Ayo Dosunmu is a good backup but he starts too often here. Jevon Carter could easily take his spot. Nikola Vucevic is still around, but he just seems like a warm body at this point. And I wonder if Patrick Williams will ever put it together. As I said, I think they should rebuild and get young, but if they keep this core together they will be a 35-38 win team and might be out of the play in conversation.

At 19 I have the Toronto Raptors. This is another team in the same vein as the Bulls. I don't know what their plan is, but I have to think they may be better off rebuilding. Pascal Siakim is the best player on their team. I like Siakim a ton, but take that statement as you will. He is a decent scorer and defender, but he is not much of an outside shooter. And his contract is up after this season. Scottie Barnes is really good. I know he took a step back last season, but he is too talented to be down for long. I hope they let him run the show this season. OG Anunoby may be more of a trade chip than anything else right now. He is a very solid all around player, but I don't get the obsession. Jakob Poeltl got a contract this offseason, but I don't get the appeal of him. He is fine, but not great. Gary Trent Jr is an okay enough bench scorer. Jalen McDaniels was a nice offseason signing. I am not a humongous fan of the Gradey Dick draft pick. I don't have a ton of faith in him. And Dennis Schroeder can bring some veteran leadership, while rankling some people the wrong way. Toronto will be a tough out, and they could push 40 wins, but not many more than that.

At 18, my first playoff team, I have the New Orleans Pelicans. This is purely based on availability with this team. If they are healthy they could be a top 10 team. Unfortunately they are barely ever healthy. Zion Williamson is unguardable. He also looks to be in shape. But how many games will he play? How effective will he be on defense? Can he stay on the floor for 30 minutes a night? There are a lot of questions surrounding him. Brandon Ingram had a tough FIBA and I am curious to see how he performs after that. He is also in a contract year, so I am genuinely curious how he plays. Jonas Valincunas is an okay enough big man, but he is a dinosaur at center. He will bruise you and try to beat you up, but he is going to find it tough to guard the younger faster players. Herb Jones is already hurt. I haven't heard much from Larry Nance Jr this offseason. Trey Murphy may be in for a leap. Jose Alvarado is a very menacing defender, but I wonder if his bit is up. CJ McCollum can still score, but I wonder if he is more concerned with his duties as president of the players union. Then it is a grab bag of players. The Pelicans were in the top 3 after the first quarter of last season, and then injuries ravaged this team. I want them to stay healthy so I can see what they are fully capable of this year.

At 17 I have the Dallas Mavericks. This team is totally different from what they were two seasons ago. They only have one dude, Luka Doncic, from that team that played significant time. Doncic is a good player, I just despise watching him play basketball. He is whiny, a ball stopper and bores me with his methodical play. He is a younger James Harden. Kyrie Irving is a space case. He never seems to have his head fully into basketball. Grant Williams started to miss games last season due to a coach's decision. I think a change of scenery may help, but I also wonder if, when he played, it was due to Boston's system. Seth Curry is back and I have no feelings either way about them signing him. Jaden Hardy should get ample playing time this season. Dereck Lively Jr was a good pick, but he is raw. He needs time. Tim Hardaway Jr, as much as I root for him, has regressed. They signed Dante Exum. He is a very good defender, but he is a ZERO on offense. Omax Prosper has serious potential, as long as he gets on the court. And Maxi Kleber and Dwight Powell will split the center minutes. Whoopdedoo. The Mavericks are an oddly constructed team, but they do have two great backcourt players. I wonder how many wins that will result in though because they play no defense.

The final team for the day, at 16 I have the OKC Thunder. The Thunder may be the most fun team to watch all year long. I have high expectations for them too. They really came on strong last season, and I think they will only build upon that. Shai Gilgeous Alexander is a burgeoning star. He is going to be a perennial MVP candidate. He is such a good point guard and he is only going to get better. Jalen Williams had a real shot at rookie of the year last season and he has looked great in preseason so far. Josh Giddey is getting a little stronger and a little nastier. That is good for him. I'm curious to see how Chet Holmgren does. He is soft, but he did get bigger this offseason. He was kind of worked by Webayama the other night though. Cason Wallace looks really good. They have ambitions to play guys like Tre Mann, Isaish Joeand Lu Dort big minutes. Time will tell on that. But this team has been building through the draft, they have picks for days and they have a very solid core of guys. The Thunder are going to be legit in two to three years. But they will show another step this season.

That is it for today. Comeback tomorrow for the next five teams. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

Ty's 2022 - 2023 NBA Season Preview: Pelicans, Bulls, Lakers

Day five of my 22-23 NBA countdown has us at my number 18 team, the New Orleans Pelicans.

I only have them this high because I am suspecting they are fully healthy, that every major player is ready to contribute a full season. And that all starts with Zion Williamson. Williamson is an incredibly talented basketball player. He is unguardable. He jumps like Kemp. He bullies people like Shaq. He out rebounds everyone as if he were Dennis Rodman. I mean, this kid is great. But he is always injured. He has never played a full season. He played 60 plus games in year two, but he wore down at the end. He can be great if he can stay on the floor. Brandon Ingram is the truth. This dude can score. He is a poor man's KD, and that is a major compliment. He has stepped up when asked to and he has only gotten better. CJ McCollum was a tremendous midseason trade for them. He brings stability, leadership and playoff experience. He was the main drive in getting them to the postseason last year. Jona Valincinuas fits with this team. He is big and nasty and mean. He bumps and bruises almost every other big man. Herb Jones is one of the best defenders in the league already. He also has a crazy wingspan. Seriously, it is nuts. Jose Alvarado flashed on the scene by making wild steals. He was a menace in the playoffs. Jaxson Hayes is a solid modern big off the bench. Larry Nance Jr is still one of my personal favorite players. Their coach is also very good at what he does. The Pelicans can and should be in the playoffs. The play in might not even suffice with how good this squad is on paper. They just have to prove it on the court and stay healthy.

At number 17 I have my son's favorite team, the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls are kind of in flux. I have tried to explain this to my kid. They started off last season like a house on fire. They were leading the East for a bit. But then some guys either got hurt or got COVID and they were never able to recover. I wonder what effect that will have on this year's squad. Lonzo Ball is still out and the healing process is taking way longer than anticipated. The Bulls need his defense and point guard skills if they want to be a playoff lock. Zach Lavine finally got paid, but he didn't really impress me a ton last year. He is an excellent scorer and leaper, but his defense and passing leave a ton to be desired. DeMar DeRozan, my son's favorite player, was incredible last season. He was a delight to watch. I saw him live and it was even better than I imagined. But he cannot carry this team again. I like the Andre Drummond signing. I'd start him over Nikola Vucvic, who feels like he is washed now. Alex Caruso brings good defense, but he gets hurt a ton. I love that they are starting Ayo Dosunmu. He had a great rookie year and looks like he is going to build off that. Coby White just cannot seem to figure it out, but I'm still a fan. I'd love to see a healthy Pat Williams because he looks like he would be awesome. The Bulls really floundered at the end of last season and that would have me worried if I were a fan. My son is worried. But they do have a talented enough roster to be in the play in in the East.

The final team for the day, at 16 I have the Los Angeles Lakers. I truly do not know what to think of this team. They have LeBron James and he is an all timer. He is amazing. He is one of the best to ever do it. But he is having trouble staying on the floor. He is also asked far too much for someone who is going to be 38 this year. Anthony Davis is an incredible talent. He is a 7 footer that can play tough and play with finesse. He is an excellent defender. He is a great offensive player. He does it all. But he cannot put a full season together without some kind of long term injury. As much as I adore Russell Westbrook, the fit is bad and he is showing his age. It just doesn't work with the Lakers. It makes me sad. They traded for Patrick Beverly, who will help space the floor and be a tremendous help on defense, but he keeps moving teams. He may not be the most fun guy to play basketball with. They brought back Dennis Schroeder, who is an okay player. But he has regressed ever since he turned the Lakers down after their last title. Kendrick Nunn is supposedly healthy, but he hasn't played in over a full year. They brought on young guys like Lonnie Walker, Juan Toscano-Andersonand Troy Brown, which is fine. But none of those guys really move the needle for me. I'm already over any Austin Reaves hype. Thomas Bryant and Damian Jones are serviceable bigs, but I don't think they are the type of guys you win a title with. Look, LeBron and AD are otherworldly players. And when they are on the floor the Lakers can win any game. But they are rarely on the floor. And this roster just screams mediocre to me. They will be better than last season, depending on health. I'm just curious to see how much better.

That is it for today. Come back next week for the next three teams. We are almost to the start of the season everyone.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

Ty's 2021-2022 NBA Preview: Pelicans, Grizzlies, Bulls, Knicks

After a two day hiatus I am back with my 2021 NBA countdown. We are at the playoff teams. These teams are the 18 best coming into the season in my opinion. Some will be play in teams, as the NBA has fully committed to doing the play in which I love, but these teams are the playoff bound ones. They should get to the postseason barring significant injuries.

At number 18 I have the New Orleans Pelicans. This team has as much upside as almost any team in the league. If they can get their act together, learn how to play a little defense and stay relatively healthy, they are going to be a matchup nightmare. Zion Williamson has all the tools to be great. He dunks like Kemp, is built like LeBron, can handle the ball like a guard and is a very good passer. He is also nearly impossible to jump with. He can do it all. But he has not been able to stay healthy, and whining before even making the playoffs is a bad look. This kid can be an all time great, he just has to go out there and prove it without a shadow of a doubt. Brandon Ingram is one of the most versatile scorers in the league. He is long, can shoot, can cut and can knock down a shot from anywhere. He does not play a lick of defense though, and I wish he were a better rebounder. He needs to get tougher too. Josh Hart may be the soul of this team. He is their best defender, best rebounder and most reliable player. He is a guard though, so I kind of wish he wasn't their top rebounder. Kira Lewis Jr has some potential, he just needs to get some playing time. Nickeil Alexander Walker looked like he was going to be a great bench scorer a few seasons back, but that hasn't come to fruition. Jaxson Hayes is built like a bruiser, but he too has yet to show his full potential, and he isn't getting adequate playing time. I wish they had kept Lonzo Ball. Devonte Graham is an okay scorer, but this team will miss Ball's passing and defense. Graham doesn't do much of those things. Garrett Temple and Tomas Satorranksy bring shooting, but nothing else. And they replaced Steven Adams with Jonas Valanciunas. Valanciunas may be a better offensive player, but other than that he is an exact replica of Adams. The Pelicans have the talent to become a perennial playoff team, they just have to do it on the floor and play some defense.

At number 17 I have the Memphis Grizzlies. The Grizzlies made the playoffs last year. They beat the Spurs and the Warriors, in Golden State, to make it as the 8th seed. They even took a game from the Jazz in round one. That was a nice start for this very young team. Now they need to take that next step. Ja Morant is a star. He will be an all star. He will be an all NBA player. His shot looks better. His floater is untouchable. He is an out of this world dunker. He is becoming the leader they hoped he would when they took him in the draft. I love this kid. He is my favorite player in the league. Dillon Brooks adds great shooting and plays incredible defense. He is going to be all defense this season. When healthy, Jaren Jackson Jr is a great modern big. He's a tough rebounder and defender. He can post you up and shoot the three. He has the tools, he just has to be on the floor. Kyle Anderson is an understated yet solid basketball player. He does all the little things he is asked. Steven Adams will not do much for them on offense, but he brings a strength and nastiness to this defense that I like. Desmond Bane way over shot his expectations for me, and he looked amazing in summer league. Jarrett Culver is getting his second chance here, and if nothing else, he can be a hound on defense. They will be able to bring along Zaire Williams very slowly, but I do already like how athletic he is. Brandon Clarke, with some more minutes, can easily have a good bounce back year. He was down, but he is too good not to break out of it. He could be their Matisse Thybulle, but with a better shot. Xavier Tillman hit some big time shots in crunch time games last year. He was more than ready for the NBA. And DeAnthony Melton can flat out put the ball in the hoop. Memphis is on the come up. They have the guys. They took a big step last year and now I expect, being a fan, that they are a perennial playoff team.

At number 16 I have the Chicago Bulls. Talk about an off season. They signed Lonzo Ball. He will add defense, passing, court vision and a reliable three point shot. They also got DeMar DeRozan. Say what you will about him, but there is a reason he is still around and still putting up eighteen a game. They already have Zach Lavine, who was an all star last year, was great on Team USA this summer and has the looks of a guy that just wants to win. They got Nikola Vucevic last season and didn't have the time to fully integrate him in the offense. Now he has a full off season under his belt and he should shine. Alex Caruso was a sneaky good signing. He brings great defense and hustle to this team. I know Patrick Williams is hurt now, but when he gets back, I feel like he is going to take a humongous leap. Coby White is going to be a lethal bench scorer for this team, and this role is so much better for him. Ayo Dosunmu was a very good draft pick and he is playing for his hometown team. Derrick Jones Jr will be a highlight reel mainstay and a big time fan favorite. The Bulls want to be in the playoffs and this off season made that very clear. They should be a very good team.

The final team for the day, at number 15 I have RD's New York Knicks. They were in the playoffs last season. They had home court advantage. Julius Randle was the MOP, an all star and an all NBA guy. Derrick Rose is back and looks like the best version of his veteran self. They signed Kemba Walker. I know he hasn't been that good as of late, but playing in the Garden, where he shined in college, that has to add something to his game. They overpaid for Evan Fournier, but the dude knows how to score in the NBA. He will inject some life into the second unit. RJ Barrett has quietly gotten better every year. And now that his jumper looks good, he could vault into a solid starter and twenty point per game kind of guy. Immanuel Quickley was a revelation. He is so much fun to watch and he has no conscience when shooting the ball. Mitchell Robinson is fully healthy and in a contract year. He will return to form. Obi Toppin is going to get more playing time and he will grow into a solid player. Nerlens Noel is still a good rim protector and rebounder. Taj Gibson is the vet every team wants. And Alec Burks can put up forty on any given night. The Knicks surprised a lot of us last year. They return pretty much everyone from a team that was the four seed last year. This team is here to stay and it feels good to have a good Knicks team in the NBA.

That is it for today. Come back tomorrow for the next four teams.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

The Good and the Bad of NBA Free Agency

Yesterday was all about how curious I am to watch the Lakers this upcoming season. Today I want to talk about some of the free agent signings I am high on and some I'm not so crazy about.

Let's get the "bad" out of the way first.

I am not a fan at all of what the Pelicans are doing. They let Lonzo Ball go in a sign and trade and only got Toma Satoransky and, I think, Thad Young in return. They then went out and got Davante Graham, who I like, but he does nothing to help them defensively which is what they lack the most. These moves all seem very parallel. It all started when they traded the 10th pick, Eric Bledsoe and Steven Adams to the Grizzlies for the 17th pick, Jonas Valnciunas and someone else who barely played for the Grizzlies. Steven Adams to Valanciunas is not much of an upgrade. And the pick swap was of no significance. Maybe the Pelicans have something else up their sleeve that no one knows about, but right now these moves would worry me if I were Zion, Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart.

I also am not crazy about what the Spurs are doing. I really like the young guys they have on the team and I want them to run it with those guys. They decided to go out and sign Doug McDermott, Brynn Fobes and Zach Collins. McDermott is no more than a three point shooter and so is Forbes except not as consistent. Zach Collins simply cannot stay healthy. He is so injury prone that I am kind of surprised he is still in the league. I did like their draft, but these free agent signings are odd. But they are the Spurs, and they know way more than I do.

Finally, I kind of loathe what the 76ers are doing with Simmons. I know he isn't a free agent, but the asking price in a trade has kind of handcuffed them as far as who they could have tried to get. They also missed out on Kyle Lowry and he would have been a perfect fit for them. The lack of anything, and the asking price for Simmons would have me worried if I were a 76ers fan.

Now for the good stuff.

Speaking of Kyle Lowry, I absolutely love what the Heat have done this offseason. They added Lowry and PJ Tucker and retained Duncan Robinson. Sure they had to trade Goran Dragic to get Lowry, but I'd do that trade ten times out of ten. The Heat are going to be grueling to play against. Their defense, with Butler, Adebayo and now Lowry and Tucker is going to get under opponents skin. They will grind the hell out of other teams. And on offense they have added a great floor general, kept their best three point shooter and re-signed Butler, who can create baskets out of absolutely nothing. While not on Brooklyn or Milwaukee's level, I think the Heat have pushed their way into the third spot in the East.

I also like what Atlanta has done. They have only brought in Delon Wright, but they also kept this team who went to the East Finals together after they gave Trae and John Collins big contracts. The Hawks are going to be a perennial playoff team, they have this young core intact which will keep them good for the next four or five years and they may become more attractive to future free agents if they keep winning like I expect them to. Sometimes less is more in the NBA.

Finally on the good side, my favorite offseason moves come from the Chicago Bulls. They are all in on making a push to, at the very least, the play in next season. They got Lonzo, they brought in Alex Caruso and they have now surrounded Zach Lavine with the playmakers that will further push him into the upper tier of an all star. This team is young, exciting, explosive, better defensively and should be so much fun to watch. Ball has gotten better and better every year and I think he will thrive playing next to Lavine. Caruso, for all the unnecessary love he gets, is a solid role player and will fit in just fine. Nikola Vucevic is a very skilled offensive player and he now knows the system. Coby White is so much fun to watch and he had a very good second season. Patrick Williams looks like the real deal. And Lavine is coming off an all star season and he has looked decent in the Olympics. The Bulls need to start winning and the moves they made this offseason should help them make a playoff push. I have been super impressed with their offseason.

I love NBA free agency and this year has been especially fun. I cannot wait to watch all these guys on their new teams. The new season cannot start soon enough.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing. 

Ty's 2020-2021 NBA Preview: The Worst of the Worst

As wild as it seems, the next NBA season starts in 15 days. We are two weeks away from the season.

This is wild to me, but I am stoked. I love the NBA, I loved the bubble, I am stoked to see some of the rookies that were drafted, want to see some of the guys that switched teams and am just happy that pro basketball is back. They proved they can do a season during this pandemic, and while I am sure they will run into some problems, I do not envision the NBA having the same issues as the NFL or MLB or college sports. The people in charge know what they are doing, and they have already laid out a 158 page rule book for the upcoming season. The pandemic is still raging, with no signs of slowing down any time soon, but I think the NBA can pull this off again. I am also a big fan of the 72 game sprint, with no all star game or any other distraction.

With all this being said, I am going to do my traditional NBA season countdown of teams, from worst to best. I love doing this. I will do five teams a day, explain why I have them where I do and after I am done counting all the teams down, I will do predictions, including awards, possible stoppages and my finals pick. Let's get to it.

Coming in at 30, the bottom of the barrel, I have the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavs just don't seem to really have a plan right now. They have talent, but it is young and they have too many similar players. They also totally whiffed on the John Beilein hire. I do think JB Bickerstaff is a solid head coach, but he doesn't have much to work with. Collin Sexton and Darius Garland are good, but not that good. They aren't guys to build around. I am a big Sexton fan, but he is very inconsistent. Garland looked like a guy that barely played in college last season. Kevin Love clearly wants out, and he is older. Larry Nance Jr is hyper athletic, but he isn't really anymore than a dunker. Andre Drummond is in purgatory there, and I think he wants out. Isaac Okoro is an okay pick, but he doesn't move the needle for me yet. And the rest of the roster has older vets that haven’t done much. Guys like Matthew Dellavedova, Javale McGee, Thon Maker and Dante Exum fill out the roster. Sure, a couple of them have rings, but it has nothing to do with them. The Cavs will be a lottery team yet again.

At number 29 I have the Detroit Pistons. I mean, I trashed the Cavs roster for having older vets, but the Pistons make that look tame. Derrick Rose is the point guard. He is good, and has improved, but I have to imagine he will be gone soon. Blake Griffin is the 4, but he has lost his explosiveness, and he is now a guy teams don't want to trade for. Jahlil Okafor just signed there, but he has never figured out the NBA. He should have played in a different era. Josh Jackson, who I absolutely loved when he was in his draft, has been a total bust. And this has to be something like the tenth team Trevor Ariza has played on. The Pistons have some youth, but it isn't team building youth. Sekou Dembouya has some skills, but he barely sees the floor. Svi Mykhaliuik has already been traded three times, and he has been in the league for 3 years. I like the Saadiq Bey pick, but he may not get enough playing time to flourish. And poor Zhaire Smith can't seem to catch a break. The Pistons may be the least desirable team in the NBA right now. They are better than Cleveland because Derrick Rose proved he is on his way back, but just barely better.

At number 28 I have the OKC Thunder. I know they were a playoff team, and they pushed the Rockets to seven games last season, but they offloaded two of their best guys. I understand why, but still, losing Chris Paul and Steven Adams is going to take a toll. I love love love Shai Gilgeous Alexander, and he has gotten better each of his two seasons. Now we will have to see how he does as the main guy every night. He is going to have the keys to run this offense. Lugentz Dort was a revelation in the bubble as a defensive force. But he is not a great shooter, and he will have to guard the other team's best guy every night. That takes a toll. Andre Roberson came back last year, in the bubble in fact, but he looked like a shell of himself. Hamidou Diallo is a freak athlete, but that is it. He isn't much of a shooter or defender. Darius Bazley can hit threes, but he will be a starter on this team. And while it is nice to have Danny Green and George Hill, they aren't Chris Paul and Steven Adams. The Thunder are going to take a major step back. But, they have SGA and a gang of draft picks. They won't be down for very long.

At number 27 I have the New York Knicks. Now, I usually pick on the Knicks with just cause. But, I actually like the direction they could be headed in. I am not a fan of the Tom Thibodeau hiring. But maybe it will be better since he is just the coach. He is not the GM like he was in Minnesota. I also love the pick of Obi Toppin. I think pairing him with Mitchell Robinson is going to make their front court a very formidable one, especially if Toppin can play semi serviceable defense. Robinson can take care of the rest. But after that, this is where they fall off for me. RJ Barrett proved he could score, but he takes far too many shots, is inconsistent and not a willing passer yet. Kevin Knox is not nearly as good as I thought he would be. He is actually, according to statisticians, one of the worst players in the league. Frank Ntilikina is a solid defender, but he is a mess on offense. Dennis Smith Jr, another player I really rooted for as a rookie, has never really found his place in the league. Julius Randle is a good scorer, but nothing more. Signing Austin Rivers and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist was so ho hum I actually forgot they were on the team until I did some research. The Knicks are a ways away from being relevant again. But, if Toppin and Robinson find a way to coexist and share the court, they could be a duo that older stars might want to come play with. The Knicks have two guys that they can build off of. The only question, or questions, will it work, and will they be willing to wait? Time will tell.

My final team for the day, at number 26, I have the Chicago Bulls. I saw some rankings that had them as high as the late teens, and people are praising the Billy Donovan hire, which I agree is a solid hire, but this roster leaves a TON to be desired. I really like Coby White, and I think he has the tools to be an all star. He just needs to have a coach that will let him play through mistakes. After him though, I am not sold, at all, on this roster. Zach Lavine is their "guy", but he is so average to me. He is an excellent leaper, and his jumper has gotten way better, but he shows no effort on defense, and he is clearly not a player to build a roster around. Lauri Markanen had a solid rookie year, then got hurt and really struggled last year. I feel like last year is more indicative of the type of player he will be. Wendell Carter Jr never got the chance to be himself under Jim Boylen. Maybe Donovan changes that, but Carter has got to get that killer instinct back. I am not a big fan of the Patrick Williams pick. He is very talented, but also very raw. I also do not want to see him take minutes away from Wendell Carter Jr. And in looking at the rest of the roster, it is very blah. At least when Donovan took the Thunder job he had a player of Russell Westbrook's talent. He doesn't have any player near his level, and the vets are total also rans. Otto Porter Jr and Noah Vonleh and Denzel Valentine and Daniel Gafford and Thad Young, those names just don't jump off the page. Billy Donovan has his work cut out for him, and so does Coby White. I think those two will be fine, it is the rest of the roster that worries me, and should worry Bulls fans. They are not a playoff team yet, as some have predicted.

That does it for day one. This rules. Come back tomorrow for the next five teams.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing. 

Ty Watches "The Last Dance" Parts 9 and 10

"The Last Dance" ended last night, and it may be the single greatest documentary series that has ever existed. I don't feel like I am being a prisoner of the moment. I don't think it has anything to do with the lack of sports, although that definitely helps. I think this is the greatest documentary series ever because it is about the greatest basketball player ever, and it is directed by one the best sports story tellers of all time. "The Last Dance" has every single ingredient to make it as perfect as it was.

Now, spoiler alert out there for listeners to out podcast, but I will give my feelings on the documentary as a whole on the next pod. Today, I want to continue with my review of the most recent episodes. Last night finished it off with 9 and 10, and they were magnificent. The series continued to get better, and last night was no exception. Episode 9 went straight away into the 98 East Finals against the Pacers. This was one of two series that went to 7 games during the Bulls double three peat. This was also, probably, the toughest series for any Jordan led team, prior to the Pistons. The Pacers had the style of team that could compete with this Bulls squad. They had big, nasty guys. They had a veteran point guard. They had quickness and electricity off the bench. They had an old sharp shooter. They had size. And they had Reggie Miller. They could have won this series. They could've ended the dynasty one series early. But they didn't. Too may mistakes, miscues and poor rebounding and free throw shooting doomed them. Also, the jump ball between Rik Smits and Jordan was a play I never, ever thought about, but was played out to show how important that one moment was in this series, and I will never look at it the same ever again.

They shifted from that series to the 97 Finals against the Jazz. They showed a lot of stuff from there. We got some great back story on Steve Kerr. His story was very, very in depth, heartbreaking and showed his character. It made me like him even more. We also got the real truth behind the infamous "flu game". As I suspected, and a ton of others did, it wasn't a stomach flu, it was food poisoning. To hear Jordan confirm so quickly and assuredly made it hit home even more. And to see the way he came out and played, after going through something as awful as food poisoning, the guy is not human. That was cool. I also liked getting to see Jordan's kids and hearing them talk about their dislike for Utah and why their mom wouldn't let them go to games there. It was nice to finally hear from someone in his family.

They shifted back to the Pacers series and we got all the intel that I mentioned, and so, so much more. Reggie Miller is underrated, Scottie Pippen is one of the best defenders ever, Larry Bird could coach, Steve Kerr was a sharp shooter and Jordan was an absolute killer. It was awesome to see them break down the series the way they did. We also got to hear about his close relationship with one member of his security detail, and that was a nice story to see how that gentleman took on the fatherly role for Jordan after his dad was killed. It was all great.

Episode 10 was all about the 98 Finals and the aftermath. This was a tremendous episode. To see them talk about how they went about winning, how tired mentally and physically they were, how they laid it all out, it was amazing. Also, big props to Scottie Pippen for playing through that horrible back injury. He really showed his mental toughness, and to do what he did with that injury is astounding. Also, props to Dennis Rodman. Sure, he is an asshole, he skipped out on practice to go wrestle, he wouldn't talk to anyone, but the dude laid it out on the court every game night, and he was the best pest and rebounder that the Bulls have ever had. He also hit four straight free throws in a critical moment for the Bulls, and that is just amazing.

But this was all about MJ and his willingness to put this team on his back and carry them to their 6th title. The things he did in game 6 of the 98 Finals was spectacular, especially the last minute of that game. The Bulls were down 3, and he goes and gets a quick layup. I mean, guys tried to stop him, but he is Michael god damn Jordan. If he wanted to get to the basket he got there. Then, to get the strip on Karl Malone, and bring the ball up and hit that jumper, I mean, there is no better way to go out than that. I know he came back to play for Washington, and some may say he pushed off Byron Russell, but I will always look at that jumper as his last moment. That personified his greatness. That sequence proves for the billionth time that he is the greatest to ever play basketball. I have a piece tomorrow about current players calling him out, Channing Frye I'm talking particularly to you, and they are all full of nonsense. But I will save all that for tomorrow. Jordan proved time and again, when he wanted to win, he was going to find a way to win.

Then the aftermath of that, what followed after the 98 title was wild. Everyone wanted this team back, they wanted to see if they could go for four straight, to win seven in nine years. And I think they would have. If they were able to pull it off, they could have done it. And to see Jordan's reaction to Jerry Reinsdorf's explanation as to why they had to split this team up was something else. Jordan said he didn't agree, and laid out a scenario where they could have done it all again. We were left thinking, what if, but what we got from the 90's Bulls, and Jordan himself was witnessing greatness that we may never see again.

This, and I will keep saying this, is the great documentary series that has ever existed. It is, by far the best sports doc ever, and dare I say, the best documentary ever made. "The Last Dance" is a rare achievement we don't see that much today, and that is being a perfect movie being perfectly told. I love this and I cannot recommend it enough. I will rewatch this maybe a billion times. It's the best. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing. 

Ty Watches "The Last Dance" Parts 6 and 7

I just finished up the most recent episodes of "The Last Dance", and this is why I was so interested in this doc. This is the stuff I was here for. These are the episodes I have been waiting for. This is the kind of new information I wanted to see, and hear from the man himself, in Michael Jordan. I was so enthralled by everything I watched.

The first episode talked about the first three peat. The team, and Jordan getting to that level, and all the stuff they went through after the third tit;e. This was when Jordan retired the first time. This was when his father was tragically killed. This was when all the theories came out that he was "forced" to retire by David Stern due to his gambling. All the people refuted everything, but still, seeing them questioned, and seeing them kind of shift and look around when they answered, it was glorious. I don't believe that Jordan was forced into retirement, but I also don't think he left to simply play baseball. He was at the top of his game, he was winning every year, he was making a ton of money and he was the biggest star in the world. I think he wanted a new challenge. He mastered the game of basketball, so I think he wanted to try to conquer a different sport, a sport he grew up playing, and falling in love with due to his dad. I think the passing of his dad was the main reason why he walked away. That, and that he was so tired from carrying the Bulls to three straight titles. The stuff with his dad was so upsetting and sad and just miserable too. To see the media drag him the way they did back then, that was disgusting. I cannot fathom what the media would do today. It would have been ten times worse. I will say, to see Jordan, his mom and brother talk about this was pretty upsetting, but I respect that they did it. It had to be really tough for them, but they still did it.

Then they shifted to his demeanor with his teammates. This was the stuff I have been waiting for. They touched on it a little in episode 7, but they really went into it in episode 8. In 7 we got to see Jordan going after a young rookie, Scott Burrell. The stuff he stood up to, the stuff he dealt with, the way he handled it, he is a much better dude than I am. He was a pro, and he knew why Jordan was doing what he did. We also got stories of him and Steve Kerr getting into it. He used to shit talk guys like Jud Buechler and Luc Longley. He went in on anyone that he felt didn't meet his standards. Jordan is the GOAT, and I would have hated playing on his team. But, he did win, and he helped to squeeze out every ounce of talent his teammates had.

They also talked about him coming out of retirement the first time, and how he had to reshape his body multiple times because of switching sports. Jordan was nothing if not maniacal when it came to getting the best out of himself. We also got to hear about the incredible pick up games that would go on while Jordan was filming "Space Jam". The people who made that movie built him a gym, and he had players fly in from everywhere to compete with him so he could get back into basketball shape. This was the season after the Magic ousted the Bulls in the playoffs. The only time I believe a Bulls team MJ was on, after getting past the Pistons, that didn't win a title. Reggie Miller, during a talking head interview talked about how MJ must have been a "vampire" because he filmed the movie all day, played games at night, lifted and did this everyday during the course of making "Space Jam". That was a special moment from this doc.

We also got a look into the 72 win Bulls team. This was the year after Jordan came back, the fight with Kerr during practice, and the way that Bulls team ran roughshod over the rest of the NBA. That team still irks me because they beat my team, the Supersonics, but damn it were they impressive. We also got more of the asshole Jordan during this season, and this part of the doc. I mentioned Burrell and Kerr, but he did this to everyone on the team. They asked him if he ever regrets being so mean, being described as a "mean person", and he said no, very bluntly I might add. He didn't care if he hurt your feelings, as long as you helped him win. I also liked that we got to see Gary Payton heavily interviewed during this episode, he is my second favorite Sonic ever behind Shawn Kemp. He was a great defender, and an even better shit talker. He talked about how he locked Jordan up to help the Sonics win two games in the Finals, and they showed the film to Jordan, and he kept laughing, and simply stated, "Payton didn't stop me, I had other things on my mind for those two games". We come to realize that Father's Day was the day of game six, and this was the first season, and Finals his dad wasn't at. The Bulls proceeded to dominate the Sonics to win the title, and they show Jordan just collapse in the locker room. I would be lying if I didn't say I teared up at this moment. It was a gut punch indeed. They finished the episode off with the East Finals in 1998 against the Pacers, and Reggie Miller saying that he was going to be the guy to retire MJ. Another great line from Reggie Miller.

These were the two best episodes to this point, and it has me so excited for the last two. It's bittersweet though because I don't want this doc to end, but I am so excited to see how they finish it. I imagine it is going to go out with a bang because, with every episode to this point, it has just gotten better and better and better.

This is an amazing docu series.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing. 

Ty Watches "The Last Dance" Parts 4 and 5

Episodes 5 and 6 of "The Last Dance" aired last night, and like the first four, this doc just continues to get better and better, and more revealing. I love this whole thing, and I am actually a little upset that there are only four more episodes. There are only two more weeks. I could watch this for another 10 to 20 episodes easily. That is how intriguing and wonderful this has been.

In episode 5 we got a look at a little bit of everything following the Bulls first title in 1991. We also got a dedication to Kobe Bryant prior to the start. The first part of the episode started with the 98 All Star game that featured the two going head to head. We even got a talking head interview with Bryant, and it was eye opening to hear him say the things he said about Jordan. Hearing him talk about his importance, and how if it wasn't for Jordan, he wouldn't have been the player he was. He even said how much he disliked the comparisons, and people asking who would win one on one. He all but squashed that, and let it be known that Jordan is the GOAT.

From there we got a glimpse into the 92 team that repeated. This was great because we got to see this team really rise to dominance, and see Jordan kind of take basketball to a whole other level. BJ Armstrong even said that he wasn't playing basketball anymore, he was simply out there to find new ways to win. That is how dominant, and great and maniacal he was as a player. The matchup between him and Clyde Drexler was supposed to be close. It wasn't. This series featured "the shrug" game, where MJ hit 6 threes in the first half, and scored 35 in the same half. He outplayed Drexler every step of the way. He said that he wanted to show how much better he was, and that it pissed him off that they were even comparing the two. Jordan is better, and will always be, and he proved that.

We also got a look at the Dream Team where, once again, and as usual, Jordan was the alpha. He was the dude. He was the guy. The video tape of a practice game was awesome. The way he and Pippen dominated Toni Kukoc was wild. They wanted to prove Jerry Krause wrong, and while Kukoc turned out to be a fine player, Jordan and Pippen proved they were better, and more important.

The episode also got into his cultural impact, what with his shoes and commercial appeal. It had to be hard to be Michael Jordan. That was the big takeaway for me from episode 5.

Episode 6 starts off with how hard it was for him to deal with the fame. It seemed like he had no time to just be alone, or away, or with his family. He was pulled in a million different directions. From there we dig into his gambling. This added to his competitive nature. There is a scene where he is betting with his handlers who can get a piece of change closest to the wall without touching it, and when he got beat by one of the dudes, you could tell it irked him very much. We then shift back to 93, with the Bulls working on their first 3 peat. This was also when they started to dig a little deeper into his gambling, referencing Sam Smith's wonderful book "The Jordan Rules". This was the same time they started to try and dig up dirt on him. They figured he couldn't be as perfect as he appeared. This is the episode I have been waiting for. This is where it got grimy and gritty and down and dirty. Apparently Horace Grant was the first one that spoke up, but it seems like there were plenty of other people. Jordan said it was Grant, but Grant said he didn't say a word. Who knows, but I do know that Grant wasn't too thrilled with the attention that MJ and Pippen were getting over him. But being the genius of basketball that he was, his play didn't waver a bit. In fact, he just kept getting better. It seems like it fueled him.

Then we shifted to the rivalry between the Bulls and Knicks in the early 90's. The Knicks tried to be the new era "Bad Boys", but the Knicks weren't as dirty, and easier to root for. They also weren't nearly as good. They did some stuff. They went up 2-0 on the Bulls, we got the famous Starks dunk. But, other than that, they were no real threat to the Bulls.

We did shift from there back to his gambling, which people blamed for the Bulls dropping the first 2 games. This was also when we meet a guy named Slim Buller, who was a badass dude that gambled with him all the time. Apparently, Jordan spent a good amount of time with this gentleman. This was when people started to really push on the gambling, and if he was an addict or not. This was the first time I have seen Jordan a little defensive in the talking head interviews. He was near over explaining what he was doing. But, as he is want to do, he responded as he always did, and came back and dominated the Knicks in four straight games. We also got to see the epic game 5 finish, with Charles Smith getting blocked four times, right at the rim. Poor guy.

That win pushed the Bulls to their third finals appearance in a row, this time to face the Suns and league MVP Charles Barkley. That series was an okay one, but it still gave Jordan the platform to prove is greatness over everyone else, which he did. This 6th episode started to show more of the asshole that Jordan was, and maybe still is, and that was great. I have been waiting to see this side of him. This was one of the things at the very top of my list that I wanted from this doc. It closed out nicely with them getting ready for the 98 playoffs, and as I am every Monday now, I cannot wait for the next two episodes.

"The Last Dance" has been so worth it so far, and it is only going to get better and better the rest of the way. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty Watches "The Last Dance Parts 3 and 4

I just finished episodes 3 and 4 of "The Last Dance", and just like the first two, this is amazing. This is exactly what I, and all other sports fans, have been craving. The show is starting to dig deeper and deeper into all the things that went into this last run for the 90's Bulls.

Episode 3 was focused on Dennis Rodman's addition to the team. First off, Rodman is a crazy dude, but man was he an excellent basketball player. I do not agree with his politics, he is crazy as I said, he is still a little loony, but man could that dude defend, be an enforcer and grab rebounds. Hearing him talk about his early days in Detroit was like taking a class on how to judge angles on the floor, and I loved every single second of it. When he talked about taking friends to the gym at 2 and 3 in the morning to shoot and miss shots just so he could watch how it came off the rim was astonishing. Talking about watching film of how big time players would shoot, and the way the ball would rotate, was like the coolest lesson I could have learned as a young player. His tenacity on defense, and his willingness to do the little things, the dirty work, it was amazing. But, he did come with a ton of baggage. He started to lose it late in his Pistons career. He really lost it while he was in San Antonio. And, while he gave in to the greater good of the team while playing for the 90's Bulls, he was for sure going through some mental issues. He had, and still has, some serious issues, but I say again, the dude was such a uniquely gifted player. He was also another one of these super small school guys who made it big in the NBA in the late 80's and early 90's, and it was because he was willing he work his ass off. He seemed to work harder than almost anyone else in the league at that time. It was pretty eye opening. My favorite part was when the director showed Rodman, Scottie Pippen and Phil Jackson the video of Jordan reacting to Rodman saying he "needed a vacation". That was epic.

Episode 4 picked up with Rodman on his "vacation", and we got a one on one interview with Carmen Electra, Rodman's girlfriend at the time, and again I have to point out the people they are getting for this doc are amazing, and she described Rodman perfectly. She talked about his constant partying and how much fun he liked to have and even spoke on when Phil, Scottie and MJ came to Vegas to pick him up. That was hilarious, and I imagine what must have been going through her head when this happened. We shifted from there to learn more about Phil Jackson. This episode was his episode. They talked about his childhood, his love of Native Americans, how much he wanted the game to be a team game, his work with Tex Winter, his playing days, his drug use and how great of a coach he was. I have said many times that I think Greg Poppovich is the greatest coach in the NBA ever. But I am now wavering because of the way we see how Jackson worked with the greatest ever. How he got him to buy in. How he made him realize that he needed his teammates to help him. MJ may have liked Doug Collins more, but Jackson was the perfect coach for him and that team. Poppovich has the best system, and it will always work. But, Jackson is the best at dealing with major, major personalities. He knows how to handle super duper stars. And while Jackson is the weird hippy guy, he knows the game very well. Well, he and Tex Winter worked together very well. I feel like this episode was kind of an ode to Winter. He is the genius behind the Triangle offense, Jackson was just the face. But, I came away from episode 4 really admiring Phil Jackson. I was also happy because they started to show the real asshole side of MJ in the middle and near the end of the episode. They talked a lot about the rivalry between the Bulls and Pistons back then, and this is when true MJ started to come out. He hated the Pistons, he did what he took to get over that hump, and man oh man does he despise Isaiah Thomas. Again, they showed him a video of Thomas explaining why the Pistons walked off when the Bulls finally beat them, without shaking their hands, and you could see Jordan, who is 57 now, seething with anger. It was another great moment.

"The Last Dance" has been truly wonderful so far, and I fully expect it to continue that way. While this is on, every Monday I am going to write about my thoughts with each viewing. I cannot recommend this doc enough people. It is a wonder. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty Watches "The Last Dance" Parts 1 and 2

"The Last Dance" made its much anticipated premiere, two months early, last night and it was everything I hoped for, and so much, much more. Sports fans are craving something, anything, that we can rally around and talk about and be excited about and be in the forefront of the media, and that finally happened for the first time since early March, in a good way.

"The Last Dance" is going to be focusing on the 97-98 Bulls team primarily, but this ten part docu series is clearly going to be touching on so much more. The first two episodes had so much stuff in couple hours that I hadn't heard or seen ever before. I am a rabid NBA fan, especially this particular era they are focusing on, and there was so much new information that I didn't even know I wanted.

The first episode primarily talked about the early Jordan years. We see him becoming the dominant force he was to be when he was at UNC. We heard from guys like James Worthy, Roy Williams and Billy Packer about how there was something special about this kid. They talked about his natural ability but also his almost maniacal work ethic, how he wanted to be better than everyone else, how he practiced longer and harder than anyone. They focused on his want and will to be the best. He told Roy Williams that he wanted to be the best guy at UNC, and Williams told him he had to work. Well, he worked his tail off, and we all know about his dominant career in college. He won a title, a player of the year award and was easily a lottery pick. They then shifted to his rookie year, and that was eye opening for me. He went to a, and I never knew this, what was a moribund Bulls team. They were being outsold by indoor soccer teams and plays in their own arena. Then Jordan comes, blows up, and all of the sudden they are selling out every game. The players on the current team realized pretty soon how good he was. They knew very early on that he was the best player on the team by a very wide margin. Some of the stuff they talked about that I never knew included how much drugs the Bulls players did when he was a rookie. Jordan didn't do this, instead, he lived on his own and just set a laser focus on the game. That was what separated him early on from everyone else.

Outside the Jordan aura, I learned how much the players, especially Jordan, really loathed Jerry Krause. They despised that man, openly picking on him in public. I also learned that Jerry Reinsdorf is a very quiet man, who tries to stay out of a lot. I found out that Rod Thorn truly wanted Hakeem in the draft. I also heard how other players and coaches never, ever thought that Jordan, a 6'6 guard, could lead a team to a title. And they started to show his real attitude near the end of the first episode, when the 97 Bulls traveled to Paris for an exhibition, and Jordan looked like he just wanted to leave, and that all the hubbub there was beneath him. He also showed that he didn't, I don't know if respect is the right word, that he didn't care about guys on the team that weren't Dennis Rodman, or mainly Scottie Pippen.

That is where the second episode takes us. We get to hear all about Pippen. He was a player that, as a kid, I didn't think was actually as good or important as he truly was. Now that I am an adult, and have studied the game a ton, I know I was wrong, and how great and important Pippen was. The whole thing was about how Pippen is the greatest number 2 ever in the NBA. I won't call him Robin because I feel like that is disrespectful to Pippen. I also learned that Pippen was a small college kid, who was so painfully shy, that he signed a ridiculously awful contract way too early in his career. He signed a seven year deal worth 18 million dollars. I mean, can you believe that. Can you fathom a world where Pippen is the sixth highest paid player on the team where he is clearly the second best option. That is nuts. He should have made triple that for what he gave to that team, and what he gave to Jordan. This episode also really dug into the aggressiveness and fight that Jordan had. He would yell and scream at his teammates in practice. He would tell them exactly what he thought of them. He didn't care about feelings, he simply wanted to win. And if he had to hurt your feelings to do that, he would do that. He was ruthless, he was a winner and he expected the best effort out his teammates no matter what. We also got a little look into his childhood in this episode, with some interviews with his brothers, and again, this was totally eye opening. It shined a new light on MJ's competitive edge. It showed how this started so young, and drives him still today.

These first two episodes were like a fix for me. I felt that urge for sports on my TV was given to me. It was amazing. I watched it in real time, which I never do. I am so very, very, very excited for the next eight parts. Sunday cannot come fast enough so I can watch the next two episodes. I love this, I love that ESPN pushed it up so we can watch something we all crave and I love that I get to watch a truly all access look into the life of the greatest to ever play the game of basketball. Watch this docu series. I implore you. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty's 2019-2020 NBA Preview: Suns, Bulls, Thunder, Mavericks

Day 2 of my NBA countdown has done usual suspects that fall low on my list, but also a new team that is trying to rank it seems.

Coming in at number 26 I have the Phoenix Suns. I proclaimed them as my new favorite team, but after this offseason, I may have to jump ship. I don’t get some of the moves they made. Why did they sign Frank Kaminsky? Couldn’t they get more fit Josh Jackson? What is going on with that front office? The Suns have a good amount of problems right now. That being said, they still have Devin Booker, and that dude can score. He is a walking bucket. But isn’t he just a poor man’s Brad Beal? He could go for 30 a night, but will it really matter? I still have high hopes for Deandre Ayton. I think he can be really good if he fully buys in. Yes he was a rookie, but he looked lost and preoccupied at times last year. He also got eaten up by bigger centers. I still have faith in him though. I think Ricky Rubio was a solid signing, they just gave him too much money. Booker could thrive with a point guard like Rubio, but Rubio has never really lived up to the hype. He’s been solid, but never great. I also am not a fan of them letting TJ Warren leave as a free agent. They need guys like him. Guys like Kelly Oubre are good and well for a solid game here and there. But, he’s not consistent like Warren. The Suns have 2 really solid building blocks, but they have a ton of work to do. And they need to win if they want to keep Booker.

At number 25 I have the Chicago Bulls. This may seem far too low for some, I’ve heard some people say they can push for the playoffs, but i think that says more about the East than the Bulls. They have okay players, but that’s it, they’re just okay. Zach Lavine is not a guy you want to build around. He’s an average scorer, an excellent leaper and a so so defender. That’s it. Lauri Markanen can shoot, but he’s soft. Kris Dunn is a bust. I love Coby White, and I want him to be good, but it will take time. Wendell Carter was playing okay, but he got hurt. I just feel like the Bulls have far more questions than answers. And, if they do make the playoffs, I’d be stunned. They still seem a ways off.

At number 25 I have the OKC Thunder. This is another team that I don’t know what they’re doing, but smart people, smarter than me about the NBA, seem to think they could push for the playoffs. I say no way, especially in the West. The Thunder need to fully embrace the rebuild. Their stars are gone. All of them. They’ve moved on. And I know they acquired Chris Paul in the Westbrook trade, but he’s old and has been on the decline for the past couple years. And, I don’t think he’ll be on the team come All Star break. Same goes for Steven Adams. I don’t think he’s going to want to be around on a team that’s rebuilding. He’s getting to the back end if his career, and for a player that’s been in the playoffs every season, I think he will want to keep that streak alive. What this team needs to do is give the keys to Shai Gilgeous Alexander. Build around him. He’s young, he’s good and looks like a team leader. He had big moments last year in LA, and looks ready to take the next step. You can pair any number of the other young guys, like Terrance Ferguson for example, with SGA, and start a rebuild from there. They also have about a million draft picks in the next couple drafts. The Thunder are in a perfect position for a good rebuild. Take that route, use picks, trade old vets for more picks and younger players and be ready to be a threat in 3 or 4 years. That’s what I would do anyway.

My final team for today, coming in at number 23, I have the Dallas Mavericks. Here’s another team that will win 35-40 games, but are just not ready to compete in the West. Not yet anyway. Luka Doncic was every bit as good as advertised. Now he just needs to keep it up. Keep getting better, stay in shape and improve the little things. The Mavs traded for Kristaps Porzingis last year, of which he played zero games, and they seem to think he will come out on fire this year. I think it’s going to take time for him to get back to his good days with the Knicks, and don’t forget, he was accused of sexual assault this past offseason. Some people may have forgotten that, I didn’t. Outside those 2 guys, this team is cobbled with an odd mixture. Tim Hardaway Jr is still there, and he will have a 25 point game here and there, but he’s much more prone to scoring 12 points on 3 of 15 shooting. JJ Barea is somehow still in the league even though he seems like he’s 60 years old. Boban is on the team, but he’s more of a spectacle than a player of circumstance. They have the less talented Curry. Courtney Lee is there to shoot threes and be trade bait. Jalen Brunson is fine, but he’s a bench player at best. And Justin Jackson left Sacramento, where he was a non factor, to come ride the bench here. The Mavs will win games, and Luka is legit, but I don’t but them as a playoff team. They have work to do, but they’re on the right track.

That’s it for today. Come back tomorrow for the next 4 teams.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Now We are Waiting on Russell Westbrook's New Team

On Monday I talked about Kawhi's decision, and my opinion of the current state of the NBA. I talked a bit about the Clippers not only getting Kawhi, but also getting Paul George. I mentioned that I had heard rumors that the Thunder were now exploring trades for Russell Westbrook. Today I want to talk about my feelings on that, and which team, or teams, I think would be a good fit for him.

First off, my thoughts on the idea of trading Russ away from OKC. I think the time has come for both parties to move on. Russ has done all he can do for that team and that city. He ran the show when it was him, KD and Harden. When Harden left, he changed his game to play with KD. Some people don't agree with this, they are wrong. KD is an iso guy, and the fact that Russ was so important to watch while on defense, he made it easier for KD to get his. Then KD left, and all Russ did was lead a terrible cast of players, with a new coach, to the playoffs, won the MVP and averaged a triple double. Again, idiots will say he was a stat hunter and only cared about himself. I say, he absolutely had to do this in order for that particular Thunder team to win.

Then they acquired Paul George and Carmelo Anthony. That did not work out, but they still made the playoffs, and Russ and PG seemed to like one another. They liked one another so much, Russ convinced PG to sign a deal with OKC that offseason. Last season, one of Russ' worst, as far as stats go, the Thunder made the playoffs again, Russ averaged a triple double for the third straight year, and helped PG become an MVP candidate, before he got hurt. But, they lost in the first round again, and it was all blamed on Westbrook.

Then the Kawhi stuff happened. I mean, what else, sans winning a title, can Russ do for the Thunder? He has really given them his all, has played through injury, willed this team back to the playoffs constantly, kept them afloat when KD left and is a blast to watch play. So, I think, if he wants one final chance to be on a competitive team, he has earned that right.

This leads me to which teams I think would be good fits for him. One, I would love, LOVE, to see him go to Phoenix. Sure, they aren't a title contender, but to replace Ricky Rubio with Russ, and put him next to Devin Booker, and an athletic big like Deandre Ayton, that would push them to a possible playoff team, even in the West. He would sell tickets there as well. Also, Phoenix could take on the last 2 years of his contract because they have so much young talent that is clogging spots for other players. They could make this deal happen, and I wish they would.

I like the fit with Chicago. He could go there, be a stop gap for Coby White, who I think is going to be really good, and help a team with Zach Lavine, Lauri Markenan and Wendell Carter definitely get into the playoffs in the East. The Bulls also have guys with easy contracts to trade, and they have picks.

Detroit was odd for me at first, but I think sending him there for Reggie Jackson and Luke Kennard, plus picks, would make the Pistons fun. Russ and Blake Griffin, along with Andre Drummond could be a devastating pick and roll combo. And put him next to Derrick Rose, while not a great shooting back court, it would be explosive. I also think he would love to play for Dwayne Casey.

Then, my final team, the Miami Heat. I know the Thunder already have some of their picks, and trading Russ there would possibly take the picks out of the lottery, but they could get a good return of players, that they can turn into picks, and teaming Russ with Jimmy Butler could be a match made in heaven. Those 2 are cut from the same cloth, they will rip your will out of you, they would look cool as hell in those Miami vice jerseys, and Erik Spolestra has already shown he can coach mega stars to titles. Jimmy Butler and Russ may not be the duo you need to win a title, but in the East, who knows. I would love to see them playing against the Celtics or 76ers or Bucks. They would throw the hell down. This is what I hope, and want, to happen for Russ. I think it is almost too perfect.

Anyway, whatever what happens to Russ, I hope he gets a chance to compete, and that people stop blaming him for everything that has happened in OKC. It is not his fault. He has stayed tried and true to that team, and he can now do what he wants. He has earned that. I am fully team Russ.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty's 2018-2019 NBA Preview: Nets, Bulls, Suns

On to day 2 of my NBA countdown. We are still at the bottom of the barrel, but a few of these teams today I think could be kind of fun to watch. They will not win many games, but they will produce highlights, and I will enjoy watching one of these teams for sure. Lets get to it.

At number 27 I have the Brooklyn Nets. This team is still getting hammered by the trade they made with the Celtics years ago. They gave up so many high picks at the chance of getting a title with an old Paul Pierce, and an old and injured Kevin Garnett. They still haven't recovered from that horrific trade. They also gave Joe Johnson an absurd amount of money, and risked a ton of young talent when they signed Deron Williams to a huge deal. They have made bad mistakes, and they are really paying for it now. When I look at the current roster, and while there are some players I like, they are not a well constructed team, and they will not win many games. I love Caris Levert. He played at Michigan. I got to see his talent for 4 years. But, he is oft injured, just like he was in college, and he just cannot seem to stay on the court. Jarrett Allen is a good big man to build around, but I have heard and read things saying that basketball isn't the most important thing in his life. They signed Allen Crabbe, but his best days are behind him. There is a reason the Nets, and no one else offered him much. DeMarre Carroll had one great year in Atlanta, turned that into a big deal in Toronto, and then they offloaded him to the Nets, where he has majorly regressed. Spencer Dinwiddie is quietly a good player, and I hope he gets traded to a team that is in contention that needs a player like him. Kenneth Faried is there now, and while I used to bang the drum for him as a player, he has never really been more than a high motor guy. Rondae Hollis Jefferson is their best player, and if he and Levert and Dinwiddie could get some solid vets, maybe this team could push for a 7 or 8 seed in the East. Until then though, the Nets are bound to stay in this purgatory that they created. This team is still a long way away from being a playoff contender. Hell, they have a way to go to push for 35 wins.

At number 26 I have the Chicago Bulls. I will be the first to admit that I was completely wrong on Lauri Markanen. That kid played so much better in his rookie year than he did in his one season at Arizona. He stepped out and hit threes, went to the rim and played well in the post. But, he is still pretty awful on defense, and he needs to put on muscle. Kris Dunn played better with the change of scenery, but he was not a top point guard by any stretch. He was a guy I believed in coming into the league, but it just hasn't translated. Cristiano Felicio needs to get in shape and if he does, I think he could be okay. But, he is just soft right now. The decrepit remains of Omer Asik is there now. How is that dude still in the league? Justin Holiday is a solid shooter, and he plays hard, but he is just a mid to lower level guard in the NBA. They signed Jabari Parker, and while he can score, he plays no defense, doesn't rebound, isn't a very good passer and has 2 torn ACL's. Bobby Portis' game has not equaled success in the NBA. He is more known for beating the shit out of Nikola Mirotic than anything he has ever done on an NBA floor. Denzel Valentine is a bust. Cam Payne is a bust, who should be in the G League. And they gave Zach Lavine a near max contract. Why? What has he done to earn that? Isn't he pretty much the exact same player as Aaron Gordon? They are both hyper athletic dunkers, but that is it. He is also just one year removed from a torn ACL. The Bulls are not good, but with all the shade I just threw at them, I think, if they can stay moderately healthy, they might be fun to watch. Lavine is a highlight reel dunker, I love Wendell Carter, who they drafted in one of their smarter draft choices, Markanen is a solid modern big and Kris Dunn is a bull dog. I will watch them the rare occasion they are on TV. But, they will not win many games.

My final team of the day, coming in at number 25, is my new favorite team, the Phoenix Suns. This team will not win more than 25-30 games. They are too young, too inconsistent and not ready for primetime, especially in the West. But man oh man will they run up and down the floor, score a ton of points and are super, super athletic. I love Deandre Ayton. I am fully buying in on him. Once he gets an okay jumper, he will be a terror. He is already great in the post. He can rebound, he can protect the rim and he has great footwork for a big man. He looks like he is going to be real good real soon. Devin Booker, who I know is recovering from wrist surgery, is already an elite level scorer. The kid can shoot from anywhere. You don't score 70 points in one game if you aren't elite. He can handle the ball as well. He doesn't play great defense, but he more than makes up for that with his offensive ability. He is one of the best young scorers in the game. I love the signing of Trevor Ariza. They need that veteran that has been to the highest of heights in the NBA. He is also a knock down shooter, plays solid defense and will be a great mentor for the young guys on the team. I'm not crazy about the addition of Ryan Anderson, that guy can only shoot threes, other than that he is useless. Tyson Chandler, who is one of my all time favorite players, is still there, but he is more so in the Garnett role when he went back to Minnesota at the end of his career. He is there to help out the young guys, and if he retires at the end of the year, I wouldn't be shocked if he immediately becomes a bench coach for the Suns. I love in the Anderson trade they also acquired DeAnthony Melton. This team is lacking a true point guard, and even though he is a rookie, he was a first round talent that fell to the second round. He plays solid defense, and he should start on opening night for this team. Josh Jackson is now the hands down 4 on the team. The Suns got rid of both Alex Len and Marquiss Chriss, and I think this will only benefit Jackson's development. He can already play solid defense, is hyper athletic, but he cannot shoot. He needs to figure that out. And I really like TJ Warren. He plays hard every night, and the dude is good. I also think Dragan Bender can still be decent, but he has to prove it this year, or I'm out on him. I also like Darrell Arthur for toughness and rebounding. The Suns are building something special I think, it will just a few more years. They will not win much this year, but they may be the most fun team to watch, outside of Golden State. They have a ton of young, bouncy talent. They also have a super star in the making in Devin Booker. And if Ayton hits like I think he will, they will be a dynamic one two punch. The Suns aren't great now, but they are on their way.

That's it for today. Come back tomorrow for my next three teams.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty's 2017-2018 NBA Preview: Bulls, Hawks, Nets

This is getting rough, but before I get into my 2017-18 NBA countdown, I have to say RIP to the great Tom Petty. I know there were conflicting stories all day yesterday about his passing, but it was confirmed that Petty had died at the age of 66 today. He was an all time great. He was a great guitar player and one of the best song writers ever. I will greatly miss his music. He was one of the first musicians that made me respect the guitar and rock music in general. He was a master, and he will be deeply missed. RIP.

Okay, hopefully I don't have to talk about crummy or horrific current events for awhile. Now, lets get to my NBA countdown. For the next 10 days or so I will be counting down the NBA teams from worst to best as I see them coming into this season. At the end of my countdown I will pick all the award winners and who I think will win the title, spoiler alert, it will be the Warriors. But, before I get all the way to the good stuff, I have to start with the teams that I think will be the worst of the worst. Also, these rankings have no reflection on the playoff picture. I will tell you know that I have, at least, 9 teams from the West in my top 18. So, there will be some shitty team, or teams, from the East that make the playoffs. This is just how I see all the teams. Okay, lets start with the bottom of the barrel.

At number 30 I do not have the Philadelphia 76ers anymore. In fact, I have a team that was in the playoffs last year. My number 30 team is the Chicago Bulls. Yes, they were in the playoffs, as just mentioned, but EVERYONE of importance from that team is gone. Jimmy Butler, Rajon Rondo and Dwayne Wade all skipped town for greener pastures. What the Bulls have left leaves a lot to the imagination. The roster is filled with unproven players or guys past their primes, if they ever had one, or just mediocre NBA players. I'm pretty sure the best player on this team is Robin Lopez. Now while he isn't that bad, he is not a modern day center, and no team will ever even make the playoffs with Robin Lopez as their best player. Denzel Valentine may make a jump this year, but he was real bad as a rookie, and barely saw the floor. Zach Lavine and Kris Dunn, the guys they got for Butler, are very meh. Lavine will not be ready for the start of the year, still recovering from his torn ACL, and I think it speaks volumes that the Timberwolves got better when he got hurt. Kris Dunn was horrendous as a rookie, and I picked him to be the rookie of the year last year. He was just awful whenever he was on the floor. Maybe he will get better, but he has a long way to go before he is any kind of threat. Nikola Mirotic just signed a big contract extension, but what is he other than a liability on defense and a guy who's shot comes and goes. Cristiano Felicio could be better now that he won't have Wade chastising him for grabbing rebounds, but I just can't peg his game yet. Cam Payne is hurt and looking like a bust. Same for Bobby Portis, except he isn't hurt, his game just hasn't translated to the NBA. And taking Lauri Markenan number 7 overall was the worst pick of the whole draft last year. That guy is soft as tissue paper and he is going to get devoured by power forwards in the NBA. The rest of the roster is filled with D League guys and deep bench players. The Bulls stink. They will most definitely be in the lottery next draft, and I would be shocked if their head coach makes it through the whole year.

At number 29 I have another playoff team from last year, the Atlanta Hawks. This is the same team that just 4 short seasons ago won 62 games and sent 4 players to the All Star game. No one is left from that team. Hell, they lost a ton from last year's playoff team. Dwight Howard, Tim Hardaway Jr and, most importantly, Paul Milsap are gone. They all jumped ship. Their starting point guard this year, Dennis Schroder, just got arrested for some kind of assault. They are already off to a horrid start. Kent Bazemore is over paid and not producing like he did when he was a bench player. Marco Bellinelli and Ersan Ilaysova bring nothing to this team besides some lackluster experience. I'm curious to see how Dewanye Dedmon does away from the Spurs model. The only thing that the Hawks really have going for them is Deandre Bembry and Tauren Prince. Bembry looks like he could be a decent role player, and I really like what I saw from Prince last year. He looks like he could be the third or fourth guy on a title contending team. Problem in Atlanta, he will be the center piece. He isn't ready for that yet. The Hawks are going to take a GIANT step back. That's unfortunate because I have always kind of liked the Hawks. They are going to be horrible this year though.

My final team for today, coming in at number 28 is the Brooklyn Nets. They have been either 30 or 29 in my first 2 countdown's, but they moved up this year. Sure, it's only one spot, but progress none the less. Trading Brook Lopez was much needed, and they didn't get anyone great, but D'Angelo Russell isn't terrible, and Mozgov has played in a Finals. But, lets be serious for a minute about these guys. Mozgov is toast. He will bear no effect on how the Nets play. And Russell, he was the second overall pick a few years ago and the Lakers were eager to trade him. He just hasn't figured it out yet. Brooklyn is a better fit, but he needs to become a complete point guard. I think the Jeremy Lin hype is more about his hair and less his game now. He can still score a little bit, but he gets hurt far too often, and he is not the guy you want to build around. They took on Allen Crabbe's ridiculous contract, but that is what this team needs to do. They need to grab these guys that had one good year and hope they rekindle that magic because they have no draft picks of any note for a few more years. Maybe Crabbe finds his stroke again, but if I were a betting man, I'd say that one season was an anomaly. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson has not turned into the type of bulldog, rebounding and defensive force I thought he could be. He has moments here and there, they are just too infrequent. They took on Demarre Carroll's contract, a la what they did with Crabbe, and maybe he can find his defensive prowess that got him paid so much by Toronto. But I seem to think that he is done as a player of importance in the NBA. They took the center from Texas, Jarrett Allen, and I think he will be a decent replacement for Lopez, but he is a teenager, and I think he will find the NBA interior to be tough sledding. Tyler Zeller left Boston for the Nets, but who cares. He is of no consequence. The player I like most on this team, and yes I am being totally biased here, is Caris Levert. If he can stay healthy, and that is a big. big if, he can be a player in the NBA. He has a decent inside out game and he can defend. I watched him do it for 4 years at Michigan, and he has played better than his former Wolverines teammates, Nik Stauskas, Trey Burke and Mitch McGary, all have in the NBA. I think Levert has a very good chance to be a player that other teams have to game plan for. But, the Nets still stink, and they will for some time.

That's it for today. Come back tomorrow when I get to the next group of crappy teams. I have to say though, I'm so excited for the NBA to be coming back in 2 weeks. It's wonderful.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

The Derrick Rose "Bidding War" is the Dumbest Story of the NBA Offseason

With the Kyrie Irving news last Friday, I wasn't able to comment on the supposed "bidding war" for Derrick Rose between the Cavs and Lakers. Well that changes today. I need to talk about this, and I want to talk about this.

The fact that people have said that there is a "bidding war" for Derrick Rose literally shocked me. Why on Earth would anyone want to fight over Derrick Rose? I'm not going to sugar coat it today. Derrick Rose is washed up. He is not the "great" player he once was. In fact, I never thought he was great, I thought he was a whirling diversh and a ton of fun to watch, but I never considered him great. I thought he was good, just not great. His MVP trophy was just so they didn't have to give it to LeBron once again, even though both he and Dwight Howard, yes that same Dwight Howard, had a much better season the year he won it. The Bulls just played way over their heads, and the voters figured they'd better give it to someone that was on a one seed. LeBron should have won it that year.

Also, while in Chicago, yes he was fine, but stories already started to come out about his attitude, his penchant for hogging the ball, his willingness to ice teammates out on the floor and he was seemingly becoming un coachable. He was like Russell Westbrook, except Russell Westbrook is a better player than Derrick Rose, by far. He also had much better teammates than Westbrook had last year. And in that MVP year, Rose and the Bulls got their asses kicked by LeBron, as we all expected.

Then the injuries started. The very next season Rose tore his ACL and missed the majority of the year. The next season he rushed himself back too soon and tore his other ACL. He was becoming incredibly injury prone due to his style of play. That is the thing with Rose. He was very good at getting to the rim, but he could never ever shoot and he is a horrific defender. Great rim attacker, but everything else, very mediocre.

While the injuries piled up in Chicago, everyone who watches basketball could see that he was either unhappy or uninterested in being in Chicago, or even playing basketball for that matter. He looked truly miserable. He was probably tired of being the face of the city, he is a Chicago kid. He does seem like the kind of player that is better suited at being a second or third option. I do not think he was ever comfortable being "the man" on an NBA team. He may have never said it, but that has always been the vibe I have gotten from Derrick Rose.

Then we had last year's offseason. Rose finally got moved. The Bulls decided to finally pull the plug, much to both theirs and Rose's delight. The Bulls traded him and his one year left on his monster contract to the New York Knicks. This was supposed to be one of Phil Jackson's best moves early on as a GM. When he was traded to the Knicks and then Joakim Noah signed there, I vividly remember many people, RD included, saying this Knicks team could go to the playoffs. Hell, Derrick Rose said in his introductory press conference that the Knicks and the Warriors were both "super teams". I didn't buy any of that. This team on paper looked truly awful to me. While the Knicks should have started the youth movement and build around Porzingis, they decided to sign 2 oft injured vets and let go of a true center in Robin Lopez.

Well, we all saw how the Knicks, and Derrick Rose, played last year. Sure, he averaged 18 ppg and about 4 or 5 rebounds a game. But, he was non existent on defense, and he seemed to be more of a ball hog than Carmelo Anthony. His fit was a total disaster. When he was on the court, he either bricked jumpers, iced out Porzingis and Carmelo and it seemed like if Carmelo did a good thing on offense, Rose felt he had to do something better. He rarely ever did something better.

Let us not forget that he also just disappeared in the middle of the year. He was just gone without any explanation. Everyone seems to have just forgotten this. That he just up and left the team without any notice. He was gone, and when he came back, he acted like he did nothing wrong. He acted like the media made up some stories about him. That whole situation was completely bizarre, and just reaffirmed that he is not a franchise player.

Rose also told reporters after his "leave of absence", that he expected a max contract this offseason. That shit was laughable. How god damn full of himself. He is nowhere near a max player. And what team is going to give an oft injured player that comes and goes as they please a max deal. Not even the Kings or 76ers would do some dumb shit like that.

And then we got the report last week of the "bidding war".First off, the most money the Cavs can offer him is 2 million a year, or the veteran minimum. They could clear a bit more space if they move Irving, but it is still not that much more. The Lakers can give him a lot more money, but they are clearly going youthful, and they are clearly handing the keys to the team to Lonzo Ball. Does Derrick Rose really want to go and be a rookie's backup? How in the hell would he handle something like that? Not very well I would imagine. Also, if he signs with Cleveland, and they keep Kyrie, he is going to most assuredly be the backup point guard there. How does he handle that? Will he be happy playing the Deron Williams role from this past season? He is a better player than Williams, but not that much better. Then there is the Kyrie Irving trade scenario. If the Cavs do find someone to trade for Irving, depending on the return, how will LeBron feel having Derrick Rose as his starting point guard as opposed to Irving? He may say he likes it better, but Rose is more of a ball hog than Irving will ever be. Rose will also want to take many more big shots than Irving did, and that LeBron should. I just don't like his fit with either team.

Rose still thinks he is a great player, I never thought he was, so he should go to a team that will give him the keys. The problem with Rose being "the guy", he would have to go to a team that has no future at all. Rose is at a turning point in his career. He needs to decide if he wants money or a chance at titles. If I had to guess, he will take the money because he thinks he is still great. He is not. If I were a GM of any team, I'd stay very, very far away from Derrick Rose. I'd rather have a player like Kay Felder or Vander Blue than Derrick Rose. That is how far Rose has fallen off.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Are the Chicago Bulls Incompetent, or Just Plain Stupid?

The Bulls front office plans for next season

Around this same time last year I was praising the Bulls for offloading Derrick Rose and letting Joakim Noah leave in free agency. These were tough moves, but they needed to be done. Rose was well past his best playing days, and Noah, well he cannot stay healthy at all. That was all proven last season. Well, I'm here today, almost one year to the date, to eviscerate the Bulls.

What the Bulls did last night, with their draft day moves, was some the dumbest front office decisions I have ever witnessed. Bill Simmons said it on his podcast this morning, an I will reiterate it right now. Everyone involved with the Bulls needs to be let go. The moves they made last night made absolutely no sense whatsoever. They looked even worse than the Kings, who had a decent draft, and, dare I say, the Knicks. The draft itself went pretty much as expected. The top 5 guys were the top five guys, and other than what the Bulls did, every team stayed pat.

When my phone buzzed and said that the Timberwolves were trying to make a move to acquire Jimmy Butler, I thought it was just going to be talk. Then, I shit you not, 2 minutes later the trade was announced that the Bulls traded away Jimmy Butler and the 16th pick to the Timberwolves for Zach Lavine, Kriss Dunn and the 7th overall pick.

I was floored.

This move made absolutely no sense to me at all. I love it for the Timberwolves, as many of you might remember, I became a T'Wolves fan the moment KD signed with the Warriors. So, to see my new team get one of the top 15 NBA players to pair up with Karl Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, that made me ecstatic. I kept saying to my wife, "I can't believe the T'Wolves got Butler for basically nothing". I said it so much she told me that I needed to chill out on the NBA draft talk. She doesn't care about this stuff like I do.

So, while still in awe of what the T'Wolves had done, and getting excited that they will most likely be a playoff team next year, and a tough out at that, I started to think about it from the Bulls perspective. Why would they do this deal? Was there not a better offer out there? Are the front office people morons? Why give up on Jimmy Butler so soon? Did they just want him out of the East? I had a lot of questions.

I already answered the one about the front office. They are either trying to tear this team about and rebuild from the bottom up, or they are stupid and think a guy coming off one of the worst rookie years ever and the other guy coming off a torn ACL were good enough replacements for Butler. That is patently false. I thought the Bulls might make up for it by taking someone like Malik Monk or Donovan Mitchell or even Justin Jackson, but nope. They used the 7th overall pick on Lauri god damn Markkenan. What a waste. I was hyper critical of him in my mock draft yesterday. He is way too soft. He is not a big time rebounder or rim protector. He can barely even finish at the rim, even though he is 7 feet tall. All he can do is hit the open three. This dude is destined to be a bench player, maybe the 9th or 10th guy off the bench, and the Bulls took him in the lottery.

To once again answer the question about the front office in Chicago, it seems to be filled with incompetent morons. What a stupid, stupid draft and an even worse pick. As far as why would they do this deal, I still have no idea. It still makes no sense, from the Bulls point of view. They got nothing near equal value for Butler, and they also gave away a first round pick. Both of those gone to acquire Kris Dunn, Zach Lavine and a lottery pick? It is mind boggling.

This leads me to my next question I asked. Where there not better deals? I'm sure Boston could have sent a much better package to get Butler. I know Cleveland wanted him, so why not trade Love for Butler straight up. That is much better than what Minnesota gave them. Or maybe gauge what kind of young talent they could've gotten from the Lakers or the Suns if they really wanted a lottery pick. there had to be better deals on the table, I just think they jumped on the first offer so they could offload a disgruntled player.

As far as giving up on him, I don't think they did that, I just think his time in Chicago was up, and they knew that, so they traded him away. It was a poor offer, but they pulled the trigger anyway. And with getting him out of the East, I do not think that was taken into account at all. No team in the East is going to beat Cleveland, even if they don't acquire Paul George at some point, because LeBron is still going to be there at least one more season. Like I've said time and time again, I just think they jumped on one of the first offers they were given.

Finally, just when I didn't think their night could get any worse, they made another very bad choice in the second round. It was announced that they had drafted Jordan Bell from Oregon, and I thought, okay, at least they will get something decent out of this draft. Then, inexplicably, they traded him away to the Warriors for cash. That is such a terrible, horrible, atrocious deal. Bell is the perfect player for the Warriors, who did not have pick in this draft, and the Bulls gift wrapped him for cash. What the hell! Again, I was shocked at the stupidity I was witnessing. They had a great second round value pick, to make up for the awful trade from round one, and they gave him away for nothing.

The Bulls are going to be so dreadful next year. They're going to be trotting out a starting five of Dwayne Wade, Robin Lopez, Rajon Rondo and 2 dudes that no one has ever heard of. They will be lucky to win 30 games next season. Fred Hoiberg will, and should, be gone mid season. Wade will probably demand a trade. I'm sure Rondo will become annoyed and want out as well. The Bulls will be a Knicks level joke, but at least the Knicks have Porzingis, for now, and drafted the big and gifted point guard from France. The Bulls might be as bad as the Nets next year due to what they did last night. This was a horrific decision, and it will haunt them as much as when Jordan and Pippen left the team and they were winning 20 to 25 games a year for about 5 straight seasons. The Bulls, by far, had the worst draft night that I have seen since the Grizzlies took Hasheem Tabheet with the second overall pick years ago. This was a train wreck.

To end it on a happy note though, good job by the T'Wolves. This instantly makes them a playoff team, and I think putting Butler in the back court with Ricky Rubio and Andrew Wiggins is going to go over swimmingly. I love this move for Minnesota.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Grayson Allen and Derrick Rose Represent the Dark Side of Basketball

Allen and Rose are the clouds over some bright and sunny basketball

I was going to write 2 separate pieces about 2 basketball players, but I feel like I can lump them into one piece. Each has been a headache for their teams and fans all season long. Each were once the darlings of their fan base as well, but now, they have lost a lot from the ones who once loved them. One plays college basketball, and the other was a former MVP, All Star and seemed like an all around good guy, until this season happened. I'll start with the college player first because men's college basketball is not the NBA. The NBA is more important.

We have 2 more incidents since Grayson Allen's "suspension" was ended after one game of him acting like a jackass. I know that I have ragged on this kid before, but he is such a shit head, I just can't help myself. I have to hate on this kid. So, last season, he trips the FSU player as his team is getting beat, and he is playing poorly. One time, maybe it was just a mistake. But, coming into this year, you just had the feeling that this punk was the newest Duke player to hate. He started the year as a consensus All American, and many picked him to be player of the year. Well, the season did not start as he expected, and he has let his frustrations boil over. Against Elon earlier this year, he purposefully tripped a player that beat him off the dribble, then threw a tantrum, like a spoiled rotten child, on the bench.

The ever douchey Coach K did not suspend, or even reprimand Allen on the spot, I guess he thinks he only has to reprimand kids on other teams when he gets beat in the tournament, but instead said that they will "take care of it internally". Then, when he gets pushed on the subject of this kids poor sportsmanship and behavior, he defends him, and says that at Duke, they do things their own way. What a bunch of shit. Allen was finally "indefinitely" suspended and had his captaincy taken away from him. I thought this way too little, way too late. It took all major media outlets calling this kid out before Coach K finally suspended him. I think the decision was made easier when Coach K had to announce that he was having back surgery.

Allen finally gets suspended, and surprise surprise, Duke loses their next game to Virginia Tech. With one game left before his leave of absence, Coach K lifted Allen's "indefinite" suspension, and reinserts him in the starting lineup for the very next game against Boston College. What a crock. This game was a big blowout, in Duke's favor, but Allen wasn't lighting it up like he sometimes does. He had a very mediocre game, like he has had all year. Amidst the blowout, while fighting through a screen, Allen contorted his body and stuck his right leg behind him and appeared to trip a Boston College player. Of course it was the talk of sports radio and TV the next day, but no one did anything about it. Coach K did not suspend him, the ACC said there wasn't enough evidence to suspend him, Allen just got a free pass.

Then, while getting hammered by FSU the other night, Allen was chasing a loose ball and in his attempt to save it, he physically shoved a FSU assistant coach. Many people said that this was a "hustle" play. I have played basketball for almost 30 years now, and when I have "hustle" plays, I have never shoved another player, let alone an opposing coach. This was blatant and it seems to be Allen's calling card. When things aren't going his way, he reverts to being the spoiled brat that he is, and shoves and trips the opposition. Look at all the crap that Draymond Green has to deal with, what with the constant kicking of testicles, and he is looked at as the biggest villain ever. But, I'd have to say that Allen is worse. He is not as good a basketball player, and he gives me even more reason to hate on Duke. This kid is a punk, a spoiled rich white kid that never faces consequences for his rude actions and he should not be allowed on a basketball court if he continues this nonsense. Grayson Allen is a joke.

Now, lets get to the NBA player. I think we all can agree that Derrick Rose's best days are behind him. He is not the slasher and penetrator that he was 6 years ago. He does not play the game with reckless abandon like he used to. He doesn't attack like he used to. Sure, he has flashes, but he just isn't the same player, 2 Achilles injuries will do that to anyone. He is also a very suspect jump shooter and defender, but he was always mediocre in those 2 areas. He was able to make up for it early in his career with his athleticism, but now, he is just a wasted high contract player.

Rose recently has become a bit of headache for coaches, GM's and teammates as well. His time in Chicago, at the end, was rough. I don't think he liked that the coaches and players wanted to hand the team over to Jimmy Butler, who is much better than Rose. He didn't like being marginalized, and all but forced his way out this past summer. He got traded to New York, and since the trade happened, he has flown off the rails. He called the Knicks a "super team". He showed up to his press conference dressed like I dress, and I have zero fashion sense. He openly talked about wanting big money in his next deal, and didn't seem to care if it was with the Knicks. His first impression was a disaster.

Then, when he got on the floor, the chemistry just didn't work. I know some people were high on the Knicks (ed note: I was), I was not, but he and Carmelo Anthony cannot coexist as teammates. They are both ball hogs that play no defense, but at least Carmelo can hit an 18 footer. Rose also seems to ignore big men, instead trying to go to the basket himself. When Rose is on the floor, players like Kristaps Porzingis and Kyle O'Quinn barely see the ball. Those guys need to get the ball to get engaged in the game, but Rose will not give it to them. Hell, even Carmelo has tried to get the post players involved recently. But, Rose does not. He has become a ball hog when he does show up for games.

Rose has missed some time this year due to nagging injuries, but what he did the other day was bizarre. He just disappeared before a game. No call, no show. He wasn't answering his phone, or returning text messages. It was like he vanished. Eventually it surfaced that he wasn't available due to a "family emergency". Look, I hope everything is okay, but that is the type of excuse I would use when I did not want to go to one of my shifts at the various sandwich shops I worked in. Also, if I no called no showed at those menial jobs, I would have been fired. What did the Knicks do you ask? They started him the next night. Just like with Allen, Rose faced no consequence for his childish actions.

Rose said while he was away that he was contemplated retiring from the NBA. But, the very next night, he brought up his upcoming free agency and said the he wants a contract that will pay him 150 million dollars. IS HE INSANE! NO ONE IS PAYING YOU THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY DERRICK ROSE! NOT EVEN THE 76ERS! I cannot believe the foolishness coming from him right now. I do not know what happened to Derrick Rose. When he was at Memphis, and then his first couple of years in the NBA, I genuinely enjoyed watching him play. But, after the injuries, fall out in Chicago and this whole ridiculous half season in New York, I just do not care for Derrick Rose the basketball player. He appears selfish and single minded, just like Grayson Allen.

These 2 are peas in a pod, in a bad way. They are selfish assholes that think they are bigger than the game. Well, I have news for you too, you are both irrelevant and not that many people, if any, really care about you as basketball players anymore. Your time is up Derrick Rose, and Grayson Allen, you're a never was that never will be.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He urges the developers of a new NBA Jam to include a Derrick Rose / Grayson Allen team. They can trip others, throw tantrums, and disappear during points. Just like real life. Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty Tells You How each NBA Team Can Win the Title: Pelicans, Mavericks, and the Bulls

Day 4 of my NBA countdown features teams 21, 20 and 19. These teams are good, but they could be better, or it is just a weird collection of players that I don't think will work out that well, or they are way too old to be highly competitive anymore.

Coming in at number 21, I have the New Orleans Pelicans. This team should be so much better than what they put out there on the floor. I know they had a ton of injuries last year, but that doesn't excuse their horrendous start, and the total lack of defense they "played". I really like their coach, Alvin Gentry, but I think he is better fitted to be an assistant as opposed to the head coach. He did great things while in Phoenix, but that was another team that he was the head man for, and they never reached their full potential. The roster has some great players, but they either get hurt too much, play hero ball or just haven't figured it out yet. Look, I'm about as big an Anthony Davis fan as there is. He is the new wave of centers. He can score in the post, rebound, block shots, run the floor, shoot the three and guard multiple positions. But, he has not been able to stay healthy for one full season since he has been in the league. I think he is a legitimate MVP candidate, if he can stay healthy. Unfortunately, that is a big if. He has all the tools, he just needs to not get injured. I really like their pick of Buddy Hield. As you all know by now, I would have taken Hield over any of the "one and done" players in this most recent draft. I love his game, he can score at will, and he will learn to play defense. He and Anthony Davis should make a fine pair. But, as I look at the rest of the roster, I don't see much. Omer Asik is done. He is garbage now. He can't score, he can't rebound and he doesn't defend like he used to. He and Davis were supposed to be the ultimate rim protectors, but Asik has not lived up to it. Tyreke Evans is not that good either. Sure, he can go for 30 one night, but the next night, he will go for 5 or 6 points on 2 of 15 shooting. He is exactly like Jeff Green. Has all the tools, but can never put it all together for a full season. Jrue Holiday is a very good point guard, but he too, much like Davis, just can't stay healthy. Kendrick Perkins was washed up in OKC, Solomon Hill is, at best, a tenth man off the bench, Norris Cole is a waste of a roster spot, Langston Galloway shouldn't even be in the NBA and they signed Lance Stephenson. Why on Earth would anyone want him on their team? He is a team killer. Their other pick in the most recent draft, Cheick Diallo, barely played in college, so who knows what he brings to the table. This team has one super star, one rookie that should be good, and nothing after that. The Pelicans will hover around 35 wins, depending on health.

So Ty, how will the Pelicans win the title? The only way they win the title is if Davis stays healthy and is the MVP, not impossible, Holiday stays healthy and continues to be lightening quick and the rest of the roster plays the best basketball of their lives, impossible. I feel sorry for Anthony Davis because he is a great player stuck on a mediocre team. Maybe Buddy Hield will be the guy they need to be Davis' sidekick.

At number 20 I have the Dallas Mavericks. This team would be much lower, like near the 76ers and Lakers, if Rick Carlisle wasn't the coach. He is one NBA coach that is near Poppovich's level. The Mavs still have Dirk, but isn't he like a trillion years old? How much game does he really have left? I know he is a great shooter, but he is a total liability on defense, he can't rebound and his legs are going to give out on him soon. Wes Matthews played pretty well last year, coming off a torn ACL, but he may be the new first option for the Mavs. Can he handle that? I don't think so. He is a good spot up shooter and a good slasher, but to be the main guy, that doesn't suit his game. They did end up with Harrison Barnes and Andrew Bogut, after the whole KD signing, but does that even matter? Barnes looked atrocious in the finals. He couldn't make anything, and he was wide open. He also got abused on defense, but the Mavs gave him a max deal. Maybe he needs a change of scenery, but I just can't shake how bad he was in the finals. Bogut is a fine rim protector, but he is always injured, he cannot run anymore and his offense is non existent. He brings nothing to this team. Seth Curry, not Steph, signed with the Mavs, but he is, at best, your tenth or eleventh guy off the bench. The Mavs will look for more out of him, and I don't think he can do it. Deron Williams is still there, and while he played okay last year at times, his career was over while he was in Brooklyn. The rest of the roster has guys like Charlie Villanueva, Jose Barea, Justin Anderson, Devin Harris and Dwight Powell. Anderson and Powell are young, but not really all that good, and the rest of those guys, they are dinosaurs when it comes to NBA age. The Mavs will step back to about 30-35 wins, at best, this year.

So Ty, how will the Mavericks win the title? They can win the title if they find a fountain of youth, everyone drinks from it, returns to their primes and Harrison Barnes plays like a completely different player than what we saw in the finals. It's too far fetched.

At number 19, just missing out on the playoffs, I have the Chicago Bulls. This team is so much like the Knicks, with one major difference, it is scary. First off, I loved when they moved Derrick Rose to New York for Robin Lopez. I thought that was one of the best offseason decisions, but everything after that, total chaos. To go out and sign Dwayne Wade and Rajon Rando made absolutely no sense at all. First off, those two guys hate each other. Go back and watch some old Boston-Miami games, they despise one another. Second, they are both ball dominant players. Spoiler alert, there is only one ball, so only one guy can have it at a time. Third, Wade is only good for about 41 games of full effort now and Rando, he couldn't hit the ocean with a pebble. This may end up being a disaster. The only reason they aren't as low as the Knicks is Jimmy Butler. He is a much, much, much better all around player than Carmelo Anthony ever was/is/will be. Butler is a great defender, a great scorer, a great slasher and an awesome teammate. I would take him one hundred times out of one hundred to be on my team over Carmelo. He is the one reason the Bulls aren't as low as the Knicks. But, how will he fare playing alongside Rando and Wade? Will he get the touches he has earned? Who knows, but Jimmy Butler deserves better. He is an awesome basketball player. From there you have guys like Doug McDermott, average shooter, horrible defender, Nikola Mirotic, great shooter, even worse defender than McDermott, Taj Gibson, good glue guy, but not great at any single thing, Robin Lopez, good big man, but not even the best Lopez brother and Bobby Portis and Tony Snell, neither has had a real chance to play all that much. Not a loaded roster. I think Denzel Valentine could be good for them, but I don't know how often he will see the floor, considering all the three point shooters they seem to think they already have. He is a much better defender right now than both Mirotic and McDermott though. The Bulls could be the first team to crack 40 wins, or they could totally implode with this odd roster and only win 25 games. I'll go with the 40 wins because I think Jimmy Butler is that good.

So Ty, how will the Bulls win the title? The Bulls could win the title if all these weird pieces find a way to coexist and play team basketball, and the Cavs or Celtics or Raptors suffer catastrophic injuries to their star players. I just think teaming up Rondo and Wade, while you already have a great, young star, is going to blow up in their faces. What an odd offseason the Bulls had.

That does it for today. come back tomorrow for the next three teams. We are finally at the playoff eligible teams. Woo hoo!

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. What a difference a year makes. Both New Orleans and Chicago were in his top ten teams last year. Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of generous donors. Join them by donating to SeedSing.