Ty's NBA Playoff Preview

The NBA playoffs are right around the corner. The play-in starts this evening in fact. Today I'm going to give my playoff preview and picks. I'll also hand out my MVP for the Finals. This is my favorite time of the NBA season. The games are intense, the players are going full bore and the coaches, the ones who want to win, are giving it their all. With all that, I'm going to get into the preview.

I'll start with the "minor" league Eastern Conference preview. The play-in games here are going to add up to a whole lot of nothing in the long run, but the games should be fun.

The 7-8 game has the Magic facing the Hawks. I was so high on the Magic in the preseason, but they got bit by the injury bug big time. The Hawks made some moves, took the French kid first overall and still finished this season like they've finished most lately, underwhelming. Trae Young is very good on offense, but a zero on defense. Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner are both very good, but they cannot make an outside shot. The Magic are a phenomenal defensive team and the Hawks are a solid offensive team. Give me the Magic. They should have most of their team intact. They get the 7 seed. The 9-10 game is a total clash of styles. The Bulls play fast and loose, the Heat play slow and in control. I really have almost no interest in this game. The Heat aren't the same team anymore, and the Bulls are a shell of who they once were. I'm going with the Bulls here because they have been on a bit of a tear lately. So, the Hawks and the Bulls will play for the 8 seed. Give me the Bulls here in a minor upset. This will be a high scoring game, with little to no defense. And the youth of the Bulls will prevail. They grab the 8 seed.

The East first round matchups are, Cavs and Bulls, Celtics and Magic, Knicks and Pistons and Pacers and Bucks. No need to go in depth with the 1-8 and 2-7 matchups. The Cavs are going to boatrace the Bulls. I'd be stunned if the Bulls are even within a double figure deficit in any game. The Cavs will sweep. The Celtics have barely been talked about it seems this year. They're defending champs, they have effortlessly slid into the 2 seed and they have everyone back. I know Jaylen Brown may be more hurt than he is letting on, but this team is still loaded. The Magic won't be able to keep up. The Celtics will also sweep. The 3-6 matchup is going to be fun. It's old school ball with the Knicks playing the Pistons. The Pistons are back and that rules. I love it when they're relevant. The Knicks haven't been as solid as they were last season, but they are still the 3 seed and the favorites here. They have guys that have been here before and they know what it takes to win. They also have the three or four best players in the series. The Pistons are not going to back down, but every young team needs to have the feeling they're about to get in this series. I do think the Pistons will win a game or two and make it tough on the Knicks, but in the end the Knicks will win. Give me them in six games. The Bucks and Pacers are the best series of the first round in the East. The Bucks have the far and away best player in the series. Giannis has been on an absolute tear and he doesn't seem to be slowing down at all. It's the rest of the Bucks roster and Doc Rivers that scare me. Dame is hurt, Kuzma hasn't been the guy they hoped he would be, Taurean Prince is kind of blah. The Bucks are kind of in a  little turmoil. The Pacers play fast and easy and score in bunches. They're also a deeper team. Tyrese Haliburton has come back to his normal playing style. Pascal Siakim and Myles Turner are putting in work. And their bench is deep. I'd love for the Bucks to win, but Giannis needs help and it doesn't seem to be coming. I'll take the Pacers in seven games.

That means I have the Cavs facing the Pacers and the Celtics facing the Knicks. Again, no need to beat around the bush. The Cavs are better than the Pacers and they play defense. Donovan Mitchell is just waiting to go off too. And Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen are just awesome on defense. The Cavs won't sweep, but they will win this series in five games. The Celtics should easily dispatch of the Knicks. The Celtics are deeper, they play better defense, they shoot better from three, they have a better coaching staff. And Tatum will be the best player in this series far and away. Give me the Celtics in six games.

So that leaves us with the Cavs and Celtics in the East Finals. We get the 1 and 2 seeds here. And this is where the party ends for the Cavs. They are going to fight and claw in this series. They will give the Celtics all they can handle. But in the end the Celtics are just a better, more experienced playoff team. I know it's hard to repeat, but this version of the Celtics is damn, damn good. The Celtics are the East representatives in the Finals.

Onto the big boys, the Western Conference playoffs.

The play-games for the West start tonight. The 7-8 features the Grizzlies and Warriors. I mean, I want the Grizz to win it, but they seem checked out. They haven't been very good lately, they have coaching turnover and they haven't been able to put it together recently. I don't have much faith in them. The Warriors are more primed and playing better. They might roll the Grizz tonight. The 9-10 game features remnants of the Kings and Mavs. I don't even know who will be available to play in this game tonight. The Mavs have a ton of injuries and the Kings are dealing with their own wreckage. I'll go with the Kings because I think the Mavs have truly given up on this season. As for who gets the 8 seed, give me the Grizz over the Kings. I know the Grizzlies have been struggling, but they are better than the Kings and should be able to easily grab the 8 seed.

That means the West first round matchups will be the Thunder and Grizzlies, Rockets and Warriors, Lakers and Timberwolves and Nuggets and Clippers. The Thunder will put the Grizzlies out of their misery. They won't make it painful, they will just end it. The Thunder have been the best team in the league all year and the Grizzlies will see that up close and personal. Thunder in a sweep. I'm excited about this Warriors-Rockets matchup. The Rockets are the new kids on the block, but they don't mind bullying people. They have youth, veterans and a stifling, long defense. The Warriors are still good, but they're so old, and getting beat by the Clippers to end the season was a bummer for them. This series should be closer than most expect, but the Rockets have the better, younger team. Steph Curry can only do so much, and he needs way more help than what this current roster construction has to offer. Give me the Rockets in seven. I don't know what to make of the Lakers-Timberwolves series. The Lakers have the two best players. They have a good roster. They seem to know what they're doing. The Timberwolves eked out this 6 seed, but they have kind of been on fire lately. They are younger and deeper. They have a better defense. And Anthony Edwards is not afraid of the spotlight. He thrives in it. The Lakers are going to get way more calls, and Rudy Gobert really struggles against Luka Doncic and LeBron James. I'm going to go with the Lakers in seven, but I'll be rooting hard for the Timberwolves the whole time. The 4-5 between the Nuggets and Clippers may be the best series of the entire playoffs. I love this matchup. The Nuggets have Jokic and Murray is back from injury. Michael Porter Jr is a 6'10 guy that can shoot. And Christian Braun is a legit defender. The Clippers have been playing great and, knock on wood, everyone has been healthy and playing at a high level. Kawhi Leonard looks like himself. James Harden has reverted back to his old ways of constantly getting to the line and getting a ton of assists. Norm Powell has become a legit number three on this team. Ivica Zubac has had a wonderful year. And Tyron Lue is coaching his ass off. The Clippers may be the third or second best team in the West. And that is why I'm picking them to win this brutal series in seven games.

So, that leaves me with the Thunder facing the Clippers and the Rockets playing the Lakers. The Clippers will probably be dog tired for this series and by this time, Shai Gilgeous Alexander may have accepted his much deserved MVP award. The Thunder are deep, nasty and can play offense with the best of them. The Clippers won't go down without a fight, but in the end the Thunder's youth and athleticism will be enough to take this series in six games. As for the Rockets and Lakers, I'd absolutely love to see the Rockets win. They're young and fun. They play both ends of the court at a high volume. They have a better head coach. This team seems primed to make a leap. But, the Lakers will get the calls they need. They will get every single advantage they ask for. And Dillon Brooks will do something stupid and blow it for them. I'm begrudgingly picking the Lakers to win in seven games, but I wouldn't be shocked if this series is fraught with awful calls and poor reffing that favors the Lakers throughout. And their prize will be facing the Thunder in the West Finals. The Thunder are going to exorcise some past issues here. I'd love to see them sweep the Lakers. While I don't think that will happen, I do think the Lakers will steal a game due to officials. But give me the Thunder in five games. They're having an excellent year and that will bear out in a Finals appearance.

That means I have the Thunder and Celtics in the Finals. Give me the Celtics to repeat. It hasn't been done in awhile and it seems like this is the right time for it to happen. While the Thunder are very good and match up well with the Celtics, the Celtics are better overall. They play better defense, shoot the three better and know what it takes to win on this stage. The Thunder's time is coming, just not this year. The Celtics will be your 2025 NBA champs. And give me Jayson Tatum to take home Finals MVP. He made a case last season, but he will leave no doubt this year. 

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 a the Denver Nuggets Firing the Coach and GM

I don't know what's in the water in the NBA. Something strange is going on and it feels like this is just the beginning of many more coaching moves to come. But, for the Denver Nuggets to let go of Mike Malone and GM Calvin Booth, that is downright wild.

I didn't see this coming at all. I was shocked by the Grizzlies letting Taylor Jenkins go, but for the Nuggets to do this now, it makes absolutely zero sense to me. The Nuggets won the title two years ago. They made the West Semifinals last year. They're currently in playoff contention right now. Sure, they may have to survive the play-in, but they have had to deal with a million injuries. And they have Nikola Jokic, who I am not a fan of, but the dude can play offense. He is a superior scorer. He is an excellent passer. The offense runs through him. They also have Jamal Murray. Yes, he is often injured as of late, but when he is on the floor he is the Robin the team needs. And they also have complimentary guys. Christian Braun is a solid defender. Michael Porter Jr is a good shooter. They may have something with Peyton Watson and some other young players they've drafted. The Nuggets are not a team in disarray. They definitely do not need a coaching change. What they need is to not bring on players like Deandre Jordan and Russell Westbrook. I adore Westbrook, but I was against this move from the moment it happened. And Jordan has no bounce and is not the defender he once was in the league.

Pinning this all on Malone and Booth seems odd to me. I guess that, according to some sports reporters, there was building tension in the locker room. I guess some players disagreed with his gameplans as of late. But come on man, this dude helped guide the team to a title two short years ago. That is a big, big deal. That is the only title in Nuggets history. Sure, Booth and company didn't retain certain players that were vital to the title team. Bruce Brown and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope were key guys in that run. But in all reality, they weren't going to be able to keep those guys when they had to pay Jokic, Porter Jr and Murray. Cuts have to be made in some spots, and with the solid drafting they've done in the late first round, letting those guys go was not that big a deal. And they have not been the same since leaving Denver.

I guess what surprises me most about all of this, Michael Malone is a very, very good basketball coach. He may be tough, but good players respond well to that for the most part. I don't think any other coach will get what Malone got from Jokic and Murray. They will just walk all over the next guy. I can tell I'm getting older because I'm defending Malone's way of coaching. I like tough love. I like when he openly calls out players because I know he does it in private too. I would love it if the Grizzlies kicked the tires on Malone as their next head coach.

I truly don't know where the Nuggets go from here. I heard they have some assistants they're high on, but five games and a, most likely, short playoff run is not enough to judge their coaching prowess. And I don't know what big name coach they'd try to get to come and coach this team, especially seeing how quickly they can be let go. I don't know if any coach is safe right now, outside of Joe Mazzula. It seems like guys are being let go left and right, no matter the amount of success they've achieved. This is weird all the way around. The timing, the name and the addition of the GM being let go too is just a lot to think about at the moment. I feel like the Nuggets are going to take a big, big step back in the next couple years. And Michael Malone is going to find another job very soon. 

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.

Is Carmelo Anthony a Hall of Fame Player? (Yes He Is)

I was out for coffee with my dad the other day and we were chatting about everything as we normally do. The subject almost always switches to sports at some point, and we got on the topic of Carmelo Anthony during our conversation.

We were talking about the NBA and the upcoming playoffs, and I then mentioned that Anthony was going to be on the Hall of Fame ballot that is coming out soon. I, without hesitation, told my dad I thought it was a foregone conclusion that he was a first ballot Hall of Fame basketball player.

My dad didn't agree.

I asked him why and he mentioned a few things. He said he was never that great a defender, this is very true. He also said he never won a title, also true. He made mention that the Nuggets and Knicks never made it out of the second round of the playoffs when he was the number one option on offense, again true. And when he traveled from team to team to team late in his career, the unwillingness to take on a smaller role diminished his greatness in his eyes. Again, that is true as well.

I tend to agree with the points my dad made, but I do not agree with him that Carmelo Anthony is not a first ballot Hall of Fame player. Carmelo Anthony shot on the scene for me back when he was one of the first one and done college players. He went to Syracuse for a year, played under Jim Boeheim, learned a ton and willed that team to a title. That Kansas team they played was better on paper, but Anthony was the driving force behind that title and he was well received afterward. He ended up being the third pick, in the LeBron James draft, and made a real case for Rookie of the Year that season. I wasn't sure how well he would make the transition from college to the pros, but it was flawless. He entered the league and was instantly putting up big numbers. He surprised me, in a good way, and I became an even bigger fan of his after that first NBA season. He didn't slow down after that. He was a 10x all star. He made six all NBA teams. He was the 2013 scoring champ. And he was a part of the NBA's 75th Anniversary team. He has three gold medals and one bronze. His ability to play a different style in the Olympics benefited him and his country. He was instant offense off the bench for Team USA later in his career. He ended his career with an average of 22 points per game. He made the Knicks relevant again in the mid 2010's. The Nuggets got better right away after they drafted him. He got to play with Allen Iverson, and it kind of worked. It was cool for me to see him on OKC's team late in his career, there to help Russell Westbrook. He kind of remade himself when he went to play for the Trailblazers. Carmelo Anthony had an art to his offensive gameplan. He was a three level scorer. He could hit the three, make a mid range and attack the basket at will when he wanted to. He made headbands cool. He put up numbers. He remained relevant the majority of his career. Sure, he doesn't have an MVP or a title ring, but there's going to be a ton of guys like that very soon that will be Hall of Fame caliber players.

I look at a player like Carmelo Anthony the same way I look at current players like Damian Lillard or Paul George. No one will question their appearance on a Hall of Fame ballot, so I will not do that with Carmelo either. He is a generational offensive talent, and that is what the NBA has become. Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James were the two that kind of started this version of basketball that we are all watching now. So, if anyone asks me, I definitely think Carmelo Anthony is a first ballot Hall of Fame player, and I am kind of shocked that others don't. To each their own I guess. 

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.

What's Next for a Troubled Grizzlies Team?

I think I'm ready to talk about the Grizzlies relieving Taylor Jenkins of his job.

This has been tough for me as a fan of the Grizzlies. I like Taylor Jenkins. He kept this team relevant the past couple years. Last year, when seemingly everyone was hurt, he did the best he could with the roster he was given. I fully understand that they never made it out of the second round during his time there, but this is Memphis we are talking about. I love this team, but they cannot lure big time free agents, and when they luck out in the draft, those guys usually do their best work after leaving Memphis. This season they are currently back in the playoff hunt, and if they can turn the tide from their recent play, they can make the playoffs relatively easily without playing in the play-in tournament. But I guess this wasn't enough for the powers that be to keep Jenkins on their payroll.

When the news flashed on my phone I thought it was a mistake. I couldn't believe that they actually let him go. With more stories coming out since the news was released it seems like this had a lot to do with the current players and their dislike for the system Jenkins has been running this year. Now, the one name that has continually come up has been Ja Morant's. I've heard all kinds of things about him this season. He may be traded, he's going to test free agency, he was the main player voicing concern over Jenkins new system and then he flashed a arm and finger gun at the Warriors bench during their last game.

This is everything I've wanted to avoid with my rooting interest in this team. Morant served his suspension for flashing guns, and I was hoping that was going to be it for him. I figured he was going to put that in the past. It seems to be rearing its ugly head yet again. Then we have Desmond Bane shoving Santi Aldama during a huddle in a timeout. Players are openly beefing with one another during a game on national tv. Brandon Clarke is hurt again and out for the rest of this season. Jaren Jackson Jr can't stop fouling players. They couldn't trade Luke Kennard. It just seems to be one problem after the next with this team. And they can't back up all the trash they were talking a few years ago about embracing the bad guy image and being the new up and coming team. They are kind of crumbling currently, and the notion to let go of their head coach makes even less sense. Jenkins could have righted the ship. He could have stopped the bleeding. He has continuity with these guys. But they ripped the bandaid and now they have to find someone else to coach a team that is kind of a mess right now. I hoped that letting Dillon Brooks go was going to be best for the team, but it has only made the Rockets better. The Grizzlies are floundering and a coaching change was the absolute last thing they needed right now.

I truly do not know what is next for this team but I'm worried about them. I like this team so much but they can't seem to get anything right at the moment. And this coaching decision is only going to make it even harder come playoff time for the Grizzlies. This has really bummed me out. I'm curious to see how it all unfolds from here. 

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.

R.I.P. Oliver Miller

I was looking at NBA news yesterday and happened to come across some upsetting news. I read that Oliver Miller had passed away at 54 years old. I guess he had cancer.

I was shocked. I had no idea that he was even sick. Many people may not know who Oliver Miller was. Hell, I'd go so far as to say that casual basketball fans may not even know Miller was when he was alive. I became a fan of his almost instantly. The first time I saw him play was in college at Arkansas. When I was younger the only other college basketball team I liked other than Michigan was Arkansas, and that was because of Nolan Richardson. Richardson was one of my all time favorite coaches. I loved his "40 minutes of hell" defense he ran. He would press the hell out of their opponents and it caused issues for them. And what made Richardson stand out even more for me, he recruited guys that many would say didn't look like your typical high level college basketball player. The first one I vividly remember was Corliss Williamson. But Oliver Miller was on a whole other level for me. Miller was a bigger guy. He was, what some would say, chubby. He was tall, clocking in around 6'9. He also tipped the scales at, or sometimes above, 280 pounds. That is almost unheard of with high level basketball players. Look at Zion Williamson right now, and he is listed at 260. Miller was 20 pounds heavier. So, to see him do the things he did under Richardson was eye opening for me. I am a chubby person and was chubby as a kid too. I loved that someone that was built like me, only taller, was so skilled and so good at basketball. Like I said, the first time I saw him play I was instantly hooked. He was on an Arkansas team that won their conference three years in a row and made the final four once. He was also the 1991 SWC player of the year and the conference tournament MVP. The Razorbacks moved to the SEC in 91 and won the regular season title that same year due to Miller's play and Richardson's coaching. And he still holds University of Arkansas records in highest shot percentage and blocked shots. He was drafted in the first round by the Suns, 22nd overall. He never found the same success in the NBA that he did in college, but he managed to carve out an eight year career playing for seven different teams. I remember him most on the Raptors, but that was due to their dope jerseys back in the late 90's. He bounced around Europe and found some minimal success in the CBA. He was an all star there, made second team CBA in 2003 and is the career blocked shots leader. He did have some late in life issues, including pistol whipping a man during an altercation. After that he managed to turn his life around a bit and kept out of the public eye. I don't know what kind of cancer he had, but it must have been bad enough to take him so young.

This one bums me out on a few levels. Miller was a niche player that I found a quick fandom for because of his body type. He managed to turn that into a great college career and an okay enough pro career. Rest In Peace Oliver Miller. I hope you're blocking shots wherever you may be now. 

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.

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

KD is Not Happy, Again

It seems like Kevin Durant is once again upset with his current team. Let’s discuss.

I adore KD. He is one of my favorite basketball players of all time. I love his form on his shot. He developed during his career as a defender. He can be vicious when he wants to attack the rim. He is a good rebounder. And he may be the most accommodating superstar player of all time. Every time he changes teams, he fits like a glove. I just wanted to get that all out there before proceeding.

The anger KD showed the other day towards Mike Budenholzer, during a game the Suns won by the way, makes it seem like wants out of there. Keep in mind, Phoenix was the only team he was willing to be traded to when he forced his way out of Brooklyn. Also, Brooklyn was his preferred destination when he left the Warriors after winning two titles. Oh yeah, he joined the 72-10 Warriors after his Thunder led team couldn't close out a series against them. And, as you all know, KD started his career in OKC. Durant did a ton in Seattle/OKC. He won an MVP. He led them to the Finals. He and Russell Westbrook and James Harden made the Thunder a viable championship caliber team. He was fantastic in his time with OKC. I liked him so much that it was easy to to shift my fandom to the Thunder after the NBA took them from Seattle.

The playoff series in 2016 changed everything. When KD decided to sign with an unbeatable team I decided it was time for me to switch to the Grizzlies. I just couldn't root for a player that went to the Death Star. That Warriors team was unbeatable and it kind of made the three seasons he was there pointless. We all knew who was going to win. I know KD got two rings and two Finals MVP's. I understand that they would have had a third had he and Klay Thompson not gotten hurt. But it felt hollow to me as an NBA fan. The decision to sign there didn't make a ton of sense to me, I guess he wanted the rings, but it was a head scratcher. I guess he heard all the noise from people saying that it wasn't his team, which it is not, the Warriors will always be Steph Curry's team, because he left and went to Brooklyn. The Nets signed Kyrie Irving, and KD wanted to play with him, so he signed there. He didn't play all year one, but after getting Kyrie and KD, the Nets eventually got James Harden. And when the three of them were on the floor together they were really, really good. They could have made a run to a title, but Giannis and the Bucks had other ideas. Then Kyrie decided he wanted out and wouldn't get vaccinated. Then James Harden wanted out. I guess KD was fed up, so he told the Nets they had to get rid of the coach and GM. He was burning every bridge left and right. He would say all these things on the record. It became enough that the Nets relented and said they would trade him. While KD only wanted Phoenix, the Nets were open to every team. But KD was so enthralled with Phoenix that he forced both teams' hands. The Nets traded KD for Cam Johnson, Mikal Bridges and a bunch of picks. Neither team did much after that in that one season, but the Suns were favorites going into the next year. But KD, Chris Paul and Devin Booker couldn't really make it happen. They would get bullied early in the playoffs by one team and be out. And then, prior to last season, CP3 left and Booker and KD pushed for the Suns to get Brad Beal. The Suns did, essentially mortgaging their future, and acquired Beal for a ton of picks and some random players. This hasn't worked out either. One of KD or Beal is always hurt. The defense is horrendous. The Suns pay their top three guys so much money that they can only get players on the low end of the market to fill out the roster. They fired their coach last year and brought in a proven head coach in Budenholzer. Well, that isn't working now either. The Suns sit at 11th place in the West. They're five games below .500. Bradley Beal is hurt again. And during the trade deadline there were rumors that KD was available. I guess that didn't sit well with him, so now it appears he wants out of Phoenix.

As much as I love the guy, the one common denominator in all of this is him. He wanted out of OKC for rings so he joined the Warriors. He felt underappreciated in Golden State so he opted to go to Brooklyn. The Nets didn't live up to the hype so he forced his way to Phoenix. And now he is unhappy once again. At this point I don't know who would be willing to give up the massive amount it will take to get him. He is also in his mid 30's, which is older than you want your star player to be at this point. I fear that KD, who will go down as one of the all time greats, isn't going to get the love he thinks he deserves because he constantly blames others when a problem occurs. It's never his fault and his one option is to up and leave. I don't know. Again, I am a big fan of his game, it is just all the whining and complaining when he is met with resistance or isn't shown appreciation how he wants. I'm still rooting for him, but this constant need to be praised and be traded is getting a little boring. 

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.

The Pistons are a Good Basketball Team, Finally

The Detroit Pistons have been a moribound franchise since they won a title in the early 2000's. They flirted with, and even made, the playoffs a few times here and there. When Blake Griffin was traded there, they were a middling playoff team. They made the playoffs here and there in the mid 2000's, but never got out of the first round. The last long playoff run they had was in 2008. They were the 2 seed and they made it all the way to the East Finals. Since 2020 though, this team has been bad. They won 20 games, then 20 again, then 23, then 17 and they finished off last year with a mere 14 wins. They have not been good and they have not been picking any higher than 5 in the draft.

Something has changed this year. The Pistons look good. The Pistons look legit. They are buying in on defense. JB Bickerstaff is doing one hell of a job coaching the young guys up. And the guys they took in the draft are finally starting to figure it out. Cade Cunningham looks like a perennial all star. He is hitting shots, making correct reads and looks in total control of the offense. Jalen Duren is becoming the rebounding and defensive lynchpin. He is so much fun to watch play basketball. Jaden Ivey has bought in as a bench and role player. He is so fast and so quick. He is proving that he can do a ton in short bursts. Tobias Harris has been an excellent addition to the team. He is providing the veteran leadership this team has been craving. Tim Hardaway Jr finally looks comfortable and free. He is allowed to do what he does best, which is bomb away from three. He looks good. Malik Beasely has added more three point shooting as well, and he is a very solid defender. Simone Fontecchio has shown that he can run a second unit. Ron Holland has been able to come along a little slower and he looks like he could be a potential steal, even though he was taken fifth overall. Dennis Schroder seems content and happy to be somewhere he is wanted and appreciated. Ausar Thompson may not be a legit shooter yet, but he can get to the rack and he is a total menace on the defensive end. He and his brother are going to be very, very good NBA players very soon. Isaiah Stewart may be dirty, but he adds a grittiness every playoff team needs. Lindy Walters is a solid deep bench player. And Marcus Sasser is a pretty good bench scorer. This team makes sense. The picks and free agent additions, which were maligned at the time, have been working out. As unfair as I thought it was for Monty Williams to be let go after one season, JB Bickerstaff was the correct pick to lead this team.

What I think has made this all work, and work so well, Cade Cunningham has come into his own. It may have taken a little longer than some wanted, but Cunningham is legit. There's a reason he was the first overall pick and a highly touted recruit. He has all the tools he needs to be very successful. He is big, can handle the ball, has become a better shooter and he has bought in defensively. It was no accident that they beat the Celtics by 20 last night.

I'm happy for the Pistons and their fans. They deserve this and I hope they make a run in the playoffs this year. The NBA is better, in my opinion, when the Pistons are relevant. 

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 Why Sports are Taking More Time, and Getting More Unwatchable

Last night my son and I watched the Nebraska-Michigan basketball game when we got home from running errands. The game was rough. Michigan won, which I'll always take, but it was an ugly game. Each team missed a ton of shots. The offenses were both stagnant. The substitutions were baffling. It was a mess of a game. But what made it damn near unwatchable, the amount of commercials and the refs going to watch videos to see if the calls they made were right or wrong.

We turned on the game with a little over six minutes left in the second half. That's all they had. There were six total minutes of basketball that needed to be played. We turned it on at right around 8:40pm. The game did not end until well after 9:10pm. It took them over thirty minutes to get through six minutes of basketball. In a college game. This should have been over in no more than ten minutes. But, the telecast had to do their under six and under four minute tv timeout. That is unnecessary. The amount of ref reviews was unbearable. Every single call that may have had a hint of a mistake was reviewed. The telecast would show the replay and it was clear to me and my son, as well as the announcers for the game, that the correct call was made on the floor. But the refs took their sweet time. There was one play, where the ball was clearly off a Michigan player, that took so long the crowd started to boo. We all saw it watching at home. The players saw it on the jumbotron at the arena. The Michigan player it went off of knew, he was smiling during the review. He was fouled, which they cannot overturn anyway. But the review went on and on and on. The music person at the arena kept playing the same lyric over and over again so loud that we could clearly hear it at home. This review took over five minutes of real time, and it felt even longer. It was excruciating watching at home. And this was just one of the many, many reviews in the last three minutes of the game. I swear, some refs think that the fans are there to watch them lately. All the while, the game had zero scoring, had far too many missed shots, no team could ever gain any kind of momentum because of all the stoppages. It is a mess.

This is happening in every major sports broadcast lately. College and NFL games take well over four hours now. When my dad and I went to a Michigan game earlier this year, due to all the commercial breaks, it took so long that my dad said he doesn't think he wants to go to a live game anymore. NFL games seem to have stoppages every three to five minutes of gameplay. I get surprised when they don't go to a break after a punt or kickoff. NBA games are dragging too. There's too many foul calls, too many free throws, too much whining to the refs and too many reviews. It's brutal. The only sport that figured it out recently seems to be the MLB. They've made noticeable changes that seem to have worked. I'd love for the NFL, NBA and college sports to adopt some of the methods the MLB has. I'd love for football games to be three hours or less. Basketball games should never go over two and a half hours, and that should only be acceptable if the game goes into overtime. The commercials and reviews and all the other non sports things surrounding the game needs to be fully cut or toned way, way down.

All of this stuff, which was put in to minimize mistakes, is making games take too long. They're becoming close to being unwatchable. I don't know who to talk to or who to contact, but there's too many commercials and too much emphasis on things that have nothing to do with the players and the actual game. Something needs to change. 

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 the Wembanyama Season Ending Injury

It was announced a few days ago that Spurs unicorn Victor Wembanyama is going to miss the rest of the NBA season due to a blood clot in his shoulder. Let’s discuss.

When I first saw the news it bummed me out. I also had the fleeting thought of, is this just the start of an injury riddled what could have been a type of career for him. Wemby is unlike any NBA player I have ever watched. He is gigantic. He stands at 7'4 and he looks every bit of it. He is an intimidating interior defender already. He can block shots out on the perimeter in a split second. He was going to win his first DPOY this season. He can dribble like a guard. He can shoot threes. He is quick. He was getting better playing in the low post. He announced himself during his rookie season, he struck fear in everyone who watched him in the summer Olympics and he was coming off his first all star appearance. He did all of this, and has all these skills, before he is even close to his prime. Wemby's best days are yet to come. But now he has this blood clot injury.

I didn't know what to make of it at first, but then I saw someone say this was the same thing that Chris Bosh dealt with near the end of his career. Bosh was never the same player after his injury. But, Bosh had a full career up to that point. He was an all star, a champ, a player of note in the NBA. No disrespect to Bosh, but Wemby has loftier goals and he was, and he can still be, on his way to being the face of the NBA post LeBron James. Now, who knows what is going to happen to him and the Spurs. The Spurs were not going to be a real threat this season, but they were on their way to fighting for a play-in spot in the West, which is going to be a tough get by the end of the season. Wemby was starting to really excel in spots that some thought might be a struggle for him. He was becoming this incredible defender. He was scoring everywhere on the floor. He was making his name for himself in the league and carving out his spot as the guy. He was playing better with a real point guard in Chris Paul. The Spurs went out and got De'Aaron Fox in one of the better trades of the past decade. The other young guys the Spurs have been drafting were figuring out their role with Wemby as the star player and focal point of the offense and defense. This whole experiment post Tim Duncan was starting to come together for them. And now they are without the guy that makes the engine run.

I see no real good out of this other than the fact that Stephon Castle, who is awesome already, will get more run and more shots. This is going to slow down the progress the Spurs were hoping to capitalize on soon. The Spurs sit a few games below .500 now, and with Wemby out who knows how far they'll fall. But I think they already have too many wins to have a real shot at drafting any of the big name prospects in the upcoming draft. But what makes injury so much of a bummer for me, as an NBA fan, I was watching a ton of Spurs games because I want to watch Wemby as much as possible. He is a gift to basketball fans. He is so unique. He is the first of his kind. He makes the game of basketball fun. He makes the game of basketball effortless when he plays, and that is a joy to watch.

This is a bummer. This is not what the NBA needs coming off another bad all star weekend. I hope it doesn't affect the long term in Wemby's career. That would stink for the NBA, but more so, for Wemby.

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.

NBA All-Star Weekend is a Waste of Everyone's Time

It seems I'm at somewhat of a crossroads with the NBA.

I adore the game of basketball. It was my favorite sport to play when I was younger. I played it as long as my knees would let me. I coach my son now because I want to stay attached to this game anyway I can. I also love watching basketball. Let me clarify that, I love watching college and NBA basketball. And, while college basketball was kind of hit and miss the past couple years, I've gotten back into it big time this season. It helps that my 13 year old is interested. We watch games together a ton now. When it comes to the NBA, I have found myself checking out more often than in. I am an old school fan. I don't like all the threes being shot. I liked it more when players had real hatred towards one another. I wanted to see these dudes really go at it during a game. I will always prefer a big dunk to a long three. I adored players like Michael Jordan and Allen Iverson based purely on their will to get to the basket and to not settle on jumpers.

All of that has changed.

I will say, players today are far more athletic than players from the 90's. The things these current players can do, some on both ends of the floor, is amazing. But, I personally feel that the game is softer and not as cutthroat. And I get that some people prefer this style of play. It just isn't for me.

For the last few years, the all star game and weekend have been truly abysmal. It is no fun to watch for me anymore. The dunk contest is totally watered down. No stars do it anymore. There was a time when Jordan and Dr J would sign up for the dunk contest. Aaron Gordon and Zach Lavine gave us some of the best dunks I've ever witnessed. Vince Carter returned the dunk contest back to its glory in the early 2000's. Now, we get rookies who get zero run during regular season games, or G League guys that are essentially a side show. Sure, Mac McClung is a great leaper, but he will never play a meaningful second in a real NBA game. I am a big Stephon Castle fan, but he is a rookie on a Spurs team that features Wemby. These guys are better than I could ever dream of being at the game of basketball, but they aren't Ja Morant or Anthony Edwards. The dunk contest is craving for star power. The 3 point contest is okay, but it's just a shooting contest, and almost every NBA player can shoot threes. This one has no issue getting stars because there's no worry of injury. But, when Dame or Steph are done after one round, I stop watching. The skills competition needs to go away, as does the "celebrity" all star game.

The worst part of the whole weekend is the game. It is nothing more than an offensive scrimmage. No one even attempts defense. Guys take threes from halfcourt. There's a million jumpers hoisted constanty. The NBA all star game is as bad, if not worse, than the NFL pro bowl. And this whole "tournament" thing they did last night, from what I've read, seems like a real whiff. I don't get why they decided to split the all stars into a bunch of different teams and have the rookie and sophomore teams involved as well. That is a waste of time.

The biggest thing I took away from the weekend, and why I feel at a crossroads with the NBA, I didn't watch a single second of all star weekend. I didn't check in at all. I have not looked at any highlights. I know Steph was the MVP, but I couldn't tell you a single thing he actually did in the game. I used to watch something every all star weekend. I used to watch a snippet of every event. But this year I had no interest or desire. I guess I'm over all star weekend. I saw that Kevin Durant was saying that, if the game is so bad to the fans, to give the players a week off. I know he was being passive aggressive, but that is a much better idea and way less of a waste of time for the players. I would love it if they did that instead of playing a pointless, defenseless basketball game that hardly anyone cares about. I don't know. But, the one thing I do know, the NBA needs to make some drastic changes to all star weekend. It has reached the point of being unwatchable. 

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 the NBA Trade Deadline

The NBA trade deadline ended about an hour ago. I’m not here to break down each trade. I don’t want to go through each one and talk about the good and the bad of the trade. Teams make deals, sometimes they work sometimes they don’t. This is life in the NBA. But this trade deadline has been, quite possibly, the craziest deadline of all time.

What makes it even wilder to me, none of the humongous names went today. They all went early. It all started when the bombshell Luka for AD trade happened. I wrote about that particular trade twice. I’m still shocked by it, and neither player has yet to play for their new team, but it certainly is real. They’ve had press conferences and everything. They’ve scrubbed their personal social media and made their own remarks. There’s no going back now. Outside that trade, De’Aaron Fox was also moved. I also talked about that one. That was a perfect deal for him and San Antonio. Jimmy Butler was traded to Golden State. I didn’t think he’d go there, and I’m not too high on that deal, but he got out of Miami, which is what he wanted. And outside having to move Andrew Wiggins, the Warriors didn’t have to give up much more. Khris Middleton and Kyle Kuzma swapped teams. My team, the Memphis Grizzlies, made a move. And a whole bunch of other stuff happened too.

What really sets this trade deadline apart is the star power, as I said before. The names I mentioned are perennial all stars and some are consistently in the conversation for MVP. A handful of former high lottery picks were moved. Players drafted in the late first round, who have carved out a niche for themselves in the NBA, are in new places as well. This NBA trade deadline is going to be hard to match. No other league has this type of player movement in the middle of a season. Destinies are going to be changed due to this deadline this season. Some teams have found a player that will be their cornerstone for years to come. Other contending teams seemed to have found the missing piece for a deep playoff run. This deadline was nuts. This type of movement is why I’m hesitant to buy my son jerseys of certain players. And a deadline like this proves that no one in this era of the NBA is safe. No matter how bright your star shines or how important some of these guys think they might be to their former team, if the brass wants to move on, they will. That’s a scary thought moving forward, but here we are.

Pro sports is entertainment and that was proven tenfold this past week. Now, I want to see how these players perform on their new squads. The second half of the NBA season will be very interesting. And I can’t wait.

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.

ESPN's Lakers Bias is Strong

Yesterday I wrote about the Luka-AD trade. I put out my thoughts on the whole thing. I figure both teams got some good and bad out of the whole deal. It's still odd to think about, but with press conferences and it all being official, we just have to see them play now for my eyes to fully believe it. But the reason I'm back today to talk about it one more time is all the stuff I read about this trade and the grades given out by supposed experts.

ESPN is usually the first site that gives out their grades from their writers. Other publications and sites follow up right away, but I usually only read ESPN. I don't like their content, but it's the quickest and it's the first one I tend to see. The Jazz, who I totally forgot were part of this deal, got a B. The Lakers were given an A. And the Mavs, a stone cold F.

I was a little stunned when I saw this. The Jazz grade didn't do much for me. Sure, they got a player, Jalen Hood Schifino, and some picks. That's what they want right now. The more picks the Jazz get, the better for them. And if a team can throw in a young, unproven player, they will most definitely give that person a shot. A B for them makes total sense to me. But the A for the Lakers and F for the Mavs is wild. The Lakers defense was already struggling with their best defender, AD. They were in the 20's. That's not great. LeBron can only do so much, as he is getting older. Jarred Vanderbilt struggles to stay healthy enough during the regular season, and has become borderline unplayable in the playoffs. Austin Reaves is a total zero on that end. Gabe Vincent seems like a one season wonder. Jaxson Hayes has never lived up to the high draft position. Dalton Knecht is not ready to play mid level NBA defense. Bronny James goes back and forth between the NBA and G League. Adding Luka Doncic will do good things for their offense, but he is going to pull this defense down even further. I saw a video of him "playing defense" the other night and it was abhorrent. His footwork is atrocious. He gets beat with ease. He is always calling and pointing for help. He cannot even keep guards out of the post anymore. This squad reminds me of a team that just wants to outscore everyone, but that will not happen. So, to give them an A is wild to me. I have to imagine it's because everyone at ESPN is in love with Doncic for some reason. They look past his poor defense and consistent whining. They only see the wild shots that fall and they have let everything else fly. That's irresponsible for a major network like them, but here we are. They will give a pass to anyone they seem to have a crush on.

An F for the Mavs is rough too. The love ESPN seems to have for Doncic, that is the same amount of hate and disdain they have for AD. They question everything that he does. They complain that he's "not as dominant" as he should be. They always talk about him being hurt. They mock his jumper. I don't get it. AD does get hurt and his jumper is gone, but the other stuff is nonsense. AD, when he plays, is very good. He is an upper tier low post defender. He can rebound the ball. He gets to the line a ton. He seems to be a solid teammate. And he's in shape. AD is a very good basketball player. He is one of the top forwards/centers in the league. When he plays, no matter what teams he is on, they seem to play well enough to be a thorn. While the trade may not be for everyone, an F seems like a wild overreach from the writers at ESPN. I just don't see how they can go to two different extremes when talking about two players in their prime. There has to be something else to this, but I cannot figure it out.

I don't agree or think these grades are fair or reliable. But, it figures a company like ESPN is only in it for the stars that they love, and clearly Anthony Davis is not one of them. 

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 the Luka Doncic Anthony Davis Trade

As I was drifting off to sleep the other night, my phone buzzed with a sports update. I usually don't pay much mind when this happens as I am going to sleep, but I just happened to be rolling over to get more comfortable and I saw my phone light up. So I checked and was shocked at the news. In fact, I thought it was a joke or some wrong reporting. I assumed it wasn't true at all to be honest with you all.

It was made official yesterday and I have seen a ton of reputable reporters confirming the story. So, it is true that Luka Doncic is now a Laker and Anthony Davis is a Maverick. There are some other players and picks in this trade, but Doncic and Davis are the story here. Again, writing it right now, it still doesn't seem real. I don't think it will sink in for me until I actually see them both play for their new teams. But, here we are. And with this being fully official, I have some thoughts.

I do have to say, this may be the biggest trade I've ever witnessed in my sports watching life. I have seen big names move, but there was some kind of caveat. Kawhi Leonard going to the Raptors was a one year rental. KD signed with the Warriors as a free agent, and did the same with the Nets. Hell, even his trade to the Suns wasn't as wild as this one. Back in the 90', when I first started to really watch the NBA, stuff like this didn't happen. I cannot pull one star for star player from that era. And if a guy changed teams, it was a free agent thing. There's a bunch of player movement in this new era, which is kind of cool. De'Aaron Fox was just traded to the Spurs. Zach Lavine was part of that deal. Paul George is a 76er, but that was free agency. And it seems like it's only a matter of time until Jimmy Butler is somewhere else. But this Luka for AD trade is otherworldly. I cannot wrap my head around all of this still, and it has been a couple of days. But pulling back and trying to gauge this, I do have some thoughts.

I am floored that both these teams gave up on guys who still seem to have a good amount left in the tank. I have my own personal issues with Luka Doncic. The way he plays the game of basketball bugs the hell out of me. He's a ball hog, unless he can hunt assists. He whines and complains so much that it has become a real problem. He picks and chooses when he wants to play defense, and when he decides he wants to play defense, he is a liability. He is a ball stopper and settles for far too many jumpers. His partying can be a problem and he seems to have issues with some of his teammates. But, the guy can put the ball in the basket. He is one of the better scorers in the NBA. Anthony Davis has some stuff too. He cannot stay healthy. He has been better about that lately, but all good things will come to an end. His jumper is nonexistent. He isn't as good a rebounder as someone his size should be. He is a little soft from time to time. But, he is an exceptional defender. He gets to the free throw line. And he knows how to win on the biggest stage.

When I try to figure out what Luka brings to the Lakers, I kind of come up empty. I am very, very curious to see how he meshes with LeBron. They both want the ball in their hands in crucial moments. LeBron has proven he is much better at this than Luka. The Lakers backcourt will now feature Doncic and Gabe Vincent. That doesn't move the needle much for me. Gabe Vincent's best days are behind him and Doncic is a zero defender. Austin Reaves and Dorian Finney-Smith, I guess, are the starting forwards. Again, Reeves is a zero defensively and Finney-Smith has never been able to recover his three point shot. At center they have Jaxson Hayes replacing AD. That is like hamburger replacing filet mignon. That's a major downgrade for the Lakers. As for the bench, who really cares. The Lakers will have massive defensive issues now. They also have a head coach that's in over his head. And LeBron hasn't said much about this, so who really knows how he feels about all of this.

As for AD to the Mavs, I actually like this more for them. It's going to be tough to replace Doncic's offense, maybe impossible, but they will have an incredible defense now. Kyrie Irving will take over as the main offensive threat, and this is okay. Irving is a fine scorer and a weird dude. Klay Thompson can shoot, but man oh man is he old. PJ Washington has been so much better since going to Dallas and Dereck Lively II is very young and very good. AD brings defense, a low post game and a winning pedigree. I don't know how long he will stay healthy, or if the Mavs will make more moves, but the fit with AD is so much better than the Luka fit on the Lakers for me. I guess time will tell.

This trade is colossal. Moves like this don't happen ever. Two stars don't get traded for each other unless they're way past their prime. These two aren't close to past their prime. Luka is still in his mid 20's, and AD is a young 30 or so year old with a ring. This is wild and I wonder if more big names will get moved in the next three days. But, no names will be as big as these names. This is a wild, wild trade. 

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.

Fans Should Not Have a Say in All Star Voting

Yesterday I was looking at some sports news and the NBA all star reserves were being announced. Let’s discuss.

This is right around the time I start getting back into the NBA, right after all star break. The names were announced, and per usual, there were some surprises and some players that got "snubbed". I never pay much attention to the whole "snub" thing because there's only so many spots on an all star roster and some people are bound to be left off. It's the nature of the beast. And everyone has their opinion on who the biggest "snub" is and who they should replace. It is all being put out on social media immediately just for the clicks. And I don't have a fix for this issue per-say, but I have an idea on how some of this could be avoided in the near future.

My biggest issue with all star stuff, and this goes across multiple professional sports all star rosters, we have to stop letting the fan vote determine who the starters are going to be. I get it, you want the fans to feel involved. This gives them some kind of feeling of being in charge. We get to pick and we think we have some form of power, however slight it may be. The issue I have, fans vote for the same people year after year after year. And the fans that actually vote, they're a mix of small children or fully grown adults stuck in the past. No one who is of sound mind and maturity wastes their time voting for this. In the NBA the all star game is a joke, so why would a legit fan care to even vote? They wouldn't. It makes no sense. But, when I was a little kid, like 11 or 12, I couldn't wait to vote. I wanted to see the players I like play in an all star game. And that was all well and good back in the 90's because I couldn't watch Shawn Kemp, Chris Webber and Gary Payton whenever I wanted. We had no NBA on TNT or League Pass. We got the NBA on ABC, which was usually a Bulls game, and the occasional ESPN game, which were few and far between. So, the sheer fact that I could watch a player I like made me want to vote.

Kids now, like my son for example, are so bummed because Lamelo Ball isn't an all star this year. He loves watching Lamelo play. Me, I don't care about the Hornets and Lamelo plays zero defense, so I have no interest in watching him chuck the ball 25 times a game, if he is even playing. Some kids I coach were upset that Domantas Sabonis and Trae Young are not all stars. Again, these two play zero defense. Young jacks threes and hunts assists and Sabonis can rebound and score, but he is a liability in the post on defense. But I get the joy that they get from watching exciting players, I just don't think excitement lends to being an all star. And kids are dumb with sports stuff like all star rosters. I was dumb when it came to voting as a 12 or 13 year old, so I can relate to my son.

As for the fully grown adults voting, these are the ones voting for Nikola Jokic and Kevin Durant to be all star starters. This is why a guy like Dame Lillard is an all star every year. Steph and LeBron are all timers, but they don't need to waste their time playing in a pointless exhibition game. But the ESPN's and Fox Sports of the world will not have it any other way. These networks are star effers and they have an odd lust to see them play, even though they can watch them whenever they want. Jokic is a zero defensively. Durant is never healthy. Lillard is old and small and maybe the worst defender in the NBA. And, Steph and LeBron, as previously mentioned, don't need this.

I say do away with fan votes. It is a pointless waste of time. Fans will watch no matter what. My son is going to tune in simply because he loves the game of basketball. Others will tune in for their own reasons. But, if they want a legit all star game with legit rosters, go to the coaches with the caveat of no voting for anyone on your team. These people see these players night in and night out. They know the game better than any of us regular fans will ever know the game. Put it in their hands and go from there. Fans will still tune in, and I know that is what is important in this era of sports as entertainment. 

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 De'Aaron Fox Should Play Next

It looks like De'Aaron Fox wants a change of scenery. I read that the Kings have decided to field calls for a possible trade, and that Fox and his agent think this is the best path moving forward. Let’s discuss.

I don't get why the Kings continue to do stuff like this. They offloaded Tyrese Haliburton way too quickly. They let guys walk all the time. They take chances on draft picks and they usually don't pay off. Davion Mitchell is gone. Haliburton, as mentioned, is gone. Keegan Murray came out of the gates super fast, but he has since cooled off. The Kings get a little success and then they decide it's time to make a change. Fox seemed like the perfect cornerstone player to build around. He has come into his own and has led the Kings to two consecutive playoff appearances. He seems to like playing in Sacramento. But, for some reason he is now most likely out the door. I read today that the Kings want a good return, as they should. But, I'm still a little stunned that they are both ready to move on so fast from one another.

I also read about some of the teams on his "preferred" list, and also about the ones that didn't make the cut. I always chuckle a little when I read about the teams that didn't make the list. The Lakers are one of the teams not on the list. That makes perfect sense. They have nothing in the way of picks or the talent the Kings want in return. But, to keep up their image, the media cannot just say that, they have to put a shine on it. In fact, the Lakers are the only team that I've read about to this point that are not on his list. In fact I saw that "dozens" of teams have made contact with the Kings in regards to a possible trade. The most likely outcome, in my opinion and many others as well, there are four real possibilities, the Nets, Magic, Heat and Spurs, with the Spurs being Fox's preferred destination.

With the Nets, this comes down to money and an extension. If that is what Fox is after, the biggest payday, this would be his best bet. I don't know how this would help the Kings other than draft assets. The Nets have tons of picks to trade. In regards to "win now" players, that is the issue. They have Cam Johnson and Cam Thomas. Those guys are solid, but they are not on Fox's level. You could throw Nic Claxton in there, but the Kings already have enough bigs. If the Nets were to pursue a trade, this would be about getting the biggest payday possible for Fox.

I kind of like the fit with the Magic. The Magic would have to give up on players like Gary Harris or Anthony Black, or both. The Kings will want to try and replace Fox with many guards instead of just one. They could bring in those guards, shoot for some of the Magic's bench players, maybe Johnathan Issac or Mo Wagner. And the Magic could trade some future picks as well, If Fox were to join the Magic with Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, they'd have three really good, really young guys that make them instant contenders in the East. But, this only works if the Kings are okay with taking late first round picks.

The Heat are an interesting team here. This would have to be a multiple team trade, but it is intriguing. If the Kings and Heat could get Phoenix or Milwaukee involved, that could make this wacky. Jimmy Butler could get his wish and wind up in Phoenix. The Suns would have to offload a bunch of the mid level guys they signed to pair with KD and Devin Booker, but I'm sure they'd jump at the chance. The Heat could then end up with Fox or Bradley Beal in this deal, but where does that leave the Kings? What do they get out of this trade? The Heat always pick late in the first round. So do the Suns. As for players, the mid level guys from the Suns are okay, but not playoff worthy players. The Heat always seem to have players that are successful for them, but that isn't always the case when they leave Miami. This trade only really benefits Jimmy Butler. De'Aaron Fox should be the focal point of any deal when he is involved.

Finally we have the Spurs. This one is the best fit and makes the most sense. Pairing Victor Webanyama with Fox would be wonderful. Chris Paul has been nice to have around Wemby, but Fox is younger and more on Wemby's timeline. They should fit like an absolute glove. In this deal, if the Kings want "win now" guys, they could get CP3 in this deal, and probably even guys like Malaki Branham or Keldon Johnson. The Spurs also have a ton of picks they can deal. The Kings could get a big name, some young names with real potential and picks. The Spurs get the ideal fit at point guard with Fox and Wemby is happy because they are on a faster track to compete. I love this trade for both teams. Now, will this actually happen, who knows.

The trade deadline is February 6th. That is about a week away. A lot is going to have to happen between now and then, but it could get done, and I think it will get done. This seems like it has been in the works for a bit and it is just a matter of time before it is announced. Time will tell, but I'm interested to see how it all shakes out. 

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 Jimmy Butler's Last Days in Miami

It appears Jimmy Butler's time on the Miami Heat is going to come to an end. He has asked for a trade, the team has suspended him for "conduct detrimental to the team", he has been very candid about wanting out and it just seems like a matter of time now.

I'm conflicted here. I love Jimmy Butler. He is one of my modern day favorite players. I like how aggressive he is on defense, everywhere he goes he helps that team win and become relevant, he has been to multiple finals and all star games and it appears he makes good coffee. But, the reasons that have been floated about as to why he wants out makes no sense to me.

I guess, from what has been reported, he didn't like the way Pat Riley called him out during last year's playoff run. Butler missed the first round, where the Celtics took the Heat down in five games, and he said that had he been out there it would have been different. Riley must have heard this and said something along the lines of, he needs to be on the court to prove what he says. It all seems very mild and mundane to me. Butler doesn't seem like the type of guy that would get too riled up about comments like that. Riley is also a known asshole. He always has been and always will be. But, what made this partnership so promising, and it almost paid off, was the fact that these two guys were pretty much the same. They both want the same things when it comes to basketball. I assumed Butler would finish his career with the Heat. I thought he would ride off into the Miami sunset and start a whole chain of coffee shops within the Miami area post basketball. But I guess that is not the way it's going to end. I still don't know that the comments from Riley were the only reason he wants out, but who's to say.

When I pull back and look at who might be able to trade for him, it's slim pickings. The Heat are going to go about this like they always do. They will want the deal that best suits them. They aren't going to trade him just because he wants out. This has nothing to do with representation or "trying to do right" by a player. The Heat want to be relevant and they want to compete. Butler may have preferred destinations, it seems like Phoenix is his number one spot, but if the deal from the Suns doesn't get better, the Heat aren't just going to trade him to get rid of him. I know the Heat have said they don't want Bradley Beal, and that makes sense to me. He isn't the player he once was, and he is so often injured. But other than Beal, the Suns cannot offer much. They don't have picks or any young guys that could be intriguing. I saw the Grizzlies were interested, and I got hyped on this news. It wasn't too much later that Butler publicly said he doesn't want to play there. I wish that weren't true. I think Butler would be a fine addition to the Grizz. I'd love to see a starting five of Ja, Desmond Bane, Butler, JJJ and Zach Edey. I love that lineup. And the Grizz could give the Heat picks and younger, more intriguing guys. Maybe Butler will reverse course on Memphis. I saw the Warriors had minimal interest, but that has seemed to wane. They cannot part with too much talent if they want to stay competitive, and they don't have much in the way of picks. Outside those three possible contenders, not too many other deals make sense. Denver doesn't need him. Neither do the Thunder. The Cavs are cruising with their core guys and they seem to have it all figured out. The Hawks are going young. The Knicks are set and the Magic are too young for him. The Mavs and Clippers could make a push, but they'd have to give up too much in my opinion. Maybe it's just wishful thinking on my part, but Memphis makes the most sense to me, next to the Suns. The Grizzlies have better assets and appear to be a better team.

Time will tell, but I'm interested to see how this all plays out. 

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.

What is Wrong with the 76'ers?

The Philadelphia 76ers are a total mess. Let’s discuss.

Look, I had super high hopes for this team this season. I thought they had figured it out. I proclaimed them the winners of the offseason. Paul George felt like the perfect fit. They got the Martin twin on a great deal. Kyle Lowry was back. Joel Embiid seemed finally healthy going into the season. Tyrese Maxey got paid. Tobias Harris is gone. They have Nick Nurse, who is a very good coach. They seemed to have finally figured it out and they were going to compete for a title. Well, they have been nothing short of a disaster this season, to this point. They're 2-11, tied for the worst record in the NBA. I know it's early, but 2-11 is tough to climb out of, even early on.

Embiid has been more noteworthy for games missed than anything else. I know he also "swung" at a reporter, but I don't blame him for that. That reporter said some out of line comment regarding Embiid's family. But, the missed games, the lack of effort when he plays, the disregard for the team's success, it has been wild. The 76ers need him if they want to win big. He doesn't have to play all the time, but they need him for more than half the season. He is too integral and too important to not be on the court. Paul George has played less than Embiid it seems. He hyperextended his knee in the preseason, but that injury should have healed by now. He should be good to go. He should be firing on all cylinders, as it were. Tyrese Maxey is doing fine, but he is being asked to do far, far too much for his skill set. Maxey is supposed to be a lightning bolt offense guy. They need him to score and score in bunches. That is what he does best, but he has had to do way, way too much to this point. That is unfair to ask of him and his game is suffering for right now. The bench is nonexistent. The coaching staff is struggling. Kyle Lowry is looking old. The 76ers just don't seem to have what it takes.

I couldn't have been more wrong about this team. I assumed they would cruise through the regular season and easily be a top three seed in the East come playoff time. I thought Embiid playing a little less would help him in the long run. I figured George was going to walk right into 25 points per game and be the second defensive stopper they desperately need. And I assumed Maxey would continue to torch opposing defenses. None of that has happened. They look like a very, very bad team. They have some off court problems too. A big time bombshell of a report came out this afternoon saying that the team is in fighting. Maxey apparently called out Embiid. They have been going at it in practice. They have issues with Nick Nurse. There are far too many problems to even list here today. This is not a good look.

The 76ers are going to have to bring it the last 3/4 of the season. They have to show that they care. They have to prove doubters, myself now included, wrong. But this version of the team is going nowhere fast. At this rate they're going to be picking in the lottery and they will have a myriad of questions to answer this offseason. I don't know if it is going to get any better for them soon, but they need to or they are going to be looked at as the biggest embarrassment in the NBA this season. They can turn it around, but they have to start right now. They have wasted too much time and now it is biting them in the butt. Time to figure it out 76ers. No more time to goof off. Start winning games before you are out of the playoffs. 

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.

Webanyama is Already Must Watch Basketball

Victor Webanyama had his first career 50 point game last night. This is the first of very many to come for him. I have been kind of waiting for this to happen. Let’s discuss.

Webanyama is one of my favorite players. I grew attached during the draft process last year. I watched as many of his games as a rookie as I could. I watched him almost single handily beat Team USA in the summer Olympics this year. All of this made me like him even more. The guy is an enigma on the court in all the right ways. Someone that big isn’t supposed to be able to do the things he does. I’m a 90’s NBA kid. I grew up watching and loving Charles Barkley and Shawn Kemp. I was all in on Shaq. Yao Ming was an incredible flash of light during his shortened career. The big men I watched with awe were all overpowering and lumbering. Shaq dunked all over dudes. Barkley used wit and quickness to excel. Yao Ming was humongous. Shawn Kemp was wildly athletic and a thunderous dunker. They all went hard and went hard all the time. They had one or two moves and perfected them. Wemby is so much more athletic and talented than any of them for a guy his size. This is no shade to any of the guys I mentioned either. All of those dudes are some of my all time favorite players. But I think even they’d admit that Wemby is an athletic anomaly. He’s 7’4. He brings the ball up the court. He’s skinny, but he is a long rim defender. Go look and see what he just did to Domantas Sabonis recently. He is an excellent cutter and passer. Offense can run through him in the paint and at the top of the key. He can dunk on you or he can pull you out to the three point line. Case in point, during his 50 point game, he hit eight threes. Again, he’s a 7’4 center! That’s wild that he can do that. He’s a bigger Kevin Durant. He’s a faster Steven Adams. He’s a better shooter than Kristaps Porzongis. He’s more malleable on defense than Jaren Jackson Jr. He’s a cutter than Russell Westbrook. And when he figures out passing angles even better, his greatness will be harnessed even more. There’s never been anyone like Wembanyama. What he’s doing at his size and age has never been seen before. LeBron made it cool for a power forward to play point guard. Zion made it cool for a thick guy to run the offense. Jokic has stat nerds cumming in their jeans on a daily basis. Webanyama is taller and younger than all of them. He’s just scratching the surface of his greatness. Stars are going to want to play with him. Greg Poppovich is going to stick around longer, get better soon by the way, just to help shepherd him into being the face of the NBA.  And this is just the first of major achievements this star is going to make.

I implore all of you to watch this kid play basketball any chance you can. It’s amazing to see him play and watch him do the incredible things he does at a player his size. Wemby is must watch TV.

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 2024-2025 NBA Preview: Postseason Predictions

With the NBA season tipping off tonight, and after doing my countdown, today I'm going to do a playoff predictor and awards predictor. Take this with a grain of salt, the biggest grain you can find. I'll rank the top 10 teams in each conference and then seed them. From there I'll pick the winners of each round. After I pick my champ, I'll quickly go through my award winners.

I'll start with the East. Going from 10 to 1, I have the Bulls, Hawks, Heat, Pacers, Magic, Bucks, Cavs, 76ers, Knicks and Celtics. So the 10-9 play-in game features the Bulls and Hawks. Yuck. The East is rough. I'll take the Hawks here, assuming they still have Trae Young at this point. The 7-8 game is going to be tough between the Pacers and Heat. I'm going to take the Pacers here. They're younger and they will tire out the Heat. That leaves me with the Hawks facing the Heat for the 8 seed. The Heat will win this game. They're better, and they want to be in the playoffs. This gives us a first round matchups of Heat-Celtics, Pacers-Knicks, Magic-76ers and Bucks-Cavs. The Celtics will cruise over the Heat. It will be easier than last season. The Knicks will out defend and control the inside against the Pacers. They'll slow the game down a ton too. The 76ers will beat the Magic. It will be grimy and gritty, but in the end, the 76ers have the better talent. And the Bucks need to win this first round matchup against the Cavs. They simply must if they want to keep this core group together. Doc Rivers needs this too. So, the second round matchups feature Celtics-Bucks and Knicks-76ers. These are really good matchups. I'm all for this. I hope this happens. As for the outcomes, the Celtics are going to beat the Bucks. I do think it can go seven games, and the Bucks can make it interesting. But, the news of Khris Middleton being out to start the season makes me pick the Celtics. As for the Knicks-76ers, this is going to be a bloodbath. This series is going to be brutal, there will be a ton of complaints from both fan bases and it may end up injuring some good players. With that being said, I think the Knicks will be too tired from playing too many minutes. I am shivering in my 76ers pick. They've let everyone down in the past. But, with the Paul George addition, I have a good feeling about this team. That means I have the Celtics facing the 76ers in the East Finals. The Celtics are going to win the series. I could go in depth, but the Celtics have the best talent in the NBA. They are on a mission to prove that they're in the throes of starting a dynasty. The Celtics will represent the East in the NBA Finals for a second straight year.

Now to the West. Ranking the teams from 10 I have, Lakers, Rockets, Kings, Grizzlies, Suns, Pelicans, Mavericks, Timberwolves, Nuggets and the Thunder. That's right, no Warriors or Clippers. I also thought about not putting the Lakers in, but the Spurs aren't ready and the Jazz front office won't let this team make the play-in. So that leaves the play-in matchups as Lakers-Rockets in the 10-9 game and Kings-Grizzlies in the 7-8 game. Give me the Rockets in the 10-9 game. They're younger, hungrier and ready for the spotlight. I also think the Lakers will be injured or tired, or both. The 7-8 game is going to be pretty good. Give me the Grizzlies here. If they're whole, the Grizzlies should be back to being a good defensive minded team and they can score when needed. The Grizzlies will secure the 7 seed. The fight for the 8th seed is going to be a high scoring affair. Give me the Rockets. This team is going to be a real problem sooner rather than later, and this year they're going to show that from the jump. So the West first round matchups will feature Rockets-Thunder in the 1-8, Grizzlies-Nuggets in the 2-7, Suns-Timberwolves in the 3-6 and Mavericks-Pelicans in the 4-5. The 1-8 series is going to be awesome. Two young teams with super talented rosters that can score. The difference, the Thunder play elite level defense. The Rockets are coming, but not this year. The Thunder win this round. In the 2-7 matchup, give me the Nuggets. I'd love to see the Grizzlies win. I'm going to be rooting extra hard for them and it would be rad to see them return to prominence after one bad season. But the Nuggets are deeper and more experienced. They also have something to prove after last season's early playoff exit. In the 3-6, a rematch from last season's playoff, give me the Timberwolves again. The T'Wolves are better, play better defense and KD will probably be left by himself due to injury. The 4-5 is going to be interesting. If the Pelicans can stay healthy, this could be a series. They are more explosive and have some defenders. The Mavs addressed some of the issues they had prior to last season's playoff run. The fortunate thing for them, the Pelicans won't be able to match the scoring. Zion could go off, but he needs help. And this team needs to stay healthy. So, the next round features the Thunder-Mavs and Timberwolves-Nuggets. These are both rematches. In the Thunder-Mavs rematch, give me the Thunder this time around. I think they learned from last season's exit, they are more experienced and they are a far superior defensive team. I also think the Mavs run last year was fluky. In the other matchup, give me the T'Wolves yet again. I love this team and expect big, big things from them. The KAT trade was funky, but the more I look at it, it just makes sense and makes them better. The Nuggets may force a seventh game, but I think the Timberwolves will finish them off again. So, that leaves us with the Thunder facing the Timberwolves in the West Finals. Give me the Timberwolves. They're the better team with the best player in the series. Anthony Edwards is going to announce himself to the world.

This means we have a Celtics-Timberwolves Finals. This is the Finals I think we all wanted last year. I think we get it this season. And I cannot wait. As much as I want Minnesota to win it all, the Celtics are going to go back to back, and I think they'll do it fairly easily. Boston is on the precipice of starting a dynasty. As for MVP of the Finals, Jayson Tatum is going to get it this year. He is overdue already.

For awards, my MVP is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. SGA is going to be the best player for the team with the best record. He is awesome and he runs the show in OKC. Defensive Player of the Year is Victor Webanyama. Wemby is going to win a lot of awards in the future, and this is just the start after his ROTY last season. Rookie of the Year is going to be Reed Sheppard. He's going to be a big part of the Rockets' ascension. Sixth Man of the Year is going to be Malik Monk. I have been waffling between him and Naz Reid, and I think the NBA wants a guard to win it this time. Clutch Player of the Year is going to be Steph Curry. Another trophy for him to add to his collection. And Coach of the Year will be Taylor Jenkins. He is going to remind everyone why he is one of the better coaches in the NBA.

There you have it, my playoff and awards predictions. I am stoked for the start of the season. Let's do it. 

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 2024-2025 NBA Preview: Title Favorites Division

Welcome to day six of my 2024-25 NBA countdown. Today I have the top five teams in my countdown. Tomorrow I will do my postseason predictions, including awards and Wednesday will be my men's NCAA basketball preview. Anyway, let's get to the top five teams.

At 5 I have the Philadelphia 76ers. The 76ers won the offseason. They got the biggest prize of all. Paul George is now a 76er. I know he has a hyperextended knee right now, but by all accounts, he should be good to go at the start of the season. George is a perfect fit with this team. He will add late game scoring and very good defense. This was a great move. Joel Embiid is going to scale back all the games he has played during the regular season since he became an all NBA player. I think this will help him out. He will be able to go all out all the time and he shouldn't get hurt nearly as much. I love this move and it should help keep him on the floor more often than not. Tyrese Maxey has vaulted into an upper tier caliber NBA player. He is such a good scorer, he fits wonderfully and he has gotten better every season since he has been in the league. Kelly Oubre Jr returned and he has looked very good since he joined Philadelphia. Kyle Lowry will be a very good, very pesky backup guard. They got Caleb Martin at one hell of a deal. He is a wonderful role player and he is gritty as hell. They also signed Reggie Jackson and Eric Gordon. The 76ers have been making solid moves to get great vets to add to their roster. They also signed Guerschon Yabusele, who was awesome in the Olympics. The 76ers made excellent offseason decisions and they could reap the rewards. They need to stay healthy.

At 4 I have the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder are ahead of schedule. They were the number 1 seed in the West last season, and they will probably be there again this year. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is elite. He is going to win an MVP, maybe even this season. He has elevated his play every season, and I don't see that changing anytime soon. Lu Dort is a tank of a defender and he can shoot, well he can shoot sometimes. Getting Alex Caruso for Josh Giddey was a total robbery of the Bulls. Caruso is an upgrade in every possible way for the Thunder. Chet Holmgren shocked me and a bunch of other people when he played all 82 games last season. I don't see a repeat of that, but he is a pretty darn good rim defender. He does still need to bulk up though. Jalen Williams has taken a few steps each season. I now expect him to take a leap. He has all the tools to be a great second or third option on this team. Isaiah Hartenstein is going to add toughness and rebounding. He should be a nice change of pace for this team from Holmgren. Isaiah Joe is a pretty good shooter. Cason Wallace is fast as hell. The Thunder are young, good and ready to make the jump to a finals favorite. They're that good.

At 3 I have the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Timberwolves are a threat to the Thunder, and all other West teams for that matter. Anthony Edwards is awesome. He is one of the best young players in the league. He has confidence and the ability to crush in the NBA, which he is already kind of doing. AE is one of my favorite players in the league. He is endlessly watchable. Rudy Gobert is a head case, but the dude can play defense. He is big and strong and can move. He is the best rim protector in the NBA. Mike Conley has fit in quite nicely as the head vet in the league. He is constantly mentoring the younger dudes, and they seem to love it. Jaden McDaniels is an elite defender. He is as lockdown as they get in the league. Naz Reid is coming off a Sixth Man of the Year award, and he will get more responsibility now, which he can definitely handle. They got Donte DiVincenzio and Julius Randle in the KAT trade. This is a good deal for all teams. Randle brings scoring and DiVincenzio brings space and shooting. And I really like the Rob Dillingham pick for depth. The Timberwolves are relevant, they have a superstar and they are fun as hell to watch play basketball.

At 2 I have the New York Knicks. When doing this countdown I couldn't believe that I had them ranked this high, but here we are. Jalen Brunson is a superstar. All he needed was the correct amount of minutes and a front office and coaching staff that believed in him. He got both with the Knicks. They got Karl Anthony-Towns in the aforementioned trade. He is going to do pretty well with this team. He is a solid defender, he loves to shoot and he has a past with Tom Thibodeau. They also acquired Mikal Bridges via trade this offseason. He adds a ton of what they need. He is a shooter, a slasher and a very good defender. OG Anunoby, when he is healthy, is a very good Swiss army knife of a player. He is one of the best defenders in the NBA. Josh Hart does it all. And he never leaves the floor. Mitchell Robinson is hurt yet again. But, when he is on the floor, he is a strong rebounder and defender. Precious Achiuwa and Jericho Sims are nice backup bigs. And Miles McBride had a pretty good playoff appearance last season. The Knicks are a very good basketball team. They have a very well constructed roster. They have pretty much everything they need to win big this year.

And finally, at number 1 I have the Boston Celtics. I don't think this is a surprise to anyone. They're the best team in the league and they return pretty much everyone. Jayson Tatum is one of the most underappreciated stars in the league. He is a willing and good defender. He is an excellent scorer. His passing has gone up a level. Tatum does it all. He needs the proper credit. Jaylen Brown was amazing in the playoffs and he seems to play with a chip on his shoulder. He has gotten so much better every year. That should terrify opposing teams. Al Horford has fit in nicely as the calm vet on the team. He also has become a pretty damn good 3 point shooter over the past couple seasons. Kristaps Porzingis is hurt, no surprise, but when he is on the floor he helps this team go. I was wrong about his fit. It works. Derrick White is a great shooter and a wonderful defender. He is the ultimate role player. Jrue Holiday is the best perimeter defender in the league, and when his shot is falling, he is lethal. The bench is good enough to keep the team afloat in their limited minutes. The Celtics should be favored to win it all again this season. They have it all and they have it all coming back. They're the best team in the NBA by a wide, wide margin.

That's it, that is my 2024-25 NBA countdown. I hope you all enjoyed it. I cannot wait for the season to tip tomorrow. 

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.