The Lonzo Ball Hype is Over. Is His Career Also Over?

It was reported earlier today, and then refuted by the player himself, that Lonzo Ball was possibly retiring. Now, this was a report I saw on Bleacher Report. He then refuted it, also saw this on Bleacher Report, and said he was "just waiting for a call". Either way, I think retirement may be his best option at this point.

Lonzo Ball came into the league seven years ago with loads of potential. He was a top five pick. He was going to stay home with the Lakers. He was going to be part of them climbing out of the hole that Kobe Bryant left after his retirement. He and Josh Hart, Brandon Ingram, Ivica Zubac, Alex Caruso, they were all in this core that was going to make the Lakers legit again. Ball thrived in Summer League. He was the MVP during his rookie season in fact, at Summer League. But that didn't really translate to much winning for the Lakers during Ball's rookie season. The Lakers just weren't a very good team during his two year tenure. Ball did make second team all rookie, but Kyle Kuzma had surpassed him and was a first team all rookie. His second season wasn't much better, which ended after 50 games due to surgery.

Then LeBron James joined the Lakers and the front office decided they needed to make some changes. Ball, along with some other players and picks, namely Josh Hart and Brandon Ingram, were traded to the Pelicans for Anthony Davis. That worked out really well for the Lakers. They have the 2020 championship banner hanging in their stadium. As for Ball, all the potential he had was starting to feel wasted in New Orleans. He had his moments, again, the dude can ball. But he never really found much of a groove in New Orleans, again getting passed by a teammate, Brandon Ingram. He did have a solid season during the 20-21 year. He was molded into a three and d player, and that seemed to best suit his skills at that point. He was never the best point guard, so taking him off the ball seemed like an easy option. He parlayed that into a deal with the Chicago Bulls.

During his first season he almost immediately got hurt. He would eventually need surgery and be ruled out for that whole season. He then missed the next season getting his previous surgery and some clean up work. He never felt too comfortable when he tried to return that season, which pushed him to get his previous work checked out, and that led to the extra procedures. He would eventually return to the Bulls lineup in 2022, but he never really found any of the success he had with the Lakers or the Pelicans. While with the Bulls he played only 35 total games. He never really looked like himself again. He had to put up videos to prove to some media members that he was trying to get back to playing basketball. That's never a good sign in a player's career. He ended up with the Cavs last year, saw time in about 35 games and was eventually traded to the Jazz, who waived him immediately.

Now we have this announcement and rebuttal and no one really knows what's next for Ball. Ball was a highly sought after recruit who was a one and done player at UCLA., He was good enough to be the second overall pick in his draft class, but that never translated to much success in the pros. Most people will most likely remember his father's rants more than anything Ball did in the NBA. He has been surpassed as a pro by his brother, LaMelo, by a mile. LaMelo is a big time guard who has a shot to finally play some meaningful playoff games in Minnesota. Lonzo never really had that opportunity. He also never gave himself that opportunity. It can most likely be linked to all the injuries, but I also think he never lived up to the hype and potential. Ball had his most success as a three and d player, but that didn't fit the image that he and his father created. Ball wanted to be the focal point of a contending team. But he didn't have that skill set. If he had accepted the role of a fifth starter, who could make open shots and shut down opposing guards, he may still be on an NBA team right now.

I liked watching Ball play as a rookie, but those days are long, long gone now. If he does retire, his career will be one I remember of unfulfilled potential. He had all the gifts in the world to succeed, but he was derailed by hype and injuries. 

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.

Ben Simmons is Back

Ben Simmons is back in the NBA. Let’s discuss.

This felt like it was going to happen soon anyway. He was out of the league for a year, but he started posting workout videos, and his usual look at how good my jumbo shot is now type of stuff on social media. I didn't know where he was going to sign, but it felt like it was coming. He ended up with the Kings. And this feels like the right spot for him.

I heard that he may sign back up with the Clippers. That wouldn't have made much sense considering all of the heat they have going on right now. He wouldn't have been able to really show off for the other 29 teams in the NBA if he signed there. They also have Darius Garland and others who need the ball in their hands to be effective. Some people said the Lakers. That makes zero sense. He plays way too slow for what they're doing, he wouldn't help out the offense much, and it looks like this Lakers roster is very disinterested in playing any defense, which may be Simmons best attribute at this point. There was no way he was going back to Philly. It ended so poorly there, and they are clearly going in a different direction, signing LeBron James and all.

There were a few teams where I thought it could work other than Sacramento. The Wizards popped into my brain because, why not? They have such a weird roster, full of random dudes, so why not add Simmons into that mix? He could help Alex Sarr on the defensive end, and maybe take a little ball handling off of Trae Young's plate. He could use a break. Charlotte seemed like maybe due to them trading away LaMelo Ball. I feel like he could set up Kon Knueppel for threes and throw lobs to Brandon Miller. But they have Coby White for that, and Coby White is a far superior shooter to Simmons. I also looked at Cleveland, just for a flyer. He could run the second unit, replace some of the defense Dean Wade left when he signed with Philly and they could even put Simmons, Mobley and Jarrett Allen out there for a monstrous defensive front court. But they would have to give him very little money, and I don't know if Simmons would've accepted that.

I'm sure there's others that did their due diligence on Simmons, but the Kings make the most sense to me because of the state of the franchise. The Kings are going nowhere fast right now. They have let a bunch of good players go for next to nothing, they have missed more than they hit in the draft and they are in the space to take a chance on a guy, just to see what he has left, and if he shows anything, they can flip him for younger players or more cracks at the draft. Darius Acuff is going to get to run the show in Sacramento. They took him in the lottery for the sole purpose to let him score and score as much as he can. Acuff is not going to be asked to pass the ball much or play much defense. They want him to score and put up shots. I would be shocked if Domantas Sabonis is still on this team by the All Star break. He wants out, they want to trade him and I bet he will get his wish. Zach Lavine is untradeable and his best days are behind him. The Kings are giving what seems to be De'Andre Hunter's last shot in the NBA. I thought he was going to be a decent NBA player, but it just hasn't translated to the league. Alex Karaban looks slow and unplayable on the defensive end of the floor. Malik Monk can score, and has seemed to find a home in Sacramento. But he is only getting older, and I have to imagine that at some point in his career he wants to play in meaningful games late into the playoffs. They may still have something in Keegan Murray and Maxine Raynaud. But that is it. So why not take a shot on Simmons? If he can find some version of himself when he was making all NBA teams and winning rookie of the year in Philly, that would be a humongous win for Simmons and the Kings. If he can handle the ball a bit, find Acuff and Murray open for threes or throw a few lobs to Precious Achiuwa and Raynuad, that would be great. If he can step up on the defensive side of the ball and show any kind of true defensive pressure, maybe a contending team will give him a spot.

I know this is a lot of maybes and a lot of stuff he will have to show scouts, but it could happen. I don't think it will though. I think Simmons may have a few decent games here and there, but nothing will really stand out. I think that when he gets back on the floor, his shot will be nonexistent. I think he will be scared to shoot free throws. But I will be watching Simmons and kind of rooting for him. This is a former number 1 overall draft pick who fell off the face of the universe. I'm glad he's back, but he has a ton to prove. Maybe Sacramento is the exact place he should be right now. 

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.

The Hammer Comes for The Clippers

The NBA has levied their punishment against the Clippers, and boy is it big. The Clippers got crushed in fact. I didn't think they would get in much trouble, but I was very wrong.

For people who may not know, the NBA has been investigating the Clippers for about a year now due to some under the table payments given to former player Kawhi Leonard. Apparently this was a way to circumnavigate the salary cap so the Clippers could keep Kawhi on the team as long as possible, and try to build a title contending team around him.

This is very against the rules. It states in the NBA bylaws that stuff like this, namely circumnavigating the salary cap, is very against policy. The Clippers have denied it, and they are still denying it, but they just got their asses handed to them. The owner of the team, Steve Ballmer, has been suspended for a year. Lawrence Frank, the GM, is suspended for the year. Kawhi's uncle, Uncle Dennis, is banned from NBA activities for life, Kawhi has been given a 700,000 dollar fine and the Clippers have to forfeit five future first round picks.

This is brutal. This is a lot. I don't know that any other professional sports team in America has been levied a fine like this. This is right up there with some of the stuff the NCAA used to do back before NIL and when they actually had some kind of power. The Clippers were already in rebuild mode, and this will definitely speed up the process. They let Paul George walk in free agency a year ago. They traded Ivica Zubac during the season last year. They traded Kawhi before all of this stuff went down. They let Ben Mathurin walk in free agency. They are taking on younger players with boom or bust potential and they look to be in the process of trying stuff out. Now they kind of have to continue this for the next, at the very least, five years.

The fines and suspensions levied against the front office is bad enough, but the picks that are going to hurt the most. You can build through the draft. Teams have won doing that. The Bucks got a title out of drafting Giannis. But they also made trades for guys like Jrue Holiday and Brook Lopez. Those trades involved draft picks. The Lakers have always found a way to get a title, usually through trades. Those trades involve coveted future draft picks. They have also made trades on draft night, when picks are also available to move. The Warriors went on a generational run with a team build through the draft. The draft is important. The draft is where the most research happens. And picks are a known commodity and other teams want that. The Clippers now have zero leverage in any deal they may try to get involved in with another team. Let's say that, maybe next season, the Clippers want to offload guys like Brnadon Ingram, Gradey Dick or Rui Hachumira. They will have no power in any deal. They cannot attach those guys to picks. Other teams won't want to give them any picks either. They will just want to offload bad contracts or unhappy players. And those players will most likely be deep bench guys. How are they going to build around Keaton Wagler and Darius Garland now? They traded James Harden last year and took a big shot on Garland. When Garland plays he has some exceptional talent. But now he is going to have little to no help around him. And if they engage in trade talk, they are not going to be able to bring back any big time players.

I have big feelings that Garland is going to ask out, or when his contract is up, there is no way he is going to stay and re-sign with them. Wagler is an unknown commodity. He has skills, but he has a lot of growth that needs to be shown, and now he won't have as much time as he would have if the Clippers had stayed out of trouble. Brandon Ingram has shown flashes, but he is nowhere near the player people hoped he would be when he was drafted. Gradey Dick has proven nothing to this point. Brook Lopez is old. Bradley Beal is past his prime. Max Strus is always hurt. The Clippers are going to be bad this season, and it is only going to get worse from here. They need Wagler to hit and hit big. But they are not going to have any way of putting a solid, young team around him until he is in his mid 20's. Star players are not going to want to go there until this punishment is up. Any vet that hits is going to ask out. They won't have the benefit of building through the draft until 2032.

This is a mess and one that the Clippers seem not so fit to dig their way out of. This is also going to make other teams become very aware of shady outside dealings and shady family members. Time will tell what this actually makes the Clippers look like. But in the short term, the Clippers are going to be a moribund franchise with no way of getting out of their current state. 

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.

Russell Westbrook Calls it a Career

Russell Westbrook shockingly retired from the NBA today. Let’s discuss.

To be honest, I thought he still had some seasons left in him. It always felt like his engine was never going to run out, and if a team was willing to take a chance on him, he'd give it his all. Hell, Sacramento is back to being a dumpster fire, but Westbrook still showed up every single game ready to go and played his ass off every night when he was put in the game. But it was also very aware that his skill set had been diminishing for the past couple of seasons.

I was one of the people who thought he would really help out the Nuggets last season. It seemed like he could bring a good change of pace off the bench and make the Nuggets second unit fast and fun. And while he had his moments, he was basically played out of the rotation in the playoffs. He just couldn't keep up with the youth of the Timberwolves.

His two previous seasons, with the Clippers, was a nice homecoming, but it didn't change much for that franchise. They still found ways to blow it in the playoffs, or every important player was injured when it came down to the important games. He also missed 2/3 of his first season with the Clippers. That was when the injuries really started to rear their head.

But it was the three seasons before that, all with the Lakers, that really showed me, a big fan of his, that he might have been washed up. LeBron wanted him in LA, on his team, and it was a total mess. Those Lakers teams never meshed, and Westbrook seemed like the common scapegoat for all of their issues. He did last three seasons with the team, but he only held them back. He never averaged more than 18 points, and his explosive athleticism was diminishing rapidly.

Before his time with the Lakers, Westbrook was one of my favorite players to watch. During his time with the Thunder he was easily one of my favorite players and, I don't think I'm speaking out of line here, was one of the 15 best players in the whole league. We are talking about a player who averaged a triple double over multiple seasons. I know some of the stat-obsessed nerds, the analytic guys, the Zach Lowe's of the world, all tried to downplay what he did, but what he did was incredible. I was all about him winning his MVP. He kept the Thunder as a playoff caliber team after Kevin Durant left them for the Warriors. That was when Westbrook was at his best. He wouldn't let that team crumble and become a joke. He played super hard every night, did whatever it took for that team to win enough games to be in the playoffs and more than earned his MVP. He kept me being a Thunder fan for a few years after KD left. It wasn't because they had Serge Ibaka or Andre Roberson. It was all about Westbrook. He took the necessary leap and proved that he was the type of player that could lead the team. But that didn't translate to much playoff success, unfortunately. Westbrook did all that he could and then some, but when you are surrounded by mid level exception players, first and second round exits are the norm. And even when Westbrook left and went to the Rockets, I held no ill will towards him. He had won an MVP, been an all NBA player, did something no player had done since Oscar Robertson, but he didn't have the championship that most pros crave. He probably also wanted to team up with James Harden again. That didn't work out, and that was when the journeyman part of his career began. I mentioned the Kings, Nuggets, Clipper and Lakers. He also had a top in Houston, as mentioned before, and he even spent a season with the Wizards, teaming up with Bradley Beal and making the Wizards a playoff caliber team. But it was those Thunder years that I will remember most. The way he would fly up and down the floor. His vicious attacks at the rim on a drive. The way he would snag rebounds and get a fastbreak started. His elbow jumper that felt like it was almost always going in. His deep breath before shooting a free throw. That is the Russell Westbrook I will think about when I look back on his career.

My biggest question though, the one I just debated with my son about, as much as I adore Westbrook, I do not think he will be a Hall of Fame player in the end. He has all the big awards, but he is incredibly polarizing, and he doesn't have that ring. I think that maybe, with some time away, more and more people will grow to respect what he did, and realize he had a great career, but I just don't think he is Hall of Fame caliber. I also wouldn't rule out a return. If some team needs a last season addition at point guard, or wants a veteran to help out a rookie, I'd call Westbrook before anyone else. Time will tell. But for now, enjoy retirement Russ. You have earned a much deserved rest from basketball. 

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.

Thoughts on LeBron Going to Philadelphia

LeBron James has made his decision on where he will play basketball this upcoming season. He chose, after some long deliberation, the Philadelphia 76ers. Let’s discuss.

The 76ers were always mentioned as a possible team, but it felt far fetched. It doesn't go along with his narrative, he has no ties to the city, he has never had to face them in any high pressure situations, it sounded like a pipe dream to me. I even wrote a few weeks back how I thought that Cleveland was the best option, and I would have put Miami next and then Golden State before I even ranked Philly. But here we are, and I have some thoughts.

First off, I love that he chose the 76ers. Of all the teams mentioned, this one seems like the easiest fit for him as a player. He can come in right away and be the point guard. Tyrese Maxey isn't a point guard, he's a legit 2 guard. VJ Edgecombe may eventually be the point guard, but he can now learn how to play it properly playing with James. Jaylen Brown is better off the ball, and Joel Embiid has never, ever wanted ball handling duties. This is a seamless fit for, what I believe to be, James' best option at this point in his career. Labaron Philon is a rookie, so we, much like Edgecombe, will get valuable time learning from one of the best to ever play. Anfernee Simons is a shooter. Dean Wade is too big to be a point guard, and they brought him in for defense anyway. Caleb Love is a 2, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who they are about to sign, is a veteran 3 and D guy. The 76ers needed someone they could trust to bring the ball up the floor and run the offense.

Another advantage Philly has over a team like Cleveland, LeBron won't have to be superhuman on defense. I know that Embiid's health is, and always will be, a major issue. But when he is on the floor he is one of the best rim protectors in the NBA. I think Jaylen Brown is one of the better two way players in the league. He goes hard on both ends, and he has to guard the opponents best players a lot of nights. Edgecombe showed growth on that end last season, and Maxey is an ever improving defensive guy. Dean Wade, as mentioned before, is a solid defender. They brought in Andre Drummond for defense. Maybe they will turn Philon Jr into a defense first guard. The 76ers have way more, and way better, defensive options than the Cavs. If James' decision was solely based on defense, Miami may have been the better choice, but Philly is no slouch.

I also think he may have chosen the 76ers because it is all gravy for him at this point. He's done everything and then some than any NBA player could ever dream of doing. He has rings, MVP trophies, Finals MVP trophies, is a perenial all NBA guy and people seem to love him. If he can make Philly a legit title contender, or even win one with them in the next two seasons, his legend will only grow from there.

Now, as with everything, there look to be some downsides to this as well. Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe like to fly up and down the floor. That was when the 76ers were at their best last season. When they gave the keys to those guys and just let them run, the 76ers looked like a fun team. I fear, with James being the guy with the ball in his hands most of the time, those two won't get as many opportunities to run, and that could stifle their growth as the focal points of the team. And don't get it twisted, this is Tyrese Maxey's team now. He is the one they are trying to keep and build around. Adding Jaylen Brown was a big deal, but Maxey is the number one guy. Getting James to sign was awesome, but he has to know this is Maxey's team. I assume Embiid figured that out last season when he played and his post touches went way down. Maxey is the dude here, and Edgecombe is the clear number two guy. I don't think James will stifle them much, but any hindrance would be worrisome for me.

Joel Embiid and LeBron staying on the floor for long periods of time will be a problem as well. LeBron will be 42 in December. I will be 44 in December and getting older is tough on the body. LeBron James is a medical marvel, but time catches up to all of us at some point. And we all know Embiid's story way too well. He is such a supernova talent, but he is barely ever healthy. And he gets weird injuries too. It's not always your typical stuff.

I also worry that James may want to bring in "his guys". They have already done that with Caldwell-Pope. But what if he wants some of his other buddies to come to Philly? Russell Westbrook needs a new team, but that would not be so good for Philly. I know DeMar DeRozan is a free agent, but he is far too old to team him up with Edgecombe and Maxey in the backcourt. I heard that James may have wanted to team up with Kyrie Irving again, but if Philly were to trade for him, they would have to trade some good, young talent.

LeBron James comes with a host of great things, but there's also some issues too. I think Philly is done adding players. I fully believe they're all set now. They have one of the best starting fives in the NBA, if they can all stay on the floor. They are going to be a blast to watch. Again, I love that James chose this squad over all the other options. But I will be watching to see if anything looks funky or weird as we get deeper into the season. As of right now though, LeBron going to the 76ers makes them a legit title contender, and one of the top four teams in the East in my opinion. 

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.

The Grizzlies Need to Trade D'Angelo Russell Away

The Grizzlies finally got off of their former three top players, Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr and Desmond Bane, all within the past year. While I am bummed to see them go, this had to be done.

I wrote about them blowing that team up. Morant had become an off-court issue, Bane was traded out of nowhere, as was Jackson, and the team seemed to be running nowhere fast. They weren't playing all that well, and a change felt necessary. When Morant was finally traded, this included the Grizzlies acquiring D'Angelo Russell. I was not a fan of this move, but to get Morant out of the building, they had to take on Russell's contract.

My issue with Russell, he is a hollow scorer. His points mean nothing in the long run. He can fill up the stat sheet, but if you look at his team's success, it is not really there. He has never been the focal point of a team that has made deep playoff runs. And he is horrendous on the defensive end of the floor. I just didn't like the fit with what it looks like the Grizzlies are trying to do.

This version of the Grizz is going young and looks like they want to fly down the court. Drafting Cam Boozer was such a big deal and it was that decision that made me happiest with what the Grizzlies are trying to build now. Boozer is as NBA ready as any prospect in this past draft. He does need to improve defensively, but he is already there as an offensive player. He will score in bunches, can find open teammates, and I'd love to see the offense run through him in the very near future. Cedric Coward had an excellent rookie season, looked very good in Summer League and will be taking on even more of a lead role with this team now. He is a silent assassin, and I love that about him. He also looks like he has the chops to be a very solid defender in the NBA. Zach Edey has all the tools to dominate and be a great rim protector. He just has to stay healthy. That has been his biggest issue since he entered the league. But when he is on the floor, he is a monster. I'm super high on Karim Lopez. I feel like they got him much later than he should have been drafted, and he can fill Brandon Clarke's, RIP, role on this team. I think Jermari Grant and Isaiah Stewart can slide right into their roles as veteran leaders on this team. I'm excited to see what a healthy Ty Jerome, and what more minutes GG Jackson can provide this team. I think Walter Clayton Jr can be a solid backup point guard. I really like Scotty Pippen Jr, and even think he can start for them at point guard this season. I still believe in Jaylen Wells. Cam Spencer showed me a few things last season that intrigued me. And I want to see what O-Max Prosper and Quentin Post can bring to this squad.

So, looking up and down this roster, as I just did, Russell doesn't feel like a very good fit. I think he would take much needed touches and shots away from guys like Jackson, Pippen Jr, Jerome and Clayton Jr. He would try to run the offense on his own instead of letting it go through Boozer. I don't think he would ever have any consistency finding Edey on pick and roll lobs at the rim. Russell has his place in the NBA, but that should be with a team that doesn't really have any shot at winning meaningful games. He is an empty stats guy. He has never shown that he can get off the ball and run around screens. His defense, as mentioned before, is terrible. He may be a locker room menace. Basically, if the Grizzlies can get anything of note for him, they need to do that ASAP. The longer he stays on this roster, the more of a headache he will cause. And I fear he would stunt the growth of the younger guys they should be building around already. By all accounts the Grizzlies are looking to move him. I just hope it gets done soon, as in, today.

We shall see. 

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.

Thought on the Jaylen Brown Trade

Now that I had over a week to sit on it and think about it, I'm ready to discuss the Jaylen Brown trade.

For people that don't know, or don't follow basketball, Jaylen Brown was traded from the Celtics to the 76ers for Paul George and two future first round picks.

On paper this seems pretty tame. I'm still floored that this is what the Celtics and Brad Stevens settled for in a deal for a player that just finished sixth in MVP voting and proved that he can be the leader of a team that vaults to the number 2 seed. Sure, the Celtics were beaten in the first round of the playoffs, to the 76ers no less, but still, the Celtics had a better year than most expected and Jaylen Brown more than proved his worth.

I know that Brown is a divisive player in the NBA. I happen to really like the way he plays basketball. He is a two way player, he has a knack for getting to the rim, he can throw it down, his three point shot is better and he really gets after it defensively. Me, much like almost every other writer, thought the Celtics were going to struggle going into last season. Jayson Tatum was supposed to be out the whole season after tearing his ACL in the playoffs last year. The Celtics let Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday walk out of the door. They took chances on guys like Luka Garza and Neemias Queta. They looked like they were going to take a massive step back. Jaylen Brown would have none of it. He was a man on a mission this season and he balled the hell out. The Celtics started strong and never wavered. Even when Tatum came back, much to the surprise of everyone, Brown accepted his new role and did whatever it took for the Celtics to win. Yes he struggled in round one versus the 76ers. Yes he put too much pressure on himself. Yes he forced the issue. But he led this team all season to the number 2 seed. He showed that he has what it takes to win a ton of regular season games. He has a Finals MVP to his name. He is one of the best two way players in the league. And all the Celtics could get was George and some picks that should not be all that good.

I am a Paul George fan. Let that be known. But he has fallen off a cliff since one of his last seasons in LA. He had that one year where he helped lead the Clippers to the West Finals. But since then he has been too often injured or too focused on his podcast or getting suspended for supposedly taking a banned substance. He is not the player he once was, and that is just an unfortunate realism at this point. The Celtics basically got older at the exact same position, have to pay almost the same amount of money to a lesser player and they have picks that are essentially useless for them to use, unless they can find a trade partner.

I don't know if the Celtics are done making moves either. That has to be said. But this move is baffling. Brad Stevens has this aura about him. I feel like he is supposed to be one of the better GM's in the NBA, not named Sam Presti. Everyone applauded him when the Celtics overachieved this year. People say he has a knack for finding hidden gems in the draft. But this trade does not sit so well for me. Jaylen Brown makes the 76ers instantly better than the Celtics now, in my opinion. Tatum is an incredible player for them to have, but he doesn't have much firepower next to him now. Payton Pritchard is an okay player, but he is not on Brown's level. I like that they signed Mitchell Robinson, but he gets hurt a lot, cannot shoot free throws and tends to be played out of games. Derrick White is on the wrong side of his prime. Garza and Queta probably just had their best seasons, so I don't see them repeating last year ever again. Hugo Gonzalez and Baylor Scheierman better pop like they hope they will. And now they have an old and, possibly washed, Paul George.

On the other side, the 76ers have Brown, Maxey and Edgecombe. That should strike fear in a bunch of East teams. They may be getting LeBron, which would make them a lethal offense. Joel Embiid is always hurt, but I'd much rather have him on my roster than Garza or Queta. They signed Anfernee Simons, who will only help their bench scoring. Dean Wade should get some solid run and adds good defense. And I love the Labaron Philon Jr pick. The 76ers got much better while the Celtics got worse and older.

The Celtics hater in me loves that they did this. But the basketball fan in me is so confused and baffled by this. Anyway, Jaylen Brown got out of Boston, which he wanted, and now he will have multiple chances to show up the Celtics every single season and in the playoffs. And I cannot wait to watch him do it time and again.

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.

Where Does LeBron Best Fit?

It looks like LeBron James is down to three teams he is looking to sign with for the next season. The reported three teams are the Heat, 76ers and Cavs. I don't know why the Warriors are already out of it, maybe because the Wizards have said they don't want to move Anthony Davis, but this is the most updated thing I have seen so far. The three teams in the running all make sense to me.

The 76ers need a player like James. If they were able to add him to the team, they could be pretty lethal. The backcourt is set with Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. Both of those guys are legit. Maxey proved his all pro capability last season. He went to the next level. He is ascending to being a star at this point. The 76ers should build around him. They just added Jaylen Brown, in one of the wilder trades I've seen in recent history. He is going to be on another level this season. He is out to prove some people wrong, and Brown is too good a player not to show them up. He may have one of the better seasons we have seen in some time. Joel Embiid is the center. He cannot stay healthy, but he was an MVP as of late. When he was on the floor last season, the 76ers were great. With less of a load, Embiid could play more than usual, and that usually spells more victories for the 76ers. It's that 4 spot that seems lacking. All indications were that Dean Wade was going to start after they signed him as a free agent. I don't know about you, but I'd much rather have a 41 year old LeBron James starting than Dean Wade. James knows the East, he can help push the 76ers to make a deeper playoff push and would put them as a top 6 team right away if he signs there. I do think the fit next to Brown may be a little rough at first, but both guys are smart enough and good enough that they will figure it out. This team would be able to speed up games and slow teams down if need be. But, I do think that the 76ers want to go faster. Edgecombe and Maxey are speedy players, and when they pushed the tempo last season, they played much better basketball.

The Heat make sense if they want to push for a title right away. Need we forget, they just traded for Giannis. Pairing Giannis and LeBron would be pretty tight if you ask me. I'd love to see the two of them on the same team. The pick and roll would be dope. Giannis would get some great passes from James. Giannis and James could make some nice music defensively. Add in the rest of the starting five, Andrew Wiggins, Davion Mitchell and Bam Adebayo, this team would be hellacious on defense. James also has capability with Erik Spoelstra, and apparently he has repaired his relationship with Pat Riley. The depth would still be an issue. I don't really know who comes off the bench. They would have to scrape the bottom of the barrell for league minimum guys. But James has made that work in the past. The problem though, this is not the past and both James and Giannis, especially Giannis as of late, are both often injured. Injuries would be the biggest and most pressing issue with this version of the Heat. I do think that this would push them up, past the 76ers in fact, if James were to sign on with the Heat. But the fear of injury may be too big of a risk for the Heat to actually pull this off. They also may not have the money to get him in the door anyway.

Finally we have the Cavs. This one makes the most sense for a myriad of reasons, and I think this is how it will actually play out in the end. Cleveland is his home. He is a legend there. He won them a title for the first time in 50 plus years back in 2016. He had some of his best years with the Cavs. And they have a solid roster for the first time since he went back in the mid 2010's. They just re-upped Dononvan Mitchell. He is the future of the team and he is the current best player on the team. James Harden is most likely going to come back. I know he wants to play with James, and I'm pretty sure James wants to play with him too, outside of Team USA basketball. Evan Mobley would find life much easier on the offensive end of the floor playing with James. He would get so many more open looks and runs to the rim. Max Strus could spell him for minutes. They are apparently leaving space open for Bronny to come play with them. They have some solid rookies and vets they can rely on coming off the bench. And Kenny Atkinson, for all his faults, is a solid NBA head coach. They would most likely have to let Jarrett Allen walk, which would sting, but if it means getting James to come back home, I bet they would do it in a heartbeat.

Going back home for James makes the most sense and I see this being the only outcome in the end. Time will tell, but I would be surprised if James isn't wearing a Cavs jersey to start the 2026-27 season. 

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.

The Memphis Grizzlies Have a Bright Future

Before I go out of town next week and take that time off from writing, I wanted to leave you all with one more piece that involves the NBA. It has been a big basketball week, but with the draft and trades, it was at the forefront of my mind. So, before I bid you all adieu for one short week, I want to talk about how the Grizzlies have reinvigorated my fandom.

It has been tough to be a Grizzlies fan the past couple seasons. They flamed out two years ago to the Thunder in the first round of the playoffs and they were not very good and injury riddled all last season. Throw in all the off court stuff with Ja Morant, inexplicably trading Jaren Jackson Jr last year and letting Taylor Jenkins go before the playoffs two years ago. The Grizzlies have been a dumpster fire for about two years now, but this past week they have been making moves.

They started off the week with a bang on Tuesday night when they drafted Cam Boozer third overall. This is who I wanted them to take and they snagged him as soon as they realized he was going to be available. He is the type of player they can build around. He is a smart and savvy basketball player. He is going to average close to 20 points right away. He is a solid rebounder and passer already. His defense needs to improve, and I have no doubt that it will in due time. Memphis is going to love this kid, he will most likely love it there. He is NBA ready and looks like he may be the top rookie in this class. I fully believe he has the front position on winning rookie of the year next season. I'm so stoked about Boozer.

The Grizzlies traded down a bit in the first round, they originally had the 16th pick in round one as well, but they moved down to 21. Here they took Karim Lopez. This kid is tough. He has been playing professionally in New Zealand against dudes bigger and meaner than him and he thrived. He is a hard nosed rebounder. He doesn't take any garbage from anyone. He can get tough buckets. Bigger NBA players aren't going to intimidate him like they will other rookie players. And again, the city is going to love his toughness and his demeanor. He feels like a silent assassin. He looks young, but the guy is no joke. I feel like he can be this new roster's version of Steven Adams. He will only get bigger and stronger working with NBA trainers and I feel like he may be one of my favorite players in a very short time.

I'm even excited about the kid from BYU they took in round 2, Richie Saunders. I didn't know much about him until they drafted and then I went and checked out some clips of him on the internet. He was the second best player on that BYU team, behind AJ Dybansta obviously. But Saunders is not without his skill set. He can step out and shoot the ball. He tries very hard on defense. If he is open he will make shots. He has a toughness to him too.

That has me most stoked with this draft class, these three kids look like they have the mentality and bodies that are already set for the NBA. The Grizzlies got the most polished player in the draft in Boozer, they got one tough son of a gun in Lopez and they are taking a shot on a guy that can give them solid bench minutes in the long run. I love it. They were also able to acquire Isaiah Stewart from the Pistons for some second round picks. Again, they feel like they're going back to their roots of being tough and mean and physical and opponents will hate to play them. Stewart is one of my favorite players currently in the league. He doesn't back down from anyone. He is also a good rebounder and a surprisingly good shot blocker. He will also protect the young guys if they need it as well.

Peering out and taking a deeper look in this roster, they really only have one more thing to do to make this offseason an absolute home run for me, and that is finding a way to trade Ja Morant. I loved Morant, but he messed up and now he seems disengaged and wants out. I say let him go. Trade him to Sacramento or Brooklyn and try and get some picks. Hell, that may be all they can get for him at this point. But the time has come for both Morant and Memphis to move on.

The Grizzlies have a new franchise building block in Boozer. They have young guys to put around him in Cedric Coward and Zach Edey. Stewart is going to most likely start. Lopez will get extended minutes. I'm ready to watch GG Jackson fire the ball at the rim 20 times a night. They took a flyer on Walter Clayton Jr in the JJJ trade, so let's see if he can bring some of that college magic to the NBA. Santi Aldama can still stretch the floor a bit. They still have Ty Jerome and Scotty Pippen Jr under contract. Those guys have some kind of value. Hell, I'd even give Olivier-Maxence Prosper some extended minutes just to see what he has.

Look, the Grizzlies won't be very good this season, but they are trending in the right direction for me. I like what they accomplished this week. I'm excited to watch them again. I will be happy when they finally move Morant. This wasn't the case last season. But the moves this week have me pumped. I cannot wait to watch this team learn, grow and become good together. I'm happy to be a Grizzlies fan once again. 

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.

Thoughts on LaMelo Ball and the Timberwolves

I was going to write about the Grizzlies draft today. I wanted to talk about my feelings of the team moving forward. But the Timberwolves and Hornets pulled off a blockbuster trade and that takes precedent today.

As I was driving my son to football camp this morning the notification came across my watch that the Hornets were sending LaMelo Ball to the Timberwolves. That was all I saw at 8:30 this morning. It wasn't until I got to my folks house that I saw the rest of the trade. The Hornets sent LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to the Timberwolves for Naz Reid and a bunch of picks and pick swaps.

This was wildly unexpected. I heard last night, during round two of the draft, that the Hornets were mildly shopping Ball. I thought it was just draft talk and would amount to nothing. I went to bed expecting Ball to be a Hornet next season. And then this dropped. I know that Anthony Edwards has wanted to be paired with another star around his age, and the Timberwolves were exploring a bunch of options. I know they kicked the tires on Giannis and Ja Morant, but those deals never really materialized. But they started to move other guys, namely Julius Randle to the Nets for picks, so it seemed like they were trying to cook up some kind of deal. Then they pulled the trade for Ball off.

This is kind of nuts. I figured the Hornets were pretty set with the team they had in place. They made a nice push to the play-in last season, and it looked like they were going to try and build off of that. It seemed like they were happy with their three top players, Ball, Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller. They also have some nice young bigs that fit their system pretty well. But they kind of blew that all up this morning. I know they have Coby White to step in for Ball, and Naz Reid will bring veteran leadership, and he is a big that can stretch the floor, but taking away the hub seems out of the blue. Ball ran the offense. He was very wild with it, and would make inexplicable turnovers far too often, but he ran this team. He got open shots for the shooters. He is a premier lob passer. He was eager to start any and every fast break. He is a sieve on defense, but he was their guy on offense. Now he is gone, replaced with future picks and an older big man. I think the Hornets are still going to be solid, they definitely unlocked some stuff last season. But they are going to struggle to find as many open shots or fast break opportunities. Coby White is a solid point guard, but he is not on Ball's level as a passer. Knueppel won't find as many open threes either. Brandon Miller is going to have to be a little more assertive as well. The Hornets have some stuff to work out, but they should still be able to compete, especially in the East.

As for the Timberwolves, this is wild to me. They have gotten off of Julius Randle and Naz Reid. Randle struggled in the playoffs and seems to have passed his prime. It seemed inevitable that he was going to be moved. But Naz Reid was about to be put into the starting lineup. He was going to be given his chance with this squad. Now he is off to the Hornets, where I'm sure he will start as well. The Timberwolves will look different now, and they won't have as much size. Ball is going to be the 1, Anthony Edwards the 2, Jaden McDaniels at the 3, probably their young guy they all love, Joan Beringer at the 4 and Rudy Gobert at the 5. This feels like an odd starting five to me. Ball and Edwards make for a solid backcourt. I actually think those two will find a way to coexist, as long as Ball understands that this is Anthony Edwards' team. Edwards drives this team and everything runs through him. As long as he is healthy and on the floor, Edwards runs the show. McDaniels has more than proven himself as a very good three and d guy. He really showed growth and potential in the playoffs this season and he looks primed to get even better. But it is the front court that would worry me most. Beringer is totally unproven. He is only 19. I know the coaches and front office are high on him, but he has proven zero in the league to this point. He has a ton to show. And Gobert is still as stout a defender as ever, but he is not a rim runner or lethal lob threat at this point in his career. Gobert makes his due on defense, as he should. But he may end up being a dunker spot player on offense as long as he is still on the T'Wolves. They do have some solid depth too. They just gave Ayo Dosunmu a long, and well deserved contract. Isaiah Evans was a great second round pick last night, Kyle Anderson may be washed, but he can still do things in spurts that will help this team. Josh Green was a nice throw in in this deal, and he seems like he is much better off the bench. And Bones Hyland may find his niche as instant offense off the bench this season. But the team up of Edwards and Ball still has a ton to prove, obviously.

I don't know that this puts Minnasota on the level of the Thunder, Spurs or Nuggets at this point. I want the Timberwolves to succeed because I'm a big fan of Anthony Edwards. Time will tell and this deal may take a little longer to bear fruit than the Timberwolves may want. We will see. 

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.

Thoughts on Giannis and The Miami Heat

As mentioned yesterday, today I will give my take on the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade to the Miami Heat.

This appears to have been in the making for sometime now. I read before the trade that he was willing to go to two teams, the Heat or the Celtics. The Celtics did offer Jaylen Brown and picks, but the Bucks clearly wanted more players and more picks. I read that they were interested in Baylor Scheirman and Hugo Gonzalez, but the Celitcs deemed them unmovable in this deal. I am not so sure why they wouldn't include those guys, but I am not Brad Stevens and I do not work for the Celtics. I would have included both in the trade if it meant I would get to pair Giannis with Jayson Tatum next season, but that's just me. But the Heat, they gave up a haul to land Giannis. I wouldn't necessarily say they gave up most of their bench, but damn did the Bucks get a return.

Along with Giannis, the Heat did acquire Bobby Portis. But they had to trade Ke'el Ware, Tyler Herro, Jaime Jacquez Jr, Kasparas Jakucionis and a bunch of current and future draft picks. I know last night that the Bucks took Brayden Burries, and the Heat traded the rights to Nate Ament to the Bucks with their pick. So, not counting future picks, the Bucks gave up two guys, two very important guys, and got back five players. That's quite the haul for the Bucks. And they got young players that they are going to try and build around now.

I have seen that the Bucks may move Tyler Herro this offseason, and I think that may be in their best interest. Tyler Herro is an exceptional offensive basketball player. He has proven that he can shoot the rock and put in points at a very high rate. But he is an absolute zero on defense, and he is coming off of two seasons where he spent more time injured than playing. If they can turn him into future picks, or take a flyer on another young player that a contending team may not need, I'd say go for it. That would help in the rebuilding process for the Bucks.

As far as things go with Ware, Jacquez and Jakucionis, keep those guys and let them play a ton. The Bucks will not be a very good team next year, so I say they see what they have in these young guys. I like Ware a ton. He has looked to figure some things out in his first two seasons in the NBA. He has also become somewhat of a consistent scorer in the paint, and he can already protect the rim at a very high clip. Jacquez was close to winning sixth man of the year last season. He is instant offense off the bench, tries really hard on the defensive end of the court and he can shoot from pretty much anywhere on the floor. Jakucionis was a lottery pick last season, I heard he showed flashes during practices and just needed minutes to prove his worth. He should get minutes in spades now. The Bucks may even start him. Add on their picks last night, this team is going to go through a tough season or two, but they may end up being solid and a threat in the East in three years.

As for the Heat, if they did mortgage their depth, they got an absolute top of the line superstar in the deal. I love Giannis. He is one of my all time favorite players. He has won at the highest levels in the league. He gets better every year. I know he has been hurt a bit too much the past few years, but maybe that will go away now that he is in Miami, and they appear to have one of the best training staffs in all of professional sports. If they can get him right, and keep him on the court for 60 to 70 games every year, the Heat instantly become a threat in the East. The Knicks, Celtics and Cavs may be better than them right now, but the Heat are coming with this new starting five. Pairing Giannis in the frontcourt with Bam Adebayo is going to look like defense nirvana. Those two will contest every shot at the rim, grab almost every rebound and can both start fastbreaks off misses and blocks. They can both score at will as well. Bam put up 80 in a game last season. Giannis put up 50 in a Finals closeout game four years ago. They both love to attack the rim, and with Bam being a little bit of a better outside shooter, he will open up driving lanes for Giannis. You can play Portis at the three and have a super big frontcourt. And then I would imagine the Heat are going to start Davion Mitchell and Norm Powell, if they retain him, in the backcourt. Mitchell has revived his career since being added to the Heat, and Powell is the best scorer on the team. This is a formidable starting five, and if you want to swap out Portis for Andrew Wiggins at the three, be my guest. Wiggins is a better scorer and rim runner anyway.

The depth is the issue in Miami now. They gave up a ton to land Giannis. Let's say Wiggins starts, that leaves bench players like Bobby Portis, Nikola Jovic, Vlad Goldin, Pelle Larson, Dru Smith and Myron Gardner. That's not really much of a threat in the second unit. A lot of those guys were two way players last season. But they are on the Heat, and the Heat seem to squeeze every inch out of these guys. And Portis has always been a solid bench guy. But if a starter gets hurt and misses extended time, it may get dicey for the Heat.

In the end, the Heat got their guy. Erik Spoelstra now has a legit first option to put next to Bam. Spoelstra is an exceptional coach and he will put these guys in the best possible position to win. I like this deal for both teams. They each got what they wanted and I'm excited to see how it plays out in both Milwaukee and Miami. What a trade. The NBA is fun. 

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.

Ty's 2026 NBA Draft Preview

I promise you all I will talk about the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade tomorrow. If it weren't for the NBA draft, that would most definitely be the topic today. But we have the first round of the draft tonight, and I, as you all know, like to do my version of a draft preview. As opposed to what other people write about, I'll talk about a few prospects I like, some I dislike and some sleepers. I will also be taking a little time to talk about the three Michigan guys in the draft as well. I'm not doing a mock, not ranking anyone, I'm just going to give my thoughts on a few prospects.

I'll start with the players I like. This draft, according to most experts, has four players that could all be number 1 in most other drafts. I do think this draft class is going to be a memorable one for sure. there's some surefire stars that could turn the fortunes around for a few teams in the near future.

A while back I wrote about my thoughts on AJ Dybansta. I still think that he is the clear cut number 1 player available. He is big, can stretch the floor, plays hard all the time and can create his own shot. He is only 19, so he is going to get bigger and stronger. I see no real downside to his game. He also appears ready to come in and start right away. I'd take him first overall and have no problems with it. Dybansta has star written all over him.

I also really like Cam Boozer. He is a student of the game. He plays with power and control. He is an excellent passer. He can shoot the three. He needs to get better on defense, but that will happen quickly for him. I am very hopeful that he "falls" to three so the Grizzlies can take him and fully start their rebuild with him as the cornerstone player.

I am all in on Caleb Wilson. He has so much raw potential. He is such an incredible athlete. You could see how much UNC missed him when he went down with an injury right before the NCAA tournament. He has the looks of a low rent Kevin Garnett, which is a compliment. I would love to see him come in and contribute right away, but it is going to take a year or two before he starts to maximize his potential.

And then there's Darryn Peterson. I fully understand that he had some weird stuff with his playing time during his lone year at Kansas. I don't care about that. I watched Will Johnson sit out pretty much a full season at Michigan just so he could stay healthy for the NFL draft. I'm sure that's what Peterson was doing to an extent. He played big when he played great competition. He showed up in big games. He can get to the rim at will. Peterson has the goods, and I have him just behind Dybansta as my top player.

My final player that I really like is Kingston Flemings. I, for some reason, watched him play a ton this season at Houston. And he wowed me with every game. He plays under control, never seems to get rattled and really worked his tail off on the defensive end. People may say he is too small, I don't care about that at all. He is the exact type of point guard I would love to have on my team. He is a cerebral guard who never lets the moment get too big for him.

As for some prospects I don't like all that much, I want to start with Nate Ament. He is too skinny, too inconsistent and plays a little too erratic. I watched him play against Michigan in the tournament and they absolutely shut him down. He had an opportunity to prove a ton of people wrong, but he didn't show up. I felt like that happened a lot to him this year. While he is big and long, he is too skinny and needs way more time to develop than other top prospects in this draft.

This next player has very little to do with his ability, it is more about where he will most likely end up. That player is Darius Acuff. Acuff is a tremendously gifted offensive basketball player. He is such a pure and elite level scorer. He doesn't play any defense though. And I am worried for him that he is going to end up with the Nets or Kings. He will be frustrated by his role on the Nets because he is not going to be the number one option. As for the Kings, they are just a mess of a team and they seem to kill any good players they get by lack of surrounding them with elite talent. So, while I think Acuff will be able to score in the NBA, he is going to get hunted on defense and he will, most likely, end up on a team that will not give him the best opportunities to succeed.

I think some team is going to reach way too hard for Bennett Stirtz. I get it, the guy can fill up the stat sheet. He looked dominant as the lead guard at Iowa at times last season. But Iowa was only bolstered by their tournament run and Stirtz reminds me of a low rent Jimmer Fredette, except Fredette was such a better college basketball player. I see a ton of Fredette, Gradey Dick and Immanuel Quickly in Stirtz. I just don't see it with him.

Finally, I don't see it with Hanness Steinbach. Sure, he is a big front court player that can stretch the floor. and he did get a little better as the year wore on. But he never really left much of a mark. He just kind of came and went and I forgot about him. I watch a ton of Big Ten basketball, and Steinbach was never really on my radar. He is someone that I just kind of forgot about. So for him to be considered a late lottery pick is wild to me.

As for sleepers in this draft, some team is going to strike gold with Jayden Quaintance. I know he didn't play hardly at all in his transfer season to Kentucky, but he left a mark during his freshman season at Arizona State. He blocked everything that came into his sight. He was a tenacious rebounder. He was a rim running machine. And he is still incredibly young. If a team like the Pistons or Spurs end up drafting this kid, the other 30 teams in the NBA are going to be kicking themselves for years to come.

I also really like Chris Cenac Jr from Houston. He is long and lean, but he is also nasty and mean. He has a nose for the ball. He will do anything to get his hands on it, and then dunk it in your face. In my Flemings watches, Cenac Jr really started to flash on my radar as well. This kid is going to be such a spark off the bench in the NBA.

My final sleeper, Zuby Ejiofor. Ejiofor is such a perfect bench player for a title contender right now. He is smart, will lay himself on the line for the team, his shot has gotten better and he is a tank. This kid is going to be damn near impossible to move in the post. I think he would be an ideal player to take in the late first, early second round. He is an ideal fit with almost any NBA team.

Now, for the Michigan guys. Michigan has three players that could be taken within the first 14 picks. Aday Mara has risen the fastest on draft boards. He is 7'4, has a standing reach of 9'9, is an elite level passer and rim protector and is such a freaky lob threat. He needs to put some muscle on and work on his outside shot. He should also be an instant impact player on the defensive side of the court. Yaxel Lendeborg has come such a long way in a short time. He didn't even really play basketball until he was in JUCO. But he has molded himself into a legit lottery player and really made a name for himself during Michigan's national title season. He is big and switchable on defense. His three point shot improved dramatically this past season. He is a ferocious fast break player. And he can get to the free throw line. He does need to take the game more seriously now that he is entering the NBA. He cannot take plays off or not have his head into the game regardless of score. But Lendeborg is going to have a nice long career in the NBA and he should be a starter from day one. Finally we have my favorite player from last year's team, Morez Johnson Jr. Morez is such a good hustle guy. He never takes plays off when he is on the court. His motor never stops. He can play the 4 or 5 and guard the position as well. He is a tenacious rebounder. He loves dunking on people. The problem is, he can disappear for stretches of games. Sometimes you would forget that he was on the floor if he didn't get touches on a few possessions. Morez Johnson Jr needs to get drafted to the correct team, like the Spurs, Heat or even the Pacers, for him to fully maximize his potential. But I do think he is going to be a very good bench role player during his NBA career, and whoever drafts him is going to love how hard and how much he cares about the game of basketball.

Okay, that's it. You all have my 2026 NBA draft preview. Enjoy the first round this evening. 

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.

What's Next for Michigan Basketball?

After winning the national title in men's college basketball Michigan is looking for a new head coach. Let’s discuss.

In very shocking news to me, Dusty May has accepted the head coaching position with the Dallas Mavericks. I was kind of stunned by this news when it scrolled across my phone this morning. I was out doing my Monday grocery shopping, and as I finished loading my car with said groceries, the news was all bold coming across my phone, "MAVS HIRING DUSTY MAY". I couldn't believe it. I thought he was going to stick around the college game a little longer. He looked to be building something nice and powerful at Michigan. In two years there he brought them back from a very low point and turned them into a national title winner. May knew how to work the portal, he got players to play for one another as opposed to playing for themselves, he coached three guys that could be picked in the top 14 in tomorrow's draft and he brought in a nice haul in the portal and with incoming freshmen for this year's team. But now he is gone, off to the pros.

I fully understand that this is the end goal for almost anyone who gets into the coaching world. May started at the bottom, worked his way up to the head coach at FAU, took them to the final four, went to Michigan and won the whole damn thing. The NBA is the next and final stop for him. He had a meteoric rise and now he gets to coach what looks to be an up and coming team in the West. They have Cooper Flagg, Kyrie Irving, a high pick in this draft and a coach who looks like an offensive genius. May almost feels like a perfect fit for this team and it wouldn't shock me if he has them as a perennial playoff team within two years. And while it bums me out that he is leaving for the NBA, he doesn't owe Michigan or us fans anything. He took them to the pinnacle and gave them their first men's basketball title since 1989. I said it with Jim Harbaugh when he left for the Chargers after winning the title with the football team in 2023. He did what he set out to do. He doesn't have to prove anything else to anyone in Ann Arbor. Harbaugh and May will be celebrated forever in Ann Arbor, and will get the warmest of welcomes whenever they return. May's time was shorter than Harbaugh's, but the results are still the same. They did it. They brought glory back to a storied program. I wish nothing but the best for Dusty May, and with Doncic being out of Dallas, I may start rooting for the Mavs. Hell, if they take one of the Michigan guys, the Mavs may become my second team to root for in the NBA, behind Memphis, and until Seattle gets a team again.

Moving on, with May officially off to the pros, I am curious to see what Michigan does now. I wonder who they are going to target for this job. The current roster has 15 days to decide if they want to stick around or transfer out. I'm sure a few guys will leave. It always happens, and with the way modern college athletics are going, it is bound to happen. I would be bummed if guys like Trey McKenney and Elliot Cadeau leave, but it could happen. I do think, if Michigan wants to try and retain as much of the current roster as possible, they should just give the job to Mike Boynton. He is the reported choice for interim head coach while they do their search. I read that he went and met with every player on the roster after the news of May's departure. That gave me a sense of relief as a fan. He was May's first hire when he got the Michigan job, he was right next to him on the bench during their tournament run this year, he is a very good recruiter and he has been waiting his turn to coach. I'm a big fan of staying in house when it comes to moves like this. I know it blew up in my face with Sherrone Moore, but the football program rebounded with the hiring of Kyle Whittingham, and Boynton seems to have a good head on his shoulders. May wasn't the biggest name when Michigan hired him, but it clearly worked out. Boynton's name may not jump off the screen, but he would allow for continuity.

Some other names I've already seen floated around are Billy Donovan, Nate Oats, TJ Otzelberger, Josh Schertz and Ben McCollum. I fully believe the only name on this list that would make me happy is Billy Donovan. I'll explain why in a moment. Nate Oats is a good recruiter and a solid coach, but he is an asshole who would rub people the wrong way, including fans. Otzelberger knows the midwest and has made Iowa State a power. But he has been reluctant to take bigger jobs. Also I think he is quite content in his current position. Schertz would intrigue me, I have seen what he has done at SLU up close and personal. But I do think the lights may be way too bright for him in Ann Arbor. And McCollum's run with Iowa last season felt very fluky. Iowa didn't have the best season, and then went on a wild run. I don't know that he can duplicate that at Michigan. Other than Boynton, Billy Donovan would be an absolute homerun. The guy can flat out coach. He won multiple titles at Florida. He knows the college game. He did a solid job in the NBA without ever having a roster that was actually meant to win a bunch of games. He has more than proven his worth. My worry with him, I don't know that he will want to come back to the college game. He could hold out for almost any NBA job that will come open next season. He could also do tv for a year, and he may fall in love with that just like Jay Wright has. I think Billy Donovan would be the best possible guy they could get for the job, but it also seems very far-fetched at this point. And that is why I say they should just give the job to Mike Boynton. He has the best chance to keep this team rolling. He has been there since they hired Dusty May. The players are familiar with him. He knows how to put these kids in the best position to win. He can continue the dominance of this team.

Time will tell, and this is still wild to me, but I think, if they make the right choice, Michigan will be just fine in the long run. We will see. 

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.

Thoughts on Where Giannis Plays Next - Part 2

With each passing day, and with it getting closer to the NBA draft, it looks more and more likely that Giannis Antentekoumpo is going to be traded. He wants out and has done everything short of asking to be traded. A while back I went through some teams that made sense to me. That has changed since then.

I know Giannis has some leverage, but so does Milwaukee. This is an interesting case of a star that has won it big with the team that drafted him, but has fallen on hard times as of late. The Bucks have tried to rebuild around him since they traded Jrue Holiday to the Celtics. Damian Lillard was never fully healthy, and the fit with him and Giannis wasn't great. I was on board with that trade at the time, but it never materialized in the way I hoped it would. They went out and signed Myles Turner last season, but his success seemed tied to Tyrese Haliburton more than anything else, and with the Bucks having no real point guard, his skillset never fully translated to the Bucks. The Bucks also let Brook Lopez walk so they could sign Turner, and he and Giannis were great buddies and running mates. They were the anchors of the defensive frontcourt for the Bucks. As expected, the Bucks limped to a rough season and during the year it looked like they were going to move Giannis. That never came, but now it seems inevitable. As I said though, both parties have leverage. Giannis won a title in Milwaukee. He also won many awards, including an MVP. He seemed to love the city from the moment he was drafted there, and they loved him back. He did it all with the Bucks, and if he wants to move on and try to win a title before retiring, he has that right. What more could Milwaukee want from him? But, the front office also signed him to an extension two years ago. He is, technically, still under contract with Milwaukee. They don't have to trade him if they don't get a deal to their liking. He has two years left, and in the end, the NBA is a business, and it is cutthroat. It would be awful if they wasted two more seasons for Giannis, but they can if they want.

In looking at who may be left in the Giannis sweepstakes, it looks like it is only the Heat and Celtics. These seem to be the only two teams with either the picks or young players, or both, that can trade for Giannis and are places he'd be happy to play for.

I understand why he wants to play for the Celtics. They are championship ready right now. They won a few years back, they overachieved without Jayson Tatum for most of the season and they have picks and one blue chip young player they may want to move. Jaylen Brown is awesome. He was in the MVP conversation for most of last season. He was an All NBA  player. He is a wonderful defender. He can create his own shot. And he showed that he could lead a team as the number one option last season. I believe a team like the Bucks covet a player like Jaylen Brown if they decide to move on from Giannis. Brown would make the Bucks, at the very least, a play-in caliber team right away. The Celtics also have future picks they can trade. The problem, those picks may not be super valuable because the Celtics are going to be pretty good for a while longer. Also, the Celtics may need a third team to get this deal done. They may have to add some other team that can add more, and better picks to the deal. And that may end up with Brown going somewhere else. The Bucks may have to just settle for a ton of picks. They may like that, they may not. But it seems unlikely that the Celtics would pull the trigger on trading Brown after he proved he can lead a team and still play quality defense. The future picks may be too much for Brad Stevens to swallow as well.

The Heat seem like the most likely landing spot for Giannis. They have the picks and the young guys to get it done. The only question is, will the Heat be willing to give up some of the younger talent to get Giannis. If the Heat are serious, and they want to do it, they are going to have to part ways with one of either Nikola Jovic, Jaime Jaquez Jr or Ke'el Ware. They are also going to have to give up their first round pick this season and Tyler Herro. I think the Tyler Herro of it all is not a big deal to the Heat. He may be a good offensive player, but he is a sieve on defense and he has become oft injured. I think the Bucks would welcome him because he is from Milwaukee and he would be the number one offensive option. But the Bucks would want the first round pick, to keep their own first round pick, and one of the young guys I mentioned before. Nikola Jovic is raw, but has potential. He would get to play a ton, but it would be frustrating to watch him play. Jaime Jacquez Jr is a solid bench player, but a higher usage rate may be tough for him to handle. I'm sure he would welcome it, but that also comes with expectations. He may not be ready for that. The most ideal, and best fit for the Bucks, in my opinion, is Ke'el Ware. He has proven that he is a solid number 5 in the NBA. He can score in the post, and has shown that he is capable of stretching the floor. He is a good defensive player and a solid rebounder. I think he would end up being the best asset in this possible deal and he could flourish with the Bucks.

I think the only team that can trade for Giannis, that would make the most sense, that would make him happy is the Heat. He and Bam Adebayo would be awesome. They could keep Norm Powell and let him create and score. They have the young kid from Illinois that showed flashes. They would be able to keep Jacquez and Jovic and let them stay in their current roles, which fit them best. I think the Heat will get it done and do it before the draft. That is what I see happening in the long run. 

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.

The Knicks are NBA Champs

After 53 years, the New York Knicks are your 2026 NBA champions.

This is wild to me. I honestly didn't think I'd see the day that the Knicks actually won the whole damn thing. The Knicks, even with being in one of the biggest markets, had kind of become a laughingstock. I grew up on really good Knicks teams that couldn't get over the hump. I genuinely liked the John Starks and Patrick Ewing Knicks. I was a Ewing fan from the time I remember starting to watch the NBA, and when John Starks dunked on Jordan, he didn't, I became an instant fan of his. I had that damn poster on my wall as a kid. I liked Allan Houston and Larry Johnson. Charles Smith will live in infamy, but he was fun for me to watch. Hell, I even tuned into their games when guys like Langston Galloway, Nate Robinson and Frank Knitilikina were a part of the team. They did have a solid little run with Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire in the mid 2010's. But the team just couldn't get the big win. Be it Charles Smith getting continually blocked at the rim, or Ewing missing wide open layups, or Hakeem Olajuwon blocking a starks three point attempt, or Carmelo not getting the team past the second round, the Knicks just looked destined to be good, but not good enough. Hell, even last season they couldn't get by the Pacers. The Pacers were on an all time heater, and that Tyrese Haliburton jumper was amazing, but the Knicks were the better team.

After that East Finals matchup, to be honest, I kind of gave up on this current Knicks roster. It seemed a lot like what they had always done. I'm a Grizzlies fan, but growing up in a house that rooted against the Jordan Bulls, I became a Supersonics fan, and always will be. But I also kind of rooted for the Knicks too. It was all about Ewing and RD being a fan. I have never hated or loved the Knicks. I tolerated them. I like their jerseys, I like MSG and I have liked a ton of their players. But they never won anything big, at least not in my lifetime.

Then the Knick had this playoff run. They looked so good after game three against the Hawks. For people that may have already forgotten, the Hawks held a 2-1 lead in the first round, before the Knicks woke up and blew the doors off of them in three straight games. After the Hawks took the lead it looked like typical Knicks playoff regression. Then something clicked and it clicked at the exact right time. They went on to obliterate the Hawks so badly that they had a 60 point lead in Atlanta in the closeout game of that series. They wiped the floor with the 76ers in the second round, and easily dispatched of the Cavs in yet another sweep. This Knicks team felt and looked different. But that didn't stop me from still picking the Spurs to win in seven games. I figured the long layoff for the Knicks, the youth of the Spurs, the home court advantage for the Spurs and the dominance of Victor Webanyama were going to be enough for the Knicks to get beat on the biggest stage. I was so very wrong. Every game in this series was great, and close. I know the Knicks won game one by 10, but that was some late free throws making the final score look a little off. Each game was back and forth. The Spurs would hold these big leads in the first half, but the knicks never wavered. They felt like they could win every game. I do feel the only reason they didn't win game three was because that monster was in attendance when no one wanted his punkass there. He soured that whole night for the Knicks. But even in that game the Knicks closed it to one with seconds left on the clock. The turning point for me, and everyone else I bet, was the comeback win in game four. The Spurs were up 29 at the half. Teams with that big of leads in the NBA don't usually blow those games. But the Knicks just kept chipping away. When they cut the lead to 13 going into the fourth quarter I told my wife I had to go watch just to see if they could fully comeback. And dammit they made the full comeback. That OG Anunoby tip in was incredible and I will never forget it. I was sitting in my living room jaw agape watching no Spurs player guard him and Anunoby rushing to the rim, out jumping everyone and tipping that ball in. It was an incredible game with an amazing comeback and my son was equally as stunned as I was when I told him the Knicks won. Game 5 kind of felt like a formality after that, but you still have to play the game. And the Spurs showed up for three and a half quarters. But so did Jalen Brunson. I'm not the biggest fan of how Brunson plays basketball, but he was determined to close out the Spurs in game 5. The dude was amazing to watch. Every shot that went in seemed crazier than the last one. He was otherworldly in that game. But he had help throughout the series. Anunoby was my personal pick for Finals MVP. He did it all. Literally. Karl Anthony-Towns played the best defense anyone has ever played on Wemby. Mitchell Robinson was the perfect bully. Josh Hart out hustled anyone in his way. Mikail Bridges did his role perfectly. Jose Alvarado stepped up when his number was called. This team was built for this and they won their title in pretty dominant fashion.

I found myself happy for the Knicks watching this series, but it wouldn't have mattered who won. I like both these teams. I was texting with a friend of mine and we both just wanted the series to continue because it was so much fun and so competitive. But in the end the Knicks are the rightful and deserving NBA champs. They went out there and beat everyone in their way. I was wrong, they were right to let Tom Thibodeau walk and hire Mike Brown.

Congratulations New York Knicks. You are the 2026 NBA champs. 

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.

Austin Reaves and the Nets is Not a Good Idea

The NBA draft and free agency are right around the corner. Not to worry, I will do a draft preview closer to the actual day of the draft. But with free agency looming, news stories about possible deals are already popping up in the media. Let’s discuss.

The "big fish" as of right now seems to be Austin Reaves. I'm very tepid on Reaves. I think if he were playing in almost any other market, and putting up the same stats, he wouldn't be viewed as the prize possession he is because he plays for the Lakers. This is one of the few cases that the name on front of the jersey is more important than the one on the back. I think he is showing a tendency to be more injured, he is an inconsistent scorer, he pops off way too much and he is a liability on the defensive end of the floor. I also think he thinks he is better than he truly is in the world of the NBA. But, because he is finding himself wide open, given open driving lanes due to who he is teammates with, and because he can hide on defense, he is going to get a ton of offers. I personally think he will stay with the Lakers, he'd be an idiot not to, but that won't stop teams from chasing him. Right after the Lakers season ended, teams already popped up as possible suitors. I've seen the Hornets mentioned. I have read that the Bulls may pursue him. I'm sure a rebuilding team in a "smaller" market, like Sacramento may go after him.

This morning I read that the Nets are preparing a max offer sheet for him. The Nets front office is willing to give him four years and 175 million plus to be their number one offensive option. It seems as if they are ready to build a team around Austin Reaves. I openly laughed at the headline when I read it. This is so perfectly Brooklyn Nets coded. The Nets cannot ever seem to make a right decision within the front office. They almost nailed it when they got Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving to sign. And when they landed James Harden it seemed as if the Nets had done something right. But in true Nets fashion, it blew up in their faces. Kyrie Irving refused to get vaccinated. Kevin Durant couldn't stay healthy and demanded a trade. He also wanted the coaching staff and front office fired if he were to stay. And James Harden couldn't deal with the workload and asked to be traded as well. They couldn't get it together.

Even prior to this, the Nets have made some odd decisions in the past during free agency. Deron Williams seemed like a perfect fit when they lured him away from Utah. But he was never the true point guard leader they needed, and he was never able to stay healthy for a full season. They gave Andrei Kirlineko a bunch of money just to see him flame out in epic fashion. They signed Gerald Wallace to a nice offer sheet, but as much as I liked Wallace when he was on the Bobcats, he was not the frontcourt star they hoped he would be.

But, with the Reaves news dominating NBA headlines this morning, the only offer from the past that the Nets made that kept popping up in my brain was when they gave Tyler Johnson an offer sheet. Do you all remember that? Do you all even remember Tyler Johnson? For people who may not know who he is, or was at that time, Johnson kind of came out of nowhere as a member of the Miami Heat from 2014 to 2019. He had an up and down start to his tenure there, splitting time with the Heat and their D League affiliate, that's right, the G League used to be called the D League. But in 2016 through the 2018 seasons, something clicked for Johnson. He became this excellent bench scorer for the Heat. He played in 72 and 73 games both seasons, averaging around 12 points on 43 percent shooting. The media and Heat fans loved his energy off the bench and he became this niche basketball player that analytic people loved. He hustled, played his role and seemed destined to be a starter in the near future. The Nets saw this and decided he was ready to be given a sizable offer sheet. I want to say they offered him about 50 million for around four years. This was unheard of at the time for a bench player. He passed, the Heat gave him a one year deal and then he bounced around the league, never finding the success he found from 2016 to 2018. He went to Phoenix where he only played a total of 44 games in two years. He did find his way to Brooklyn eventually, playing a total of 47 games in two years. He then spent some time with the 76ers and Sant Antonio Spurs in the 21-22 season, playing a total of six games. I get mad Tyler Johnson vibes from this Austin Reaves news. Tyler Johnson should have stuck it out and played the role he was best suited for with the Heat. Hell, he could still be there if that was the case. But some other teams saw something, and a team like the Nets were ready to throw a bunch of cash at him and give him a bigger role.

It would not stun me at all, if Reaves were to sign with the Nets, if the same thing happens to him. Reaves would become another player who got paid and faded away. He is not a guy to build a team around. He is only successful because of the teammates he has around him. He will ot put up anything close to the same numbers with the Nets as he would if he stays with the Lakers. I find Austin Reaves to be incredibly overrated. And if he thinks that he is going to live up to a max contract, that is laughable to me.

The Nets need to stop with this nonsense of taking wild chances on unproven players. Do something right and pull this offer, or never even let it get out that you're thinking of doing it. Austin Reaves is not a player you can win a title with as your number one option. 

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.

Ty's 2026 NBA Finals Preview

The NBA Finals are set. The Spurs slayed the Thunder, and the Knicks easily dispatched of the Cavs. Lets preview the finals.

The Spurs-Thunder game seven was pretty great. I will fully admit, I was very wrong about the Thunder. They looked unbeatable to me. They were rolling when they got to the West Finals. SGA won his second straight MVP. The sidekick players were hitting their shots. They were winning without free throws and their defense looked ferocious. And the Spurs paid no mind to any of that. I loved how free and loose they played. The Thunder could not get anything in the paint when Wemby was in the game. He neutralized Isaiah Hartenstein and, to an even bigger extent, Chet Holmgren. The Spurs played better defense. They got more steals and blocks. They got the loose balls. Julian Champangnie was hitting his threes. Stephon Castle played fearless and free. Dylan Harper announced himself as a future superstar. De'Aaron Fox, when he came back from injury, ran the offense to perfection. The Spurs played a better series than the Thunder and they got the coveted game seven win on the road. I thought that they were maybe a year or two away from this type of contention. They proved me very, very wrong, and I love it. This Spurs team is young and fun. They fly up and down the floor and play exquisite defense. And Wemby is the most unique basketball player I have ever had the joy to watch play. He is from another planet. He does things at his size that shouldn't be possible. He makes the games fun and he seems to really care. This kid is amazing.

The Knicks, after a minor threat in the first round, have been on an absolute roll. They have won 11 straight playoff games. And it's not like the games are all that close. The Knicks are blowing teams out. I know in game one of the East Finals the Cavs took them to overtime, but the Knicks overcame a 14 point deficit in the second half, and I think they won that game by 9 points. They have been playing some of the best basketball in the entire playoffs. They are making threes at an outrageous rate. Landry Shamet has been on absolute fire since being reinserted into the rotation. Jalen Brunson is doing what he does, quietly I might add, and I think he has somehow become underrated for what he brings to this team. OG Anunoby, coming off his own injury, has been remarkable on defense, which is to be expected, but he has been equally as good on offense. That is such a plus for this team. Mitchell Robinson, who does have a broken pinky, has been a beast on the boards and is rim running with the best of them right now. Karl; Anthony-Towns has gone to a whole other level. He is still scoring like he usually does, but he is also passing at a high level and he is playing the best defense he has ever played in the NBA. Mikal Bridges got out of his slump on offense and is now the two way threat he was when he was on the Suns. Miles McBride is playing crucial minutes, Jordan Clarkson has bought in on defense and Mike Brown was the right choice to coach this team. I may have been a little critical of it when he was hired, I was wrong. He was the missing piece the Knicks needed to be where they are right now.

Ever since game seven of the West Finals ended I have been sitting and trying to figure out who I think is going to win. The backcourts are so different. Brunson and Bridges are a unique blend. Bridges is long and tall. Brunson is short and stocky and can get anywhere on the floor on the offensive end. Fox, Castle and Harper are a wonderful trio in the backcourt. Fox is the level headed veteran here. He is also lightning quick and he seems to be fully healthy. Castle is wildly athletic and can get to the rim with ease. Harper is a similar build to Brunson, but he is younger and a little more reckless in a good way. The front court battle should be interesting. The Knicks have a two headed monster here. Mitchell Robinson will be able to beat up the Spurs big men. But he may not be healthy. He is going to be very important in  this series. The Knicks need him out there. Karl Anthony-Towns should make the Spurs big men work a ton. He can score from anywhere on the floor and he is playing, as previously stated, the best defense of his career. Josh Hart is more of a guard, but the way he crashes the boards and attacks the rim makes me see him more as a frontcourt guy in this series. He needs to make shots, but Josh Hart could be another decisive player for the Knicks.

The Spurs have Wemby. Wemby is amazing. He can do it all and he can do it all at a very high level. There was a moment in game 7 of the West Finals where he caused a deflection that turned into a steal, got a pass about three feet behind the three point line, pulled up and splashed it. I audibly guffawed when this happened. He is incredible. Luke Kornet is playing solid basketball right now. Julian Champengie, as said before, can stretch any defender, and he plays good defense. And Harrison Barnes is going to be needed in the Finals if the Spurs want to win it all this year.

I'm still struggling with who to pick. I genuinely like both of these teams. RD is a Knicks fan and my dad roots for the Spurs when the Bucks are out or no good. I like a bunch of players in this series. I like both coaches and  both coaching staffs. I'm so pumped to watch the Finals this year. And we will have a new NBA champ for the 8th straight year. That rules and shows that the NBA has true parity.

As for my pick, give me the Spurs in seven with Wemby bringing home Finals MVP. They slayed the biggest dragon on the road, they're young, they seem to have the it factor right now and they have Wemby. Sorry RD, but this feels like the Spurs ring 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.

Chet Holmgren is a Liability, Not an Asset, for the Thunder

I'm so excited that we are getting game 7 of the Western Conference Finals. The Spurs and Thunder have been the two best teams in the NBA all year, so it only makes sense that they are going the distance to see which team will represent the West in the Finals. But that is not the crux of my piece today.

Chet Holmgren is a good basketball player. He has his limitations offensively, but he is a force on the defensive end of the floor. He proved that and then some in the Finals last season. He was an absolute menace. I was actually ready to eat crow after his defensive performance last season. I thought he was going to be more of a liability when he entered the NBA. I thought he was too skinny and too limited to be a real force. It didn't help that he missed all of his rookie year due to injury. I figured I had him pegged. But then he stayed healthy and played well. I believe he was in the all star conversation the past two years, and he has become a mainstay on the all defense teams.

In this series all of the stuff that had me worried when he was a prospect is coming back to haunt him. He has been an absolute nonfactor in this series. The Thunder won't even play him as the only big on the floor. Victor Webanyama has been absolutely eating his lunch all series. Wemby is on the fast track to being one of the top players in all of basketball. He is an alien unlike anything else we have ever seen. The things he does on the court should be impossible for someone his size. But he does it and he is doing it all against Holmgren. It is wild to me that people tried to compare the two of them when they were coming up in youth, high school and higher level basketball. There's no comparison, and Wemby is making sure we all know that. There's clearly some animosity from Wemby that people would even consider these two players on the same planet talent wise. I love that Wemby has taken that personally, and every time he faces Holmgren, he is making it a point to not just beat him, but humiliate him in the process. The modern NBA has too many friendships. We need more rivalries like I watched when I was growing up. And it looks like, at least from Wemby's point of view, that he does not care for Chet Holmgren.

The most glaring thing during this series, it's not just Wemby who is abusing Holmgren. Guards on the Spurs are going right at him. Devin Vassell, in the game last night, went right at him when he was the lone rim protector and scored an easy layup. Stephon Castle, who has no fear, doesn't think twice when rising up at the rim to meet Holmgren. Dylan Harper, who has been going hard at Lu Dort too, has zero fear when going to the rim against Holmgren. It has been a masterclass from the Spurs at attacking the guy who is supposedly on Wemby's level as a shot blocker or disruptor. That notion has to be gone now. Even the most loyal Chet Holmgren fan would have to agree that this is now the case. And maybe this is just a bad matchup for him. Maybe the Spurs have all the right answers to the things he is supposed to be elite at doing on a basketball court. But he has just not shown the capability to be anywhere near Wemby's level in this series. Wemby is, far and away, a better basketball player, on both ends, than Chet Holmgren. I like Isaiah Hartenstein,  but when he is the only big the Thunder trust against Wemby, what does that mean for Holmgren's future with this team.

These two teams are going to be at each other's throats for the next four or five years hopefully, and if Hartenstein is more reliable, maybe the Thunder need to look in a new direction for Holmgren. Maybe they can offload him to a team in need of a big center. The Thunder are going to have to make some hard decisions on key players soon, and maybe Holmgren will be at the top of that list now. He has not had a very good series. And maybe his luck changes, he hits some threes and blocks a few shots in game 7. But I would be looking into possible deals, which I'm sure Sam Presti is already doing, to see what the Thunder could get for Holmgren. He is simply not at the level he needs to be if he is going to be a formidable opponent to Wemby and the Spurs. And this series has shown us that tenfold. 

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.

Can the Knicks Actually Win it All

The New York Knicks are back in the NBA Finals. Let’s discuss.

This has been a long time coming. I remember the last time they made the Finals. I was 17 years old, the season was cut short by a strike, the Knicks were the 8th seed and they went on a magical run. It was awesome. I've bounced around being a fan of a few NBA teams. As a kid I was all in on the Seattle Supersonics. And the moment Seattle gets a new team, hopefully soon, I will be right back on the fan train. I'm all in for Seattle basketball. When they moved to OKC, I became a Thunder fan. It was easy enough to follow them there, and having a young Kevin Durant made it an easy transition. Then KD left and I was, again, looking for a new team. I toyed with the Suns, but Phoenix fans are an odd bunch. This was when I landed on the Memphis Grizzlies. They're close to Saint Louis and I liked what they were doing at the time. During all of this I have always quietly rooted for the Knicks. They're the one team from New York that I've always kind of liked.

I first fell in love with the Knicks when they had Patrick Ewing and John Starks. I had the famous John Starks poster on my wall when I was a kid. Patrick Ewing was one of my favorite players growing up. I was all in when they had Allan Houston and Larry Johnson. When they shifted to Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudamire, I still found it fun to root for them. There were some very lean years post Carmelo, but still, watching them play at Madison Square Garden was something to behold. Then they got Jalen Brunson. I was stoked to see him leave Dallas, and to go play on one of the biggest stages there is in professional sports, I found it easy to root for him. He took a chance on himself and it is paying off. I liked Mitchell Robinson the moment he declared for the draft. He is an old school NBA big man. He's mean and gruff and gets boards. He can also dunk a ball very hard. Mikal Bridges was one of the reasons I was contemplating being a Suns fan. Now that he is playing for the Knicks, it is so much easier to root for him. Acquiring OG Anunoby has been such a great deal for them and he is one of the best two way players in the game. I have always liked Karl Anthony-Towns. I liked him in college and when he was on the Timberwolves. I don't get the hate he gets on the internet. He is a very good offensive player, and it looks like he has finally learned how to play solid defense. Hell, I even enjoy the bench guys. Miles McBride is a bucket off the bench. I don't know if Landry Shamet has missed a three in the playoffs yet. Jordan Clarkson is getting minutes again and even he has bought in on the defensive end. This is a fun team to root for. And even the whole James Dolan of it all hasn't turned me off. Maybe it's due to him being less active or maybe it's due to Leon Rose being a bit more in charge. Dolan's awfulness hasn't hindered this team as of late. I thought they pulled the plug too soon on Tom Thibodeau. I was wrong. Mike Brown has been a perfect hire to get the best out of this team while also giving players proper rest during the season and playoffs. Josh Hart still seems like he could play 48 minutes every night this late in the year. That's due to Brown knowing when and where to give his players rest and to let them play.

Personally I like all three teams left in the playoffs. The Thunder are an absolute machine. They are well coached, have the two time MVP, have depth and play hellacious defense. I don't care about all the "foul baiting" and complaints. The Thunder are a legit dynasty in the making. The Spurs are young and fun and have an alien on their team that may be the best player in the world already. They're so unlike the Spurs of old, who I also liked, but still have that winning DNA. Stephon Castle is awesome, Dylan Harper has star written all over him, Julian Champenie can't miss and Wemby is amazing.

The Knicks are my personal favorite of the teams left. They're classic. They have the most iconic uniforms in the NBA. They have the best celebrity row. Nothing in the NBA makes me happier than seeing Spike Lee and Tracy Morgan courtside at a Knicks game. They are tried and true fans of that team. I like the guys on the team. They're playing beautiful basketball right now. It would be amazing if they could actually win the whole thing. They might have a good chance if the Thunder and Spurs keep beating each other up. The NBA is better when the Knicks are relevant. I remember when they hosted a first round playoff game in 2021, after not making it for years, and the Garden was rocking. Imagine how nuts it is going to be hosting a Finals game. I cannot wait.

I'm all in on the knicks for the Finals no matter who they end up playing. I want them to win it all now. 

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.

Giannis to the Lakers Doesn't Make Much Sense

I saw a headline on Bleacher Report this morning that said, "Giannis X Lakers trade ideas". Let’s discuss.

This took me back a little bit. I understand that Giannis' time in Milwaukee is pretty much over. He may return for all we know, but it feels like the writing has been on the wall for some time now. Giannis wants to go somewhere that he can compete right away for a title. He is older now, more injured and I'm sure he sees that his time left as a dominant force in the NBA is close to done. He was so awesome in his prime. He brought a title back to Milwaukee. He was the best player in the league, at least in my opinion, for a three or four year stretch during and post pandemic. but it feels like he is ready for the next chapter of his NBA career and he wants a change of scenery.

There's a few teams that make sense, if they can pull it off. The Warriors make the most sense to me. Sure, they're in the West, but put Giannis and Steph together, and I'd put them in the playoffs for sure. The Nets have all kinds of picks and young players they can move. And Giannis would instantly make the Nets a strong East team. The Raptors have always had eyes for Giannis, and if they could pull off a trade that doesn't involve Scottie Barnes, they could get a seat at the table. The Knicks may not go after him now that they're two wins away from the Finals. But if they were to rock the boat, that is where Giannis wants to play. The Cavs and Hawks seem less likely to trade for him now, but each has their own merits to go after him. The Hawks need a vet to keep that young team focused. And the Cavs need a force that is not afraid of any moment. And the Heat have always and will always be in the conversation for a star player. They have the means to get it done, and I wouldn't be shocked if that is where he ends up.

This whole Lakers addition is baffling to me. They would have to mortgage their future to bring him in. they would have to trade every pick they own. They would most likely have to add future picks. As far as players, I'd ask for the moon from the Lakers. I'd want Austin Reaves, Jarred Vanderbilt, Marcus Smart, Jake LaRavia, Bronny James and Deandre Ayton. Hell, I'd probably ask for more. If the Lakers want to be taken seriously, if they want a seat at the table, this would be my ask if I'm the Bucks. This isn't the Mavs giving up Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis. The Bucks front office is smarter and they have been playing this game with Giannis for over a year now. They don't have to trade him for scraps. They should get the farm, at the very least in picks, from whichever team or teams they're dealing with. With the Lakers, I'd want it all.

The 29 other teams in the NBA need to stop giving the Lakers whatever they want. Teams don't have to do that anymore. They are not the glamour franchise they used to be. Sure, they have new ownership coming in from the Dodgers, but the NBA has a salary cap. NBA teams can't just buy any player they want like they do in the MLB. The Dodgers get everyone and anyone because they can pay more. That's not the case in the NBA. There's so many more rules with the cap and I think the Dodgers people are going to find that out sooner rather than later, and that is going to drive them up the wall.

Also, if the Lakers were somehow able to get Giannis, what does that mean for LeBron? Is he already gone? Has he moved on? Or is he willing to take another backseat and be the third option again with the Lakers? I get it, he will be 42 next season, but he is still productive, and I think he still wants to win. And if Bronny is traded, would he follow him? Does he still want to wait and play with Bryce?

There's so much more than just the sensationalism of Luka and Giannis teaming up in LA. This would ravage the Lakers depth and youth. Luka and Giannis always seem to get hurt. JJ Redick is an overrated coach. He would have to do actual work to try and find guys on the cheap that could help this team. And vets who may want to play there would have to deal with taking on way less of a load based on what they excel at on a basketball court.

I hate this idea. I feel like any major media outlet is simply obsessed with getting star players, current and former, to LA. They want these big time players in big cities. They're so mad that San Antonio and Oklahoma City are going to be running the league for the next five to six years. That drives them up a wall. I would be stunned if Giannis ends up in LA. I would also despise it. I don't think it will happen, but I certainly hope it won't happen. This would not be good for the NBA. 

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.